即兴跳舞 (Dance improvisation)

A little girl wearing a face mask dances in front of a toy panda at a shopping area in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China. Photo: 阿里宋 (Ālǐ Sòng)/Reuters.

Tie-Breaker

A visitor takes pictures of a Mickey stuffed toy through the gate a day before the 上海迪士尼乐园 (Shànghǎi Disneyland) theme park reopens in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China. Photo: 阿里宋 (Ālǐ Sòng)/Reuters.

半正式休闲装 (Smart casual)

A dog wearing a mask walks on a road in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China. Photo: 阿里宋 (Ālǐ Sòng)/Reuters.

Whatever

A couple kiss with their masks off while waiting for a train in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China. Photo: 刘行喆 (Liú Xíngzhé)/EPA.

Behind the Beyond

A woman wearing a mask checks her mobile phone in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China. Photo: 阿里宋 (Ālǐ Sòng)/Reuters.

玫瑰人生 (La Vie en rose)

Participants take part in the Pink Party, the “epiphany” of the 11th 上海 (Shànghǎi)PRIDE, an annual, week-long LGBT festival, in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China June 15, 2019. Photo: 阿里宋 (Ālǐ Sòng)/Reuters.

Through the Storm

People walk in the rainstorm as Typhoon Lekima approaches in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China. Photo: 阿里宋 (Ālǐ Sòng)/Reuters.

In Transit

Containers are piled at the 洋山深水港 (Yángshān Deep Water Port) in 杭州湾 (Hángzhōu Bay), south of 上海 (Shànghǎi), China. Photo: 阿里宋 (Ālǐ Sòng)/Reuters.

The Things that Nobody Knows

Photo © Christopher Doyle, from the exhibition “画影之间|张恩利×杜可风" | “Nobody Knows Where: 張恩利 (Zhāng Ēnlì) × Christopher Doyle”, which took place at Aurora Art Museum in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China from June 9, 2015 to September 20, 2015. Courtesy of Christopher Doyle/Aurora Art Museum.

Towering Mirrors

上海 (Shànghǎi), China: A woman takes a picture of the city from the glass-floor observation platform in the 东方明珠塔 (Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower). Photo: AFP/Getty Images.

Starry Sky

The poorest residents of 上海 (Shànghǎi), China took over the streets for surviving the heat of their cramped houses and apartments by sleeping outside on benches or directly on the asphalt. Photo: Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images.

European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

Footage from the 2nd China–Russia Junior Match of Friendship, which was held in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China from December 13–15, 2015. On that occasion, 13th Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) played a 14-game exhibition rapid and blitz match with Evgeniy Yuryevich Najer, which she won 9½ – 4½.

Beyond the Neon Lights

In a long interview for the 广州日报 (Guǎngzhōu Daily), 17th Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) (pictured above) talked at length about her twenty-year-long “Chess Odyssey”, from the very beginnings (when she was 7 years old) up to the Queen’s throne. Her story is not too different from the five Chinese Women’s World Chess Champions who came before her. Even in her case, chess – Western chess – came into her life quite by chance, while she was into studying calligraphy and dance. It took twenty years to make a shy girl into a World Champion, and the way has not always been as obvious as one could expect. Everyone can read her “parable” on the specialised (chess) websites, which won’t ever say that studying dance is a much more noble way to happiness. Whatever it is, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) shared with the interviewer her secret way to relax amidst stress and games: “I like to listen to songs. Lately, 周杰伦 (Jay Chou)’s last song 《不愛我就拉倒》 (‘If you don’t love me, just forget about it’) brought me a little peace. But I am not able to sing. I would not feel at my ease at all on a karaoke stage”. Photo: news.sina.com.cn.

不愛我就拉倒 周杰伦 (Jay Chou) 寒流来了 刚好 刚好可以 把你手放外套 把安全帽戴好 不让你在 爱情路上跌倒 加速狂飙 你说不要 爱的险你不想冒 不想被套牢 他的怀抱 真比我好 你幸福就好 不爱我就拉倒 离开之前 不要爱的抱抱 反正 我又不是没有人要 哥练的胸肌 如果你还想靠 好胆你就麦造 If you don’t love me, just forget about it 周杰伦 (Jay Chou) A cold spell came just in time Put your hands into my coat Put on your helmet I won’t let you fall off the road of love Hit the gas, you say no You don’t want to risk your love You don’t want my hold You feel safer in his arms than in mine Whatever makes you happy If you don’t love me, just forget about it Before leaving I hug you even if you don’t love me But it’s not like I couldn’t be loved My chest is stronger If you still rely upon it Be brave and don’t leave

(Very free translation by Nobody’s Perfect)

Trading Places

17th Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) interviewed by 五星体育 (Great Sports) channel on May 25, 2018.

Warriors for the Working Day

Five kittens sit in a lane of a residential complex in 上海 (Shànghǎi), China. Photo: Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images.

69个六一国际儿童节 (69th International Children’s Day)

17th Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) (pictured above, centre) reappeared today, Friday, June 1, 2018 in the classrooms of the 江宁 (Jiāngníng) Middle School, 普陀区 (Pǔtuó District), 上海 (Shànghǎi), China – where she actually spent her childhood as a student – to join the 69个六一国际儿童节 (69th International Children’s Day) celebrations, shared by all Chinese communities around the globe. No wonder she spoke and wrote her mother tongue! Photos: xinmin.cn.

That One Day

I was thinking that the knockout system could be much suitable, for instance, for regulating the manner and procedures used for FIDE presidential elections. Can you imagine how quickly the 64th finals of a fictional knockout Presidents Cup in a Colosseum would get all sold out? And can you figure what would happen to a top seed shocked by an outsider? Yes, of course you can. But, just don’t call it “chess politics”. Even fiction has its ethics.

Agartala, India: A man pushes his rickshaw and passenger through a flooded street after heavy rain. Photo: Jayanta Dey/Reuters.

After the Ceremony

17th Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) and Mrs. 单霞丽 (Dān Xiálì), President of 上海 (Shànghǎi) Chess Academy, enjoying the after coronation ceremony, which consecrated for the first time in Chinese chess history a Queen from 上海 (Shànghǎi). They have, however, only a semester to succeed in keeping the crown in safety until the world is free of FIDE “knockouters”. How will they manage where all earlier Queens have failed? Photo collage: 杨翼 (Yáng Yì).

中国制造 (Made in China)

And, finally, FIDE President Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov put the final seal on the Women’s World Championship match made in China:

百慕達三角 (Bermuda Triangle)

17th Women’s World Chess Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) posing amidst her two seconds 倪华 (Ní Huá) (right) and 王玥 (Wáng Yuè) (left). Especially 倪华 (Ní Huá) has been 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)’s personal trainer since 2016, after she expressly asked him for help in making her dream to become Women’s World Champion a reality. Since they both were born and live in 上海 (Shànghǎi), it hasn’t been difficult to set up hard training sessions both at the 上海 (Shànghǎi) Chess Academy and at 倪华 (Ní Huá)’s home. Photo: sohu.com.