Spider Light

Martin Brown – Michael Adams
103rd British Chess Championship; Bournemouth, August 5, 2016
Scotch Game C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Nb6 9. Nc3 Qe6 10. Qe4 g6 11. Bd3 Bg7 12. f4 0-0 13. 0-0 f5!? 14. exf6? Maybe the punctuation is exaggerated, but I think that this is the point in which White should look for an improvement. It would be sad if he had nothing better than 14. Qe2 d6 where Black has at least equalized. 14. ... Qxf6 15. Bd2? Thus White falls into bad waters. The reference book contemplates 15. Qe2 Ba6 which is better but not satisfactory, V. Schneider – Fejzullahu, 7th IMB2, Mariánské Lázně 2008. 15. ... d5 16. Qe2. Not 16. cxd5?? Bf5 losing a clear piece. 16. ... Ba6. Now White is forced to “sacrifice” a Pawn. 17. Rae1 Bxc4 18. Bxc4 Nxc4 19. Bc1 a5 20. Qc2 Rae8 21. Qa4? As they say, “There are only bad moves in bad positions” – and here Black has (had) a Pawn more and a dominating position. After the text he also will be able to mount an irresistible attack.

21. ... Qd4+ 22. Kh1 Rxe1 23. Rxe1 Qf2 24. Rg1. On 24. Qd1 Nxb2 Black gains material. 24. ... Bd4 25. Rd1. Or 25. Qd1 Qxg1+ winning the exchange and the game. 25. ... Re8 26. h3. 26. Bd2 Qxd2! allows an even prettier finish. 26. ... Re1+ 27. Kh2 Qg1+ 28. Kg3 Ne3 0 : 1. Thus Adams won the British Championship with the impressive score of 10/11!

24 stone

Halle, Germany: A male elephant calf looks out of his enclosure. He was born on 3 August and weighs 105kg (24 st). Photo: Jens Meyer/AP.

From Russia with Love

U.S. Chess (@USChess)

黛丝鸭 (Daisy Duck)

Gens una restat

I am more strongly confirmed than ever in the belief that the time devoted to chess is literally frittered away. It is, to be sure, a most exhilarating sport, but it is only a sport; and it is not to be wondered at that such as have been passionately addicted to the charming pastime should one day ask themselves whether sober reason does not advise its utter dereliction. I have, for my own part, resolved not to be moved from my purpose of not engaging in chess hereafter. The few games that I have played here have been altogether private and sans façon. I never patronize the Café de la Régence; it is a low, and, to borrow a Gallicism, ill frequented establishment. Extract from a letter by Paul Charles Morphy to Daniel Willard Fiske, dated February 4, 1863, from Paris, France

Here is a drawing of Paul Charles Morphy wearing his broad Panama hat in London, 1859. Image courtesy of Chess.com.

The Patience of the Spider

Michael Adams – Daniel W. Gormally
103rd British Chess Championship; Bournemouth, August 4, 2016
English Opening A20

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. Nc3 0-0 5. Nf3 d6 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 Re8 8. 0-0 Nbd7 9. b3 a6 10. Bb2 Ne5 11. Qd2 Rb8 12. Nd5 c6 13. Nxf6+ Qxf6 14. Rac1 Qg6 15. b4 Ba7 16. Rfe1 Be6 17. Nxe6 Qxe6 18. Bd4 Bxd4 19. Qxd4 Rbd8 20. Red1 h6 21. a4 Qc8 22. h3 Qc7 23. e3 Rd7 24. b5 Rc8 25. Qb2 Rdd8 26. Qd2 Qb6 27. bxc6 bxc6 28. Qd4 Qc7 29. Qc3 a5 30. c5 d5 31. e4 dxe4 32. Bxe4 Re8 33. Rd6 Rb8 34. Rcd1 Rb4 35. R1d4 Qb8 36. Kg2. Clearly not 36. Bxc6?? on account of 36. ... Nxc6 37. Rxc6 Rb3 38. Qd2 (38. Qxa5? Rxg3+!) 38. ... Rxg3+! turning tables. 36. ... Nc4 37. Rxc4 Rxe4 38. Rxe4 Rxe4 39. Qf3. Rather than hurrying to take the a-Pawn, Adams cleverly sets a pretty little trap for his opponent, in Lasker’s best style.

