Artwork © Juulls_Art (@juullsart)
Monday, September 29, 2025
After Words
“I’ve lived and worked in 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) for many years”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said in the aftermath of her triumph at the 15th National Games of People’s Republic of China. “So I could not hope for a happier ending than achieving such a victory on behalf of 广东 (Guǎngdōng)”. She also praised the emergence and growth of a new generation: “This time there was no age limitation and many young women took part in the Finals. I’m profoundly pleased to see the new generation being up to such a challenge”, she said. “They all showed their passion and potential for chess, as proof of the soundness of their study”. Photo: 李曉旭 (Lǐ Xiǎoxù)/羊城晚報 (Yángchéng Evening News). |
Sunday, September 28, 2025
A Woman of the World
World No.1, semi-retired GM 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) defended her women’s chess individual title with a 2–0 final victory over GM 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) at the 2025 China National Games. Caption and photo: 梁子铭 (Liáng Zimíng). |
The Woman King
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Knockout Women; Finals Game 2; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 28, 2025
Richter–Veresov Attack D01
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 e6 4. Nb5 Na6 5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 Nh5 7. Be5 f6
8. g4 fxe5 9. Nxe5 c6? (9. ... Nf6 10. g5 Ne4 11. Qh5+ g6 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. Qxh8+ Kd7 14. Qxd8+ Kxd8 15. h4⩲)
10. gxh5 Qb6 11. h6 g6 12. a4! 0-0 13. a5 Qd8 14. Nc3 Nb4 15. Bd3 Nxd3+ 16. Qxd3 Bf6 17. h4 c5 18. h5 g5 19. Rg1 cxd4 20. exd4 Bxe5 21. dxe5 Rf5 22. 0-0-0 Qf8 23. Qe3 Qxh6 24. Ne2 Kh8 25. Rg4 Bd7 26. Rdg1 Qxh5 27. Nd4 Rf7 28. Rxg5 Qh4
10. gxh5 Qb6 11. h6 g6 12. a4! 0-0 13. a5 Qd8 14. Nc3 Nb4 15. Bd3 Nxd3+ 16. Qxd3 Bf6 17. h4 c5 18. h5 g5 19. Rg1 cxd4 20. exd4 Bxe5 21. dxe5 Rf5 22. 0-0-0 Qf8 23. Qe3 Qxh6 24. Ne2 Kh8 25. Rg4 Bd7 26. Rdg1 Qxh5 27. Nd4 Rf7 28. Rxg5 Qh4
29. Nf5! Qh2 (29. ... exf5 30. e6+−)
30. Nh6! Rff8? (30. ... Qxh6 31. Rg8+ Rxg8 32. Rxg8+ Kxg8 33. Qxh6+−)
31. Rg8+! 1–0. Mate follows after 31. ... Rxg8 32. Nf7#.
30. Nh6! Rff8? (30. ... Qxh6 31. Rg8+ Rxg8 32. Rxg8+ Kxg8 33. Qxh6+−)
31. Rg8+! 1–0. Mate follows after 31. ... Rxg8 32. Nf7#.
Once upon a g-Pawn on g4. Photo: 羊城晚報 (Yángchéng Evening News). |
Blown Away
雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Knockout Women; Finals Game 1; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 28, 2025
French Defence C02
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 Nge7 7. Na3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nf5 9. Nc2 Be7 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Bd3 f6 12. Bxf5 exf5 13. Re1 Be8 14. Qd3 f4! 15. Bxf4 Bg6 16. Qd2 fxe5 17. Bxe5 Qb6 18. b3 Rac8 19. Rec1? (⌓ 19. Bg3)
19. ... Rxf3! 20. gxf3 Nxe5 21. dxe5 Bxc2 22. Qxd5+ (22. Rxc2 Qg6+−+)
22. ... Kf8 23. Re1 Rd8 24. Qc4 Qg6+ 25. Kh1 Qf5 26. Kg2 h5 27. Rac1 Rc8 28. Qd5 Rc6 29. Re3 Qg5+ 30. Kh1 Bxb3 31. Qxc6 bxc6 32. axb3 h4 33. Rg1 Qf5 34. Rg4 Bc5 35. Rc3 h3 0–1.
22. ... Kf8 23. Re1 Rd8 24. Qc4 Qg6+ 25. Kh1 Qf5 26. Kg2 h5 27. Rac1 Rc8 28. Qd5 Rc6 29. Re3 Qg5+ 30. Kh1 Bxb3 31. Qxc6 bxc6 32. axb3 h4 33. Rg1 Qf5 34. Rg4 Bc5 35. Rc3 h3 0–1.
