No, Edna, I don’t think there’s any method of telling how choreography works with improvisation

Artwork © Jeannine MacAller (@neenslovestosing)

Reckless Wind

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Nana Dzagnidze
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 5, 2019
6kr/2nn2p1/p4p2/3PbR2/2p1N3/4B2P/P1B3P1/7K w - - 0 33

Position after 32. ... b5xc4

The younger Aleksandra, however, owes more than something to the elder Alexandra, who won against Dzagnidze a tense game. In the position of the diagram White continued 33. d6 after which Black should probably have contented herself with 33. ... Nd5 34. Bg1 Kf7 35. Ng5+ Ke8 36. Ne6 Kf7 37. Ng5+ Ke8 drawing by repetition. Instead the Knight jumped into the wild, heading to the rim. 33. ... Nb5 34. a4 Na3. 34. ... Nd4 seems simpler. 35. Bd1 Kf7 36. Bc1 Rh4? This is a tactical mistake which costs Black material. 36. ... Nb1 at once was called for. 37. Ng5+! Kg6? 37. ... Ke8 38. Nf3 Re4 39. Bxa3 g6 40. Rxe5+ may eventually leave White with two Bishops against a Rook — understandably Dzagnidze didn’t like the perspective, but the text loses at once. 38. Nf3 Re4 39. g4 Nb1 40. Bc2 Nc3 41. Nxe5+ fxe5 42. Rf3! 1 : 0.

Kosteniuk played boldly and neatly with Dzagnidze, eventually winning the game. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

The Little Things

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 5, 2019
Catalan Opening E04

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 c5 6. 0-0 Nc6 7. dxc5 Qxd1 8. Rxd1 Bxc5 9. Nbd2 c3 10. bxc3 0-0 11. Nb3 Be7 12. Nfd4 Nxd4 13. cxd4 Nd5 14. Na5 Bb4 15. Nc4. The alternative is 15. Bd2 Nc3 16. Nxb7 Nxe2+ 17. Kf1 Nc3 18. Bxc3 Bxc3 19. Rac1 Bxb7 20. Bxb7 Rab8 21. Rxc3 Rxb7 22. d5 exd5 23. Rxd5 Re8 24. Ra5 g6 25. Rca3 Ree7 26. g4 Kg7 27. Kg2 h6 28. h4 Rbc7 29. Kg3 Rb7 30. h5 g5 31. Re3 Red7 ½ : ½ Rapport – 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī), 3rd 深圳龙岗 (Shēnzhèn Lónggǎng) Masters “读特杯” (“Dú Tè Cup”), 深圳 (Shēnzhèn) 2019. 15. ... Bd7 16. Rb1 Ba4 17. Rf1 Bc3 18. Bxd5 exd5 19. Ne3 Bxd4 20. Nxd5 b5 21. Bb2 Bxb2 22. Rxb2 Rfd8 23. Nc3 Rac8 24. Nxb5 Bxb5 25. Rxb5 Rd2 26. Rfb1 Rxa2 27. Rc5 Rd8 28. Kf1 Ra6. Now 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) produces a series of disconcerting Rook moves which will soon bring her into difficulties. Black should play something like 28. ... Re8, after which might follow 29. e4 h5 30. Rb7 Rxe4 31. Rcc7 h4 32. Rxf7 Rg4 33. Rxa7 hxg3! 34. hxg3 (34. Rxa2?? gxh2−+) 34. ... Rxa7 35. Rxa7 Rb4 with a drawn ending. 29. Rb7 Rh6 30. Rcc7 Rf8. 30. ... Rxh2 31. Kg1 Rh6 32. Rxf7 Rg6 33. Rxa7 may well lead to similar outcomes. 31. h4 a6 32. f3 Rf6 33. g4 h5 34. g5 Rf4

