You don’t need to ask, Edna, as it’s no secret that you much prefer a creamy tiramisu to fruit salad

Courtesy of Allah

Strawberry and Watermelon

9m88 performs 《决定不想你》 (Sent) at the 2025 Strawberry Music Festival in 杭州 (Hángzhōu), Sunday, June 15, 2025. Video: 🍎🌧️.

Yeah, Edna, if he isn’t careful it will get to be too late for him to save either his cape or his Clark Kent identity

Courtesy of Soy Rich y ya. (@richietoons)

A Day at the Museum

You know, Edna, the world is eagerly awaiting your next cinematic shot — and what a shot it will be!

Courtesy of squawt

Put flowers in their guns

11,787 drones put on a phantasmagoric drone light show in 重庆 (Chóngqìng), China. Photo: 李洪波 (Lǐ Hóngbō)/VCG/Getty Images.

To be sure, Edna, a superhero’s cape is the ultimate disguise for any villain who wanted only to be a statesman

Artwork © KLIS Ilustrador

Vader, Voldemort and Other Villains

The state and war

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, June 14, 2025

What we call State is, ultimately, a machine for waging wars, and sooner or later this constitutive vocation ends up emerging beyond all more or less edifying aims it can give itself to justify its existence. This is particularly evident today. Netanyahu, Zelenskyy, European governments pursue at all costs a policy of war for which aims and justifications can certainly be identified, but whose ultimate motive is unconscious and lies on the very nature of the state as a war machine. This explain why war, as is evident in the case of Zelenskyy and Europe — but as is true even for Israel — is pursued even at the cost of coming up against one’s own possible self-destruction. And it is vain to hope that a war machine can stop in the face of this risk. It will go on till the end, whatever the price to pay.

(English translation by I, Robot)

Francisco Goya, Ravages of war, 1810. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Yes, Edna, nothing is more unforgivable than arriving late to a dessert table to find that there is only one remaining piece of tiramisu

Courtesy of dollsguide

A Summer to Remember

Crown of Midnight

And, once again, the queen, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), shone in the spotlight of a World Championship awards ceremony, even if only for the Blitz title, for the sake of her charm and glory as well as for the sake of her WR Chess teammates. Photos: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE.

Sunday Sunday

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Round of 16 | Game 2"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.15"]
[Round "2.5"]
[White "Bulmaga, Irina ROU"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteTeam "Malcolm's Mates"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "110"]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.dxc5 e6 5.a3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bxc5 7.b4 Bb6 8.Bb2 f6 9.Bd3 fxe5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Bxe5 Qg5 12.Bg3 Nf6 13.Nd2 O-O 14.h4 Qh5 15.O-O Qxd1 16.Raxd1 a5 17.c4 axb4 18.axb4 Ra3 19.Nb1 Rb3 20.c5 Bd8 21.Bd6 Rf7 22.b5 Ng4 23.g3 e5 24.Be2 Bf5 25.Bxg4 Bxg4 26.Rxd5 Be2 27.Rxe5 Bxb5 28.Rfe1 Rbf3 29.Re8+ Bxe8 30.Rxe8+ Rf8 31.Bxf8 Rxf8 32.Re6 Bf6 33.Nd2 Bd4 34.Ne4 h6 35.Kg2 Rf5 36.c6 bxc6 37.Rxc6 Re5 38.f3 Ra5 39.g4 Ra2+ 40.Kf1 Kf7 41.h5 Be5 42.Rb6 Bd4 43.Rd6 Be5 44.Rd7+ Ke6 45.Rb7 Bd4 46.Rb5 Rc2 47.Ra5 Rb2 48.Ra6+ Ke5 49.Rg6 Kf4 50.g5 Kxf3 51.Ke1 Kxe4 52.gxh6 gxh6 53.Rxh6 Kd3 54.Kf1 Rf2+ 55.Ke1 Rg2 0-1

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Quarter-Finals | Game 2"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.15"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Dordzhieva-Wagner, Dinara Mergenovna GER"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B21"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Germany and Friends"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "195"]