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) at her best. Photo: 梁子铭 (Liáng Zimíng). |
Saturday, September 27, 2025
The Armageddon Incantation
朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Knockout Women; Semifinals Tiebreaks (Armageddon); time control: 4 minutes for White, 5 minutes for Black, plus 2 seconds per move after move 60; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 27, 2025
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Be7 8. Bd3 Ne4 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Bxe4 dxe4 11. Nge2 0-0 12. Qc2 f5 13. Nf4 Kh7 14. h4 Re8 15. Nce2 Nd7 16. Rc1 Nf6 17. Qc4 Be6 18. Nxe6 Qxe6 19. Qxe6 Rxe6 20. Nf4 Rd6 21. h5 Nd5 22. Ng6 Nb4 23. Ke2 Re8 24. Rc5 Rd5 25. Rxd5 Nxd5 26. a3 Kg8 27. Rh4 Kf7
28. g4 fxg4 29. Ne5+ Kg8 30. Rxg4 Nf6 31. Rh4 c5 32. Ng6 cxd4 33. exd4 Kf
34. Nf4 Rc8 35. Kd2 Rd8 36. Ke3 Rc8 37. Kd2 Rd8 38. Ne2 Rd5 39. Rf4 Rxh5 40. Nc3 Ke6 41. Nxe4 Nxe4+ 42. Rxe4+ Kd6 43. Rg4 g5 44. Kc3 Rh3+ 45. Kc4 Rf3 46. Rg2 Rf5 47. Rh2 Rf6 48. Rh3 a6 49. a4 b6 50. b4 Kc6 51. b5+ axb5+ 52. axb5+ Kd6 53. f3 Re6 54. Rh1 Rf6 55. Rh2 Re6 56. Ra2 Rf6 57. Ra6 Kc7 58. Ra7+ Kb8 59. Rh7 Rxf3 60. Rxh6 Kc7 61. Rc6+ Kb7 62. Kd5 Rf5+ 63. Kc4 Rf1 64. Rg6 Rf5 65. Rg7+ Kc8 66. d5 Rf4+ 67. Kc3 g4 68. Kd3 Rb4 69. Ke3 Kd8 70. Kd3 g3 71. Kc3 Rxb5 72. Rxg3 0–1.
Afloat
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Knockout Women; Semifinals Game 2; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 27, 2025
Giuoco Piano C50
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nc3 h6 6. Be3 Bb4 7. Bd2 a6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 d6 10. h3 Qe7 11. b4 Be6 12. Bxe6 Qxe6 13. Bb2 d5 14. exd5 Nxd5 15. 0-0 0-0-0 16. Re1 f6 17. Nd2 g5 18. Qg4 Qxg4 19. hxg4 h5 20. gxh5 Rxh5 21. g3 Rdh8 22. Kf1 g4 23. Ke2 Nb6 24. Rab1 Na4 25. c3 Nxb2 26. Rxb2 b6 27. Rbb1 Ne7 28. Nc4 Nd5 29. Rbc1 Rf5 30. Nd2 Rh2 31. Ne4 Kd7 32. Rf1 Ke6 33. Nd2 Rfh5 34. Nc4 R5h3 35. Rg1 Rh5 36. Nd2 f5 37. Nf1 Rh1 38. Rxh1 Rxh1 39. Kd2
39. ... f4 40. Re1 Kf6 41. d4 exd4 42. cxd4 Rg1 43. gxf4 Rg2 44. Ke2 Nxf4+ 45. Ke3 Nd5+ 46. Ke4 Ke6 47. Ne3 Nxe3 48. fxe3 g3 49. Rc1 Kd6 50. Kf3 Ra2 51. Kxg3 Rxa3 52. Kf4 Rb3 53. Ra1 Rxb4 54. Rxa6 ½–½.
Transcending Generations
朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Knockout Women; Semifinals Game 1; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 27, 2025
Queen’s Gambit Declined D35
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 Be7 8. Bd3 Ne4 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Bxe4 dxe4 11. Nge2 0-0 12. Qc2 f5 13. 0-0 Na6 14. d5 cxd5 15. Nf4 d4 16. exd4 Qd6 17. Qd2 Bd7 18. Rad1 Rad8 19. a3 b5 20. h4 b4 21. axb4 Nxb4 22. d5 a5 23. g3 Bc8 24. Rfe1 Ba6 25. Ra1 Nd3 26. Nxd3 Bxd3 27. Qf4 Qb6 28. Rec1 Qxb2 29. d6 Qb6 30. Nd5 Qxd6 31. Qxd6 Rxd6 32. Rxa5 Rf7 33. h5
33. ... Be2! 34. Rc8+ Rf8 35. Ne7+ Kh7! Black here gives up a Rook but forces a draw by perpetual check.
