Well, Edna, what may happen is that, after reading such books, one cannot but wonder if a book like “The Catcher in the Rye” is not a mistake

Artwork © ELI CHAFFIN | JRDISNEY (@jrdisney4ever)

In a Trance

And also today the wife of 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov, Natalia Vladimirovna Bulanova, provided journalists with encouraging updates on her husband’s condition. “Dear friends; November 4. Anatoly Yevgenyevich’s health has considerably improved. He breathes and eats by himself. He cannot speak loudly, so he writes papers. He asked me to bring him a certain book by Anatoly Sergeyevich Kulikov. He just wants to check some details. On Monday, November 7, he will be moved to an ordinary ward. He greets everyone; he is just a little dazzled by all the hype...”, Komsomolskaya Pravda quoted her as saying.

Tea at Three

As the dean of chess journalists, Leonard Barden, has noted in his column on The Guardian, still “there is little guidance on the principles of good play [in Fischerandom chess]. Nakamura observed that you should avoid developing your Knights at e3/d3 because Black can easily keep them out of the game by e7-e6 or d7-d6. At least that’s a start. Instead of ‘Knight on the rim is dim’ we now have ‘Knight at d3, disagree’”.

Yeah, Edna, after all there are only 138 days to Tiramisu Day

Artwork © Jennifer Padilla (@j_shari_ewing)

Air and Water

The sun still shines for 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov, who, since the evening of Wednesday, feels much better, as his wife, Natalia Vladimirovna Bulanova, told Komsomolskaya Pravda correspondents: “Dear friends; November 2, evening. All indicators are normal. Anatoly Yevgenyevich finally breathes by himself. That means he’s no longer on a ventilator. And he’s already talking with the doctor”. Already today, November 3, physicians declared him out of danger. “He continues to improve, and smiles all around. Hopefully tomorrow, in honour of the holiday, a photo will be taken”, Karpov’s wife said.

しのび (Shinobi)

The above picture appeared in the Japanese edition of Max Euwe’s book “From Steinitz to Fischer”, adapted and translated by the then President of the Japan Chess Association, 松本康司 (Yasuji Matsumoto), who likely took the photograph — in fact, it was not present in the Western edition of the book (S̆ahovski Informator, Belgrade, 1976). The caption reads: “1973: As a ‘shinobi’, [Bobby] Fischer has come to Japan. He’s shaking hands with a temporary translator”.

Well, Edna, as the saying goes, time is the best cure for all

Artwork © 🖤 Joy Andy 🖤 (@joyandy.art)

Sun, Earth and Sky

The more details leak out about the state of health of 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov, the more the worries grow, since, in addition to head trauma, he is also suffering from a pneumonia that requires ventilation, according to the daily bulletin from his wife, Natalia Vladimirovna Bulanova: “Dear friends; November 2. The attending physician reported a positive dynamics of all parameters, but so far, the prognosis still defines him as a seriously ill patient”, Komsomolskaya Pravda quoted her as saying. “From what I understand, pneumonia is the main problem. Today or tomorrow he should be brought back to independent respiration. The physicians are working hard. As soon as he speaks, I will write down his words”.

However, Edna, above all, the most important thing that one should be careful not to break is your heart

Artwork © grüne Fee (@conny_cyg_goetschi)

Rumours of my fall are greatly exaggerated

Natalia Vladimirovna Bulanova, wife of 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov, has reassured all chess enthusiasts after visiting her husband in hospital, where he is laid up with a head injury due to an accidental fall. “I visited him this morning, he is conscious, alert, and feels good. He is eager to rush home and just angry that they don’t allow him to go”, Izvestia quoted her as saying. “Doctors say it is too early. He still needs to lay down and rest. He’ll probably be discharged by the end of the week”.

Yeah, Edna: in many aspect life is easier in cyberspace

Artwork © Ivonne Josefina Hernandez Mejia (@ivonnehernandezzz)

The Stone Giant

12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov was hospitalised on Saturday in the Neurocritical Care Unit of the Sklifosovsky Research Institute in downtown Moscow, Russia, where he is said to be in serious condition. According to indiscretions, Karpov suffered traumatic head injury and he is in observation in an induced coma. His daughter, Sophia Anatolyevna Karpova, herself a journalist, declared that her father suffered an injury in a domestic fall, thus disproving rumours that he had been assaulted.