35. Kg2 Rd4. Not 35. ... Rxh4? on account of 36. e4! kicking the Black Rook out of the play. 36. g6! Rf4 37. Ra7 Rf6 38. gxf7+ R8xf7 39. Rxf7 Rxf7 40. Rxa6. The most White’s got is an endgame of Rook and three Pawns vs. Rook and two Pawns, with all Pawns on the same side. It might be not winnable (against best defence), but it is certainly very hard to draw. “When White has a KP, his prospects are brighter”, Reuben Fine wrote in his “Basic Chess Endings”, David McKay Company, Philadelphia, 1941, p. 373, “but except for certain positions the game is a draw. The chief of these won cases is No. 391 (Capablanca – Yates, Hastings 1930–31)”. 40. ... Kh7 41. Ra4 Kg6 42. Kf2 Rc7 43. Ra6+ Kf7 44. Ra5 g6 45. Kg3 Rc1 46. Kf4 Kg7 47. e4 Rf1 48. Ra7+ Kf6?? A “natural” blunder which loses by force. 48. ... Kf8 was still a tough story to tell. 49. e5+! Ke6 50. Ra6+ Kf7 51. Kg5! Rg1+. 51. ... Rxf3 52. Rf6+!+− was the pretty pointe. 52. Kh6 Rh1 53. Rxg6 Rxh4 54. Rf6+ Ke7 55. Kg5 Rh1 56. Rh6 Rg1+ 57. Kf5 Rh1 58. Rh7+ Kf8 59. e6 Kg8 60. Ra7 h4 61. Ra8+ Kg7 62. e7 1 : 0.

Goryachkina took the lead thanks to her win against 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), who spoiled a totally drawish ending with poor technique. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

Edna, only your celestial apparition could turn him into a shipwrecked castaway drifting alone on a raft in the Solaris Ocean

Artwork © Nina (@ninadsntexist)

Invisible Jukebox

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 4, 2019
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. 0-0 Bb6 7. a4 a5!? Usual and flexible is 7. ... a6 8. b4 0-0 9. Nbd2 Ne7 10. Bb3 Ng6 11. Nc4 Ba7 12. Be3 Be6 13. Bxa7 Rxa7 14. Ne3 Qd7 15. a5 Raa8 16. Re1 Bxb3 17. Qxb3 Rfe8 18. c4 c6 19. Rad1 Qc7 20. Qc3 Rad8 21. c5 d5 22. Qc2 Ne7 23. Nf1 Nh5 24. Qb2 Ng6 25. g3 Nf6 26. Qc2 h6 27. Ne3 Ne7 28. Qb2 Ng6 29. Qc2 Ne7 30. Qb2 Ng6 31. Qc2 ½ : ½ So – Caruana, 1st Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chess Tournament, New Delhi 2011. 8. Nbd2 Ne7 9. Bb3 c6. The game position can also be reached by a different move order: 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Bc5 4. Nf3 d6 5. 0-0 Nc6 6. c3 Bb6 7. a4 a5 8. Nbd2 Ne7 9. Bb3 c6 (Bishop’s Opening C24). 10. d4!TN Ng6 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nc4 Qxd1 13. Rxd1 Bc7 14. Be3. Much stronger was 14. Ng5! 0-0 15. Be3 with a powerful bind. 14. ... Bg4. Naturally, the White Knight is not given a second chance. 15. h3!? Bxf3 16. gxf3 0-0 17. Nd6 Nh4 18. Nxb7!? Muzychuk does not hesitate to assume some calculated risk. 18. ... Nxf3+. The alternative 18. ... Rfb8 19. Nc5 Bb6 20. Nd7 Nxd7 21. Rxd7 Bxe3 22. Bxf7+ Kf8 23. fxe3 Rxb2⩱ is favoured by most engines, even though it can be hardly regarded as advantageous for Black. 19. Kg2 Nh4+ 20. Kg3 Rfb8 21. Nc5

21. ... Nxe4+. 21. ... Bb6 22. Kxh4 Bxc5 23. Bxc5 g5+ 24. Kxg5 Nxe4+ 25. Kf5 Nxc5⩱ is a bit easier for Black, but probably not enough to hope for a win. 22. Kxh4 Nxc5 23. Bxf7+ Kxf7 24. Bxc5 Bd8+ 25. Kg4 Rxb2. Black has just won a Pawn, but it won’t be enough due to White’s initiative. 26. Rd7+ Kg8 27. Re1 Bf6 28. Re4 Rc2 29. Rc4 e4 30. Rc7 Rxc3 31. Rxc3 Bxc3 32. Rxc6 Re8 33. Be3 Bb4 34. Rc7 Rb8 35. Rc4 Re8 36. Rc7 Rb8 37. Rc4 ½ : ½.