36. Rxf8 Rd1+ 37. Kh2 Bf3 38. g4 f4 39. Rxf4 ½–½.
36. Rxf8 Rd1+ 37. Kh2 Bf3 38. g4 f4 39. Rxf4 ½–½.
Yesterday Today
冯予 (Féng Eunice) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 27, 2025
Sicilian Defence B42
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. 0-0 Qc7 7. Qe2 d6 8. c4 Nbd7 9. f4 g6 10. f5 Bg7 11. fxe6 Ne5 12. exf7+ Nxf7 13. Nc3 0-0 14. Kh1 Bg4 15. Qc2 Rae8 16. b3 Nh5
17. Nde2? (17. Be3 Qd8 18. Qd2 Qh4 19. Qe1)
17. ... Qd8! 18. Bb2 Qh4 (Δ ... Bg7-e5)
19. g3 Qh3 20. Nf4 Nxg3+ 21. Kg1 Bd4+ 22. Rf2
17. ... Qd8! 18. Bb2 Qh4 (Δ ... Bg7-e5)
19. g3 Qh3 20. Nf4 Nxg3+ 21. Kg1 Bd4+ 22. Rf2
22. ... Ng5! 23. Nxh3 Nxh3+ 24. Kg2 Rxf2+ 25. Kxg3 h5 26. Ne2 Bxb2 27. Qxb2 Ref8 28. Qd2 R8f3+ 0–1.
Friday, September 26, 2025
Can’t Buy Me Love
Money and memory
Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, September 23, 2025
Moneta, the Latin term from which ours is derived, comes from moneo, “to remember, to think” and was in origin a translation of the Greek Mnemosyne, which means “memory”. Thus, in Rome, moneta became the name of the temple where the goddess Memory was celebrated and money was coined. It is starting from this etymological nexus between money and memory that we should look at today’s resurgence of discussions about the abolition of European single currency and the recovery of the old currencies of each of European countries. Beneath the urgent “monetary” issue lies an equally urgent issue of memory, that is, nothing less than the rediscovery of the memory of each European countries, which, by abdicating sovereignty over its own currencies, have somehow, without knowing it, also abrogated its legacy of memories. If money is first and foremost the locus of memory, if in money, because it can pay for everything and stand in place of everything, the memory of the past and the dead fade for both individuals and collectivity, then it is not surprising that in the rupture of the relation between past and present that defines our time, the monetary problem comes up with inescapable urgency. When a distinguished economist declares that the only way for France (and perhaps every European country) to get out of its crisis is to regain authority over its own currency, he is indeed suggesting to that country to rediscover its relation with its own memory. The crisis of European community and its currency, which is now upon us, is a crisis of memory, and memory — it is well not to forget — is for every country an eminently political locus. There is no politics without memory, but a European memory is as flimsy as its single currency.
Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, September 23, 2025
Moneta, the Latin term from which ours is derived, comes from moneo, “to remember, to think” and was in origin a translation of the Greek Mnemosyne, which means “memory”. Thus, in Rome, moneta became the name of the temple where the goddess Memory was celebrated and money was coined. It is starting from this etymological nexus between money and memory that we should look at today’s resurgence of discussions about the abolition of European single currency and the recovery of the old currencies of each of European countries. Beneath the urgent “monetary” issue lies an equally urgent issue of memory, that is, nothing less than the rediscovery of the memory of each European countries, which, by abdicating sovereignty over its own currencies, have somehow, without knowing it, also abrogated its legacy of memories. If money is first and foremost the locus of memory, if in money, because it can pay for everything and stand in place of everything, the memory of the past and the dead fade for both individuals and collectivity, then it is not surprising that in the rupture of the relation between past and present that defines our time, the monetary problem comes up with inescapable urgency. When a distinguished economist declares that the only way for France (and perhaps every European country) to get out of its crisis is to regain authority over its own currency, he is indeed suggesting to that country to rediscover its relation with its own memory. The crisis of European community and its currency, which is now upon us, is a crisis of memory, and memory — it is well not to forget — is for every country an eminently political locus. There is no politics without memory, but a European memory is as flimsy as its single currency.
(English translation by I, Robot)
Blow Out
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 吴双 (Wú Shuāng)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 26, 2025
Richter–Veresov Attack D01
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 cxd4 5. exd4 a6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Ne5 Bd7 8. g4 e6 9. g5 Ne4 10. Nxe4 dxe4 11. Qd2
11. ... Qb6?! An unhappy development of the Queen. 11. ... Nxe5 12. Bxe5 h6!? seems much more to the purpose.