星尘 (Stardust)

Drones fly in the shape of rocket to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of 南京航空航天大学 (Nánjīng University of Aeronautics and Astronautics) in 南京 (Nánjīng), 江苏省 (Jiāngsū province), China. Photo: China News Service/Getty Images.

In a way or another, Edna, they can’t help but be caught up in the expectation of imperfection that is emanating from your educational classes

Artwork © CL Huth, Artist (@shegeeksart)

Quantum Time

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Hikaru Nakamura

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship; Final match game 1; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 30, 2022

qrbnkbrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/QRBNKBRN w GBgb - 0 1

Position #582

1. b4 b5 2. a4 bxa4 3. Qxa4 e6 4. Nc3 Ng6 5. Ng3 f5 6. e3 Be7 7. b5 0-0 8. Ra1 f4 9. Nge2 (9. Nh5!? fxe3 10. dxe3 c6 11. Ba3⩲)
9. ... fxe3 10. dxe3 c6 11. Nd4 c5 12. Nf3 Bf6 13. Ra3 d5 14. Be2 Rb7 15. 0-0 Qb8 16. e4 d4 17. Nd1?! More promising seems the Pawn sacrifice 17. e5, eventually vacating the square at e4 for the Knight.
17. ... Bd7 18. c4 dxc3 19. Nxc3?! Consistent, but had Nepomniachtchi appreciated the strength of Nakamura’s next move, he would probably have preferred 19. Qc2 Bxb5 20. Nxc3 Bxe2 21. Nxe2 when Black’s volatile extra Pawn counts for very little.

19. ... a6! 20. e5. Clearly not 20. Qxa6? because of 20. ... Bxc3 21. Rxc3 Ra7 trapping the Queen. On the other hand 20. Rb3 Bxc3 21. Rxc3 axb5 22. Qc2 c4 also looks quite scary for White.
20. ... axb5 21. Bxb5 Bxb5 22. Nxb5 Nxe5 23. Nc3 Nxf3+ 24. gxf3 Rb4 25. Qa6 Be5 26. Ne4 Bxh2+. Perhaps a little too greedy.
27. Kg2 Bf4 28. Rd3? ⌓ 28. Qa7! Qe5 29. Bxf4 Rxf4 30. Re3! Nb7 31. Rd1 Rf7 leaves Black with two Pawns ahead, yet White may still hope for some compensation.
28. ... Qe5 29. Rfd1

29. ... Rxe4!−+ 30. fxe4 Bxc1 31. Rxd8 Qg5+ 32. Kf1 Rxd8 33. Qxe6+ Kh8 34. Rd5 Qh4 35. Kg2 h6 36. Rxc5

36. ... Be3! 37. Rc2. If 37. fxe3 then 37. ... Rd2+ followed by mate.
37. ... Bd4 38. Qf5 Qe7 39. f4 g6! 0 : 1.

Thirteen years after his first “unofficial” title in the Mainz World Championships (2009), Nakamura also inscribed his name in FIDE’s honour roll. Nevertheless, it took an Armageddon for him to prevail in his final match against his ultimate opponent, Nepomniachtchi, who was arguably the revelation of the tournament. Photo © David Llada/FIDE.

End of the Line

Humpy Koneru – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal tie-break game 4; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Monte Carlo, October 30, 2022

Tarrasch Defence D32

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qxd4 exd5 7. Qxd5 Nf6 8. Qd1 Bc5 9. e3 0-0 10. Nf3 Qe7 11. Be2 Rd8 12. 0-0 Nc6 13. Qc2 Rac8 14. a3 Ne5 15. Nd4 Ng6

The diagrammed position — a basically theoretical one — was reached in the crucial fourth tie-breaker game between Koneru and Muzychuk. After three tense draws, Indian Grandmaster was the first to succumb to a nervous breakdown, tragically blundering a piece:
16. Bd2?? Bxd4 17. exd4 Qxe2 0 : 1.

