Imagine a World

Well, Edna, in her case beauty didn’t fade, it just changed

Courtesy of Toysfanzone

Unforgettable

Louis Boulay, 上海 (Shànghǎi)-based correspondent for L’Équipe, conducted a nostalgic interview with 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá), the most decorated diver and the G.O.A.T. from here to eternity:

• Louis Boulay, 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá), athlète chinoise la plus médaillée de l'histoire des JO: “Montrer au monde entier nos valeurs”, L’Équipe, August 3, 2024

Five-time Olympic gold medal diver 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá). Photo: Raul Ariano/L'Équipe.

The After

You know, Edna, the last night is always bittersweet, because the buffet in the sunny breakfast room might not be open in time before your check-out hour

Artwork © DTIinspo (@dti_inspo_daily)

The Tea Hour

The 2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Championship (and 1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship) were to last five days, including a solemn opening procession through the streets of Astana (Kazakhstan) on first day, followed by four days of fierce combat and finally the prize ceremony on day five (tonight), in which winners and losers were to share the limelight in ceremonies and celebrations. The user-friendly format, if nothing else, might serve to elevate the debates concerning the future of classical chess in the era of thinking machines. Despite the simultaneous presence of both 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and Magnus Carlsen, the WR Chess superteam failed to defend its Rapid title and had to content itself with the Blitz one. On the other hand, the satisfaction of having succeeded in lining up both the queen and the king on the same array is well worth an empty niche in any club’s showcase!

And finally, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) and her teammates got lots of awards and honours. Photos: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

5 minutes

[Event "1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "Astana KAZ"]
[Date "2024.08.05"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Samaganova, Aleksandra KGZ"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A13"]
[WhiteTeam "Kyrgyz Chess Academy"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "110"]

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 b6 5.b3 Bb7 6.Bb2 a6 7.Be2 Bd6 8.O-O O-O 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rac1 Qe7 11.d4 Rac8 12.Qb1 Ne4 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Ne5 Nb8 15.f4 exf3 16.Nxf3 c5 17.Bd3 h6 18.Be4 f5 19.Bxb7 Qxb7 20.Rcd1 Nd7 21.Qc2 Nf6 22.h3 Rce8 23.dxc5 Bxc5 24.Bd4 Ne4 25.Rfe1 Bd6 26.Be5 Bxe5 27.Nxe5 Qc7 28. Qb2 Rd8 29.Nf3 Qc5 30.Nd4 e5 31.Nc2 Rxd1 32.Rxd1 Nf6 33.Qc3 Qe7 34.b4 Rc8 35.a3 Qc7 36.Qb3 Qxc4 37.Qxc4+ Rxc4 38.Ne1 Rc3 39.Rd6 Rxe3 40.Kf2 Ne4+ 41. Kxe3 Nxd6 42.Nd3 Nc4+ 43.Ke2 Kf7 44.a4 Ke6 45.g3 Kd5 46.Kf2 Kd4 47.Ne1 e4 48.Nc2+ Kc3 49.Ne1 Kxb4 50.g4 g6 51.Ng2 fxg4 52.hxg4 g5 53.Ne1 Kxa4 54.Ke2 Kb3 55.Kd1 a5 0-1

Against Samaganova, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) just ate her “all you can eat”. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

[Event "1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "Astana KAZ"]
[Date "2024.08.05"]
[Round "2.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Shakhman, Asanali KAZ"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B13"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Baiterekchess"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "59"]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.Ne2 Bg4 7.O-O e6 8.Qe1 Bxe2 9.Qxe2 Bd6 10.g3 Nf6 11.Bg5 O-O-O 12.a4 h6 13.Be3 h5 14.Na3 h4 15.Nb5 Qd7 16.Nxd6+ Qxd6 17.Bf4 Qd7 18.Kg2 hxg3 19.fxg3 e5 20.Bxe5 Qh3+ 21.Kg1 Qh6 22.Bf5+ Nd7 23.Rae1 Nxe5 24.dxe5 Kb8 25.Qg2 Nb6 26.Bd3 Rde8 27.a5 Nc4 28.Bxc4 dxc4 29.Rxf7 Rhf8 30.Qxb7# 1-0

Thinking of something to do while one is waiting. Photos: Ruslan Mazunin/FIDE.