12. 0-0-0 Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Bc6 14. Bg2 Bd5 15. Kb1 Be7 16. Qe3 Qc6 17. Rhe1 Bb4?! One Pawn was gone anyway, but after the text move Black will have to lose more material.
18. Re2 Bc4?! 19. Bxe4 Qa4 20. b3 Qa3. Black sets a last, desperate trap (21. bxc4?? Bc3 and White must give up the Queen to avoid mate), into which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) obviously does not fall.
12. 0-0-0 Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Bc6 14. Bg2 Bd5 15. Kb1 Be7 16. Qe3 Qc6 17. Rhe1 Bb4?! One Pawn was gone anyway, but after the text move Black will have to lose more material.
18. Re2 Bc4?! 19. Bxe4 Qa4 20. b3 Qa3. Black sets a last, desperate trap (21. bxc4?? Bc3 and White must give up the Queen to avoid mate), into which 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) obviously does not fall.
21. Red2! Very nasty.
21. ... Bxd2 22. Rxd2 Bb5 23. Bxg7 Rg8 24. Bf6 a5 25. d5! Qd6 26. Bxh7 Rf8 27. dxe6 1–0. In fact, after 28. ... Qxe6 29. Qd4 Bd7 30. Qd3 the Black King is doomed.
21. ... Bxd2 22. Rxd2 Bb5 23. Bxg7 Rg8 24. Bf6 a5 25. d5! Qd6 26. Bxh7 Rf8 27. dxe6 1–0. In fact, after 28. ... Qxe6 29. Qd4 Bd7 30. Qd3 the Black King is doomed.
Dragon’s Teeth
雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 26, 2025
Sicilian Defence B72
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Nc6 7. f3 h5 8. Qd2 Nxd4 9. Bxd4 Bh6 10. Qf2 0-0 11. Bc4 Be6 12. Bb3
12. ... a6!? 13. Bxf6 exf6 14. 0-0 Qc7 15. Nd5 Bxd5 16. Bxd5 Rac8 17. c4 Qc5 18. Qxc5 dxc5 19. f4 Rc7 20. Rad1 Re8 21. g3 Bf8 22. Kg2 Kg7 23. Kf3 Rb8 24. Rd3 b5 25. b3 Rb6 26. h4 Rd7 27. Rfd1 Be7 28. Ke2 Kf8 29. Rf1 bxc4 30. bxc4 Rd8 31. Rb3 Rdb8 32. Rfb1 Rxb3 33. axb3 Bd8 34. Kd3 a5 35. Bc6 Rb6 36. Bb5 Rd6+ 37. Ke3 Bc7 38. Rf1 Ke7 39. Rg1 Rd8 40. Rf1 Rd6 41. Rg1 Rd8 42. Rf1 ½–½.
The Chemistry of Compromise
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 26, 2025
Scotch Game C45
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Nd2 d5 7. exd5 cxd5 8. Bb5+ Bd7 9. Bxd7+ Qxd7 10. 0-0 Be7 11. b3 0-0 12. Bb2 Rfe8
13. Re1 Ng4 14. Nf3 Bf6 15. Bxf6 Nxf6 16. Qd4 Qc6 17. c4 dxc4 18. Ne5 Qd5 19. Qxd5 Nxd5 20. Nxc4 Kf8 21. Kf1 f6 22. g3 Rad8 23. Rxe8+ Kxe8 24. Rc1 Kd7 25. Ke2 Re8+ 26. Kd2 h5 27. h4 g5 28. Rh1 g4 29. Rc1 Re6 30. Nb2 Rd6 31. Ke2 Re6+ 32. Kd2 Rd6 33. Ke2 ½–½.
Queens in Between
居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 26, 2025
Sicilian Defence B51
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 e6 6. d3 a6 7. c4 Be7 8. Nc3 0-0 9. h3 b6 10. d4 Bb7 11. d5 b5! 12. cxb5 exd5 13. exd5 axb5 14. Bxb5 Nb6 15. Bc6 Bxc6 16. dxc6 Qc8 17. Re1 Re8 18. Bg5 Qxc6 19. Qd3 h6
20. Rxe7! hxg5!? Rather than accept the Exchange and to subject to White’s initiative after 20. ... Rxe7 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Nh4, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) turns the tables by giving up a Pawn in order to give her pieces more scope and utimately get to a drawish endgame.
