我做自我批评 (我做自检讨)

[Event "VII Internationales Schach Open"]
[Site "Dornbirn AUT"]
[Date "1989.08.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Moskalenko, Viktor Petrovich"]
[Black "Barsi, Lorenzo"]
[ECO "A52"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2500"]
[PlyCount "89"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.Nc3 Ngxe5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.Nd5 Qd8 10.Qd4 f6 11.f4 Ng6 12.h4 c6 13.h5 Ne7 14.Nc3 O-O 15.e4 d5 16.cxd5 cxd5 17.O-O-O Bg4 18.Rd2 Kh8 19.h6 g6 20.f5 Qc7 21.exd5 Qg3 22.fxg6 hxg6 23.Bd3 Nf5 24.Qf2 Qxf2 25.Rxf2 Ng3 26.Re1 Bf5 27.Rf3 Bxd3 28.Rxg3 Bf5 29.Re7 Rab8 30.Rge3 b5 31.Rxa7 b4 32.Ree7 g5 33.Nd1 Rfd8 34.Ne3 Rbc8+ 35.Kd2 Bg6 36.g4 Rb8 37.Rg7 Be4 38.Rae7 Bb1 39.Rgf7 b3 40.a4 Ra8 41.Kc3 Rxa4 42.d6 Bg6 43.Rxf6 Bh7 44.d7 Raa8 45.Nc4 1-0

[Event "Campionato Regionale a squadre"]
[Site "Firenze ITA"]
[Date "1989.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Neri, Alberto"]
[Black "Barsi, Lorenzo"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A56"]
[WhiteTeam "Circolo 8 Marzo Sesto Fiorentino"]
[BlackTeam "DLF Firenze"]
[PlyCount "76"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 d6 4.c4 e5 5.Nc3 Be7 6.e4 O-O 7.Be2 Na6 8.a3 Bd7 9.Rb1 Nc7 10.O-O a6 11.b4 cxb4 12.Rxb4 b5 13.Be3 Rb8 14.Qc2 a5 15.Rb2 b4 16.Rfb1 Na6 17.Na2 b3 18.Rxb3 Rxb3 19.Qxb3 Nxe4 20.Bb6 Qa8 21.Bxa5 Nac5 22.Qb4 f5 23.Qe1 g5 24.Bb4 g4 25.Nd2 Nxd2 26.Qxd2 Ne4 27.Qe1 Bh4 28.g3 Be7 29.Nc3 Ng5 30.Kg2 Qe8 31.Qd1 Qh5 32.f3 f4 33.gxf4 Rxf4 34.fxg4 Qh3+ 35.Kh1 Bxg4 36.Bxg4 Rxg4 37.Qe2 Nf3 38.Nb5 Nxh2 0-1

斑胸草雀 (Zebra Finch)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Yelena Dembo
3rd World Women’s Team Chess Championship; Mardin, December 24, 2011
Sicilian Defence B51

Notes by Grandmaster Evgeny Vitalievich Miroshnichenko.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6. I still consider 3. ... Bd7 to be the most solid. 4. 0-0 Bd7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. c3 a6 7. Bxc6 Bxc6 8. d4 cxd4. La 8. ... Bxe4 with complicated game is played a bit more often. One of the recent games went 9. Bg5 Bg6!? 10. d5 Qd7 11. Nbd2 0-0-0 12. Nc4 Kb8 13. b4 Ne4 14. bxc5 Nxg5 15. Nxg5 Qb5 16. Qd4 Rc8 17. c6 e5 18. Qg4 Rc7 19. Ne3 Be7 20. h4 Rf8 21. c4 ½ : ½ Ghaem Maghami – Motylev, 29th SchachBundesliga, Katernberg 2010. 9. cxd4 Bxe4 10. Nc3. 10. Bg5!? d5 [10. ... Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Qa5 12. Nc3 Qxg5 13. Qxb7 Rd8 14. Qc6+ Rd7 (14. ... Nd7?? 15. Ne4 Qh4 16. Nxd6#) 15. d5 e6 16. dxe6 fxe6 17. Rxe6+ Be7 18. Rae1 0-0 19. h4 Qxh4 20. g3 Qh3 21. Rxe7 Ng4 22. Qd5+ Kh8 23. Qh1 Qxh1+ 24. Kxh1 Nxf2+ 25. Kg2 Rxe7 26. Rxe7 h6 27. Rd7 Ng4 28. Rxd6 Ne3+ 29. Kh3 Rf1 30. Rd2 g5 31. Kh2 Ng4+ ½ : ½ Borisenko – Shabanov, Yaroslavl 1995] 11. Nc3 e6 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Rxe4 Be7 14. Bxf6 gxf6 (14. ... Bxf6 15. d5 0-0 16. dxe6 fxe6) 15. d5 Qxd5 16. Qxd5 exd5 17. Rd4 Rd8 18. Rad1 Kd7 19. Rxd5+ Kc6 20. R5d4 Kb6 21. Kf1 Rxd4 22. Rxd4 Rc8 23. Rd7 Rc7 24. Rxc7 ½ : ½ Amonatov – Timofeev, 60th Russian Chess Championship (Higher League), Krasnoyarsk 2007. 10. ... Bxf3 11. Qxf3 e6 12. Qxb7 Qc8 13. Qf3 Be7 14. d5 e5 15. Bg5 Qd7. 15. ... 0-0 looks more flexible. White didn’t got anything special after 16. Ne4 Nxd5 17. Nxd6 Qe6 18. Bxe7 Nxe7 19. Ne4 Rac8= A. O. Muzychuk – Sebag, 6th North Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk 2008. 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Ne4 Be7 18. Rac1 0-0