[Event "1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "Astana KAZ"]
[Date "2024.08.05"]
[Round "6.5"]
[White "Salimova, Nurgyul BUL"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D02"]
[WhiteTeam "GMHans.com"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "126"]

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 d5 6.c3 Be7 7.h3 Bd6 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Bd3 O-O 10.O-O Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.e4 Rd8 13.Qe2 dxe4 14.Bxe4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Qe7 16.Rad1 Rxd1 17.Rxd1 e5 18.Nd6 Be6 19.c4 f6 20.c5 Bxa2 21.b4 Nxb4 22.Qe4 Nc6 23.Nh4 Be6 24.Rb1 Nd8 25.Nhf5 Bxf5 26.Qxf5 Rb8 27.Qe4 Nf7 28.Qd5 Kf8 29.Nxb7 Nd8 30.c6 Nxb7 31.Rxb7 Rd8 32.Rxe7 Rxd5 33.Rxa7 Rc5 34. c7 Ke8 35.Ra8+ Kd7 36.Rg8 Rxc7 37.Rxg7+ Kd6 38.Rg4 Ke6 39.Kh2 f5 40.Ra4 e4 41.Kg3 Rg7+ 42.Kh2 Ke5 43.g3 Rd7 44.Kg2 Rd2 45.Ra5+ Kf6 46.Kf1 Rb2 47.h4 Kg6 48.Rc5 Rb6 49.Kg2 Ra6 50.Rc2 Kh5 51.Re2 Ra3 52.Rc2 Ra5 53.Rb2 f4 54. Rb4 fxg3 55.Kxg3 Ra3+ 56.Kf4 Rf3+ 57.Kxe4 Rxf2 58.Rb7 h6 59.Ke3 Rf6 60.Rb4 Rf5 61.Rc4 Rf1 62.Rb4 Rh1 63.Kf3 Rxh4 1/2-1/2


Through thick and thin, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) left nothing untried which might contribute to a favourable result. Photos: Olzhabay Arlan/FIDE.

[Event "1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "Astana KAZ"]
[Date "2024.08.05"]
[Round "7.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "龚倩云 (Gōng Qiànyún) SGP"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Theme International Trading"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "77"]

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 a6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Bd3 Bg6 6.h4 e6 7.h5 Bxd3 8.cxd3 h6 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.Ne5 Nbd7 11.Qf3 Bb4 12.Qg3 Rg8 13.Rc1 Bd6 14.Qf3 Qe7 15.a3 c5 16.Nxd7 Nxd7 17.Bxd6 Qxd6 18.Ne2 Qb6 19.O-O g6 20.dxc5 Nxc5 21.Qf6 Nd7 22. Qf4 gxh5 23.b4 Rg6 24.Ng3 Kf8 25.Nxh5 Kg8 26.Rc2 e5 27.Qf5 Nf8 28.Qxe5 Rd8 29.Nf4 Rg5 30.Qc7 Qf6 31.Qxb7 Qg7 32.Qc7 Re8 33.Qc6 Re6 34.Qc8 Rf6 35.Qh3 d4 36.Rc5 dxe3 37.fxe3 Rff5 38.Rxf5 Rxf5 39.Qxf5 1-0

[Event "1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Final"]
[Site "Astana KAZ"]
[Date "2024.08.05"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Mungunzul, Bat-Erdene MGL"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C96"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Hunnu Air"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "97"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7 12.d5 Nb6 13.Nbd2 g6 14.a4 Bd7 15.b4 Nb7 16. a5 Nc8 17.Nf1 f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.Ng3 Kh8 20.Qe2 Rf7 21.Nh2 Qg8 22.Kh1 Bh4 23.Nhf1 Ne7 24.Qh5 Bxg3 25.Nxg3 Qg6 26.Qxg6 hxg6 27.f4 exf4 28.Bxf4 Nxd5 29.Bd2 Kg7 30.Rad1 Nf6 31.Bf4 Rc8 32.Bb3 c4 33.Bc2 Rc6 34.Ne2 Nh5 35.Be3 Nd8 36.Nd4 Rc7 37.Bg5 Nc6 38.Ne6+ Bxe6 39.Rxe6 Rcd7 40.Rdxd6 Rxd6 41.Rxd6 Ne5 42.Kg1 f4 43.Kf2 f3 44.g4 Nf4 45.Bxf4 Rxf4 46.Rxa6 Nf7 47.Rxg6+ Kf8 48.a6 Ne5 49.a7 1-0