21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Nxg5 d5 23. b3 d4 24. Ne2 Nbd5 25. a3 Qd6 26. Nf3 Nh5 27. b4 cxb4 28. axb4 Nhf4 29. Nxf4 Nxf4 30. Qb5 Rb8 31. Qe5 Qxe5 32. Nxe5 Rxb4 33. Ra8+ Kh7 34. Nxf7 d3 35. Rd8 Ne2+ 36. Kh2 Rd4 37. Rxd4 Nxd4 38. Ng5+ Kg6 39. Ne4 Nb3 40. g4 d2 41. Nc3 Nd4 42. f4 Ne2 43. f5+ Kh6 44. Nd1 Kg5 45. Kg2 Nf4+ 46. Kg3 Ne2+ 47. Kf2 Nf4 48. Kg3 Ne2+ ½–½.
21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Nxg5 d5 23. b3 d4 24. Ne2 Nbd5 25. a3 Qd6 26. Nf3 Nh5 27. b4 cxb4 28. axb4 Nhf4 29. Nxf4 Nxf4 30. Qb5 Rb8 31. Qe5 Qxe5 32. Nxe5 Rxb4 33. Ra8+ Kh7 34. Nxf7 d3 35. Rd8 Ne2+ 36. Kh2 Rd4 37. Rxd4 Nxd4 38. Ng5+ Kg6 39. Ne4 Nb3 40. g4 d2 41. Nc3 Nd4 42. f4 Ne2 43. f5+ Kh6 44. Nd1 Kg5 45. Kg2 Nf4+ 46. Kg3 Ne2+ 47. Kf2 Nf4 48. Kg3 Ne2+ ½–½.
Thursday, September 25, 2025
The Gift of the Danaides
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 姜天瑜 (Jiāng Tiānyú)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 25, 2025
Richter–Veresov Attack D01
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 cxd4 5. exd4 a6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Ne5 Bd7 8. g3 e6 9. Bg2 Qb6
10. 0-0 Qxb2? Nothing new under the sun, yet it can hardly be denied that the b2-Pawn is all too often laced with deadly poison. This case makes no exception.
11. Nxd5 exd5 12. Nxd7 Nxd7
11. Nxd5 exd5 12. Nxd7 Nxd7
13. Re1+!? Check and chock. Nevertheless, 13. c4 Qxd4 14. Re1+ Kd8 15. Qh5 was also very strong, Malassagne – Ganguly, 44th French Team Chess Championship, Chartres 2024.
13. ... Be7 14. c4 Qxd4? The Black Queen takes just another bite from the poisonous basket. Critical was 14. ... dxc4 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. Bd6 0-0 17. Rxe7 with White soon regaining her Pawn and securing a manifest superiority of position.
15. cxd5!+− Qxd1 16. Raxd1 Nce5 17. Bxe5 Nxe5 18. Rxe5 Kd8 19. d6 Bf6 20. Re2 Re8 (20. ... Rb8 21. Bh3 Re8 22. Rc2+−)
21. Rc2 Re5 (21. ... Rb8 22. d7 Re7 23. Bh3+−)
22. d7 Be7 (22. ... Rb8 23. Bxb7!+−)
23. Bxb7 1–0.
13. ... Be7 14. c4 Qxd4? The Black Queen takes just another bite from the poisonous basket. Critical was 14. ... dxc4 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. Bd6 0-0 17. Rxe7 with White soon regaining her Pawn and securing a manifest superiority of position.
15. cxd5!+− Qxd1 16. Raxd1 Nce5 17. Bxe5 Nxe5 18. Rxe5 Kd8 19. d6 Bf6 20. Re2 Re8 (20. ... Rb8 21. Bh3 Re8 22. Rc2+−)
21. Rc2 Re5 (21. ... Rb8 22. d7 Re7 23. Bh3+−)
22. d7 Be7 (22. ... Rb8 23. Bxb7!+−)
23. Bxb7 1–0.
In Too Deep
史亦歌 (Shǐ Yìgē) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 25, 2025
Bogo-Indian Defence E11
1. d4 e6 2. c4 Bb4+ 3. Bd2 a5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 b6 6. e3 0-0 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. 0-0 d6 9. Qe2 Bxc3 10. Bxc3 Ne4 11. Be1 f5 12. Nd2 Nd7 13. f3 Nxd2 14. Bxd2 Qe7 15. Bc3 e5 16. dxe5?! This looks like a strategic incongruence. More to the point seems 16. d5 Nc5 17. Bc2 c6 18. dxc6 Bxc6 19. b3⩲ preparing a2-a3 followed by b3-b4.
