Well, Edna, you know, not all doughnuts come out with a hole

Artwork © CyberRaven

Cheesecakes and Tartlets

A close encounter of the third kind, between chess, on the one hand, and dance, on the other hand. Aurora, Emma, Letizia, Niccolò, and Riccardo, exchanged gifts and sweets in the dining room of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” yesterday evening.

Game Changer

Led her team to victory — 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photos: SG Pipers.

The Way to Win

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Final | Game 2; SG Alpine Pipers – Triveni Continental Kings; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 23, 2025

Spanish Game C77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Be3 Bd6 8. h3 h6 9. Nc3 c5 10. a4 Be6 11. Nd2 Nd7 12. b3 c6 13. 0-0 g5 14. Ne2 h5 15. Ng3 g4 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. exf5 gxh3 18. g3 Qc7 19. Bg5 Be7 20. Bxe7 Kxe7 21. Ne4 Rag8 22. Kh2 Qd8 23. Qe2 Nf6 24. Nxf6 Kxf6 25. Rae1 Qd5 26. Kxh3

26. ... Re8. A funny variation is 26. ... Rg4! 27. f3 Rhg8! 28. fxg4 hxg4+ 29. Kh4 (not 29. Kh2? because of 29. ... Rh8+ 30. Kg1 Qh1+ 31. Kf2 Qh2+ 32. Ke3 Qxg3+ 33. Ke4 Rh2 with irresistible attack) 29. ... Rh8+ 30. Kxg4 Rg8+ 31. Kh3 Rh8+ with a draw by perpetual check.
27. Qe4 h4?! 28. g4 Rd8

29. g5+!? Kxg5 30. f4+ Kf6. Clearly not 30. ... exf4?? on account of 31. Rg1+ Kh5 (31. ... Kf6 32. Qe7+ Kxf5 33. Qg5#) 32. Qxf4 with mate in a few moves.
31. Qxe5+. 31. fxe5+! Ke7 32. Rg1! was certainly more promising, but 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) does not need to push because her team is winning.
31. ... Qxe5 32. fxe5+ Ke7 33. Re4 Rdg8 34. Rf2 Rg3+ 35. Kh2 Rg5 36. a5 Rhh5 37. Ref4 h3 38. R4f3 Kd7 39. Rf4 Ke7 40. R4f3 Kd7 41. c3 Ke7 42. d4 cxd4 43. cxd4 Rh4 44. Rf4 Rgg4 45. Rxg4 Rxg4 46. Rd2 Rf4 47. Kxh3 Rxf5 48. Kg4 Rf1 49. d5 cxd5 50. Rxd5 Ke6 51. Rd6+ Kxe5 52. Rb6 f5+ 53. Kg3 f4+ 54. Kg2 Ra1 55. Rxb7 Rxa5 56. Kf3 Rb5 57. Re7+ Kf6 58. Ra7 Kf5 59. Rxa6 Rxb3+ 60. Kf2 Kg4 61. Rg6+ Kf5 62. Ra6 Rb2+ 63. Kf3 Rb3+ 64. Kf2 Rb2+ ½–½.

In the second game, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) did the minimum indispensable to give her team the overall victory and the big first prize. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.

Halfway to the Mountain

朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Final | Game 1; Triveni Continental Kings – SG Alpine Pipers; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 23, 2025

Bogo-Indian Defence E11

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 c5 5. Bxb4 cxb4 6. g3 b6 7. Bg2 Bb7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Qd3 d6 10. Nbd2 Qc7 11. Rfd1 Re8 12. Ne1 Bxg2 13. Nxg2 Nc6 14. Rac1 Rad8 15. Ne3 h6 16. Nf3 Ne7 17. a3 e5 18. Qb3 bxa3 19. Qxa3 a5 20. b4 axb4 21. Qxb4 Nc6 22. Qb2 Nxd4 23. Nxd4 exd4 24. Qxd4 Re4 25. Qd3 Re5 26. Rb1 Qc6 27. Qd4 Rc5 28. Qb2 Rb8 29. Qd4 Rd8 30. Rb2