[Event "1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Final"]
[Site "Astana KAZ"]
[Date "2024.08.05"]
[Round "2.5"]
[White "Mungunzul, Bat-Erdene MGL"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D63"]
[WhiteTeam "Hunnu Air"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "159"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 Be7 7.e3 O-O 8.Rc1 b6 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.O-O c5 12.Bf5 Re8 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Ne4 15. Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bg3 Qd5 17.a3 Rad8 18.Qg4 Kh8 19.e6 fxe6 20.Bxe6 Qg5 21.Rfd1 Qxg4 22.Bxg4 Bf6 23.b3 Rd5 24.Rxd5 Bxd5 25.b4 c4 26.Rd1 c3 27.Bd7 Rd8 28. Ba4 b5 29.Bc2 Bc6 30.Rxd8+ Bxd8 31.Kf1 a5 32.Bd6 axb4 33.Bxb4 Bf6 34.Ke2 Bd5 35.f3 Bc4+ 36.Ke1 Bd3 37.Kd1 Bf1 38.Bxe4 Bxg2 39.Kc2 Bg5 40.Bc5 Bf6 41.Bd4 Be7 42.Kb3 Bd6 43.h4 c2 44.Kxc2 Bxa3 45.Bc6 Be7 46.h5 b4 47.Kb3 Kg8 48.Bd5+ Kf8 49.Bb6 Bf1 50.Ba5 Be2 51.Bxb4 Bd1+ 52.Kc3 Bxb4+ 53.Kxb4 Ke7 54.Kc3 Kf6 55.Kd2 Ba4 56.f4 Kf5 57.Bf3 Be8 58.Ke2 Bb5+ 59.Kf2 Bd3 60.Kg3 Bc2 61.Bg4+ Kf6 62.Kf2 Bb3 63.e4 Bc4 64.Ke3 Kf7 65.Kd4 Ba6 66.Kc5 Bd3 67. e5 Ke7 68.Kd4 Bc2 69.Kd5 Bb3+ 70.Kd4 Bc2 71.Bf3 Bb3 72.Bg4 Bc2 73.f5 Bb3 74.Ke3 Bc2 75.Kf4 Bb3 76.Bf3 Bc2 77.Be2 Bb3 78.Bf3 Bc2 79.Bg4 Bb3 80.Bf3 1/2-1/2

[Event "1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Final"]
[Site "Astana KAZ"]
[Date "2024.08.05"]
[Round "3.5"]
[White "Salimova, Nurgyul BUL"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A47"]
[WhiteTeam "GMHans.com"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "142"]

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 b6 4.e3 Bb7 5.h3 c5 6.Nbd2 Nc6 7.c3 d5 8.Ne5 Nxe5 9.Bxe5 Nd7 10.Bg3 Be7 11.Bd3 O-O 12.Nf3 Qc8 13.Qe2 a5 14.O-O Ba6 15.Rfe1 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 c4 17.Qc2 f5 18.Nh2 Qc6 19.f3 Nf6 20.Be5 Bd6 21.Bxf6 Rxf6 22. f4 h6 23.g4 g5 24.gxf5 exf5 25.Kh1 gxf4 26.exf4 Bxf4 27.Nf3 Kh8 28.Rg1 Qe8 29.Rae1 Qh5 30.Qg2 Rg6 31.Qf1 Rag8 32.Rxg6 Qxg6 33.Re2 Qg3 34.Rf2 Be3 35. Re2 f4 36.Qg2 Qxg2+ 37.Rxg2 Rxg2 38.Kxg2 Bc1 39.b3 cxb3 40.axb3 Bb2 41.Nh4 Bxc3 42.Ng6+ Kg7 43.Nxf4 Bxd4 44.Ne6+ Kf6 45.Nxd4 Ke5 46.Nc6+ Ke4 47.Kf2 Kd3 48.Kf3 d4 49.Ne5+ Kc3 50.Ke4 Kxb3 51.Kxd4 b5 52.Nd7 a4 53.Nc5+ Kb2 54. Nd3+ Kb3 55.Nc5+ Kc2 56.Na6 a3 57.Nb4+ Kb3 58.Kc5 a2 59.Nxa2 Kxa2 60.Kxb5 Kb3 61.Kc5 Kc3 62.Kd5 Kd3 63.Ke5 Ke3 64.Kf5 Kd4 65.h4 Kd5 66.h5 Kd6 67.Kf6 Kd7 68.Kf7 Kd6 69.Kf8 Ke6 70.Kg7 Ke7 71.Kxh6 Kf6 1/2-1/2