19. Rc6! White’s chances are better. 19. ... f5 20. Nd2 e4 21. Qe2 Qa7?! Not the best idea, which nevertheless could work just fine in the game. 21. ... Rfc8 22. Rec1 Bg5 23. R1c2 Bxd2 24. Qxd2±. 22. Nc4 Qd4 23. Qd2? After 23. Rd1! Qf6 24. b4! Black’s position is nearly lost – it’s hard to suggest any counterplay for her. 23. ... Qf6? 23. ... Qxd2! 24. Nxd2 Rfc8 25. Rec1 Rxc6 26. Rxc6 (26. dxc6 Rc8 and Black has at least even chances) 26. ... Rb8 27. Nc4 Rb5 and I’m not sure white is better here. 24. Qc3 Qf7. Now it’s too late to change Queens – 24. ... Qxc3 25. bxc3 Rac8 26. Nb6 TìRcd8 (26. ... Rxc6? 27. dxc6 Bd8 28. Nd5 is completely hopeless) 27. f3 with clear advantage for White. 25. Rc7! Rad8 26. Na5 Qe8 27. Nc6 Rd7 28. Rxd7 Qxd7 29. Qa3 Bf6. 29. ... Qb7!? objectively being not better than the game, after 30. Nxe7+ Qxe7 31. Qxa6 Qe5 32. Qb5 f4 would offer some counterplay against White’s King. 30. Qxa6! Bxb2 31. a4?! I would prefer 31. Rb1, not giving the Bishop a chance to go to c5. 31. ... Bc3?! This one is just a waste of time! Black should have tried 31. ... Ba3 32. Rb1 f4 33. Qb7 Qe8! 34. Qe7 Qxe7 35. Nxe7+ Kf7 36. Nc6 Bc5 with some chances to survive. 32. Rb1 Qf7 33. Qc4! Bf6 34. a5. There is no chance to stop this Pawn! 34. ... Qg6 35. a6 f4 36. a7 f3 37. g3 e3 38. Rb8 Bd8. 38. ... e2 39. Rxf8+ Kxf8 40. a8=Q+ Kf7 41. Ne5+! Bxe5 (41. ... dxe5 42. d6#) 42. Qc7+ Kf6 43. Qad8+ Kf5 44. Qc2+ Kg4 45. Qh4#. 39. a8=Q e2 40. Qa1 1 : 0. Powerful play from the World Champion!

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (right) with her coach 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg). Photo: Turkish Chess Federation.

Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán): “Dreaming of a house in Paris”

Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), March 22, 2006

The rising star on the chess sky 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is a real discovery of the Championship. She has recently celebrated her 12th birthday and in the nearest future we can probably expect the emergence of a new name in the top list of women chess players. It’s noticeable that young 侯 (Hóu) absorbed the best traditions of Chinese communication culture and she managed to prove this fact at the press-conference, which is laconic as well as informative.

— Where are you from? Who was your first coach?
— I was born in the Chinese town [兴化 (Xīnghuà)], but now I live with my mother in 北京 (Běijīng) — the seat of the National Chess Centre with a boarding school for young talented players from all over the country. My coach is GM 叶江川 (Yè Jiāngchuān).

— When did you take up chess?
— I started playing chess at 6 then took part in the tournament for applicants to entering the above-mentioned centre. I underwent all the necessary tests and now I keep studying there.

— How can you characterize your opponents?
— In round 1 I played against Nadezhda Kosintseva. I have never met her before but I like her sister’s Tatiana playing. I think she is a strong and stable player. My second opponent was Natalia Zhukova. I don’t know much of her as well but during the game she performed as a very attentive and serious rival. Natalia is a highly-ranked player. I am satisfied with our meeting. I was very well pleased to play with such a strong opponent. As far as I know, she has got an offer to play in the Chinese Team Championship. I departed from this Championship after round 3 where I met Nino Khurtsidze of Georgia remarkable with a very sharp attacking playing.

— What are your future plans? Is chess your main occupation?
— Yes, I am going to become a chess professional. You should take up only chess to reach such a level. And I am ready to do this.