30. ... b5! 31. cxb5 Rxb5 32. Rxb5 Qxb5 33. Rd2 Qb1+ 34. Rd1 Qb5 35. Rd2 Qb1+ 36. Kg2 Qb7+ 37. f3 Qb5 38. Kf2 Qd7 39. Kg2 Qb5 40. Nc4 d5 41. Ne3 Re8 42. Kf2 Re6 43. Rb2 Qd7 44. Nf5 Kh7 45. h4 g6 46. Ne3 h5 47. Rb8 Qd6 48. Rb7 Kg7 49. Ra7 Qe5 50. Qxe5 Rxe5 51. Ra4 Re6 52. Rd4 Rd6 53. Ng2 Kf8 54. Nf4 Ke7 55. Rd2 Rd7 56. Rd4 Rd6 57. Kg2 Rd7 58. Kh3 Kd6 59. g4 hxg4+ 60. fxg4 Ke5 61. Ra4 Ne4 62. Nd3+ Kf6 63. Ra6+ Rd6 64. Rxd6+ Nxd6 65. Kg3 Ne4+ 66. Kf3 Nc3 67. Nf4 Ke5 68. h5 gxh5 69. gxh5 Kf6 70. h6 d4 71. Kg4 Ne4 72. Kh5 Ng3+ 73. Kg4 Ne4 74. Kh5 Ng3+ 75. Kg4 Ne4 76. Kh5 Ke5 ½–½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) easily held her own in the first game of the Final. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.

Oh, Edna, apparently they ate your slice of that heavenly mousse by mistake

Photo: OldSchoolFiguras | Figuras de Acción Coleccionables Premium 🏆

Pedro’s Chocolate Mousse

“🎊 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀! A lovely team dinner at O Pedro was organised today to celebrate our qualification into the final. 💪🏻”. Caption and photos: Alpine SG Pipers.

Cometh the hour, cometh the queen

“𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙧, 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) rises to the occasion once again and punches our ticket to the final! 💥”. Caption and photocollage: Alpine SG Pipers.

G+

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; SG Alpine Pipers – PBG Alaskan Knights; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 22, 2025

Giuoco Piano C50

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Bc5 4. Nc3 0-0 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. a3 a6 7. h3 h6? Mistakes always cost dear, and in open games even dearer. Correct was 7. ... d6 8. Bg5 h6 with a playable position.

8. g4! Nh7 9. Rg1! Likewise, after 9. g5 hxg5 10. Rg1→ Droin – Davtyan, 59th World Junior Chess Championship, Cala Gonone 2022.
9. ... Nd4 10. g5 Nxf3+ 11. Qxf3 hxg5 12. h4 d5 13. Bxg5 Nxg5 14. hxg5 dxc4 15. Qh5 Bxf2+!? Desperation, for if 15. ... f6 then 16. g6 Re8 17. Nd5 with mating attack.
16. Kxf2 Qd4+ 17. Kg2 Qd7. Black hopes for a little relief by exchanging Queens.

18. Nd5! But no! If now 18. ... Qg4+ 19. Qxg4 Bxg4 then 20. Ne7+ Kh7 21. Rh1+ followed by mate.
18. ... Rd8 19. Kh2 Qd6 20. g6 1–0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was the catalyst for today’s victory, dragging her team to the Final. Photo: ChessBase India.

Hey, Edna, beware tomorrow morning’s breakfast buffet!

Courtesy of 𝑮̲̅𝒖̲̅𝒈̲̅𝒂̲̅ 𝒂̲̅𝒏̲̅𝒅̲̅ 𝑹̲̅𝒐̲̅𝒃̲̅ (@gugaandrob)

Backstage at a Play

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is interviewed by Tushar Damor for ChessBase India. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.

Outside, Inside

Bibisara Erkhanovna Assaubayeva – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; Fyers American Gambits – SG Alpine Pipers; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 21, 2025

Sicilian Defence B67

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 Bd7 7. Qd2 a6 8. 0-0-0 e6 9. f3 Be7 10. Kb1 b5 11. Nxc6 Bxc6 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Qxd6 Qxd6 14. Rxd6 Rc8 15. Rd1 Ke7 16. Bd3 Bxc3! 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) has her say on the theory of this opening line in which Black sacrifices a Pawn for dynamic counterplay.
17. bxc3 Bd7 18. Kb2 Rc5 19. a4 Rb8 20. axb5 Bxb5