16. ... Nxe5 17. Rae1 Rae8 18. Kh1 Qh4 19. Qc2 Qh5 20. Bxe5 Rxe5 21. f4 Re7
16. ... Nxe5 17. Rae1 Rae8 18. Kh1 Qh4 19. Qc2 Qh5 20. Bxe5 Rxe5 21. f4 Re7
22. e4? A catastrophic mistake, which not only loses a Pawn, but also leaves White an overwhelming endgame advantage. The best seems to be 22. Be2! Qg6 23. Bf3 Bxf3 24. Rxf3, though after 24. ... Rfe8 the backward White Pawn on e3 is certainly a weakness.
22. ... fxe4 23. Bxe4 Rfe8 24. Bd5+ Bxd5 25. Rxe7 Bxg2+ 26. Qxg2 Rxe7 27. f5 Re2 28. Qg3 Qe8 29. f6 Qe4+ 30. Rf3? (30. Kg1 g6−+)
30. ... Qb1+ 0–1.
22. ... fxe4 23. Bxe4 Rfe8 24. Bd5+ Bxd5 25. Rxe7 Bxg2+ 26. Qxg2 Rxe7 27. f5 Re2 28. Qg3 Qe8 29. f6 Qe4+ 30. Rf3? (30. Kg1 g6−+)
30. ... Qb1+ 0–1.
Ways to strength and beauty. Photo: 中国体育报 (China Sports Daily). |
The Winds of Autumn
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 张潇 (Zhāng Xiāo)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 25, 2025
Richter–Veresov Attack D01
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 g6 4. e3 Bg7 5. Nb5 Na6 6. Be2 0-0 7. h3 c6 8. Nc3 Nb8 9. Nf3 Nbd7 10. 0-0 b6 11. Nb1 Bb7 12. Nbd2 c5 13. c3 e6 14. a4 Ne4 15. a5 Bc6 16. Qc2 Nxd2 17. Qxd2
17. ... f6? This allows White to open up the position to her advantage. Instead, she ought to have sealed it with 17. ... Qe7! 18. b4 c4 followed by ... b6-b5.
18. c4! Kh8 19. Bd6 Re8 20. b4! cxb4 21. cxd5 Bxd5 22. Bxb4 e5 23. dxe5 Nxe5 24. Nxe5 Rxe5? Fatally weakening the back rank. She should have retaken with the Pawn.
25. Rfd1 Qe8 (25. ... Qg8 26. f4+−)
26. axb6 axb6 27. f4 Rxa1 28. Rxa1 Rf5
18. c4! Kh8 19. Bd6 Re8 20. b4! cxb4 21. cxd5 Bxd5 22. Bxb4 e5 23. dxe5 Nxe5 24. Nxe5 Rxe5? Fatally weakening the back rank. She should have retaken with the Pawn.
25. Rfd1 Qe8 (25. ... Qg8 26. f4+−)
26. axb6 axb6 27. f4 Rxa1 28. Rxa1 Rf5
29. g4! Qe4 30. Ra8+ Bf8 31. Rxf8+ Kg7 32. Bf1 Qh1+ 33. Kf2 Qf3+ 34. Ke1 Qg3+ 35. Qf2 1–0.
Through the Typhoon
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 高木子嫣 (Gāo Mùzǐyān)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 25, 2025
Sicilian Defence B21
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qd3 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. Be2 d6 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Nd5 Bg4 10. c3 Nd7 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 Kh8 (⌓ 12. ... g5 13. Bg3 Bh5)
13. Rad1 Re8 14. Qe3 Nb6 15. h3 Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Ne5 17. Qe3 Nxd5 18. Rxd5 Qc7 19. Kh1 Nc4 20. Qc1 Qc6 21. Rfd1 e6 22. R5d4! Nb6. The Rook is taboo, as after 22. ... Bxd4 23. Qxh6+ Kg8 24. Rxd4 mate would follow in a few moves.
23. Bf3 Nc4? This allows a tactical blow. Though far from being optimal, 23. ... d5! would have at least avoided the worst of it.
13. Rad1 Re8 14. Qe3 Nb6 15. h3 Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Ne5 17. Qe3 Nxd5 18. Rxd5 Qc7 19. Kh1 Nc4 20. Qc1 Qc6 21. Rfd1 e6 22. R5d4! Nb6. The Rook is taboo, as after 22. ... Bxd4 23. Qxh6+ Kg8 24. Rxd4 mate would follow in a few moves.
23. Bf3 Nc4? This allows a tactical blow. Though far from being optimal, 23. ... d5! would have at least avoided the worst of it.