— What kind of level do you mean? What do you want to achieve?
— Let’s say, to have 2600 ELO rating.

— Why don’t you reach 2700 as Judit Polgár?
— Because I am realistic at estimating my opportunities. I don’t have my head in the clouds.

— Is it possible that such a realistic a serious girl doesn’t have a dream?
— Oh yes, I do. I want to win Judit Polgár (laughing). And to buy a house in Paris. It is my favorite place in Europe.

— Please describe a typical day of 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán).
— I spend all day at school. We get up early in the morning, do exercises then we have classes. Just after classes we train up to the very evening. With my preparation for the Championship I had to train chess in the morning instead of school subjects.

— How do you spend your free time? What is your hobby?
— I enjoy reading. But I lack of time for it.

— And what books do you prefer?
— Novels.

— What are your nearest career plans?
— As for the Olympiad in Torino, they haven’t confirmed the list of the participants yet. The Chinese Chess Association will do it right after this Championship. Of course I hope to be enlisted.

— Do you have an idol in chess?
— I have none among women players. I like many of them but nobody in particular. And Robert Fischer is my favorite men chess player.

— Who would you like to play with in the future? — I prefer strong opponents. I’d like to play with Judit Polgár, Garry Kasparov and a famous Ukrainian chess player Sergey Karjakin.

— What was the most impressive for you in Russia?
— I liked snow most of all. There is so much of it, and it’s so beautiful. On our day off we had an excursion about the city which was very interesting. We visited many historical places but the Temple on Blood impressed me most of all with its magnificence and beauty.

Fuoriserie

Lo scorso 22 marzo la FIDE ha annunciato il Grand Prix femminile 2013-2014 che qualificherà la pretendente al match per il Campionato del Mondo femminile nel 2015. La prima tappa sarà a Geneva (Svizzera) dal 2 al 16 maggio p.v. Apre la lista delle concorrenti la diletta 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán):

• 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (Cina)
• Anna Muzychuk (Slovenia)
• Kateryna Lagno (Ucraina)
• Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia)
• Nadezhda Kosintseva (Russia)
• Viktorija Cmilyte (Lituania)
• 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) (Cina)
• Alexandra K. Kosteniuk (Russia)
• Bela Khotenashvili (Georgia)
• Anna Ushenina (Ucraina)
• Olga Girya (Russia)
• Batchimeg Tuvshintugs (Mongolia)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Foto: FIDE Women Grand Prix

A clamour of clamours

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; match game 2; Yekaterinburg, March 14, 2006

Nimzo-Indian Defence E32

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 0-0 5. Bg5 d6 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 h6 8. Bh4 Bxc3+ 9. Qxc3 b6 10. Ne2 c5 11. 0-0 Ba6

12. Qa3! More energetic than 12. Rac1, which was seen in Ig. Jelen – Kurajica, Zonal Tournament, Dresden 1998. 12. ... Bb7 13. f3 Qe7 14. e4 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Ne5 16. Rad1 Rfd8 17. Rfe1 Ng6 18. Bf2 Nd7 19. Bf1 Nc5 20. Nb5 a6 21. Nc3 a5 22. Bg3 Ba6 23. b3 h5 24. h3 Qg5 25. Bh2. 25. Bxd6? Rxd6! 26. Rxd6 Qe5 would give Black the upper hand. 25. ... Ra7 26. Qb2 Rad7 27. Kh1 Bb7 28. b4 axb4 29. Qxb4 Qf6 30. Na4 Nxa4 31. Qxa4 d5 32. cxd5 exd5 33. e5 Qe6 34. Qd4 Rc7 35. Bg1 Rc6 36. Rb1 Ne7 37. Bd3 Ra8 38. Rb2 Ba6 39. Bb1 Bc4 40. Qh4 g6

41. g4? Zhukova has methodically increased her advantage so far, but now she gives her opponent an unexpected target for counterplay. After 41. Bd4 there would be hard times for Black. 41. ... Ra3! 42. Kg2 Bd3 43. Bxd3 Rxd3 44. Qf6 d4 45. Qxe6?! (45. Re4 Nd5 46. Qg5 Rc4=) 45. ... fxe6 46. Re4 Rc4 47. Rxb6? ⌓ 47. Kg3! Nd5 48. Kh4 Kg7 49. Kg5 Rxf3 50. Rxd4 Rc1 51. Rxd5! exd5 52. Bxb6 was White’s best chance, leaving Black with a material advantage hard to realise. 47. ... Rc2+ 48. Kg3 (48. Kh1 Rxf3)

48. ... g5! Threatening ... h5-h4#. 49. h4. If 49. gxh5 then 49. ... Nf5+ 50. Kg4 Rg2#. 49. ... Ng6? A moment of uncertainty by the young prodigy. 49. ... Rd1! 50. Bxd4 Rdd2!−+ was elegant and winning. 50. gxh5? White ought to play 50. Rb8+ Kf7 51. Rb7+ and a draw is most likely. 50. ... gxh4+ 51. Rxh4 Nxh4 52. Kxh4 Rd1 53. Bxd4 Rxd4+ 54. Kg5 Rd7 55. Rxe6 Rg2+ 56. Kf5 Rf7+ 57. Ke4 Re2+ 58. Kd3 Rxa2 59. Re8+ Rf8 60. Kd4 0 : 1.