It took four tie-breaker games, but in the end it is Muzychuk to move onto the semifinal against 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié). Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Time to Think

Speaking to NRK right after his defeat in the semifinal of the 2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship Knockout Tournament, Magnus Carlsen, without periphrases, called his own play “pathetically bad”. Indeed, he committed an unusual number of mistakes, while instead his opponent, Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi, “played fast and tactically. It was very frustrating. I stood clearly better in all four games, but I was unable to get more out of it”, Carlsen said. “I had neither the time nor the disposition to play my chess. It is also one of the reasons why I advocate to play Fischer’s chess with longer time controls and classical chess at a little faster cadence”. Photo © David Llada/FIDE.

In short, Edna, in both classical and contemporary disciplines, you play the role of the Queen, and they the unpromoted Pawns

Artwork © BrittanyParis (@rose1212britt)

In Extremis

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Humpy Koneru

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 4; Monte Carlo, October 29, 2022

6k1/3R3p/p3pPpP/4q3/P5Q1/7K/2r2PP1/8 b - - 4 40

Position after 40. Kh2-h3

In a must-win situtation, and in the middle of a mutual time-scramble, Muzychuk was lucky enough to be the one who made the next-to-last mistake! White’s 40th move, in fact, was a mistake, but Black’s reply is, alas for Koneru, a much more grave error:
40. ... Qf6? 40. ... Rxf2! would have probably saved a draw (41. Qg3 Qh5+ 42. Qh4 Rxf6=) and given the match victory to Koneru. Now White, thanks to back rank mate threats, wins the a-Pawn and the game, thus taking the match to a tie-breaker tomorrow.
41. Rg7+ Kh8 42. Ra7 Rc8 43. Qe4 Qg5 44. Qd4+ e5 45. Qh4 Qf5+ 46. Qg4 Qf8 47. Qg5 Re8 48. Rxa6

48. ... Kg8. If 48. ... Qxf2? then 49. Qxe5+! Rxe5 50. Ra8+ followed by mate in two.
49. Rf6 Qe7 50. a5 Qd7+ 51. Kh2 e4 52. a6 Qc7+ 53. g3 e3

54. Qd5+ Kh8 55. Qd4 Kg8 56. Qd5+ Kh8 57. Rf7 Qc3 58. Qd7 1 : 0.

In a must-win game, the elder of the Muzychuk sisters gave proof of her best qualities. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

The Same But Different

Magnus Carlsen – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi

2nd World Fischerandom Chess Championship; Seminfinal match game 2; time control: 25 minutes for the first 30 moves, plus 5 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 5 seconds per move starting from move 31; Reykjavík, October 29, 2022

nrnkbrqb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NRNKBRQB w FBfb - 0 1

Position #187

1. f4 f5 2. g4 g6 3. Nab3 Nab6 4. Na5 c6 5. b3 d6 6. c4 Bd7 (6. ... fxg4!? 7. Qxg4 Nd7)
7. g5 Qf7 8. d4 0-0 9. Nd3 Na8 10. Qe3 Nc7 11. Bf2 Qe8 12. Qf3 Qd8 (⌓ 12. ... Ne6 13. e3 Nd8! 14. b4 Nf7 Δ ... e7-e5)
13. b4 e5 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. fxe5 Qxg5 16. h4 Qe7 17. h5 Ne6 18. hxg6 hxg6 19. 0-0-0 Nb6 20. Rg1 Be8 21. Qh3 Nd7? (⌓ 21. ... Bg7 22. c5 Na4)

22. Bxc6! bxc6 23. Nxc6 Qg7 24. Qf3? And not 24. Nxb8?? because of 24. ... Nxe5!−+ turning the tables on Black. White, however, missed here his opportunity of carrying his purpose out by 24. Rh1! (Δ Nc6-e7+) and if 24. ... Kf7 then 25. e4! with a crushing attack.
24. ... Rc8 25. Qd5 Rxc6! 26. Qxc6 Ndc5 27. Qd6 Nxd3+ 28. exd3 Bf7

29. d4!? Now White should have contented himself with 29. Rxg6+! Bxg6 (or also 29. ... Qxg6 30. Rg1 Qxg1+ 31. Bxg1 Rd8) 30. Qxe6+ with a draw in view.
29. ... Rd8 30. Qe7 Qh6+ 31. Rd2? A grave oversight, which in fact loses the game.