39. ... Rxa4?? This is an awful blunder by Gormally, losing on the spot. Here 39. ... Re5 40. Qxc6 (on 40. Rxc6 Qb7 41. Rb6 Qxf3+ 42. Kxf3 Rxc5 43. Rb5 Rc3+ Black should easily draw) 40. ... Qb4 still leaves the situation rather unclear, in spite of Black’s Pawn deficit. The refutation of the text is easy but pretty: 40. Qd3! 1 : 0.

并列

Hungry dog Dog yawns with people in background. Photo: Neenad/GuardianWitness.

Half the World

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) – 宁凯玉 (Níng Kǎiyù)
12th Chinese Team Chess Championship; 无锡 (Wúxī), August 4, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D25

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 4. e3 a6 5. Bxc4 b5 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. Bd2!? The immediate 8. a4 is far more common than the text, e.g. 8. ... b4 9. Qe2 e6 10. Nbd2 c5 11. Nc4 Be7 12. a5 0-0 13. Rd1 Qc7 14. Bd2 Be4 15. Bxe4 Nxe4 16. Be1 Nef6 17. dxc5 Bxc5 18. Nfd2 Qb7 19. Nb3 Qb5 20. Qf1 Be7 21. Nd4 Qb7 22. f3 Rfc8 23. Bg3 Ne8 24. Rac1 Rc5 25. Nb3 Rd5 26. e4 Rxd1 27. Rxd1 Rc8 28. Bf2 Nb8 29. Be3 g5 30. Nb6 Rc7 31. Qe2 h6 32. Bf2 Nc6 33. Rd2 Nf6 34. Qd1 Nh5 35. Nd7 Qb5 36. Bb6 Rc8 37. Qf1 Qxf1+ 38. Kxf1 Nf6 39. Nxf6+ Bxf6 40. Rc2 Ne7 41. Rxc8+ Nxc8 42. Bd4 Bxd4 43. Nxd4 Nd6 44. Nc6 Nc4 45. Nxb4 Nxb2 46. Ke2 Kf8 47. Nc6 Ke8 48. Kd2 Na4 49. Nb8 Nc5 50. Kc3 Ke7 51. Kc4 Nb7 52. Kb4 Kd6 53. Nxa6 Ke5 54. Nb8 Nxa5 55. Kxa5 Kf4 56. Nc6 Ke3 57. e5 Kf2 58. Nd8 Kxg2 59. Nxf7 Kxf3 60. Nxh6 1 : 0 Kortschnoi – Damjanović, 2nd International Tournament “Città di Colombo”, Genoa 1987. 8. ... c5 9. a4 b4 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. Bc4 a5? Allowing the White Bishop to conquer an unexpected diagonal. Better looks 11. ... Rb8 12. Qe2 e6 and Black is fine. 12. Ne5 e6 13. Bb5+ Nfd7? Comparatively better was 13. ... Ncd7 14. e4 Ba6, even though after 15. Nxd7 Nxd7 16. Bg5! White maintains the initiative. 14. e4 Ba6

15. Qh5! Now White will enhance her advantage by means of a rational series of forcing moves. 15. ... g6 16. Qf3 f6 17. Nxd7 Nxd7 18. Rd1 Bxb5 19. axb5 Bc5 20. Bh6! Kf7 21. Qh3 Qc7 22. Nd2 Rad8 23. Nb3 Bb6 24. Be3 Bxe3. Chess engines disapprove, but 24. ... Ne5 25. Rdc1 is similarly unpleasant for Black. 25. Qxe3 Ne5 26. Rdc1 Qb8 27. Rxa5 g5 28. Qa7+ Rd7 29. Qxb8 Rxb8 30. Kf1 Rdb7. Black finally wins back her Pawn, but at the cost of allowing both White Rooks to infiltrate on the seventh rank. 31. Ke2 Rxb5 32. Rc7+ Kg6 33. Raa7 Rg8? If nothing else, 33. ... h6 (34. f3 f5) was a bit more tenacious. Now 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) will capitalize her preponderance with relative ease. 34. Rxh7 Nc6 35. Rac7 Re5 36. f3 f5 37. h4 gxh4 38. Rxh4 Nd8 39. Kf2 fxe4 40. f4 Rf8 41. Ke3 Rd5 42. Nc5 Nf7. 42. ... Rf7 43. Rc8 is equally hopeless. 43. Nxe6 Re8 44. g4 Rd6 45. f5+ Kf6 46. Kf4 Rdxe6 47. Rh6+ 1 : 0.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng) (left) and 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) (right). Photo: 刘襄琳 (Liú Xiānglín).