One for all and all for one. At least for one day. Photo: Olzhabay Arlan/FIDE.

Yet, Edna, one cannot but feel very sorry for those who doubted your wisdom

Artwork © Jose-Ramiro

Once in a Hundred Years

A Will and a Way

Nurgyul Salimova – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; GMHans.com – WR Chess Team; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Astana, August 4, 2024

Queen’s Pawn Game A47

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 b6 4. e3 Be7 5. h3 c5 6. Nbd2 0-0 7. c3 cxd4 8. exd4 Ba6 9. Bxb8 Bxf1 10. Kxf1 Rxb8 11. a4 d5 12. Qe2 Bd6 13. g3 Qc7 14. Kg2 Rfc8 15. Ne1 h6 16. Nd3 a6 17. Rhc1 Re8 18. Ra2 h5 19. Ne5 Bxe5 20. dxe5 Ne4 21. Nxe4 Qxe5 22. Re1 dxe4 23. Qxe4 Qxe4+ 24. Rxe4 Red8 25. Ra3 Rbc8 26. Rb3 Rc6 27. Rbb4 Kf8 28. Re5 g6 29. g4 hxg4 30. hxg4 f6 31. Re3 Rd5 32. Rbe4 Kf7 33. Rh3 Kg7 34. Rhe3 Kf7 35. Rh3 Kg7 36. Re1. White refuses to repeat moves, although her position is not better at all.
36. ... f5 37. gxf5 gxf5 38. Reh1 Kf6 39. Rh6+ Ke7 40. Rh7+ Kd6 41. Rh8 Kc5 42. R1h4 b5 43. a5 Rd2 44. b4+ Kd5 45. Rd8+ Rd6 46. Rxd6+ Kxd6 47. Rh7 Ke5 48. Ra7 Rd6 49. Kf3 Rc6 50. Ke2

50. ... Rxc3. This liquidates into a Rook ending with an extra Pawn which, with correct play, should be drawn, but White has to play some exact moves to save the day.
51. Rxa6 Rb3 52. Rb6 Rxb4 53. a6 Rb2+ 54. Kf3 Rb3+ 55. Ke2 Rb2+ 56. Kf3 Kf6 57. a7 Ra2 58. Rxb5 Rxa7 59. Kg3 Rg7+ 60. Kf3 Rg4 61. Ra5 Rd4 62. Rb5 Rd3+ 63. Ke2 Rd4 64. f3 Ra4 65. Ke3 Ra3+ 66. Kf2 Kg5 67. Rb4 e5 68. Rc4 Ra2+ 69. Kf1 Rd2 70. Ra4 Rd4 71. Ra2 Kf4 72. Kf2 Rb4 73. Rc2 Rb3 74. Rc4+ Kg5 75. Ra4 Rb2+ 76. Kf1 Rh2 77. Rb4 Rh4 78. Rb3 Kf4 79. Kg2 Rh8 80. Rb4+ Ke3 81. Rb3+ Kd4 82. Rb4+ Ke3 83. Rb3+ Kf4 84. Rb4+ Kg5 85. Rb5 Re8 86. Kg3 Kf6 87. Rb6+ Re6 88. Rb8 Ra6 89. Rf8+ Ke6 90. Re8+ Kd5 91. Rf8 f4+ 92. Kg4 Kd4

93. Rd8+? 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s persistence paid off, as Salimova finally broke. As strange as it may seem, there was only one move to save the game: 93. Rb8! with a draw in view; for example: 93. ... Rg6+ 94. Kf5 Rg1 95. Rb3 and there’s no way for Black to make progress.
93. ... Ke3 94. Rd5 Rg6+ 95. Kf5 Rg8 96. Ra5 Kxf3 97. Ra3+ Kg2 98. Ra2+ Kg3 99. Ke4 f3 100. Ra3 Rg4+ 101. Ke3 f2 102. Ke2+ Kg2 0–1. With her win, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) secured her team the bronze medal at 2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship.