31. ... Bxe5!−+ 32. Kc2 Bxd4 33. Re1 Bb6 34. Rxd8+ Bxd8 35. Qd6 Bc7 36. Qd2 Qh3 37. Qd3 Qg2 38. Qd2 g4 39. Qe2 Nd4+ 40. Bxd4 Qxd4 41. Kb3 a5 42. Rd1 Qb6 43. a3 axb4 44. axb4 Bd6 45. Qd2 Bf8 46. Qc3 f4 47. Rd7 Qe6 48. Rd4 Qf5 49. Qd3 Qf6 50. Rd8 f3 51. Qd4 Qf5 52. Qd6 Be6 53. Rxf8+ Qxf8 54. Qxe6+ Qf7 55. Qe1 f2 56. Qf1 Qf3+ 57. Ka4 Qe3 58. Qg2 Kg7 59. b5 Qe1 60. Qb7+ Kh6 0 : 1.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

On Tuesday afternoon, September 27, 2022, the awarding ceremony of the inaugural “深大青年先锋奖章” (“Shēnzhèn University Young Pioneer Award”) was solemnly held in the Alumni Plaza of 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University), coinciding with the 39th anniversary of the founding of the insitute. Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (pictured above third from left), a full Professor at the School of Physical Education, Normal College (Faculty of Education), by virtue of her serving as a role model for young generations, won the nomination award out of 20 nominees. “The chessboard has boundaries, but education, knowledge, imagination and creativity can be infinite”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said. “As with so many things in life, even in chess there is no simple one-size-fits-all answer”. She hopes to be able to unveil her true self with the same courage and daring as Bobby Fischer, her imperishable chess idol. “As a teacher I am still a newcomer and need to continue to learn and grow”. Photo: 深圳大学 (Shēnzhèn University)/Propaganda Department of the Youth League Committee.

True, Edna, if not for Holly, no one would be listening at it

Artwork © Claudia Patricia Reyes Skinner (@claskinner)

A Voice from the Wilderness

Hosted, edited and produced by Dr. Tricia Jenkins for Worldwide: The Unchosen Church, this 30+ minute episode premieres newly discovered tapes of 11th World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer, recorded between December 1976 and January 1977, discussing his experience with the Worldwide Church of God (WCG), a doomsday cult to which he donated large sums. The original tapes, whose best highlights are featured in this episode, were about 5 hours long, and most of the content was transcribed in full on the pages of Ambassador Report, 1977 (AR2) under the title “Bobby Fischer Speaks Out!”.

Blazing Noodles

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk

FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2022–23 Pool A; Quarterfinal match game 3; Monte Carlo, October 28, 2022

