The Hours After

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave – Fabiano Caruana
5th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, April 7, 2018
English Opening A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 e4 7. Ng5 Bxc3 8. bxc3 Re8 9. Qc2 d5 10. cxd5 Qxd5 11. d3 Bf5 12. Bf4 h6 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qb2 Qc5 16. dxe4 Bxe4 17. Bf1!? Vachier-Lagrave entered a very-much-analysed variation of the English Opening, and the text is his surprise – but it fails to impress Caruana. 17. ... Re7 18. a4 Rae8 19. Rac1? This appears to be White’s most serious mistake. After 20. Qb5(!) the game seems more balanced. 20. ... g5! 20. Bd2

20. ... Qf5! Black’s initiative looks scaringly powerful already. 21. f3. Worsening an already bad situation, but 21. c4 Ne5! can be hardly better. 21. ... Qc5+ 22. Kh1. Not 22. Kg2?? because of 22. ... Bxf3+! 23. Kxf3 (or 23. exf3 Re2+ and mate in three moves) 23. ... Qg1! with a quick mate. 22. ... Bd5! Threatening 23. ... Rxe2 24. Bxe2 Rxe2 25. Rf1 Ne5 with a mating attack. Vachier-Lagrave still resists a little, but not for a long time. 23. Be1 Bc4 24. e4 Bxf1 25. Bf2 Qc4 26. Rxf1 Qxa4 27. c4 Ne5 28. Bd4 g4 29. fxg4 Qd7 30. Qc3 31. Bxe5 Rxe5 32. Qf3 Rxe4 33. Rcd1 Qe6 34. g5 hxg5 35. Rd5 g4 36. Qc3 Re5 0 : 1.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (left) vs. Fabiano Caruana (right). Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

The Silent Hours

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Matthias Blübaum
5th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, April 7, 2018
English Opening A13

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. b3 Be7 5. Bb2 0-0 6. Nc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Qc2 Nb4!? A sideline that has the merit of avoiding prepared variations. 9. Qb1 b6 10. a3 Nd5 11. Nxd5 exd5 12. d4 Nc6 13. Bb5!? This may be a novelty, which, however, doesn’t change the assessment of its previous reference: 13. Bd3 h6 14. 0-0 Bg4 ½ : ½ Tazelaar – Krimbacher, 41st World Correspondence Chess Championship, 2017. 13. ... Bd7 14. 0-0 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 cxd4 16. Bxd7 Qxd7 17. Bxd4 Rfc8. Black’s control of the c-file compensates for the potential weakness of the isolated Pawn on d5 and gives White no way to mount an attack along the a1-h8 diagonal. 18. Rd1. 18. Qb2 g6 doesn’t seem to make significant differences. 18. ... Rc6 19. Qb2 Qf5. The threat of ... Rc6-c2 nullifies White’s attack on the g7-Pawn. Therefore, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) hastens to exchange Queens, forcing an ending in which she never runs any risks of losing. 20. Qe2 Rc2 21. Qf3 Qxf3 22. gxf3 Bh4 23. e4 dxe4 24. fxe4 Bg5 25. a4 Bd2 26. Rab1 Rac8 27. Rb2 Rxb2 28. Bxb2 Rc2 29. Bd4 f6 30. Kg2 Kf7 31. Kf3 Ke6 32. h3 h5 33. Ke2 Bf4+ 34. Kf3 Bd2 35. Ke2 Bf4+ 36. Kf3 g5 37. Rd3 Bd2 38. Ke2 Bf4+ 39. Kf3 Be5 40. Be3 Rb2

41. a5 bxa5 42. Bxa7 f5 43. exf5+ Kxf5 44. Kg2 g4 45. hxg4+ hxg4 46. Rd5 Rxb3 ½ : ½. For after 47. Bd4 Ke4 it’s a draw by exhaustion.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s sartorial representation of when White feels in the mood to renounce the advantage of having the first move. Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (left) vs. Matthias Blübaum (right). Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

Yes, Edna, that’s an elegant way of saying that money can’t buy happiness

C’mon, Edna, don’t ask him for the impossible

I have lived magnificent days

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

Magritte

Tree-climbing goats feed on an argania spinosa, known as an argan tree, in Essaouira, Morocco. By eating the fruit and spitting out the seeds, the goats help to propagate more argan trees for oil. Photo: Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP.

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Disney Pixar Incredibles Edna Interactive. Credit: Tubey Toys.

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The next challenger for the World Chess Championship title Fabiano Caruana. Artwork © Willum Morsch (@WillumTM).