Formidable

Easy Riders

To be sure, Edna, you may even have slept for a hundred years, but you never forget how to ride a bike

Artwork © Vagabonds CC (@vagabonds_cc)

On the Border

Some news about Ukraine

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, August 2, 2024

Among the lies that are repeated as if they were obvious truths, there is one that Russia would have invaded an independent sovereign state, without specifying in any way that it’s only since 1990 that that so-called independent state was such, and that, for centuries until then, it had been an integrant part first of the Russian Empire (since 1764, but already between the 15th and 16th centuries it was included in the Grand Duchy of Moscow) and then of Soviet Russia. On the other hand, an Ukrainian was the perhaps greatest of the Russian-language writers of the 19th century, Gogol, who, in Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka, wonderfully described the landscape of the region which was then called “Little Russia” and the customs of the people who lived there. For accuracy’s sake it should be added that, until the end of World War I, a significant part of the territory that we now call Ukraine was, under the name of Galicia, the farthest province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (Joseph Roth, one of the greatest German-language writers of the twentieth century, was born in Brody, an Ukrainian city).
It is important not to forget that the borders of what we call, since 1990, Ukrainian Republic, exactly coincide with those of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and do not have any possible prior foundation in the continuous events of partitions between Poles, Russians, Austrians and Ottomans which took place in the region. Thus, as paradoxical as it may appear, an identity of the Ukrainian state exists only thanks to the Soviet Socialist Republic which it replaced. As for the population living in that territory, it was a varied ensemble constituted not only by the descendants of the Cossacks, who had migrated there en masse in the 15th century, but also by Poles, Russians, Jews (in some cities, before extermination, more than half the population), Gypsies, Romanians, Hutsuls (who constituted a short-lived independent republic between 1918 and 1919).
It is, therefore, perfectly legitimate to imagine that, in the eyes of a Russian, the proclamation of independence of Ukraine does not sound too different from the eventual declaration of independence of Sicily for an Italian (this is not a far-fetched hypothesis, since one should not forget that in 1945 the Movement for the Independence of Sicily, headed by Finocchiaro Aprile, defended the independence of the island by engaging in clashes with the Carabinieri which caused dozens of deaths). Not to think about what would happen if an American state declared itself independent from the United States (to which it has belonged for much less time than Ukraine was part of Russia) and entered into alliance with Russia.
As for the democratic legitimacy of the present Ukrainian republic, it is known to everyone that the thirty years of its history have been marked by election frauds, civil wars and more or less hidden coups d’état, to the point that, in March 2016, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker got to declare that it would take at least 25 years for Ukraine to satisfy the legitimacy requirements that would allow its entry into the Union.

(English translation by I, Robot)

Oleg Mykolayovych Holosiy, Gogol and Pushkin, 1985. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Bounce Back

Bat-Erdene Mungunzul – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; Hunnu Air – WR Chess Team; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Astana, August 3, 2024

Queen’s Pawn Game A40

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Bb7 5. e4 Qh4 6. d5 Nf6 7. Bd3 exd5 8. cxd5 Ba6

9. e5!? White tries her luck with a Pawn sacrifice, in the hope to achieve something more than just balancing comfortably after 9. Bd2 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Bxc3 11. Bxc3 Qxe4+ 12. Qxe4+ Nxe4 13. Bxg7 Rg8 14. Be5 Na6= Tilmatine – Carton, 29th Chess Olympiad, Novi Sad 1990.
9. ... Nxd5 10. Nf3 Qg4 11. 0-0 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Be7. 13. ... Bc5 at once seems to have its points, but Black probably did not intend to allow the White Knight to jump into g5.
14. Nd4 Nc6 15. f4 Bc5 16. Be3 0-0