月亮公主 (Moon Princess)

“The really significant performance has been from 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), China’s youngest talent. At six, 北京 (Běijīng) pronounced her the new Judit Polgár; by 10 she was competing in adult internationals; last week, less than a month after her 12th birthday, she became the youngest ever to contest a senior world title and eliminated top women from Russia and Ukraine in impressive style”, Leonard Barden wrote in his The Guardian chess column of Saturday, March 25, 2006.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova

Women’s World Chess Championship Knockout Tournament; match game 1; Yekaterinburg, March 13, 2006

Vienna Game C26

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Bc5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 d6 7. Nge2 Nbd7 8. 0-0 Nf8 9. d4 exd4 10. Nxd4 Ng6 11. Bg3 0-0 12. Kh1 Bb6 13. f3 Bc7 14. Bb3 a6 15. Qd2 Nh5 16. Bf2 Bb8 17. Rad1 Qc7 18. Bg1 Nf6 19. Nf5 d5 20. Ng3 dxe4 21. fxe4 Ng4 22. Nce2! 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) wisely resisted the temptation to play 22. Rxf7 Rxf7 23. Qd8+ Kh7 24. Bxf7 Qxf7 25. Qxc8 on account of 25. ... Nf2+ 26. Bxf2 Qxf2 (threatening 27. ... Bxg3 28. Qxa8 Nh4! 29. Rg1 Bxh2! 30. Kxh2?? Nf3+ and mate next move) 27. e5 (or 27. Rf1 Qa7!=) 27. ... Qa7! with equality.
22. ... b5? Zhukova appears totally oblivious of the impending catastrophe. However, 22. ... Ba7 23. Bxa7 Rxa7 24. h3 N4e5 25. Nh5!↑ gives White a powerful initiative in any event.

23. Bc5! The f7-Pawn is doomed.
23. ... Ne7 24. Bxf7+! Kh7. On 24. ... Rxf7 25. Qd8+ wins heavy material.
25. h3 Nf6 26. Bb3 Re8 27. Qd3 Kh8. If 27. ... Ng6 then 28. e5! Rxe5 29. Nf4 Rg5 30. Nxg6 Rxg6 (or 30. ... Rxg3 31. Nf8++ Kh8 32. Rf3 Rxf3? 33. Qh7+!! Nxh7 34. Ng6#) 31. Rxf6! Qxg3 32. Qxg6+ Qxg6 33. Bg8+ and finis.
28. Nf4 Nfg8 29. Bxg8 Kxg8 30. Qb3+ Kh7 31. Qf7 Bd7 32. Bxe7 1 : 0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Pufichek.

Critica della ragion pura

Kim Hyun-a – “Change”

Festa della Liberazione

The Fab Four dell’Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”: Chiara (t-shirt bianca), Olga (pantaloncini grigi), Silvia (minigonna rossa) e Sofia (pantaloncini rosa). A real sample of Fischerandom Style!

Giovedì 25 Aprile 2013

ore 16,00

v Fischerandom Kaos

Simultanea di scacchi960 (Fischerandom Chess)

con Simone De Filomeno
c/o Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Viale Edmondo De Amicis, 99/A · 50137 Firenze

La partecipazione è libera
Le preiscrizioni saranno accettate entro e non oltre domenica 21 aprile

欢迎光临！

Artemisia

IN SEXTUM Dicis amore tui bellas ardere puellas,       qui faciem sub aqua, Sexte, natantis habes. SU SESTO Dici che ardon per te d’amore le belle fanciulle,       Sesto, che il volto hai d’uno che nuota sott’acqua. 给谢斯托 谢斯托，你说漂亮的姑娘们都已被你迷倒。      可你脸上的表情却像憋在水里。

Marco Valerio Marziale, Epigrammi, Lib. 2, LXXXVII

Traduzione di 莫东科 (Mò Dōngkē)



Jay Chou – “Snake Dance”

