Troilus and Cressida

Paul Charles Morphy – Paul Capdevielle
4-board blindfold simultaneous exhibition; New Orleans, May 1864
Evans Gambit C51

Paul Capdevielle (1844–1922) is probably most remembered for playing Paul Charles Morphy rather than for serving as Mayor of New Orleans from 1900–1904, so maybe that was his great luck. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4!? Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. 0-0. “6. d4 is now generally preferred”, Johann Jacob Löwenthal (and Morphy himself) wrote in his (their) book “Morphy’s Games: A Selection of the Best Games Played by the Distinguished Champion, in Europe and America”, New York, D. Appleton and Company, 1860, p. 364. 6. ... Nf6? At the time it was quite a common blunder! 6. ... d6 here was correct. 7. d4. As McDonnell’s and de La Bourdonnais’s games taught Morphy, it may take very little to lose an open game! 7. ... exd4 8. cxd4 Bb4. Capdevielle takes another way from his unlucky predecessor, Theodor Lichtenhein (but only to come to the same end): 8. ... Bb6 9. e5 d5 10. exf6 dxc4 11. fxg7 (in an analysis for the January 1864 issue of the Neue Berliner Schachzeitung, Bernhard von Guretzky-Cornitz gave the following line: 11. Re1+ Kf8 12. Ba3+ Kg8 13. d5 Na5 14. Be7! Qd7 15. fxg7 Kxg7 16. Qd2 Qg4 17. Qc3+ Kg8 18. Qxh8+! Kxh8 19. Bf6+ Qg7 20. Re8#) 11. ... Rg8 12. Re1+ Ne7 13. Bg5 Be6 14. Nc3 Ba5 15. Ne4 Rxg7 16. Nf6+ Kf8 17. Re5 c6 18. Bh6 Nf5 19. Rxe6 fxe6 20. Ng5 Ke7 21. Bxg7 Nxg7 22. Qf3 Qxd4 23. Rd1 Bd2 24. Ng8+ Rxg8 25. Qf7+ Kd8 26. Nf3 1 : 0 P. C. Morphy – Lichtenhein, New York 1857. 9. e5 Ne4 10. Bd5. 10. Qe2 was probably even stronger here, but Morphy maybe let his opponent play a little more. 10. ... Bc3? Capdevielle takes the bait eventually, like most of Morphy’s opponents. Probably best was 10. ... f5 11. Qb3 Qe7, though after 12. a3 Ba5 13. Qc2! White still retains a very large advantage. 11. Bxe4. Also very strong was 11. Bxf7+! Kxf7 12. Nxc3 Nxc3 13. Ng5+ Ke8 14. Qf3 winning back the piece with an irresistible preponderance. 11. ... Bxa1 12. Bg5. Of course, Morphy cannot resist such a developing move. 12. ... f6 13. exf6 gxf6 14. Bxc6. 14. Nh4! (threatening Qd1-h5+) might have been even stronger — or maybe not. 14. ... dxc6. 14. ... fxg5 was probably the most stubborn defence, but then after 15. Re1+ Kf8 16. Ba4! White’s development advantage should still prevail (17. ... g4 18. Na3!). 15. Re1+ Kf7. If 15. ... Kf8 then 16. Bh6+ Kg8 17. Ne5! winning immediately.

16. Ne5+ Kg7 17. Bh6+! Kxh6. Not 17. ... Kg8 on account of 18. Qb3+ Qd5 19. Qg3+ and mate next move. 18. Nf7+ Kg7 19. Nxd8 Rxd8 20. Qh5. Morphy just got what he aimed for, and now finishes the game with his customary machine-like elegance. 20. ... Rd7 21. Nd2 Rf7 22. Rxa1 Be6 23. Re1 Bd5 24. Re3 Kh8 25. Ne4 Rg7 26. Nxf6 Rxg2+ 27. Kf1 Rg7 28. Re8+ Rxe8 29. Qxe8+ Bg8 30. h4 h6 31. Qf8 h5 32. Nxg8 Kh7 33. Nf6+ Kh6 34. Ne8 Kg6 35. Qf6+ Kh7 36. Qxg7# 1 : 0.