Goryachkina kept her nerve cool to take half a point against the elder Muzychuk sister, and she is now ½ point behind Dzagnidze. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

The Sound of Silence

Nana Dzagnidze – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 4, 2019
French Defence C01

The organisers stopped the music and bargained for a quieter and secluded room, but the quality of play suddenly declined to lower levels. The only one who took advantage of the normalisation regime was Dzagnidze, who easily demolished Gunina’s very uninspired French Defence, Georgian Grandmaster being now in the lead by half a point over Goryachkina. 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5. Dzagnidze hides herself behind the “drawish” French Exchange Variation. Gunina should be content with half a point, but no, she wants more. 3. ... exd5 4. Nf3 Bd6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 0-0 7. cxd5 Bb4?! It’s very hard to understand such a waste of time. 7. ... Nbd7 8. Be2 Nb6 9. Bg5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Qb3 Bf5 12. 0-0 a5 seems a more “economic” way of playing for equality, Pachow – Uhlmann, 28th East Germany Chess Championship, Suhl 1979. 8. Bg5 Nbd7 9. Be2 h6 10. Bh4 Nb6 11. 0-0 Bxc3? Black cedes the Bishop pair for nothing. Here 11. ... Be7! was obviously better, with a tenable game. 12. bxc3 Nbxd5 13. Rc1 c6 14. Ne5 g5?! This Kingside demonstration sounds quite bad, indeed, offering new targets of opportunity for White. On the other hand, 14. ... Bf5 15. Bc4 was not too pleasant either. 15. Bg3 Ne4 16. Bc4 Kg7 17. Re1 Nxg3. If 17. ... Ndxc3 (idem to say 17. ... Nexc3) then 18. Rxc3! Nxc3 19. Qh5 with overwhelming attack. 18. hxg3 Be6 19. Bb3 Qf6?! Black can do little or nothing to avoid the unavoidable, but certainly the Queen stands badly here. 20. c4 Ne7

21. Rc3. The threat of Rc3-f3 forces Black to further painful concessions. 21. ... h5 22. Rf3 Qh6. Now the end comes quickly: 23. d5 cxd5 24. cxd5 Rad8 25. Qa1 f6 26. Nd3 g4 27. Rfe3 h4 28. Rxe6 Ng6 29. Qc1 Qh8 30. Nf4 1 : 0.

Playing for a draw (but only in the opening!) was Dzagnidze’s secret to beat Gunina today. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

A for Andromeda

Neuroscientist and philosopher Diana Deca (left) posing for a picture with four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (right) in the backstage of the 137th Varsity Chess Match between Oxford and Cambridge Universities at Royal Automobile Club (RAC) on March 2, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. Photo: Diana Deca (@dianadeca).

No, Edna, he doesn’t even imagine that you are the only woman on the island in the Solaris Ocean

Artwork © Cheryl Ng

Breaking the Ice

The 7th Norway Chess starts tomorrow (Tuesday, June 4) in Stavanger — starring 16th World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Alexander Igorevich Grischuk, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Viswanathan Anand, Wesley So, Levon Grigori Aronian, and 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) — with its new gambling “no draw” format. It’s quite uncertain, however, whether such a format will ever become a standard, and whether even such an outstanding lineup of superheroes may succeed in stealing the scene from the women candidates in Kazan, Russia. Only time will tell. For further details and information please visit: https://norwaychess.no/en/.

Entrance of the Stavanger Art Museum (Stavanger kunstmuseum). Photo: Kristian Kongsvoll/Wikimedia Commons.