Renaissance Michelangelo

Bureaucracy

“Brazil” (Terry Gilliam, 1985) - Ministry of Information

Endgame

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 阮露斐 (Ruăn Lùfěi)
30th Chinese Women’s Chess Championship; 无锡 (Wúxī), June 29, 2006
Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 Bd7 10. h3 Kc8. Needless to say, the Berlin endgame does not necessarily end in a draw: 10. ... Ne7 11. Rd1 Ke8 12. Bf4 h6 13. Rd2 Ng6 14. e6 Bxe6 15. Bxc7 Rc8 16. Bg3 Bb4 17. a3 Bxc3 18. bxc3 Rd8 19. Re2 Kd7 20. Nd4 Rhe8 21. Rd1 Ke7 (21. ... Kc8!) 22. Rd3 c5? 23. Bd6+! Kd7 24. Nxe6 fxe6 25. Bxc5+ Kc6 26. Rxd8 Kxd8 27. Bxa7 e5 28. Re4 h5? (28. ... Ra8 29. Be3 Rxa3 30. Rc4+ Kd7 31. Rg4 Ra1+ 32. Kh2 Ra6 33. h4 h5 34. Rg5) 29. Rc4+ Kb5 30. Rb4+ Ka6 31. Bc5 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Möngöntuul, 8th Russian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2007. 11. b3 b6 12. Bb2 a5? This just gives White a free hand on the Kingside. 12. ... Be7 13. Ne4 Nh4 14. Nxh4 Bxh4 15. Rad1 Rd8 16. Rfe1⩲ was probably Black’s best try. 13. g4 Ne7 14. Ng5 Be8 15. f4 h5 16. Kg2 Kb7 17. Rad1 a4 18. Kg3. No chance for counterplay (18. Nxa4 Nd5). 18. ... axb3 19. axb3 Ng6 20. Ra1! Forcing the exchange of the only active Black piece. 20. ... Rxa1 21. Bxa1 Be7 22. Nce4. Black has no way to prevent f4-f5. 22. ... Nf8 23. f5 Nh7 24. Nxh7. 24. Nxf7!? Bxf7 25. e6 may also be good, but after 25. ... h4+! White could still expect some annoyances. 24. ... Rxh7 25. g5 h4+ 26. Kh2. Of course 26. Kf4! was also very strong. 26. ... c5 27. f6 gxf6 28. gxf6 Bf8 29. Rg1 Bh6 30. Rg4 Be3

31. Rg7? The only hesitation that could have costed 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) a half point. White ought to first play 31. e6! fxe6 and then 32. Rg7 Rxg7 33. fxg7 Bf7 34. Nf6 winning easily. 31. ... Rh8 32. e6

32. ... Rf8? Tantamount to resignation. Black could still have saved the game by 32. ... Bc6! 33. exf7 Bf4+ 34. Kg1 Rf8 35. Nf2!⩲ (Δ Nf2-d3). 33. Be5!+− Kc8 34. Kg2. Now Black is in zugzwang. 34. ... fxe6 35. Rxc7+ Kd8 36. Rb7 c4 37. bxc4 Bc5 38. Rb8+ Kd7 39. Ng5 Bd6 40. Bxd6 Kxd6

41. Kh2! (Δ f6-f7) 41. ... Kc7 42. Rxe8! Rxe8 43. f7 1 : 0.

Fair Play (It’s not about the bike)

Primavera (Allegory of Spring)

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Alexander G. Beljavskij
Summit “Rising Stars vs. Experience”; Amsterdam, 23 agosto 2009
Philidor C41

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Cf6 3. Cc3 e5. Il dogma di Philidor. 4. Cf3 Cbd7 5. Ac4 Ae7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Te1 c6 8. a4 a5 9. Aa2 h6 10. h3 Ch7 11. Ae3 Cg5 12. De2. Un altro modus operandi è 12. Cd2! Cb6 (Δ ... Ae7-f6) 13. Cc4 Cxc4 14. Axc4 exd4 (14. ... Af6 15. d5!) 15. Axd4 Ae6 16. Dd3 Af6 17. f4?! (più consona 17. Tad1 con subliminale vantaggio del Bianco) 17. ... Axc4 18. Dxc4 Axd4+ 19. Dxd4 Ce6 20. Df2 Df6! 21. g3 Dd4 22. Dxd4 Cxd4= Češkovskij – Malanjuk, Wisla 1992. 12. ... Cxf3+ 13. Dxf3 Ag5 14. Tad1 De7 15. Ce2 g6 16. Cg3 Rg7 17. De2 Cf6 18. Dd2 Ch7 19. f4 exf4 20. Axf4 Ad7 21. Tf1 h5 22. Tde1 Axf4 23. Txf4 Cg5 24. h4! Ce6? Peter Doggers, il guru di ChessVibes, preferisce 24. ... Ch7, ma dopo 25. e5! il Bianco serba una potente iniziativa; per esempio: 25. ... d5 26. c4!↑ eccetera.

25. Cf5+!+- Confutazione! 25. ... gxf5 26. exf5 d5. Disperazione, ma anche dopo 26. ... Rh7 27. f6! il Bianco detta legge (27. ... Dd8 28. Dd3+ Rh6 29. De3!+-). 27. f6+ Dxf6 28. Txf6 Rxf6 29. c4 dxc4 30. Axc4 Tg8 31. Df2+ Re7 32. d5 cxd5 33. Dc5+ Rd8 34. Dxd5 Rc8 35. Ab5 Axb5 36. axb5 Rc7 37. Tf1 Tg7 38. Txf7+! L’elegante sigillo di Xiăo Hóu! 38. ... Txf7 39. b6+! La pointe! 1 : 0.