A passage through Europe

The village of Alcubierre, province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain has apparently become a battleground in the campaign for women’s rights in chess. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) came here two years ago, and now it has been the turn of Ukrainian Grandmaster Anna Olehivna Muzychuk (pictured above), who, invited as a special guest of the 12nd Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez, on Sunday, July 22, 2018 performed a spectacular 24-board simultaneous exhibition, winning all games in a hour and fifty-three minutes. Photo: Radio Huesca.

How to Wear White Denim

Footage of four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s twenty-board simultaneous exhibition at BayAreaChess in San Jose, California, United States in the evening of Friday, May 25, 2018. Video by BayAreaChess.

Leafing through a magazine in an idle moment

Save the date! Tomorrow Friday, May 25, 2018 at 19,00, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will give a twenty-board chess simultaneous exhibition at BayAreaChess in San Jose, California, United States. For further details and registration, visit https://www.bayareachess.com/specialevents.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) with the leader of the PSPV-PSOE (Socialist Party of the Valencian Country) Maite Girau Meliá in Valencia, Spain on August 3, 2016. Photo: Tania López Blesa/València Extra.

The Secret History of Wonder Woman

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who currently resides in the Silicon Valley to get an internship, although engaged in study, is yet still willing to vindicate her right not to be cancelled from the list of royal members of Gens una sunt. And so save the dates: On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 19,30 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will give a 30 minute lecture followed by a Q&A at the Mechanics’ Institute Library & Chess Room in San Francisco, California, United States. For further details, visit https://www.milibrary.org. On Friday, May 25, 2018 at 19,00 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will give a twenty-board chess simultaneous exhibition at BayAreaChess in San Jose, California, United States.

Two Women’s World Chess Champions, Zsuzsa (Susan) Polgár (seated left) and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (seated right), dining together right after the conclusion of the 13th Susan Polgár Foundation Nationwide Open for Girls and Boys, held in Livermore, California, United States from 5-6 May 2018. Photo: Susan Polgár (@SusanPolgar).

I have lived magnificent days

Ernesto Che Guevara taking part in a simultaneous chess display in Havana, Cuba. Photo: Radio Rebelde.

Viva Zapata!

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), exceptionally assisted by two experienced German tutors, Matthias D. and Matthias K., has finally announced the release of her VIP high-end, customized trading course package — supposedly an advanced level — which as usual aims to combine Tradimo’s youthful beer-dependent yuppism to the Teutonic seriousness. No wonder, you have a free trial for the first month.

And furthermore 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will tour Mexico June 23-30. Tomorrow she will play a 20-board simultaneous exhibiton in the Salón Internacional of the Centro Deportivo Villa Olímpica (Olympic Village Sports Center) in Mexico City, Mexico, which will be followed by a meeting with the local fans.

First Semester

Chess-News.ru (@Chess__News)

On the new year’s first day, Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov will give a simultaneous chess exhibition against the members of the European Commission. For further details, see http://chess-news.ru/node/22935. Former World Chess Champion Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov will give a twenty-eight simultaneous chess exhibition against the members of the European Commission in Sofia, Bulgaria on January 1, 2018, thus marking the start of Bulgaria’s six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The idea was proposed (and unanimously welcomed) by Topalov’s manager, Mr. Silvio Danailov, at the forum “The future of Europe and the Bulgarian Presidency”, held in Sofia on March 16, 2017.

Silvio Danailov (L.) with the Prime Minister of Bulgaria Ognyan Stefanov Gerdzhikov. Photo: Silvio Danailov/Chess-News.ru.

找不同 (Spot the Difference)

On Friday, November 25, 2016 at the Protocol Hall of the Romanian-American University in Bucharest, Romania four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) gave a 10-board simultaneous exhibition for the highly gifted young people of the Clubul Central de Șah (Central Chess Club). Photos © Tudor Panait/Clubul Central de Șah.