24. Bf6! Kh7 25. e5 d5 26. Rh4 Rh8 27. Rdd4! Threatening both Qc1xh6+ and Rd4xc4.
27. ... Nxe5 28. Qxh6+! 1–0. Mate follows after 28. ... Bxh6 29. Rxh6+ Kxh6 30. Rh4#.
27. ... Nxe5 28. Qxh6+! 1–0. Mate follows after 28. ... Bxh6 29. Rxh6+ Kxh6 30. Rh4#.
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Éclair
宋宇新 (Sòng Yǔxīn) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 23, 2025
French Defence C02
1. e4 c5 2. c3 e6 3. d4 d5 4. e5 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. 0-0 Bd7 8. Nbd2 Nge7 9. Re1 h6 10. Nb3 dxc3 11. bxc3 Na5 12. Nbd4 a6 13. Ba3 Nec6 14. Rb1 Qc7 15. Bxf8 Rxf8 16. Qe2 f5 17. exf6 Rxf6 18. Nxc6 Nxc6 19. c4 dxc4 20. Bxc4 Kf8 21. Qe4 Rd8 22. Bd3 Be8 23. Qh7 Bh5? (23. ... Qf7! 24. Be4 Qg8 25. Qxg8+ Kxg8 26. Rxb7 Nd4=)
24. Qh8+ Kf7
24. Qh8+ Kf7
25. Ng5+! hxg5 26. Qxh5+ Kf8 27. Bg6 Ne7 28. Qh8+? Better at once 28. Rec1! Qd7 29. Rd1 Qxd1+ 30. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 31. Qxd1 Nxg6 32. Qd8+ Kf7 33. Qd7+ Ne7 34. Qxb7 with the White Queen dominating the board.
28. ... Ng8 29. Bh7 Kf7 30. Rec1 Qd7 31. Bxg8+ Rxg8 32. Qh5+ g6 33. Qxg5 Rf5 34. Qh6 b5 35. Rb3 Rc8 36. Re1 Qd4 37. Qh7+ Qg7 38. Qh4 Qf6 39. Qh7+ Qg7 40. Qh4 Qf6 41. Qe4 Qe5 ½–½.
28. ... Ng8 29. Bh7 Kf7 30. Rec1 Qd7 31. Bxg8+ Rxg8 32. Qh5+ g6 33. Qxg5 Rf5 34. Qh6 b5 35. Rb3 Rc8 36. Re1 Qd4 37. Qh7+ Qg7 38. Qh4 Qf6 39. Qh7+ Qg7 40. Qh4 Qf6 41. Qe4 Qe5 ½–½.
Pinned
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 王秦萱逸 (Wáng Qínxuānyì)
15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 23, 2025
Sicilian Defence B40
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3 b6 4. Bb2 Bb7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nb5 a6 8. Nd6+ Bxd6 9. exd6 0-0 10. d4 Nc6 11. c4 Nf6 12. Be2 Ne4 13. 0-0 f5 14. d5 Na7 15. Ne5 exd5 16. cxd5 Nc8 17. b4 Ncxd6 18. bxc5 bxc5 19. Qa4 Nb5 20. Bc4 d6 21. Nc6 Qg5 22. Qc2 Kh8 23. Rad1 Rac8 24. f3 Nf6 25. f4 Qh5
26. Ne7? Had White foreseen what might come, she would have played her cards much more coolly (26. Rfe1).
26. ... Rc7? Luckily for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Black missed here a brutal refutation in 26. ... Ng4! 27. h3 Ne3 winning material.
27. Nxf5 Ng4? Now too late. Black had to play 27. ... Nd4! 28. Nxd4 cxd4 29. Bxd4 Nxd5 with an approximate balance.
28. h3 Rxf5? Black commits her third mistake in a row with irreparable consequences. She should have retreated the Knight.
29. hxg4 Qxg4 30. Be2 Qg6 31. Bd3 Bc8 32. Rde1 Kg8 33. a4 Na7
26. ... Rc7? Luckily for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Black missed here a brutal refutation in 26. ... Ng4! 27. h3 Ne3 winning material.
27. Nxf5 Ng4? Now too late. Black had to play 27. ... Nd4! 28. Nxd4 cxd4 29. Bxd4 Nxd5 with an approximate balance.
28. h3 Rxf5? Black commits her third mistake in a row with irreparable consequences. She should have retreated the Knight.