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) in her yesterday’s game with Fabiano Caruana. Photo: GRENKE Chess Classic 2018 (GRENKEChess).

C’mon, Edna, I’m sure that tonight the tailors will finish the costumes for tomorrow’s parade

Pas de deux

Mute swans land on the Serpentine in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom. Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

Edna, the world is at your feet!

黑寡婦 (Black Widow)

Fabiano Caruana – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
5th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, April 6, 2018
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6. In latest times Caruana and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) apparently share the same taste for the Russian Defence. 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 0-0. Another way is 7. ... Nc6 8. Qd2 Be6 9. 0-0-0 Qd7 10. b3 Bf6 11. h3 0-0-0 12. g4 h6 13. Bg2 Kb8 14. Rhe1 Rhe8 15. Kb2 a6 16. Re2 Qe7 17. Rde1 Qf8 18. Nd4 Nxd4 19. Bxd4 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 Bd7 22. f4 Rxe2 22. Rxe2 Re8 23. Rxe8+ Bxe8= Carlsen – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2016. 8. Qd2 Nd7 9. 0-0-0 Nf6 10. h3!? c5! 11. Bf4. Caruana appears to lose time here, as the “threat” against Black’s d6-Pawn is a mere optical illusion. However, also the direct 11. g4 gave way to a more satisfactory position for Black after 11. ... Qa5 12. a3 Be6 13. Bd3 d5 (Pranav – Nazario, 53th World Junior Chess Championship, Pune 2014). 11. ... Be6 12. a3 d5 13. Ng5 Bd7 14. g4 Bc6 15. Bg2 Re8. Black came out of the opening with a very comfortable position, so Caruana looks for tactics. 16. Qd3!?

16. ... Bd6. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) choses to play safely, contenting herself with a nuance of favour in the ensuing ending. Pragmatically, her decision is sound, even though at least two Stockfish’s lines might have produced most tangible results: first, 16. ... h6 17. h4(!) Qd7! and White doesn’t seem to have any way to fuel his pseudo-attack; secondly, 16. ... c4(!) 17. Qg3 Bc5 and Black appears to stand much better. 17. Qg3 Bxf4+ 18. Qxf4 h6 19. Nf3 Qb8 20. Qxb8 Raxb8 21. Nd2 Re2 22. Rhf1 b6 23. Rde1 Rbe8 24. Rxe2 Rxe2 25. Kd1 Re6 26. f4 Kf8 27. Re1 Ke7 28. Rxe6+ Kxe6 29. Ke2 g5! 30. fxg5 hxg5 31. Nf3 Ne4 32. Ke3 f6 33. Bf1 Nd6 34. Nd2? There is nothing more easy than to take a wrong step when you feel your time slipping by. 34. h4 was White’s best chance to keep the ending within the drawing area. 34. ... f5! 35. gxf5+ Nxf5+ 36. Kf2 Ke5 37. Nf3+ Kf4 38. Ne1 c4! 38. ... Ne3! 39. Be2 c4 40. Bf3 Bd7 41. Ng2+ Nxg2 42. Bxg2 Ke5 was a similar, and possibly simpler, version of the same ending (without the Knights), where White seems unable to cope with both his weak Pawns on c2 and h3. Nevertheless, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s move is also very strong, marking the beginning of a long calvary for Caruana. 39. Ng2+ Ke5 40. Be2 Ba4 41. Bd1 Be8 42. Bg4 Bg6 43. Be2 Nd6 44. Ne3 Ne4+ 45. Kf3 Nf6 46. Kf2 Bf7 47. Ng2 Be6 48. h4 Ne4+ 49. Kf3 Bh3! The right and only way to go. After all the exchanges, Black’s Knight will head towards the a4-square (via e6). 50. hxg5 Nxg5+ 51. Kg3 Bxg2 52. Kxg2 Ne6 53. Kf2 Nc5 54. Bh5 Na4 55. Be8 Nxb2 56. Ke2 a6 57. Kd2 b5 58. Bh5 Na4 59. Bf7 Nc5 60. Kc1 Ne6 61. Kb2 Nf4 62. Be8 Ke4 63. Bc6 Ke3 64. Bb7?