Shy Violet

“Violetta la Timida” ™ © Mado Flynn

Handmade in Italy by Mado Flynn

Teach-in

Runaway at the Runway

Sesto Fiorentino Mayor Lorenzo Falchi was heard by the Technical Commission on EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment) at the Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea of Italy in Rome on Monday, August 1, 2016 for discussing the issues related to the planned new airport of Florence. “We expressed our disapprobation of the EIA of the Master Plan 2014-2029 presented by ENAC (Italian Civil Aviation Authority), in the light of the several critical issues identified. So far, the project proponents haven’t produced any useful documentation for refuting the reasons for our opposition, starting with the dangers for the health of citizens and workers in the area. Furthermore, it’s not clear at all the environmental hydrogeological impact assessment of the eventual new runway. In consideration of all this, we reiterate our opposition, both political and administrative, and we are ready to fight in all venues to safeguard our territory and to sustain an alternative development model”, Mr. Falchi said.

Sesto Fiorentino Mayor Lorenzo Falchi

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

不知道什么是忧伤，就不会真正感激幸福。
Bù zhīdào shénme shì yōushāng, jiù bù huì zhēnzhèng gǎnjī xìngfú.
You cannot appreciate happiness unless you have known sadness too.

Alessandra, Art Director of Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” enjoying the hills of grass surrounding the Antinori winery in Bargino, San Casciano Val di Pesa, Florence, Italy, on Sunday, July 31, 2016. Photo: 林丽丽 (Lín Lìlì).

The Spider King

Gawain Christopher B. Jones – Michael Adams
103rd British Chess Championship; Bournemouth, August 3, 2016
English Opening A14

1. c4 e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. b3 c5 7. e3 Nc6 8. Bb2 d4 9. exd4 cxd4 10. Re1 Re8 11. d3 Bc5 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. Rxe5 Bd6 14. Re1 e5 15. Qc2. Jones is playing by ear and with no originality. Here 15. Ba3 appears to be sounder, e.g. 15. ... Bg4 16. Qd2 Rb8 17. Bxd6 Qxd6 18. Qc2 Nd7 19. Nd2 f5 20. a3 ½ : ½ Székely – Makropoulos, Plovdiv 1981. 15. ... Qc7 16. Nd2 Bf5 17. Re2 Re7 18. Rae1 Rae8 19. a3 a5! Siegbert Tarrasch would greatly appreciate Black’s dynamic crescendo. 20. Qb1. “One badly placed piece – the whole game is bad”, as Tarrasch put it. 20. ... Bc5 21. h3 h6 22. Nf3 Bh7 23. Qd1. East or west, home is best. 23. ... Qd6 24. Bc1

24. ... e4! To say it with David Ionovich Bronstein, the Spider finally crosses the middle line – the “chess equator” – and launches his grand attack. 25. dxe4. 25. Nd2 e3 is no better. 25. ... Nxe4 26. Bf4 Qd8 27. Nd2. 27. Bd2 prevents ... Ne4-c3, but after 27. ... d3 does not save the Exchange anyway. 27. ... Nc3 28. Rxe7 Rxe7 29. Rxe7. A desperate Queen sacrifice. If, however, 29. Qa1 then 29. ... Ne2+ and White must give up the Exchange for less than nothing, in order to avoid worse injuries. 29. ... Nxd1 30. Rxb7 Bd6 31. Bxd6 Qxd6 32. c5 Qe5 33. c6 Qe1+ 34. Kh2 Bf5 35. Ne4. Jones does not still have the courage to resign. 35. ... Bxe4 36. Rb8+. Or 36. Re7 Qxf2! 37. Rxe4 Ne3 winning immediately. 36. ... Kh7 37. Bxe4+ Qxe4 38. c7 Nxf2 39. Kg1 Nxh3+ 40. Kh2 Qc2+ 0 : 1. A lectio magistralis by Michael Adams.

Michael Adams. Photo: Brendan O’Gorman.

Falling Into Grace

Jakarta, Indonesia: The jewelled flower mantis, commonly found in Asia, is believed to be the inspiration for many martial artists. Photo: Prabu Dennaga/Barcroft Images.

Junk Art

Dario Tironi’s junk David. Dario Tironi’s personal exhibition of junk sculptures is being held from July 1 to August 31, 2016 at the Bell Tower of the Pietrasanta Cathedral in Pietrasanta, Lucca, Italy.