Simul in Xīnghuà.

Tutto il resto è noia

陰陽 (Yin e yang)

Brad Pitt e Bruce Willis ne “L’esercito delle 12 scimmie”

Technique and Confucianism

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov

Friendly match game 6; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 三亚 (Sānyà), November 11, 2010

Spanish Game C93

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Bb7. Karpov’s beloved Flohr-Zaitsev Variation. 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. a3 h6 13. d5. Karpov have met more often 13. Bc2, e.g. 13. ... Nb8 14. b4 Nbd7 15. Bb2 a5 (15. ... g6 16. Rb1 c6! 17. Nb3 Rc8 18. dxe5 dxe5 19. c4 c5!= Hjartarson – Karpov, 7th Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez “Ciudad de Linares”, Linares 1989) 16. Bd3 c6 17. Nb3 axb4 18. cxb4 exd4 19. Nfxd4 c5!= Hjartarson – Karpov, Candidates Quarterfinal, Seattle 1989, match game 3. 13. ... Nb8 14. Nh2 c6 15. dxc6 Nxc6 16. Ng4 Nxg4 17. hxg4 Na5 18. Bd5 Be7. Likewise 18. ... Qc8 19. a4 Bxd5 20. exd5 Nc4 21. Ne4 Nb6 22. a5 Nd7 23. b4 Be7 24. Qf3 Nf6 is satisfactory for Black, Malakhov – Eljanov, 3rd Chess World Cup, Khanty Mansyisk 2009, tie-break game 2. 19. b4 Nc6 20. Qf3 Rf8 21. Nf1 Qd7 22. Ng3 Nd8 23. Nf5 Ne6 24. Rd1 Bxd5 25. Rxd5 Rfd8 26. g3 Qe8 27. Be3 Rac8 28. Rd3 Rc6 29. Rad1 Rdc8 30. Bd2 Qf8 31. Kg2 Rd8 32. Qe2 Bg5 33. Rh1 Rd7 34. Bxg5 Nxg5 35. f3 Qc8 36. Qd2 a5? Too ambitious. He should have consolidated with 36. ... Qd8 (and if 37. Ne3 then 37. ... Ng5).

37. Rd1? To be, or not to be... 37. Rxh6! gxh6 (or 37. ... f6 38. Qa2+ Rc4 39. Rh1 with too many threats) 38. Nxh6+ Kh8 39. Qxg5 was crushing. 37. ... axb4 38. axb4 Qa8 39. Qe2. 39. Nxd6 Ra6(!) 40. Nxb5 Rxd3 41. Qxd3 Ra2+ 42. Rd2 Qa4! is quite unclear. 39. ... Qa3 40. Nxd6 Rxc3 41. Rxc3 Qxc3 42. Nxb5 Qc6 43. Rxd7 Qxd7 44. Nc3. After all, White is still a Pawn up! 44. ... Ne6 45. Nd5 (45. b5 Qd6! 46. Nd5 Qa3 47. b6 Nd4!=) 45. ... Qa4 46. Qb2 Qd1 47. Ne3 Qd3 48. Kf2 Nd4. Dynamic balance at last. 49. Qa2 g6 50. Qb2 Kg7 51. Qa2 Qc3 52. b5 Nxb5 53. Qd5? Both 53. Qc4 and 53. Nd5 should hold. 53. ... Cc7? Karpov returns the favour: after 53. ... Qb2+ 54. Kg1 Nd4! 55. Qxe5+ Kh7 White was in serious trouble. 54. Qd1 Ne6 55. Qc2 Qb4 56. Qc4 Qb2+ 57. Qe2 ½ : ½.

It was a tense, tight affair. Photo: Yè Róngguāng.