29. hxg4 Qxg4 30. Be2 Qg6 31. Bd3 Bc8 32. Rde1 Kg8 33. a4 Na7
34. Re6! Bxe6 35. dxe6 Qxe6 36. Bxf5 Qe3+ 37. Kh2 d5 38. Be5 Rc6 39. Rf3 Rh6+ 40. Bh3 1–0.
侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) scored a win and a draw in the first two rounds of the Finals of the 15th National Games. Photo: 梁子铭 (Liáng Zimíng). |
Sunday, September 21, 2025
Let’s Go to the Movies
Director 舒淇 (Shū Qí) and star actress 9m88 climb the red carpet for 女孩 (Nǚhái) (Girl) premiere screening at the 30th Busan International Film Festival in Busan, South Korea, Sunday, September 21, 2025. Video: Happybittermelon. |
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Postcards from the Past
On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 12th World Chess Champion and Honorary President of the Soviet Peace Foundation, Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov, attended the commemoration ceremony of the 80th anniversary of victory over militarist Japan and the end of World War II, organised and hosted by the Foundation ”My Genealogy“ in the Column Hall of the House of Unions at Moscow, Russia. Photos: Soviet Peace Foundation. |
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Friday, September 19, 2025
Thursday, September 18, 2025
The Queen Goes Bollywood
Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is announced as one of the stars for Season 3 of Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) which will take place in India from December 13-24, 2025. Playbill: Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (@GCLlive). |
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
If only life were a movie
The Candidate, 1972. A poster for the award-winning political satire. Photo: Pictorial Press/Alamy. |
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Mission: Impossible
Where are we?
Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, September 15, 2025
In hell. Any discourse that does not start from this awareness is simply groundless. The circles in which we find ourselves are not arrayed vertically, but scattered throughout the world. Wherever humans associate with each other, they produce hell. The circles and ditches are everywhere around us, and we recognise, as in Goya’s caprichos, the monsters and devils that govern them.
What can we do in this hell? Not so much, or not only, as Italo said, to take care of a parcel of good, what is not hell in hell. Because it too has been contaminated, in whole or in part — in any case no te escaparas. But rather let you stop, be silent, observe, and, at the right time, speak out, tear down the curtain of lies upon which hell lies. Because hell itself is a lie, the lie of lies that prevents the passage of non-hell, of what joyfully, simply, anarchically exists. Of the never been that every time hell covers with its being, as if there were no other possibility outside the ditches and circles in which inevitably you have been always already enrolled. Be you the point, the threshold in which the state exhausts itself, where the possible, the only true reality, springs up from the source. Thought does not consist in accomplishing the possible, as the demons invite you to do, but in making the real possible, in finding a way out of the ineluctability of facts that the dominant ideology seeks to impose in all spheres — and first and foremost in politics. While in the infernal hubbub around you, everyone attempts to diabolically, technically at any cost accomplish the possible, every state, every thing, every thread of grass, if you perceive them in their truth, become once again, silently, lucidly for you possible.
Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, September 15, 2025
In hell. Any discourse that does not start from this awareness is simply groundless. The circles in which we find ourselves are not arrayed vertically, but scattered throughout the world. Wherever humans associate with each other, they produce hell. The circles and ditches are everywhere around us, and we recognise, as in Goya’s caprichos, the monsters and devils that govern them.
What can we do in this hell? Not so much, or not only, as Italo said, to take care of a parcel of good, what is not hell in hell. Because it too has been contaminated, in whole or in part — in any case no te escaparas. But rather let you stop, be silent, observe, and, at the right time, speak out, tear down the curtain of lies upon which hell lies. Because hell itself is a lie, the lie of lies that prevents the passage of non-hell, of what joyfully, simply, anarchically exists. Of the never been that every time hell covers with its being, as if there were no other possibility outside the ditches and circles in which inevitably you have been always already enrolled. Be you the point, the threshold in which the state exhausts itself, where the possible, the only true reality, springs up from the source. Thought does not consist in accomplishing the possible, as the demons invite you to do, but in making the real possible, in finding a way out of the ineluctability of facts that the dominant ideology seeks to impose in all spheres — and first and foremost in politics. While in the infernal hubbub around you, everyone attempts to diabolically, technically at any cost accomplish the possible, every state, every thing, every thread of grass, if you perceive them in their truth, become once again, silently, lucidly for you possible.
(English translation by I, Robot)
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Sandro Botticelli, The Abyss of Hell, 1480. Courtesy of WikiArt.
The Spring Dance from the Lagoon
Singer, songwriter, and actress 9m88 dances on the red carpet for 女孩 (Nǚhái) (Girl) premiere screening at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy, September 4, 2025. Photo: 罗鸿 (Laurent Hou)/Bánh Mì. |
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