Neo-Renaissance

Jersey City, United States, 1956: Robert James Fischer takes on 21 opponents in the lobby of the Jersey City YMCA. He won 19, lost one and drew one. Photo: ajedreztenerife.blogspot.com.

Old Things New

Robert James Fischer, August 27, 1960. Photo by Louis Liotta/New York Post Archives/© NYP Holdings, Inc. via Getty Images.

Play It Again, Sam

Samuel Thompson (@samuelmaxton)

One Summer in the West

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk (@chessqueen)

From Russia with Love

U.S. Chess (@USChess)

Chireta

On July 31, 2016 four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), invited as a special guest of the 10nd Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez in Alcubierre, province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain, performed a 18-board simultaneous exhibition, scoring 17 wins and 1 draw in a hour and twenty-three minutes. Photos: Noticias de Huesca.

Si no hay café para todos, no habrá para nadie

Armando Acevedo Milán – Ernesto Che Guevara
25-board simultaneous exhibition; Camagüey, May 29, 1964
Spanish Game C68

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6. The so-called Exchange Variation, which Emanuel Lasker — and a century later Bobby Fischer too — chose in important games. 4. ... dxc6 5. 0-0 Bd6 6. d4 exd4 7. Qxd4 f6 8. Nc3 c5 9. Qe3 Nh6 10. e5!? A sharp Pawn sacrifice, probably not unsound. 10. ... Ng4 11. Qe4 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Bxe5

13. Be3. Probably best for White is 11. Bf4 which would have been answered by 11. ... Qd4 with approximate equality. 13. ... Qe7 14. Nd5?? A horrible, horrible blunder — very easy to refute. 14. ... Bxh2+. “Bold and aggressive Bishop sacrifice aimed to break down White King’s defence, win the Queen and launch the attack”, Javier Vargas wrote. 15. Kxh2 Qxe4 16. Nxc7+ Kf7 17. Nxa8 b6! Easy, but pretty. 18. Nxb6 Bb7 0 : 1. For if 18. Rg1 then 18. ... Qh4 mate, while if 18. f3 then 18. ... Qxe3 finis. In his article “Mi partida con el Che Guevara”, Mexican FIDE Master Acevedo Milán swears he didn’t lose on purpose.

Guess what? Life happened. Photo: Armando Acevedo Milán.

The Charming King

Magnus Carlsen (@PlayMagnus)

The Prince passed like a rush of wind

Magnus Carlsen (@PlayMagnus)

• Frederic Friedel, Carlsen’s 70-board simul in Hamburg, ChessBase GmbH, February 22, 2016

Germany’s very prestigious news weekly, Die Zeit, have just chalked up seventy years of publication. As part of the anniversary celebration they invited the World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen to play a seventy-board simultaneous exhibition. A number of prominenten opponents took part, and a number of fairly strong players. The event took six hour and ended in a veritable massacre. [Read more].

Under the Mountain

A boy expresses a yawning shock while playing 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov during a simultaneous exhibition against 18 young players in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sunday, December 27, 2015. Photo: Xue Qun/新华通讯社 (Xīnhuá News Agency)/Corbis.

Lost in the Weekend

Paul Charles Morphy – James Freeman
Eight-board blindfolded simultaneous exhibition; Birmingham, August 27, 1858
Bishop’s Opening C23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. b4!? Bb6 4. Nf3 d6 5. d4!? Wilhelm Steinitz regards 5. c3 followed by d2-d3 as a sounder contnuation. 5. ... exd4 6. Nxd4 Nf6 7. Nc3 0-0 8. 0-0. Steinitz recommends 8. f3, but, in that case, 8. ... d5! would be very strong. 8. ... Nxe4. This bold move has been criticized, but it’s perfectly playable. 9. Nxe4 d5 10. Bg5 Qe8? Here’s Black’s real mistake. Both 10. ... Qd7 (Steinitz) and 10. ... f6 (Max Lange) would have given Black a satisfactory play. 11. ... c6 12. Re1 Qd7 13. Nf6+! Beautifully played. 13. ... gxf6 14. Bxf6 Qd6. If 14. ... Qxd5 then 15. Re5 wins. And if 14. ... cxd5 then 15. Re5 h6 16. Rg5+! Kh7 (16. ... hxg5 17. Qh5 and mate in two moves) 17. Rg7+ Kh8 18. Qh5 and mate in two moves.