21. Bxb5?? An enormous blunder, which loses by force. White should return the Pawn by 21. Kc1! Rxc3 22. Kd2 Rbc8 leaving Black with a very comfortable ending but no apparent way to win it.
21. ... Rcxb5+ 22. Kc1 Rb1+ 23. Kd2 Rd8+ 24. Ke2 Rdxd1 25. Rxd1 Rxd1 26. Kxd1

White is a Pawn up, but Black’s outside passed a-Pawn wins easily.
26. ... Kd6 27. Kd2 Kc5 28. Kd3 e5 29. h4. If 29. c4 then 29. ... Kb4 as in the game.
29. ... h5 30. g4 g6 31. g5 a5 32. c4 Kb4 33. c5 (33. c3+ Kc5−+)
33. ... Kxc5 34. Kc3 a4 35. Kb2 Kb4 0–1.

In her game against Assaubayeva, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) showed in exemplary fashion what an outside passed Pawn can mean in an endgame. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.

The Time Machine

Humpy Koneru – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; upGrad Mumba Masters – SG Alpine Pipers; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 21, 2025

Queen’s Indian Defence E12

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Ba6 5. Qc2 Bb7 6. Nc3 c5 7. e4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nc6 9. Nxc6 Bxc6 10. Be2 Bd6 11. f4 Bc5! Trickier than 11. ... e5 12. f5 Bc5 13. Bg5 Bd4 14. Bd3 Rc8 15. Ne2 Bf2+ 16. Kf1 Bc5 17. Ng3 Ng4 18. Bxd8 Ne3+ 19. Ke2 Nxc2 20. Bxc2 Kxd8 21. a4 a5 22. b3 f6 23. Rad1 Ke7 24. h4 g6 25. fxg6 hxg6 26. h5 Rh6 27. hxg6 Rxg6 28. Nf5+ Kd8 29. g3 Kc7 30. Rh4 Rcg8 31. Rdh1 Rg5 32. Rh8 R8g6 33. R8h6 Rxg3 34. Nxg3 Rxg3 35. R1h2 Rc3 36. Kd1 Rf3 37. Ke2 Re3+ 38. Kd1 Rf3 39. Ke2 Re3+ 40. Kd1 Rf3 ½–½ 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – Krush, 1st IMSA Elite Mind Games, Women’s Basque Tournament, 淮安 (Huái’ān) 2016 (time control: 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).

12. Bd2 (12. Qd3 d5!)
12. ... Ng4 13. Bxg4? Giving Black the initiative. 13. g3 should now be played, on which there would follow 13. ... Bf2+ 14. Kf1 Ne3+ 15. Bxe3 Bxe3 16. Qd3 Bc5 17. Bf3 0-0 with comfortable equality for Black.
13. ... Qh4+ 14. g3 Qxg4 15. Qd3 f5 16. Rf1 0-0 17. Be3 fxe4 18. Nxe4? (18. Qe2 Qf5∓)
18. ... Bxe3 19. Qxe3

19. ... e5! 20. Nd6 exf4 21. Rxf4 Rxf4 22. Qxf4 Qe6+? The right and winning move was 22. ... Qh5! followed by ... Ra8-f8.
23. Kd2 Rf8 24. Qd4? But White does not seize her chance: after 24. Re1! Qg6 25. Qe5 there is no evident way for Black to make use of her open files.
24. ... Qh6+ 25. Kc2 Qg6+ 26. Kd2 Rf6 27. Nc8 Qh6+ 28. Kc2 Ba4+ 29. b3 Qxh2+ 30. Kc3 Qxg3+ 0–1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) sought and found high inspiration from her past. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.

Well, Edna, it can be plainly seen that all their efforts to take your crown off your head were vain

Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line

Eternal Reign

A Queen’s Revenge

Polina Sergeevna Shuvalova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; Ganges Grandmasters – SG Alpine Pipers; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 20, 2025