Oh, Edna, if not for you, I would have sweared it was still winter

Artwork © Ehdesigns (@ehdesigns)

Conversations with Kennedy

Amnesty International, a U.K.-based human rights organisation, unfurled a “Resist Trump” banner on Vauxhall Bridge to welcome 45th U.S. President Donald Trump’s arrival to London, United Kingdom. Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

Like a Queen

The Blavatnik School of Government’s annual report (2018–2019) “A Year in Review” is finally available to read and download at https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/, showcasing highlights from their 119 Master of Public Policy (MPP) and 25 doctoral (DPhil) students coming from 54 different countries. At page 13 we find four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who is currently completing her one-year Master of Public Policy (MPP) at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. Here is her profile: “逸凡 (Yìfán) is a four-time women’s world chess champion and currently the number one female player in the world, as well as the only woman in the world’s top 100 chess players. Others at the very top level devote themselves to chess full time. Maintaining it alongside full-time study (let alone in her non-native language) is, says 逸凡 (Yìfán) mildly, ‘not easy’. However, she has never wanted to restrict herself to a single field of endeavour: ‘I want to explore more than one thing’. She was drawn to the fact that the MPP covers a wide spectrum of knowledge and concepts, helping her consider options for what to do next. She is keen to combine chess with an area of policy — perhaps using chess within education, where research suggests it has promise not only for supporting critical thinking and strategy in early years, but for helping those with autism, or reducing reoffending rates among prisoners”.

Time After Time

Moscow, Russia: Dancers take part in an outdoor ballet lesson. Photo: Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters.

Well, Edna, you better not to spend your day off with the eyes stuck on the screen, or you will soon feel that you have wasted enough of your valuable time

Artwork © Edna Marie “E” Mode (@ednamode_official)

Half a Day Off

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 2, 2019
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Bb5+ Nc6 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Ba3 cxd4 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. cxd4 Bg4 13. Bc5 Re8 14. Rb1 Qd7 15. Rb4 e5!? 15. ... a5 16. Ra4 Qb7 17. Qb3 Qb5 also seems safe for Black, Kortschnoi – Sax, 1st GMA World Cup, 3rd stage, Reykjavík 1988. 16. dxe5 Qe6 17. Qb3 Bxf3 18. Qxe6 Rxe6 19. gxf3 Rxe5 20. Rc4 Rg5+ 21. Kh1 Bf8 22. Rfc1 Rxc5 23. Rxc5 Bxc5 24. Rxc5. The Rook ending looks pretty drawish, but Goryachkina pursues the win (out of nothing) with a will worth the World Chess Champion! 24. ... Rc8 (24. ... Rb8 25. Rxc6 Rb2=) 25. Kg2 Kf8 26. f4 Ke7 27. Kf3 Kd6 28. Ra5 Rc7 29. Ke3 Rb7 30. h4 Kc7 31. Ra6 Kd6 32. Kd4 Rb4+ 33. Kd3 Rb7 34. Kc4 Rb2 35. f3 Rf2 36. Rxa7 Rxf3 (36. ... f6 37. Rxh7 Rxf3=) 37. Rxf7 Ke6 38. Rxh7 Rxf4 39. Kd4 c5+ 40. Ke3 Rg4 41. a4 Ke5 42. Kd3 Rg1 43. a5 Ra1 44. Ra7 Ra4 45. a6 c4+ 46. Kc3 Kxe4 47. Ra8 Kf5 48. a7 Kg4 49. h5 gxh5 50. Rg8+ Kf3 51. a8=Q+ Rxa8 52. Rxa8 h4 53. Rh8 Kg3 54. Kd2

54. ... h3?? By now playing with a draw in her pocket, Lagno falls into a fatal inversion of moves. 54. ... c3+! (deflection) would have gained the vital tempo necessary to distract the White King and draw the game. 55. Ke3+− h2. Now it’s too late for 55. ... c3 on account of 56. Rg8+ Kh2 57. Kf4! (57. Kf2?? c2 58. Rc8 c1=Q! ends in a stalemate) 57. ... c2 58. Rc8 Kg1 59. Rxc2 h2 60. Kg3! h1=N+ 61. Kf3 and finis. 56. Rg8+ Kh3 57. Kf2 h1=N+ 58. Kf3 Kh2 59. Rh8+ Kg1 60. Rc8 Nf2 61. Rxc4 Nd3 62. Ke3 Ne5 63. Re4 Nc6 64. Re6 Nb4 65. Ke2 Nd5 66. Rg6+ Kh2 67. Kf3 Nc3 68. Rh6+ Kg1 69. Rc6 Nb5 70. Rc4 Nd6 71. Rc5 Kh2 72. Kf4 Kg2 73. Rc2+ Kh3 74. Rc6 Nb5 75. Ke5 Kg2 76. Rc2+ Kf1 77. Rc5 Na3 78. Rc3 Nb5 79. Rb3 Nc7 80. Rb7 1 : 0. The Knight is finally doomed.