64. ... a5? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) misses a study-like win with 64. ... Kd2!! 65. Bxa6 Nd3+!! 66. cxd3 (66. Kb1 Ne1−+) 66. ... d4!! and finis. But by now she too had only a few minutes left! 65. Kc1 Ne2+ 66. Kb2 Kd2? Black had still a hidden win here: 66. ... Nf4! 67. Kc1 Ke2 68. Bc6 Ke1 69. Bxb5 Ne2+ 70. Kb2 Kd2−+ (71. Be8 Nxc3 72. Bg6 Nd1+ 73. Kb1 d4! and Stockfish announces mate in 15 moves!). 67. Bxd5 Nxc3 68. Bc6 Nd1+ 69. Kb1 Ne3 70. Be4 c3 71. Bg6 Nc4 72. Ka2 Ne5 73. Be4 Ke3 74. Bh7 Nc6 75. Bg6 Kd2 76. Be4 Nd4 77. Kb1 Kd1 78. Bd5 Nf5 79. Be4 Ne3 80. Bg6 Kd2 81. Bd3 Nc4 82. Ka2 Nb6 83. Kb1 Nc4 84. Ka2 a4 85. Bg6 Kc1 86. Bd3 Nd6 87. Ka1 Nb7 88. Ka2 Nc5 89. Bf5 Na6 90. Bg6 Kd2 91. Bh7 Nb8 92. Bd3 Nc6 93. Bxb5 Nd4 94. Bxa4 Nxc2 95. Kb3 Nd4+ 96. Kc4 Nc2 97. Kb3 Ne3 98. Kb4 c2 ½ : ½. What a game!

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s sartorial representation that “Black is OK!”. Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

A telling demonstration of how symmetrical opening can sometimes lead to situations where the first mover advantage may disappear entirely: Fabiano Caruana (left) vs. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (right). Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

An Afternoon of Time

Every Saturday is a good day to sleep off the week and breathe in the fresh air, so this Saturday, when you’re wide awake, don’t miss the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s Fischerandom chess meeting (as usual starting at 16,00).

Chess cookies. Photo: Valerie | Flickr.

Twining Lotus

“Loto Rampicante” ™ © Mado Flynn

Handmade in Italy by Mado Flynn

Yes, Edna, you already look like Shakespeare’s Dark Lady seated on Hamlet’s throne after blowing him off

Artwork © Thomas Estrada

Frontstage Backstage

GRENKE Chess Classic 2018 (@GRENKEChess)

Time After Time

People visit their relatives’ graves during the 清明节 (Qīngmíng Festival) at 九公山 (Jiǔ Gōng Shān) cemetery in 北京 (Běijīng), China. Photo: Roman Pilipey/EPA.

However, as they say, a star may not be a diva but a diva is always a star

Rascal, one of the world’s most famous Chinese crested dog, would often sit for an hour or more onstage signing autographs to its fans after a beauty pageant. Photo: AP/Eric Risberg.

Onstage Offstage

Georg Meier – Magnus Carlsen
5th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, April 5, 2018
b4rk1/q5rp/8/3pQ1R1/p3p3/4P1P1/4BPK1/5R2 w - - 0 38

Position after 37. ... Qf7xa7

Today World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen took over the stage with all his presence, risking his neck bone against Georg Meier. After pushing too hard to bust his rival’s Kingside, Magnus just played his last bluff (37. ... Qf7xa7), reaching the position of the diagram (which is dramatically lost for Black). 38. Bg4! Threatening 39. Be6+ Kh8 40. Rh5 followed by Rh5xh7+ and Qe5-h5 mate. 39. ... Kh8 39. Ra1? And Meier misses the chance for his “Immortal Game”: 39. Rh5! Qe7 (or 39. ... Qf7 40. Rxh7+! Kxh7 41. Rh1+ Kg8 42. Be6+−) 40. Rxh7+! Kxh7 41. Rh5+ Kg6 (41. ... Kg8 loses – if more prosaically – to 42. Be6+ Rff7 43. Bxf7+ Kxf7 44. Qf4++−) 42. Rh6+!! and mate in two moves. Now Carlsen escapes the nightmare: 39. ... Qe7! 40. Qxg7+ Qxg7 41. Rxg7 Kxg7 42. Rxa4 Bc6 43. Rb4 ½ : ½.

Georg Meier (left) vs. Magnus Carlsen (right). Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

Of course, Edna. One must not strip to the skin prior to the start of a parade

Violets in the Grass

Highland cows are photographed as they graze in the Kilpatrick Hills near Glasgow, Scotland. Photo: AP/PA/John Linton.