17. Qe4? A grave tactical mistake. 17. Rad1 Rfe8 18. Rf3 is perfectly playable for White.
17. ... Rae8! Threatening to take on e5.
18. Rf3? (18. h3 Qg6 19. Qf3 Qd3∓)
18. ... Rxe5! 19. Qd3 Bxd4! 20. cxd4 (20. fxe5 Nxe5−+)
20. ... Qf5 21. Qc3 Re4 22. Rd1

22. ... Ne7! Playing in a most dynamic fashion.
23. Qxc7 Nd5 24. Qc1 Rfe8 25. Rd3 h6 26. Qd2 Nxe3. Liquidating to an easily won Queen ending.
27. Rdxe3 Rxe3 28. Rxe3 Rxe3 29. Qxe3 Qb1+ 30. Kf2 Qxa2+ 31. Kg3 Qe6 32. Qc3 a5 33. h3 a4 34. Kh2 b5 35. Qc8+ Kh7 36. Qc2+ Qg6 37. Qc5 Qc6 38. Qf5+ Kg8 39. Qe5 d6 40. Qe3 b4 41. f5 a3 42. Qg3 Kf8 43. Qh4 f6 44. d5 Qc3 45. Qf2 Qe5+ 46. g3 Qb2 0–1.

It took her a while, but by the end of Round Six 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was back to her best! Photo: M. Alisher/FIDE.

Back Over There

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; WR Chess Team – Al-Ain ACMG UAE; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Astana, August 3, 2024

Two Knights Defence C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. 0-0 Nb6 7. Bb3 Bg4 8. h3 Bh5 9. Re1 Qe7 10. a4 a5 11. Be3 0-0-0 12. Nc3 f6 13. Qe2 Kb8 14. Rad1 g5 15. g4 Bg6 16. Bxb6 cxb6 17. d4 exd4 18. Nxd4 Nxd4 19. Qxe7 Bxe7 20. Rxe7 Nxb3 21. Rxd8+ Rxd8 22. cxb3 Rd2

23. Re6? This precipitates White into a compromised ending. The right way was 23. Nb5! Rxb2 24. h4! gxh4 (24. ... Rxb3? 25. h5 wins material for White) 25. f4 Kc8 26. f5 Rxb3 27. fxg6 hxg6 28. Nd6+ Kd8 29. Rxb7 Rg3+ 30. Kh2 Rxg4∞ with an asymmetrical balance.
23. ... Rxb2 24. Rxb6 Rc2 25. Nd5 Be4 26. Ne3. 26. Nxf6? Bc6 followed by ... Kb8-c7 would cost White the Exchange.
26. ... Rc1+ 27. Kh2 Bc6 28. b4 axb4 29. Rxb4 Ra1 30. Rd4 Rxa4 31. Rxa4 Bxa4 32. Nd5 Bc6 33. Nb4 Kc7 34. Kg3 Kd6 35. f4 Kc5 36. Na2 b5 37. fxg5 fxg5 38. h4 gxh4+ 39. Kxh4 b4 40. Nc1 Kc4 41. Kg5 b3 0–1.

Another “roller coaster” day for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), at her third defeat in a row. Photo: Niklesh Jain/ChessBase India.

She dropped her gaze and resigned to her fate under the eyes of her teammates, which included five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

Well, Edna, maybe you’re not in top shape, but even so they still gotta win themselves a diva like you!

Artwork © Hannah Jane 💞👀 (@hannah.dacrazyones.art)

Antony and Cleopatra

Double Down

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Humpy Koneru

2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; WR Chess Team – Chessy; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Astana, August 2, 2024

Richter–Veresov Attack D01

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 a6 4. e3 h6 5. h4 c5 6. dxc5 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. Be2 Bxf3 9. Bxf3 e5 10. Bg3 e4 11. Be2 Bxc5 12. Qd2 d4 13. exd4 Bxd4 14. 0-0-0 Qe7

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s unorthodox opening got her into trouble quite early, but with her next move she delivers herself into her opponent’s hands:
15. Rhe1? Both 15. Bf4 and 15. Qf4 should have been considered.
15. ... 0-0 16. Bd3?! This clumsy maneuver only makes thing worse, but other moves would not promise an easier time either; for example: 16. Bc4 Rfd8 (16. ... e3! is also worth considering) 17. Bb3 Qc5 with overwhelming advantage.
16. ... Qb4 17. Bf1 Rfd8 18. Bc7 Rd7 19. Bg3 Rad8