Cherry the Cake Fairy

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
Friendly match game 4; 三亚 (Sānyà), November 10, 2010
Nimzo-Indian Defence E37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 7. Qc2 c5 8. dxc5 Nc6 9. e3 Qa5+ 10. Bd2 Nxd2 11. Qxd2 dxc4 12. Qxa5. (12. Bxc4 Qxc5 13. Rc1 Qe7 14. Nf3 0-0 15. 0-0 Rd8 16. Bd3 e5 17. e4 Be6 18. Qe3 f6 19. Bb5 Nd4 20. Bc4 Nxf3+ 21. Qxf3 Rac8 22. Bd5 Bf7 23. h4 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 h5 25. g3 b6 26. Rd1 g6 27. Bxf7+ Kxf7 28. Qb3+ Kg7 29. Rd5 Rd7 30. Qd3 Rc7 31. Kg2 Qe6 32. Rd6 Qf7 33. b4 Re7 34. Rd5 Qe6 35. a4 Qc6 36. a5 bxa5 37. bxa5 f5 38. Qa3 Kf7 39. Qf3 Kg7 40. exf5 gxf5 41. Kh2 Qg6 42. Qa3 Qf7 43. Qc5 Qf6 44. Rd6 Qf7 45. Qe3 f4 46. gxf4 Qxf4+ 47. Qxf4 exf4 48. Kg2 Re2 49. Kf3 Ra2 50. a6 Ra4 51. Kg2 Ra2 52. Rc6 Kh7 53. Kf1 Ra1+ 54. Ke2 Ra2+ 55. Kf3 Ra4 56. Rc7+ Kg6 57. Rxa7 Kf5 58. Rf7+ Kg6 59. Rxf4 Rxa6 60. Rb4 Ra1 61. Rb6+ Kf5 62. Rb5+ Kg6 63. Kg2 Ra4 64. Rg5+ Kh6 65. Kg3 Ra1 66. Re5 Rg1+ 67. Kf3 Rh1 68. Re6+ Kg7 69. Kg3 Rg1+ 70. Kh2 Rg4 71. Kh3 Rf4 72. Re2 Kg6 73. Ra2 Kh6 74. Ra6+ Kg7 75. Ra5 Rxf2 ½ : ½ Koneru – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2009–11, 3rd stage, Nalchik 2010.
12. ... Nxa5 13. Rc1

13. ... b5 14. cxb6 Bb7 15. bxa7 Ke7 16. Ne2 Rxa7 17. Nc3 Rb8 18. Na2 Bd5 19. Nb4 Nc6 20. Nxc6+ Bxc6 21. Rxc4 Ba4 22. Rb4 Rxb4 23. axb4

23. ... Bb5 24. f3 Ra1+ 25. Kf2 Rb1 ½ : ½. Much ado about all theory! In fact, it should be noted that two years earlier, in Cap d’Agde, Karpov and Carlsen agreed a draw after 24. ... Ra1+!

Cherry on the cake. Photo: Mandarin Oriental.

Quick Brief

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov
Friendly match game 3; 三亚 (Sānyà), November 8, 2010
Spanish Game C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 h6 10. h3 Bd7 ½ : ½.

Großmeister-Remis. Photos: Sina Sports.

Clarice Benini: interlude edition

Alessandra Innocenti & Lorenzo Barsi

Clarice Benini
Omaggio alla Campionessa di Scacchi

versione 0.1 (PDF)

AD PONTILIANUM Cur non mitto meos tibi, Pontiliane, libellos?       Ne mihi tu mittas, Pontiliane, tuos. A PONTILIANO Perché mai non ti mando i miei versi, o Pontiliano?       Non voglio che tu, Pontiliano, mi mandi i tuoi.

Marco Valerio Marziale, Epigrammi, vii

Selective Memory

It is disheartening to note the intellectual acrobatics of the community of collectors of semicolons who guiltily neglect Fischer’s chess testament or paternalistically dismiss Fischerandom chess as the delirium of a mad genius. The vestals of orthodoxy stoically obliterate truculent outbursts and anti-Semitic invectives, as evidence of a premature brain death, and in the meantime they try to fit the myth to the size of their overnight suitcase of openings. And, in fact, they remember all semicolons of the 60 Memorable Games as they stubbornly forget the apocryphal gospel under the carpet. Mado Flynn

Cinquecentodiciottesimo

[Event "Firenze"]
[Site "Firenze"]
[Date "2013.04.01"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lucci, Giovanni"]
[Black "Scopetani, Daniele"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B17"]
[Annotator "Lucci,Giovanni"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Ng5 e6 7.N1f3 Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Nf6 11.Qe2 O-O 12.Bd2 Qc7
(12...c5 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.O-O-O $14)
13.O-O-O b6 14.g4 Bb7 15.g5 hxg5 16.Nxg5 $5
(16.Bxg5 Bf4+ 17.Kb1 Bxg5 18.Nxg5 c5 19.Rhg1 Rac8 20.Nh7 Qf4 21.Nxf8 Kxf8 22.Qe5 Qxd4 23.Qg5 Bf3 24.Be2 Ne4 25.Rxd4 Nxg5 26.Rxg5 Bxe2 27.Rd7 Ra8 28.b3 g6 29.Rg3 Bb5 30.Rc7 Be2 31.a4 Bf1 32.Rf3 f5 33.Rg3 Rd8 34.Rxg6 {1-0 Megaranto–Alsharhan, Tagaytay 2004})
16...c5 17.Rhg1 Rfc8 {Diagramma #} 18.Nxe6 $3 $40 fxe6 19.Qxe6+ Kf8 {Diagramma #} 20.Bc4 $2
(20.Rxg7 $2 Qxg7 (20...Kxg7 $4 21.Bh6+ $1 Kxh6 $2 22.Qxf6+ Kh5 23.Be2+ $18) 21.Qxd6+ Kg8 $1 22.Qe6+ Kf8 $1 $10)
(20.Rg6 $1 Bf4 21.Bc4 $18)
20...Qd7 {Diagramma #} 21.Qxf6+ $1 gxf6 22.Rg8+ Ke7 23.Re1+ Be5 24.Rg7+ Kd6 25.Rxd7+ Kxd7 26.dxe5 fxe5 27.Bc3 a6 28.Bxe5 Bf3 29.h4 Re8 30.Bd3 Re7 31.Re3 b5 32.Bg6 Kc6 33.h5 Kd5 $2 $136 {Diagramma #}
(33...Rd8 $1 $14)
34.h6 $2 $136
(34.Bc3 $1 $18)
34...Rxe5 35.Rxf3 Rg5 36.Rf6 Ke5 37.Rc6 Kd5 38.Rf6 Ke5 39.Rc6 Kd5 40.Rf6 Ke5 1/2-1/2