Dress Like a Grandmaster

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
5th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, April 5, 2018
Spanish Game C92

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 Re8 10. d4 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. d5. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) usually favours closing the centre in the Ruy López, so as to avoid to drown into too much analysed insanity – even if at the cost of contenting herself with a very slight edge. 12. ... Nb8 13. Nf1 Nbd7 14. N3h2 c6. The alternative 14. ... Nc5 would have evoked happy memories to 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who, three years earlier, had been milking the cow in Monte Carlo Casino: 15. Bc2 c6 16. b4 Ncd7 17. dxc6 Bxc6 18. Bg5 Qc7 19. Bxf6 Nxf6 20. Ng4 Nxg4 21. hxg4 Be7 22. Bb3 Bg5 23. Qf3 Qb7 24. Rad1 Red8 25. Rd3 a5 26. Ng3 g6 27. Red1 a4 28. Bd5 Rac8 29. Ne2 Kg7 30. g3 Qd7 31. Kg2 h6 32. Bxc6 Qxc6 33. a3 Qc4 34. Rd5 Qb3 35. Qd3 Rb8 36. Ra1 Qb2 37. Qd1 Rdc8 38. Kf1 Rc4 39. f3 Rb6 40. Qb1 Qxb1+ 41. Rxb1 Kf8 42. Kf2 Ke7 43. f4 Bf6 44. Ke3 exf4+ 45. gxf4 Bxc3 46. Kd3 Bf6 47. Rxb5 Rbc6? (after 47. ... Rxb5 48. Kxc4 Rb8 49. Rd1 White stands only a little better) 48. Ra5 Rc2 49. b5 Rc8 50. Ra7+ Ke6 51. b6 Ra2 52. f5+ Ke5 53. Ra5+ 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Zhukova, Women’s Grand Prix 2015–2016, first stage, Monte Carlo 2015. 15. dxc6 Bxc6 16. Bg5 Qc7 17. Ng3!? 17. Qf3 has long been the most popular line, at least until Black found a way to deal with it: 17. ... a5(!) 18. Rad1 Qb7 19. Ng3 a4 20. Bc2 b4 21. Nf5 Re6 22. Bxf6 Nxf6 23. Ng4 Nxg4 24. hxg4 g6 25. Ne3 bxc3 26. bxc3 Bh6 27. Rb1 Qa7 28. Rb4 Bg5 29. Qe2 Ree8 30. Qd3 Red8 31. Nd5 Rab8 32. Reb1 a3 33. Nb6 Kg7 34. g3 Rb7 35. Kg2 ½ : ½ Vachier-Lagrave – Svidler, 4th Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2016. 17. ... a5! 17. ... Qb7(?) 18. Qf3 d5 would transpose into 19. Ng4 dxe4 20. Qf5 Nd5 21. Nxe4 Re6 22. Rad1 h5? (comparatively better was 22. ... Rae8) 23. Ne3 Nf4 24. Bxf4 Bxe4 25. Rxd7 Bxf5 26. Rxb7 exf4 27. Rxf7 1 : 0 Short – Beliavsky, Knockout World Chess Championship Tournament, Groningen 1997, match game 2. 18. Bxf6. 18. a3 Qb7(!) gives Black no worry. 18. ... Nxf6 19. Ng4 Nxg4 20. hxg4 a4 21. Bd5 Bxd5 22. Qxd5 a3 23. bxa3. 23. b3 Qxc3 24. Qxb5 g6 25. Rac1 Qb2 26. Rb1 Qc2 (not 26. ... Qxa2?? on account of 27. Qd3! followed Re1-e2 trapping Black’s Queen) 27. Rbc1 Qb2 would have led to a draw by repetition. White, however, finds another pretty way to achieve the same result. 23. ... Rxa3 24. Rab1 Qc4 25. Qxb5 Qxb5 26. Rxb5 Rxa2 27. Nf5 Rc2

28. Ne3! Rxc3 29. Ra1. White has sacrificed a Pawn, in return for which she – thanks to the domination of the seventh rank and the d5-square – has virtually paralysed both the d6-Pawn and the f8-Bishop (29. ... g6?? 30. Nd5! would cost Black the Exchange), thus preventing Vitiugov from making any progress. That’s more than enough to make the draw inevitable. 29. ... Rcc8 30. Rb7 Rb8 31. Raa7 Rxb7 32. Rxb7 h6 33. Nd5 Ra8 34. Kh2 g6 35. f3 Kg7 36. Nc7 Rc8 37. Nd5 Ra8 38. Nc7 Rc8 39. Nd5 ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s sartorial representation of the first-move advantage in chess. Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

From the opening into the middle game: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (left) vs. Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov (right). Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

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Artwork © pakutosaur.tumblr.com

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Artwork © DisneyMonster (@thedisneymonster)

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Artwork © DisneyMonster (@thedisneymonster)