Goryachkina made a win out of nothing today against her fellow countrywoman Lagno. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

The Bite in the Apple

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 1, 2019
Neo-Grünfeld Defence D78

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 c6 5. Bg2 d5 6. b3 dxc4 7. bxc4 c5 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Bb2 Qb6 10. Qb3 Ne4 11. e3 Nc6 12. Ne5 Ng5 13. f4!? A novelty, but hardly an improvement on 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Qxb6 axb6 15. Bxc6 Ra7 16. Nd2 Rd8 17. Nb3 Rc7 18. Bg2 cxd4 19. Bxd4 Rxc4 20. Bxb6 Rd6 21. Rac1 Nh3+ 22. Bxh3 Rxc1 23. Rxc1 Bxh3 24. Bc5 Ra6 25. a3 Kf8 26. Nd4 Bd7 27. f3 Ke8 28. Kf2 Ra8 29. Bb4 h5 30. Nb3 Ba4 31. Nc5 Rc8 32. Nb3 Ra8 33. Nc5 Rc8 34. Nb3 Ra8 ½ : ½ Jianu – Mekhitarian, 41st Chess Olympiad, Tromsø 2014. 13. ... Nh3+ 14. Kh1 cxd4 15. exd4 Rd8 16. Qxb6 axb6 17. Bd5? Very probably White had nothing better than 17. Nc3 Rxd4 18. Nd5 Rd2 19. Bc3 Re2 20. Bf3 Nf2+ 21. Kg1 Nh3+ with a draw by perpetual check. 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s move gives Black a powerful initiative. 17. ... Bf5 18. Nd2 Nxe5 19. fxe5 Bh6 20. Nb3 Bd3 21. Rfe1 Rac8. The tempting sacrifice of the Exchange with 21. ... Rxd5!? doesn’t seem to offer much advantage: 22. cxd5 Be4+ 23. Rxe4 Nf2+ 24. Kg2 Nxe4 25. Kf3 f5⩱ — but it would certainly give Black an easier game. 22. Bc1? White first ought to play 22. Kg2. 22. ... Bxc1? What before was promising, has become very good: 22. ... Rxd5! 23. Bxh6 (now 23. cxd5? is met by 23. ... Rc2! 24. Bxh6 Bc4! with devastating effect) 23. ... Rxc4 24. Kg2 Bf5 with a Pawn ahead and the better game. 23. Raxc1 Rc7?! 23. ... Ra8! 24. Bxb7 Rxa2 was a little better, with still somewhat of an advantage. 24. Bg2 Ng5. They both have only a few minutes to reach the time control, which may explain much of what is going to happen. 25. c5? 25. d5! would have made the threat of h2-h4 very annoying to Black’s Knight. 25. ... bxc5 26. Rxc5 Rcd7 27. d5 b6 28. Rc6 Rxd5 29. h4?! The Black Knight, being on g5, always allows Black the resource ... Bd3-e4+, which, in case of 29. Bxd5 Rxd5, would offer her enough compensation for the Exchange (30. Rxb6?! Be4+). So, it’s understable, even if tactically unsound, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)’s wish to drive it away.

29. ... Ne6? Needless to say, Muzychuk’s omission makes her opponent’s wish come true instantly. Instead 29. ... Ne4! 30. Rxb6 (30. Bxe4 Rxe5 31. Nd2 f5 looks even worse) 30. ... Rxe5 would have left Black safe with an extra Pawn. 30. Bxd5 Rxd5 31. Rxb6. Now Black has no sufficient compensation for the Exchange, whilst White’s passed Pawn quickly decides matters. 31. ... Bc4 32. Rb4 Bb5 33. Kg1 g5 34. a4 Ba6 35. Kf2 Kg7 36. a5 h6 37. Re3 Rd1 38. Re1 Rd3 39. Re3 Rd1 40. Rb6 Bc4 41. Rc3 Bd5 42. a6 Rb1 43. Rb5 1 : 0.