Sicilian Defence B51

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. 0-0 a6 5. Be2 Ngf6 6. d3 e6 7. a4 b6 8. c4 Bb7 9. Nc3 Be7 10. Re1 0-0 11. Bf1 Ne5 12. Nxe5 dxe5 13. a5 b5 14. cxb5 axb5 15. Nxb5 Rxa5 16. Na3 Nd7 17. Be3 Qc7 18. Qc2 Rfa8 19. Rac1 Qd8 20. Qc3 Qb8 21. h3 h6 22. Qd2 Kh7 23. Rc3 Bc6 24. Rec1 Ra4 25. Rc4 Rxc4 26. dxc4 f5 27. exf5 exf5 28. f3 Nf6 29. Nb5 e4 30. f4 Qb7 31. Qf2 Rc8 32. Kh2 Bxb5 33. cxb5 Nd5 34. Bc4 Nxe3 35. Qxe3 Bd6 36. Rd1 Qb8 37. g3 Rf8? Black should not have left the d-file in her opponent’s hands. Therefore, better was 37. ... Rd8! 38. h4 Be7 with a playable position.
38. h4 Qc7 39. h5 Be7 40. Rd5 Qc8 41. Qd2 Bf6 42. b6 Qb8 43. Rxf5 Qxb6 44. b3 Re8 45. Rd5 Kh8 46. Rd6 Qc7 47. Rd7 e3 48. Qd3 Qc6 49. Rd6 Qc7 50. Rd7 Qc8

51. Qd1?? White overlooks here an easy winning move: 51. Qf5! and due to the threat of Bc4-d3, Black is in Zugzwang, as both 51. ... e2 and 51. ... Re4 would be met by 52. Bd3 with mating attack. To add insult to injury, White’s error is so serious that loses decisive material and the game.
51. ... e2! 52. Bxe2 Rxe2+ 53. Qxe2 Qxd7 54. Qe4 Bd4 55. Qa8+ Kh7 56. Qe4+ Kg8 57. Qa8+ Kf7 58. Qe4 Qe6 59. Qb7+ Qe7 60. Qd5+ Qe6 61. Qb7+ Kf6 62. Kg2 Qe2+ 63. Kh3 Qxh5+ 64. Kg2 Qe2+ 65. Kh3 Qe6+ 66. Kg2 Kf5 67. Qf3 Kg6 68. Qd3+ Qf5 69. Qa6+ Kh7 70. Qb7 h5 71. Qe7 Qc2+ 72. Kh3 Qf5+ 73. Kh2 Bf6 74. Qe2 h4 75. gxh4 Qxf4+ 76. Kg2 Qxh4 77. Qc2+ Kh6 78. Qc1+ Qg5+ 0–1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) scored a fortunate win for her team, fired by a spirit of revanche. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.

Yes, to be sure, Edna. You gave them a pretty scare

Courtesy of Disney Pins Blog (@disneypinsblog)

Being and Not-Being

To believe and not to believe

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, December 15, 2025

In 1973, writing Tools for Conviviality, Illich foresaw that the industrial system’s catastrophe would become a crisis that would usher in a new era. “The total collapse of the industrial monopoly on production will be the result of synergy in the failure of the multiple systems that fed its expansion... Almost overnight people will lose confidence not only in the major institutions but also in the miracle prescriptions of the would-be crisis managers. The ability of present institutions to define values such as education, health, welfare, transportation, or news will suddenly be extinguished because it will be recognised as an illusion. This crisis may be triggered by an unforeseen event, as the Great Depression was touched off by the Wall Street Crash... Large institutions can quite suddenly lose their respectability, their legitimacy, and their reputation for serving the public good”.
It is well to reflect on the reasons and ways in which these basically correct prophecies, after almost half a century, have not come true (even though many symptoms seem to confirm its topicality). The mode of industrial production and the power that accompanies it continue to exist despite having lost any respectability and credibility. Illich could not imagine that a system could maintain itself just through the loss of any credibility — i.e., that mankind would continue to act according models and principles in which they no longer believed, that the lack of faith, the being oligopistos (Matthew 14:31), become the normal condition of humanity (and certainly it was first and foremost the Church that made the loss of faith acceptable, by transforming into a pack of dogmas the closeness between heart and word that was in question in Paul, Romans 10:6-10).
A system — like the one we face — that takes for granted that one no longer believes in it; that founds itself, i.e., just on apistisme and a lack of trust, is an adversary both fragile and particularly difficult to combat. Indeed, it incessantly collects a credit it doesn’t owe, just as the credits on which bank fund their power are ultimately uncollettable. Money works not because one believes in it, but precisely because it is the very form of a lack of faith (as Marx foresaw, just this absence of faith constitutes the theological character of the commodity: one cannot have faith in what can be bought and sold). By replacing the Church, banks skillfully and irresponsibly administer the absence of faith that defines our world; they are the Levites and priests of humanity’s new irreligion.
How can we devise a strategy in the face of such an adversary? It is certainly vain to denounce its incredibility and illegitimacy, since — as was clearly seen during the so-called pandemic — it is the first to exhibit and claim them. Its weak point lies not so much in a lack of faith, but rather in the lie by which it believes itself compelled. Indeed, only a power founded on incredulity, which decides not to speak and vows silence, would be invincible. The powers that now claim to govern us, instead, do nothing but speak and pronounce judgments and, thus contradicting their most intimate nature, they somehow seem to believe and demand faith.
Something more complicated and subtle is actually taking place here. For the unbeliever, every discourse is false, since lack of faith corresponds only to silence. Like that character in Demons, he neither believes to believe nor believes not to believe. If instead he believes in his own incredulity — as now seems to be happening everywhere — he destroys the very foundation on which he stood. To believe not to believe is the worst of lies, in which whoever utters it cannot help but get imprisoned. And it is this lie — and not, as Illich suggested, the fact that mankind no longer believe it — that will lead the system to ruin.