White’s position is now very compromised, and Koneru has easy play in turning it into a winning one.
20. a3 Qc5 21. Na4 Bxb2+ 22. Kxb2 Rxd2 23. Rxd2 Qa5 24. Rxd8+ Qxd8 25. Nc3 Qb6+ 26. Ka2 Qa5 27. Re3 Ng4 28. Rxe4 Qxc3 29. Re8+ Kh7 30. Bd3+ g6 31. h5 Nge5 32. hxg6+ fxg6 0–1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was never in the game, suffering her second consecutive loss of the day. Photo: Niklesh Jain/ChessBase India.

Strings ’n Things

Dronavalli Harika – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship; Team MGD1 – WR Chess Team; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Astana, August 2, 2024

English Opening A30

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 b6 3. Bg2 Bb7 4. c4 c5 5. 0-0 e6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Re1 0-0 8. e4 d6 9. d4 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc8 11. Be3 a6 12. Rc1 Nbd7 13. f4 Re8 14. g4 Nc5 15. Bf2 e5?! (⌓ 15. ... g6 16. b4 e5)
16. Nf5 exf4?! (16. ... Bf8 17. fxe5 dxe5 18. Nd5 Nxd5 19. cxd5 a5 20. Qf3)
17. b4 Ne6 (17. ... Ncd7 18. g5 Nxe4 19. Nxe4 Bxe4 20. Nxe7+ Rxe7 21. Bxe4 Ne5 22. Bxa8 Qxa8 23. Qd5 1–0 Fioramonti – Ballmann, Zug 1991)

18. Nd5 Bf8 19. Nxb6 (19. Nh6+ gxh6 20. Nxf6+)
19. ... Qd8 20. Nxa8 Qxa8 21. Nxd6 Bxd6 22. Qxd6 Nxe4 23. Qb6 N6g5 24. h4 f3 25. hxg5 fxg2 26. c5? (26. Qc7)
26. ... Bc6 27. Rcd1 Qc8 28. Re3 h5 29. gxh5? (29. gxh6 Kh7 30. hxg7 Nxf2 31. Kxf2 Rxe3 32. Kxe3 Qe6+ 33. Kf2 g1=Q+! 34. Rxg1 Qf6+=)

29. ... Nxf2? (29. ... Nxg5−+)
30. Rxe8+ Qxe8 31. Kxf2 Kh7 (31. ... g1=Q+! 32. Rxg1 Qc8!=)
32. Qc7 (32. Qxa6! Δ 32. ... g1=Q+ 33. Rxg1 Qe4 34. Rg4!!)
32. ... Qe4 33. Qd6 Qf3+ 34. Kg1

34. ... Be4? Black misses her last chance to save herself with 34. ... Qe3+ 35. Kh2 g1=Q+! 36. Rxg1 Qf2+ 37. Kh3 Qf5+ drawing by perpetual check.
35. g6+! fxg6 36. hxg6+ Kh6 (36. ... Bxg6 37. Qh2+ Bh5 38. Re1+−)
37. Re1 Bd5 38. Qe5 1–0.

Not an easy debut for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), whose practice with the board has been very sporadic lately. Photo: Niklesh Jain/ChessBase India.

Another photographer, another female photographer, another perspective. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

You know, Edna, as for sleep, there is nothing worse going to bed with an empty stomach

Artwork © Crispy (@crispy.graype)

After Hours

#FC0FC0

The queen of chess, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) glowing in the eternal flame of Caïssa as she lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony of the 2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Championship (and 1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship) in Astana, Kazakhstan, Thursday, August 1, 2024. Photos via Jenis Makhmuduly Qasymbek.

Hold High the Flame

As a centennial celebration of FIDE, four-time Women's World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony of the 2nd FIDE World Rapid Team Championship (and 1st FIDE World Blitz Team Championship) in Astana, Kazakhstan, Thursday, August 1, 2024.

Welcome, Edna, heartily welcome!

Courtesy of Craiyon LLC