16th Women’s World Chess Champion 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) got her first win by beating Anna Olehivna Muzychuk in a very tense game. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

Yes, Edna, they probably feel like you’re transforming them into Circe’s pigs

Artwork © Andrés Velásquez G (@iandres_vg)

Throughout

From left: Arianna Settembrini and Giuditta Sottili performing (along with Ester Marra, Letizia Rogai, and Serena Vinci) Alessandra Innocenti’s coreography “Sleuth”, presented — in the name and behalf of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” — at the 21th International Dance Festival “Vetrina Scuole di Danza AICS” on Sunday, May 19, 2019 at the Teatro Verdi in Florence, Italy. Photo: Matteo Bertelli. Save the date! The Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance performance show will be held on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina, Metropolitan City of Florence starting at 20,45 as usual.

Changing Shape

From left: Maddalena Sottili and Caterina Gaja performing (along with Aurora Cheli, Emma Giuliani, Matilde Guerri, and Chiara Parrini) Chiara Angelini’s coreography “Puzzle”, presented — in the name and behalf of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” — at the 21th International Dance Festival “Vetrina Scuole di Danza AICS” on Sunday, May 19, 2019 at the Teatro Verdi in Florence, Italy. Photo: Matteo Bertelli. Save the date! The Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance performance show will be held on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina, Metropolitan City of Florence starting at 20,45 as usual.

Stargate

Lorenzo, one of the assiduous young habitués of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” Saturday chess960 club, was today quite happy in sharing with his friends the new (and very heavy) medieval chessmen that he received as a birthday gift from his aunt. Not surprisingly, by virtue of a medieval chess Queen move, the birthday boy promptly succeeded in turning the Middle Ages game in Harry Potter’s wizard chess.

The Piano Tuner

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Nana Dzagnidze
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 1, 2019
Sicilian Defence B31

Nana Dzagnidze made her big score today, although not too unexpectedly, since the elder Muzychuk sister did not appear in good shape lately as she was last year. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. 0-0 Bg7 5. c3 Nf6 6. Qe2 0-0 7. d4 d5 8. e5 Ne4 9. Rd1 cxd4 10. cxd4 f6 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 fxe5!? A new move instead of 12. ... Bg4 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. e6 Qa5 as occurred in the game Tokhirjonova – Vantika, 26th International Chess Festival, Abu Dhabi 2018. 13. Nxe5 Qc7 14. Nd3 Bf5 15. Bf4 Qa5 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. Nb4 Rac8 18. Rac1 Be4 19. Bg5. Probably sounder was 19. Qd2!? Rf7!? with rough equaity (19. ... c5 makes now less sense due to 20. dxc5 Qxc5 21. Be3 maintaining control of the centre). 19. ... c5 20. dxc5 Qxc5 21. Be3

21. ... d4! 22. Bxd4. Most engines prefer White playing 22. Na6 Qd5 23. cxd4 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Bxg2 25. Nb4 Qe4⩱ which, however, results in quite an uncomfortable game, even if defensible. 22. ... Bxd4 23. Qxe4 Bxf2+ 24. Kh1 Qe3 25. Qc2?! The ending ensuing from 25. Qxe3 Bxe3 26. Rc2 Rf2 27. Rxf2 Bxf2 28. Nd5 Bc5 29. g3 Kf7 is certainly not pleasant for White, but definitely defensible. 25. ... Rc5! This attacking Rook lift also prevents White’s next 26. Nd5?? — which was possibly Muzychuk’s idea — due to 26. ... Rxd5! 27. Rxd5 Be1! with mating attack. 26. Nd3? This only helps Black add even more fuel to her Kingside attack. 26. Qb3+ e6 27. c4 Qe4↑ was quite mandatory, if not appealing, for Muzychuk. 26. ... Rg5 27. Qb3+ Kg7 28. Nxf2? Perhaps not good, but 28. Qb4 is also met by 28. ... Rxg2! winning material — and probably not only that. 28. ... Rxg2! 29. Qb7 Rxh2+!? Of course, engines do not miss 29. ... Rgxf2 with mate in ten moves to follow! Dzagnidze’s move, however, is good enough to win. 30. Kxh2 Rxf2+ 31. Qg2 h5 32. Re1 Qd2 33. Qxf2 Qxf2+ 34. Kh1 e5 35. c4 g5 36. c5 g4 37. Rf1 Qh4+ 38. Kg1 Qg3+ 39. Kh1 Qh3+ 40. Kg1 Qe3+ 41. Kh1 Qe4+ 42. Kg1 g3 0 : 1.