(English translation by I, Robot)

王广义 (Wáng Guǎngyì), Face of the Believer, 2003. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Spellbound

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 朱锦尔 (Zhū Jǐn’ěr)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; SG Alpine Pipers – Triveni Continental Kings; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 19, 2025

Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 a5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. h3 h6 9. Re1 Bd7 10. Nbd2 Ba7 11. Nf1 Ne7 12. Ng3 Ng6 13. d4 a4 14. Bc2 b5 (14. ... Nh7?! 15. Nf5 Ng5 16. Nxg5 hxg5 17. Qh5 Nf4 18. Bxf4 exf4 19. h4 g6 20. Qh6 gxf5 21. exf5 f6 22. Qg6+ Kh8 23. hxg5 Bc6 24. Rad1 Qd7 25. Rd3 Qg7 26. Rh3+ Kg8 27. Re7 Qxg6 28. fxg6 f5 29. Rhh7 Rfe8 30. Reg7+ Kf8 31. Rxc7 Kg8 32. Bxf5 Bb6 33. Rcg7+ Kf8 34. Rf7+ Kg8 35. d5 Bxd5 36. Rfg7+ Kf8 37. Rd7 Kg8 38. g7 Bf7 39. g6 1–0 Vachier-Lagrave – Navara, 51st International Chess Festival, Biel/Bienne 2018)
15. Be3 c5 16. Qd2 Re8 17. Rad1 cxd4 18. cxd4 Bb6 19. Re2 Ba5 20. Qc1 Rc8 21. dxe5 dxe5 22. Nf5 Re6 23. Qb1 Qc7 24. Bd3 Qb8 25. Rc2 Rec6 26. Rxc6 Bxc6 27. b4 axb3 28. axb3 Rd8 29. Rc1 Qb7

30. b4? Under the axe of time, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) begins to go astray. In fact, White’s Pawn sacrifice was not necessary at all, as she could have defended the Pawn successfully by 30. Ng3.
30. ... Bxb4 31. Qxb4 Rxd3 32. Nd6?? But this leads to disaster. As a lesser evil, White should have played 32. Ne1! Rd8 33. f3 leaving Black with a Pawn up of dubious exploitability.
32. ... Qd7 33. Nf5 Bxe4 34. Ng3 Bxf3 35. gxf3 0–1.

Fortunately 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s eclipse did not overshadow in any way her team’s win. Photo: Tech Mahindra Global Chess League.

After all, Edna, the belly is as unpredictable as the brain

Artwork © Mary (@theglitteraudit)

Light and Dark Shades of Grey Matter

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; PBG Alaskan Knights – SG Alpine Pipers; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 18, 2025

Sicilian Defence B43

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 6. Bd3 Nf6 7. 0-0 Bc5 8. Nb3 Ba7 9. Qe2 Nc6 10. Be3 Bxe3 11. Qxe3 d6 12. a4 b6 13. Rad1 0-0 14. Be2 (14. f4 Bb7= Abergel – Spraggett, 30th International Open, Cappelle-la-Grande 2014)
14. ... Bb7 15. Rd2 Rfd8 16. Rfd1 h6 17. h3 Rac8 18. Qg3 Ne5 19. Qe3 Qc6 20. Rd4