Slav Defence D11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4 5. h3 Bh5 6. Qb3 Qb6 7. cxd5. Or, analogously, 7. Qxb6 axb6 8. cxd5 Bxf3 9. gxf3 cxd5 10. Bb5+ Nc6 11. Bd2 e6 12. Ke2 Be7 13. Rc1 Kd7 14. Nc3 Rhc8 15. Na4 Bd8 16. Rc2 Ne8 17. b3 Nd6 18. Bd3 g6 19. Rac1 Ke7 20. Kd1 f5 21. Bf1 g5 22. Nc3 Kf6 23. Nb1 Be7 24. Bd3 h5 25. Be2 h4 26. Nc3 Kf7 27. Nb5 Nxb5 28. Bxb5 Ba3 29. Rb1 Nb4 30. Rxc8 Rxc8 31. Bxb4 Bxb4 32. Bd3 Kf6 33. Ke2 Ra8 34. Rb2 Rc8 35. Rc2 Rxc2+ 36. Bxc2 Bc3 37. Kf1 b5 38. Bd3 b4 39. Bb5 e5 40. dxe5+ Kxe5 41. Bd7 b6 42. Ke2 f4 43. Bc8 Kd6 44. Bg4 Ke5 45. Bc8 Kd6 46. Bg4 Ke5 47. Bc8 ½ : ½ Muradlı – Shmavonyan, 14th Poti International Chess Festival A Open, Poti 2019.
7. ... cxd5 8. Qxb6 axb6 9. Bb5+ Nfd7 10. Nc3 Bxf3 11. gxf3 e6 12. Bd2 Nc6 13. Ke2 Bd6 14. Rac1 Ke7 15. Na4 Rac8?! To say it with Bobby Fischer, “Add another to those melancholy case histories entitled ‘the wrong Rook’”.
16. Kd3 f5 17. Rhg1 g6 18. f4!? Blocking the position in order to cement her space advantage, but at the cost of making her dark-squared Bishop a “bad” Bishop.
18. ... Rhg8 19. Rc2 Rc7 20. Rcc1. Apparently 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) has no clear ideas on how to proceed, and the suspect arises that a draw would now be welcome to her.
20. ... Kf7 21. Ke2 Rgc8 22. f3 Ncb8 23. Rxc7 Rxc7 24. Bc3 Rc8 25. Kd2 h6 26. b3 Be7 27. Nb2 g5 28. Nd3 Nc6

29. Rc1? The White Rook does not find peace, and thus doing, it ends up ceding the g-file to its Black counterpart. 29. b4! Bf6 30. a4⩲ was much more to the point.
29. ... gxf4 30. Nxf4 Rg8 31. Ke2 Ba3 32. Rd1 Bd6 33. Nd3 Rg2+ 34. Nf2 Nf6 35. Rc1? This ends up being an added trouble to an already uncomfortable (if not yet untenable) situation. She ought first to play 35. Bxc6.

35. ... f4! Suddenly White finds herself sitting on a broken chair, having to deal with a bad Bishop and weak Pawns, not to say of her Rook, vainly wandering in search of a propitious file.
36. Bd2. This may well be questionable, but 36. Bxc6 fxe3 37. Kxe3 bxc6 38. Nd3 Nh5! is also much better for Black.
36. ... fxe3 37. Bxe3 Ne7 38. Bd3 Nh5 39. Kf1 Rg3 40. Ke2 Nc6 41. Rd1 Nf4+! 42. Bxf4 Bxf4 43. Bb5 Ke7? But Muzychuk passes up her chance too. After 43. ... Nb4! 44. Nd3 (44. a4? Na2!−+) 44. ... Nxd3 45. Kxd3 (neither 45. Bxd3 nor 45. Rxd3 make any difference) 45. ... Rxh3 Black’s passed Pawn must tell in the end.
44. Bxc6! Of course White does not need to be told twice!
44. ... bxc6 45. b4. 45. a4 Bd6 46. Nd3 Rxh3 47. Rc1 Kd7 48. b4 just transposes into the game.
45. ... Bd6 46. Rc1 Kd7

47. Nd3! White, at the cost of a Pawn, makes her pieces breathe again.
47. ... Rxh3. If, instead, 47. ... Rg2+ then 48. Ke3 Rxa2 49. Rg1 hunting down the h-Pawn.
48. a4 Rh2+ 49. Ke3 Ra2 50. b5! cxb5. Or 50. ... c5 51. dxc5 bxc5 52. Nxc5+ Bxc5 53. Rxc5 Ra3+ 54. Ke2 Rxa4 55. b6 Rb4 56. Rc7+ Kd6 57. Rh7 Rxb6 58. Rxh6 with a book draw.
51. axb5 Ra5 52. Rh1 Rxb5 53. Rxh6 Rb1 54. Rh7+ Ke8 55. f4 b5 56. Rh6 Kd7 57. Rh7+ Kc6 58. Rh6 Kd7 59. Rh7+ Kc6 60. Rh6 Kd7 ½ : ½.

And in the end, it was a draw — but what a drama! — on the eve of tomorrow’s blazing afternoon. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

And that’s why, Edna, they are so envious and jealous of you that they try to make you feel that what you win is all their merit

Artwork © Michelle (@michelle.f_miss_aquarelle)