Muzychuk, as a result of her uninspired opening, ended up playing into Dzagnidze’s hands. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

The Sound of Music

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, June 1, 2019
Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qc2 c5 6. d5 exd5 7. cxd5 Bb7 8. Bg2 Nxd5 9. 0-0 Be7 10. Rd1 Nc6 11. a3 Nc7 12. Nc3 0-0 13. Bf4 d6!? New but not too different from 13. ... Ne6 14. e3 Nxf4 15. gxf4 d6 with approximate equality, Lenič – Navara, 20th European Team Chess Championship, Reykjavík 2015. 14. e3 h6 15. h4 Ne6. Now a skirmish begins, in which they both give proof of their tactical capabilities: 16. Bxd6 Bxd6 17. Ne4 Ncd4 18. exd4 Bxe4 19. Qxe4 Qf6 20. dxc5 Nxc5 21. Qd4 Nb3 22. Qxf6 gxf6 23. Rab1 Rad8 24. Nh2 Bc5 25. Ng4 Kg7 26. Bd5 Nd4 27. Ne3 b5 28. Kg2 Rfe8 29. Rd3 Re5 30. Ba2 Nc6 31. Rxd8 Nxd8 32. Rd1 Ne6 33. Bxe6 fxe6 34. Rd7+ (34. Ng4 Re2=) 34. ... Kg6 35. Kf3 h5. It was certainly better (and simpler) to liquidate into a Rook ending by 35. ... Bxe3 36. fxe3 a5 with a draw in sight. The text instead gives White a lasting initiative in the endgame, just to say the least. 36. Ng2! Kh6 37. Nf4 a5 38. Nd3 Rf5+ 39. Ke2 Bf8 40. Ke3 Bc5+ 41. Ke2 a4 42. f3 Bf8 43. Ke3 Kg6 44. Ke4 Kh6 45. Ke3 Kg6 46. Ke2 Kh6 47. g4 hxg4 48. fxg4 Rd5 49. Rf7 Bg7 50. Nf4 Re5+ 51. Kf3 Re1 52. Rb7 Rf1+ 53. Ke3 Bf8 54. Rxb5 Bd6 55. Rh5+ Kg7 56. Nxe6+ Kg6 57. Nd4 Be5 58. Nf3 Bxb2 59. Ra5 Bxa3 60. Rxa4 Bc5+ 61. Ke4 Rf2 62. h5+ Kg7 63. Nh4 Kh6 64. Ra5 Re2+ 65. Kf3 Rf2+ 66. Kg3 Rc2 67. Nf5+ Kg5 68. h6 Rc3+ 69. Kg2 Kxg4? After a strenuous defence, and although being so near to her goal, Gunina loses her way and the game. Correct was 69. ... Kg6! 70. Ra8 Be3! with a rock-solid blockade and excellent drawing chances. 70. h7 Rc2+ 71. Kf1 Rh2. Or 71. ... Rf2+ 72. Kg1! Rxf5+ 73. Rxc5! winning by force.

72. Nh4!! A study-like move by which White wins very elegantly. 72. ... Kg3 (72. ... Rxh4 73. Ra4++−) 73. h8=Q Rf2+ 74. Ke1 Bb4+ 75. Kd1 Bxa5 76. Ng6 Bd2 77. Qh4+ Kf3 78. Qxf6+ Kg2 79. Qc6+ Kg1 80. Nh4 Bf4 81. Qg6+ Kh2 82. Qg4 Bg3 83. Nf5 Rf1+ 84. Ke2 Rf2+ 85. Kd3 Rg2 86. Qh5+ Kg1 87. Ne3 Ra2 88. Qg6 Kh2 89. Qh7+ Kg1 90. Qg8 Ra3+ 91. Ke2 Kh2 92. Kf3 1 : 0.

Goryachkina beat Gunina in another high-noon Russian derby today. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

Serenade

A panda rocks out at the Pairi Daiza zoo and botanical garden in Brugelette, Belgium. Photo: Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters.