15. Ne6!! “The beauty of Mr. Morphy’s play throughout the entire conduct of the attack now culminating, is beyond all praise. And when we consider the circumstances under which the game was played, all we can say is, that such efforts and such successes are more inconceivable to us than to the merest tyro among our Readers”, writes Charles Henry Stantley in his book “Morphy’s Match Games: Being a Full and Accurate Account of His Most Astounding Successes Abroad, Defeating, in Almost Every Istance, the Chess Celebrities of Europe, 1859, Robert M. De Witt Publisher, New York, pp. 89-90. It should be noted, however, that also 15. Be6!! (Steinitz) would have led to the same result: 15. ... Bxe6 (or 15. ... fxe6 16. Qg4+ Kf7 17. Qg7+ Ke8 18. Nxe6 Bxe6 19. Rad1 and wins) 16. Qd2 Bf5 17. Qf5+ Bg6 18. Nf5 and wins. 15. ... Bxe6. Not 15. ... fxe6 on account of 16. Qg4+ Kf7 17. Bxe6+! Bxe6 (or 17. ... Kxf6 18. Bxc8 winning easily) 18. Qg7+ Ke8 19. Rad1 and wins. 16. Qh5? Géza Maróczy rightly commends 16. Qd2! which would have prevented Black’s ... Qd6-f4; for instance: 16. ... Bxf2+ 17. Kh1 Bh4!? 18. Qh6 Bxf6 19. Be4 Rd8 20. Bxh7+ Kh8 21. Bg6+ Kg8 22. Rxe6! Qxe6 23. Bh7+ Kh8 24. Bf5+ and wins. 16. ... Bxf2+? Luckily for Morphy, Dr. Freeman misses his great chance: 16. ... Qf4! 17. Rxe6 Nd7 would have left White without resource. 17. Kh1. Not 17. Kxf2? because of 17. ... Qxd5! 18. Re5 Qd4+ 19. Kg3 Qc3+ with perpetual check. 17. ... Qf4 18. Rxe6! “The Old Guard dies but never surrenders!”. 18. ... Nd7. On 18. ... cxd5 19. g3 wins. 19. Bb2!? Threatening 20. Rg6+ hxg6 21. Qxg6 mate. More energetic was, however, 19. Bg5 Qd4 20. Rd1 (Maróczy) 20. ... Qg7 21. Bh6 Nf6 22. Qf3 with a huge advantage. 19. ... Bd4? The last mistake. After 19. ... fxe6 20. Bxe6+ Rf7 White should have contented himself with 21. Rd1 Nf8 22. Bxf7+ Qxf7 23. Qxf7+ Kxf7 24. Rf1 regaining the piece a Pawn ahead. 20. g3. 20. Re4 is even simpler. 20. ... Nf6. Both 24. ... Qf2 and 24. ... Qd2 are met by 25. Qg4+. 21. gxf4 Nxh5 22. Bxd4. What follows is an impressive display of technique. 22. ... Nxf4 23. Rg1+ Ng6 24. Rexg6+ hxg6 25. Rxg6+ Kh7 26. Rg7+ Kh6 27. Be4 f5 28. Bd3 b6 29. Rg3 Rf7 30. Be5 Re8 31. Bf4+ Kh7 32. Rg5 Re1+ 33. Kg2 Rg7 34. Bxf5+ Kh8 35. h4 Rxg5+ 36. Bxg5 Re8 37. Kf3 1 : 0.

Paul Charles Morphy