Un pesce di nome Wanda

Liberation Day

The Fab Four dell’Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”: Chiara (t-shirt bianca), Olga (pantaloncini grigi), Silvia (minigonna rossa) e Sofia (pantaloncini rosa). A real sample of Fischerandom Style!

Giovedì 25 Aprile 2013
ore 16,00

v Fischerandom Kaos

Simultanea di scacchi960 (Fischerandom Chess)

con Simone De Filomeno
c/o Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Viale Edmondo De Amicis, 99/A · 50137 Firenze

La partecipazione è libera
Le preiscrizioni saranno accettate entro e non oltre domenica 21 aprile

弹指一挥间

弹指一挥间一年过去。

Vittorio Piccardo – Enrico Paoli

Coppa Italia 1954-’55; Milano, 27 febbraio 1955
Gioco Piano C50

1. e4 e5 2. Cf3 Cc6 3. Ac4 Cf6 4. d3 Ac5 5. Cc3 d6 6. Ag5 Ca5 7. a3!? Una variante a piè di pagina. Se tuttavia 7. Cd5 allora 7. ... Cxc4 8. dxc4 c6! 9. Cxf6+ gxf6 10. Ah4 Tg8= Eliskases – Bronstejn, Mar del Plata 1960. 7. ... Cxc4 8. dxc4 Ae6 9. De2 h6 10. Ad2!? L’alternativa è 10. Axf6 Dxf6 11. Cd5 Axd5 12. cxd5 0-0 13. g3 c6 14. Td1 Tac8 15. 0-0 cxd5 16. Txd5 De6 17. Ch4 f5 18. Cxf5 Txf5 19. Txc5 Txc5 20. exf5 Dxf5 ½ : ½ Barczay – Antoshin, Budapest 1969. 10. ... a6 11. h3 Dd7 12. 0-0-0! L’arrocco più contundente. Dopo 12. 0-0 0-0 la posizione è equilibratissima. 12. ... Dc6 13. Cd5 b5 14. Aa5 Axd5 15. cxd5 Db7 16. c3 0-0 17. Ch4 Ab6 18. Axb6 cxb6? Un sofisma superfluo. Più economica e diretta era 18. ... Dxb6 19. Cf5 a5. 19. Cf5 Dc7 20. f3 Tfc8 21. Rb1 Rh7 22. g4 g6!? Non una panacea, ma l’armata avversaria era ormai alle porte (Δ h3-h4, g4-g5). 23. Cxh6! Rxh6

24. g5+! La pointe. 24. ... Rg7. Il Pedone è tabù: 24. ... Rxg5?? 25. De3+ Rh5 (25. ... Rh4? 26. Tdg1 e matto alla prossima) 26. h4 con pronta esecuzione di Sua Maestà. 25. gxf6+ Rxf6 26. h4! Th8 27. h5! Th6. Se 27. ... Txh5? allora 28. Txh5 gxh5 29. f4+-, mentre se 27. ... gxh5 allora 28. f4±. 28. hxg6 Txg6 29. Th7 Tag8 30. Dh2? Carpe diem, Vittorio! Dopo 30. f4! (apre la diagonale d1-h5) 30. ... exf4 31. Dh5 Re7 32. e5! Rd8 33. e6! Tg1 (33. ... Tf8? 34. exf7 Tf6 35. Dh4 De7 36. Te1+-) 34. exf7 Txd1+ 35. Dxd1 Tf8 36. Dd4! il vantaggio del Bianco è quasi soggiogante. 30. ... Re7 31. f4 Dc4! Paoli è ormai al sicuro... 32. Dh4+ Re8 33. fxe5 Tg1 34. Txg1 Txg1+ 35. Rc2 De2+ 36. Rb3 Dd1+ 37. Ra2 Db1+ 38. Rb3 Dd1+ 39. Ra2 Db1+ ½ : ½.