Oh, Edna, you allude to the stereotype that people who wear glasses are more intelligent than those not wearing them, do you?

Artwork © Megan The Fangirl 💝 Influencer (@sayhalogoodbye)

Beyond the Soundtrack

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Women’s Candidates Tournament; Kazan, May 31, 2019
Spanish Game C60

The Women’s Candidates Tournament started with three derbies and four draws, but probably nothing has happened by chance, since the pairings were drawn much before this time by FIDE President Arkady Vladimirovich Dvorkovich and the strongest female player of all time Judit Polgár. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. c3 a6 5. Bc4 Bg7 6. d4 exd4. Critical is 6. ... d6 7. Bg5 Qd7 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qe2 Nf6 10. Na3 0-0 11. Nc2 Nh5 12. g3 Kh8 13. Nh4 Qe8 14. 0-0-0 f5 15. Ne3 b5 16. Bb3 Na5 17. Rd8 Nxb3+ 18. axb3 Qf7 19. Rxf8+ Bxf8 20. exf5 gxf5 21. Nexf5 Bxf5∞ Tal – Spraggett, Candidates Tournament, Montpellier 1985 — “The position is very complex and unclear”, Spraggett writes on his website. “White should now proceed 22. Nxf5 Qxf5 23. Qxh5 but after 23. ... a5! it is still anybody’s game as White’s King is just as exposed as my own King”. 7. Bg5!? Now Kosteniuk varies from her previous 7. cxd4 b5 8. Bb3 Nge7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Nc3 d6 11. h3 Na5 12. Bc2 c5 with a typical Ruy López game and chances for both colours, Kosteniuk – Aronian, 4th World Blitz Chess Championship, Moscow 2009. 7. ... Nge7 8. Nxd4 h6 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Be3 d5 11. Bb3 Qd6 12. Nd2 0-0 13. 0-0 Be6 14. Qc1 f5 15. Rd1. Who knows, perhaps 15. exd5 cxd5 16. Re1 would have more effectively questioned the soundness of Black’s strategy. 15. ... g5 16. exd5 cxd5 17. Bd4 c5 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Nc4 Qc7 20. Qe3 Bg8 21. Qe5+ Qxe5 22. Nxe5 Rfd8 23. Ba4 Rac8 24. Rd2 Rc7 25. Rad1 Kf6 26. Re1 Nc8 27. g3 Nb6 28. Bb3 Re7 29. f4 Rde8 30. Kf2 a5 31. Red1 a4 32. Bc2 Be6 33. Nd3 Rc7 34. Re2 Bd7 35. Rxe8 Bxe8 36. Re1 Bb5 37. Re5 Bd7 38. Bd1 Be6 39. Bf3 Nc4 40. Re1 Nd6. The time control was reached and Black has made some progress, though they might be not sufficient to win against the best defence. 41. Ke3 Nc4+ 42. Kf2 Nd6 43. Ke3

43. ... a3! Black pushes a bit harder. 44. b4? Of course, after 44. bxa3 Nb5 Black regains her Pawn with interest, but no certainty of victory. Instead the text move might have cost Kosteniuk very dearly. 44. ... cxb4 45. cxb4 d4+? A strange decision. The quite crude 45. ... Rc4! 46. Rc1 d4+ would have guaranteed much more chances for winning. 46. Kxd4 Nb5+ 47. Ke3 Bxa2 48. Ne5 Be6 49. Bc6 Nd6. 49. ... Na7 50. Ba4 a2 might have been more accurate, still implying some concrete threat such as ... Rc7-c3+ followed by ... Rc3-a3. 50. Kd4 a2 51. Ra1 Ra7 52. b5 Nc8 53. Kc5 Ra3 54. Bd5 Rc3+ 55. Kb4 Rc2 56. Bxe6 Kxe6 57. Nc4 Rxh2. If 57. ... Nd6 then 58. Nxd6 Kxd6 59. fxg5 hxg5 60. h4! with a draw coming pretty soon. 58. b6 Nxb6 59. Nxb6 Rg2 60. Nc4 Rxg3 61. fxg5 ½ : ½.

Kosteniuk and Goryachkina eventually drew their Russian derby. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.