20. ... Rd7?? A gross blunder, which loses right off. 20. ... Qc7! 21. f4 Nc6 was called for, with fair chances.
21. f4!+− Ng6 22. Rc4 Qxc4 23. Bxc4 Rxc4 24. Qxb6 Bxe4 25. Qxa6 Rxc3 26. bxc3 Bxc2 27. Rxd6 Rc7 28. Nd4 Be4 29. Nb5 Rc5 30. Qb6 Rf5 31. Rd8+ Kh7 32. Nd6 Rxf4 33. Nxe4 Nxe4 34. a5 Ng3 35. Rd1 Ne2+ 36. Kh2 Nxc3 37. Ra1 Nd5 38. Qc5 Nh4 1–0. For after 39. a6 the a-Pawn queens without hindrance.

Today 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was no exception to her team’s nightmare. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.

And yet, Edna, as Laxmi Prasad Devkota said, “You have a brain, my friend; but I have a heart”

Artwork © 団栗桃子 (Donguri Momoko)

The Fairy Queen

A Beautiful Mind

• P. K. Ajith Kumar, “Former world champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s next novel move — A PhD in Neuroscience”, Sportstar, December 17, 2025

The 31-year-old World No. 1 is now a professor at Peking University. Her next move is, in chess parlance, a novelty: a PhD in Neuroscience. “I know it is a bit cross-field, but I want to research the connection between brain and chess patterns”, 侯 (Hóu) told Sportstar here on Wednesday. “I feel like if you want to find something scientifically connected with chess, this is one of the obvious parts, right?”. [Read more].

After a PhD in International Relations from Peking University, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) aims at new horizons for chess: a PhD in Neuroscience. Photo: SG Pipers.

A Pipers Tales

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Bibisara Erkhanovna Assaubayeva

3rd Tech Mahindra Global Chess League; Round-Robin; SG Alpine Pipers – Fyers American Gambits; time control: 20 minutes plus 2 seconds per move after move 40; Mumbai, December 17, 2025

Sicilian Defence B50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. h3 Bd7 5. Bd3 g6 6. 0-0 Bg7 7. Bc2 0-0 8. d4 cxd4 9. cxd4 d5 10. e5 Ne4 11. Nbd2 Bf5 12. Re1 Nxd2 13. Bxd2 Bxc2 14. Qxc2 Nc6 15. h4 Qc8 16. Qb3 Rd8 17. Rad1 b6 18. Rc1 Qd7 19. h5 Rac8

20. e6 Qe8 21. hxg6 fxg6 22. Ng5 Nxd4 23. Qh3 h5 24. Qd3 Rxc1 25. Rxc1 Nf5 26. Nf7 Rc8 27. Rxc8 Qxc8 28. Qxd5 Nd4 29. Qd7 Qf8 30. Ng5 Ne2+ 31. Kf1 Ng3+ 32. Ke1 Nf5 33. Qxa7 Bd4 34. Nf7 Qc8 35. Qd7 Qc2 36. Qe8+ Kh7 37. Ng5+ Kh6 38. Nf7+ Kh7 39. Ng5+ Kh6 40. Nf3+ Kh7 41. Nxd4 Qb1+ 42. Ke2 Nxd4+ 43. Ke3 Nf5+ 44. Kf4 Ng7 45. Qxe7 Qf5+ 46. Ke3 Qe5+ 47. Kd3 Qd5+ 48. Kc2

48. ...Qc4+? A mistake which could cost Assaubayeva dearly. She ought to have first taken the g-Pawn, as after 48. ... Qxg2 49. Bc3 Qe4+ any endgame without the Queens should be drawable by Black.
49. Bc3 Qe2+ 50. Kb3 Qb5+. But now Black cannot play 50. ... Qxe6+ 51. Qxe6 Nxe6 because of 52. Be5! with a totally winning endgame for White.
51. Kc2 Qe2+ 52. Kc1 Qf1+ 53. Kc2 ½–½. Due to her shortness of time, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) dares not venture to play 53. Kd2! which after 53. ... Qxf2+ 54. Kd3 Qf5+ 55. Kc4 Qxe6+ 56. Qxe6 Nxe6 57. Kb5 would have led to an easily won ending.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) held the initiative all the time, but eventually, she had to content herself with a draw. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy/ChessBase India.