History Channel

• Илюмжинов: В Китае нас, калмыков, называют хуаи | Ilyumzhinov: In China we, the Kalmyks, are called Huàyì, NSN, July 7, 2016

FIDE President and former President of the Republic of Kalmykia Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov, when he was guest of the NTV talk show “Majority” on last June 24, surprised the audience by stating that Kalmyks are descendants of the Chinese. On his website, he says it even clearer: “Kalmyks are the fifth generation of Chinese”. Asked to support his historical finding, Mr. Ilyumzhinov traced back the migration history to the (long) period of civil wars in Mongolia, when the Oirat tribes, whose leaders had accepted Chinese titles, left the Inner Asian borders of China for arriving, through Mongolia and Siberia, to the western coast of the Caspian Sea. [Read more].

Kirsan Nikolayevich Ilyumzhinov
Photo: RIA Novosti/Mikhail Mokrushin

Sharing

Ahmedabad, India: A man feeds peanuts to monkeys along a busy street. Photo: Sam Panthaky/AFP/Getty Images.

加班 (Overtime)

感觉身体被掏空 上海彩虹室内合唱团 啊 啊 啊 啊 啊 夜幕已笼罩朝阳公园 广场舞单瑟已经准备完毕 看着窗外的树影 难道这就是我的青春 当花瓣离开花朵 有一个老板叫做大卫 下午六点出现眼神恰似黑背 手里端着一壶热腾腾的咖啡 嘿嘿嘿我们要不要来开个会 我说这样不好吧 我要去机场接我年迈滴爸爸 两千多年没见啦 他来自遥远的西伯利亚 明明白天没事做 我还看见你在玩直播 难道你就没有家 求你不要说出那句话 宝贝 加班吧 感觉身体被掏空 我累得像只狗 我才不累 不累 十八天没有卸妆 月抛戴了两年半 作息紊乱我却越来越胖 我来征战北五环 我家住在龙回砚 沙发是我港湾 肚子空空画饼做梦 如何放轻松？ 天天KPI 不如现在 收起你的匠人情怀 听我说 我热爱工作 我真的好喜欢工作 工作让我进步 我喜欢学习 超快乐 我真的要去接我爸爸回家 哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈 怎么样的老板 辞职以后拉黑他 不要加班~不要加班~不要加班 I feel drained 上海 (Shànghǎi) Rainbow Singers Ah ah ah ah ah Night has fallen in Cháoyáng Park Square dancers are all ready I look at the shadows through the window Is this my youth? When the petals fall from flowers There is a boss named David He appears at 6 P.M., with eyes of a black-backed jackal and a pot of hot coffee in his hand Hey, hey, shall we have a meeting? I say, this is not right I’m heading to the airport to pick up my old dad I haven’t seen him for a century And he came from remote Siberia I know you have nothing to do all day long I saw you playing on your smartphone Don’t you have a home? Please don’t say anything Honey, just work overtime I feel drained Tired like a dog No, I’m not tired Eighteen days without makeup The same monthly lenses for one year and half I’m getting fatter and unrested Everyday out to the Fifth Ring Road Everyday back to Huílóngguān The sofa is my haven I eat dreams to satisfy my empty stomach How do I relax? Key Performance Indicators never sleep You better save your geek soul Hear me out I love to work I am a workaholic It helps me to make progress I love to learn – super happy But I just must pick up my dad Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha So what now, boss? If I quit here, are you going to be blacklisted? No more overtime! No more overtime! No more overtime!

Very free translation by Holden Caulfield

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.

Garofano di Lilliput

“Garofano di Lilliput” ™ © Mado Flynn

Handmade in Italy by Mado Flynn

Spiders fly without wings

Gjakova, Kosovo: People look on as a man jumps from the 22-metre-high Ura bridge during the high diving competition. Photo: Armend Nimani/AFP/Getty Images.

Capturing the Space In-Between

辽宁省 (Liáoníng province), China: Holidaymakers crowd on a beach to cool off on a hot day. Photo: Imaginechina/Rex/Shutterstock.

Camo Girl

On July 30, 2016 four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) appeared as special guest at the 10nd Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez in Alcubierre, province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain, in the presence of the town authorities, including Mayor Álvaro Amador (with whom she posed for photos at the board). Photos: VIVIR.

Via Mystica

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) poses for a picture in front of the Church of St Peter ad Vincula at Torralba de Aragón, province of Huesca, Aragón, Spain. Photo: Leontxo García.

Stuck in a Moment

西昌 (Xīchāng), China: Spectators watch dancers perform at the 火把节 (Torch Festival) in 四川省 (Sìchuān province). Photo: Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty Images.