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qd3 Nf6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be2 Bg7 8.O-O O-O 9.Nd5 Bd7 10.c3 Ng4 11.Bg5 Re8 12.Rad1 Nge5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Qe3 Bc6 15.f4 Nd7 16.Kh1 Bxd5 17.exd5 Qb6 18.Qd2 Nf6 19.Bh4 a6 20.Bf2 Qa5 21.b4 Qc7 22.Qd3 a5 23.a3 axb4 24.axb4 Ra3 25.Bd4 Nd7 26.Bxg7 Kxg7 27.Qd4+ f6 28.Bb5 Rea8 29.Rde1 Nf8 30.c4 Ra2 31.Qe4 Kf7 32.h3 Rb2 33.Rb1 Raa2 34.Rxb2 Rxb2 35.Qe1 Qb6 36.Qc3 Ra2 37.Kh2 h5 38.Qb3 Rd2 39.Qc3 Ra2 40.Qd3 h4 41.c5 dxc5 42.Bc4 Ra8 43.d6+ e6 44.bxc5 Qxc5 45.Rb1 Rd8 46.Rxb7+ Rd7 47.Rxd7+ Nxd7 48.Bb5 Nb6 49.d7 Nxd7 50.Qxd7+ Kf8 51.Be2 Qe3 52.Qd1 Qxf4+ 53.Kh1 Kg7 54.Qd7+ Kh6 55.Qxe6 Qc1+ 56.Kh2 Qf4+ 57.Kg1 Qc1+ 58.Bf1 Qc5+ 59.Kh1 Qf2 60.Qc4 Qg3 61.Qc1+ Kg7 62.Qd1 Qf2 63.Bd3 Qg3 64.Qe2 Qf4 65.Qe7+ Kh6 66.Qf8+ Kg5 67.Qc5+ Kh6 68.Qc2 Qg3 69.Qe2 Qf4 70.Be4 Qc1+ 71.Kh2 Qf4+ 72.Kg1 Qc1+ 73.Kf2 Qf4+ 74.Bf3 Qd6 75.Qe3+ Kg7 76.Qe4 Qd2+ 77.Kg1 Qc1+ 78.Kf2 Qd2+ 79.Be2 Qg5 80.Bd3 Qg3+ 81.Kg1 Qg5 82.Qe7+ Kh6 83.Qf8+ Kh7 84.Qf7+ Kh6 85.Qf8+ Kh7 86.Qe7+ Kh6 87.Qd6 Qc1+ 88.Kh2 Qg5 89.Qc7 Qd2 90.Be4 Qg5 91.Bf3 Qe3 92.Qc4 Qg5 93.Qg4 Qe5+ 94.Kg1 Qe1+ 95.Kh2 Qe5+ 96.Kg1 Qe1+ 97.Kh2 Qe5+ 98.Kg1 1/2-1/2

With much luck (and a little help of her opponent), Dordzhieva-Wagner managed to save the day against 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE.

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Semi-Finals | Game 1"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.15"]
[Round "6.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Deshmukh, Divya IND"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Hexamind Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "125"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 a6 8.Qd2 b5 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Bd3 Qb6 11.Bf2 h6 12.O-O Bxf2+ 13.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 14.Kxf2 g5 15.g3 Nc5 16.Ne2 gxf4 17.gxf4 Nb4 18.Rfd1 Bb7 19.Ned4 Rc8 20.a3 Nc6 21.Rg1 Ke7 22.Nxc6+ Bxc6 23.Nd4 Bd7 24.Rg7 Rcg8 25.Rag1 Rxg7 26.Rxg7 Kf8 27.Rg3 Ke7 28.Ke3 Rb8 29.b4 Na4 30.Nb3 Rc8 31.Kd4 Kf8 32.Rh3 Kg7 33.Re3 Rc7 34.Re1 Bc8 35.Ke3 Bb7 36.Kd4 Bc8 37.Rc1 Kf8 38.c3 Kg7 39.Rc2 Kf8 40.Nc1 Nb6 41.Ne2 Nc4 42.Bxc4 dxc4 43.Ke3 Bb7 44.Nd4 Bd5 45.Rc1 Rc8 46.a4 bxa4 47.Ra1 Bc6 48.Nxc6 Rxc6 49.Rxa4 f6 50.Kd4 fxe5+ 51.fxe5 Kf7 52.Ra5 Kg6 53.Rc5 Rb6 54.Rxc4 Kf5 55.Rc8 Rb7 56.Rf8+ Kg4 57.Rf6 h5 58.Rxe6 h4 59.Rf6 Kh3 60.Rf2 Rd7+ 61.Ke4 Rc7 62.e6 Rxc3 63.Rf3+ 1-0

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship KO Semi-Finals | Game 2"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.15"]
[Round "7.5"]
[White "Deshmukh, Divya IND"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B42"]
[WhiteTeam "Hexamind Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "148"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.O-O Qc7 7.c4 Nc6 8.Be3 Nxd4 9.Bxd4 Bc5 10.Bc3 d6 11.Nd2 e5 12.h3 O-O 13.Kh1 Qb6 14.f4 Bd4 15.c5 dxc5 16.Nc4 Qc7 17.Nxe5 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Re8 19.Qf3 Rxe5 20.fxe5 Qxe5 21.Bc4 Bd7 22.Bd5 Rb8 23.Rad1 Ba4 24.Rd2 h6 25.Rb2 b6 26.Rd2 Be8 27.Qf4 Qxf4 28.Rxf4 Nd7 29.Bxf7+ Bxf7 30.Rxd7 Bxa2 31.Ra7 a5 32.Rg4 Bf7 33.e5 Re8 34.Rb7 Rxe5 35.Rxb6 Re3 36.Rb8+ Kh7 37.Rb7 Kg8 38.c4 Rc3 39.Ra7 Rxc4 40.Rxc4 Bxc4 41.Rxa5 Be6 42.Rxc5 Kf7 43.Kg1 Kg8 44.Kf2 Bf7 45.Kf3 Be6 46.Kf4 Bf7 47.Kf5 Kh7 48.Rc7 Bd5 49.Rc2 Kg8 50.Ke5 Bf7 51.g4 Kh7 52.h4 Bg6 53.Rc7 Bd3 54.Rc3 Be2 55.Kf5 Bb5 56.Rc7 Bd3+ 57.Kf4 Be2 58.Ra7 Bd1 59.Ra1 Bc2 60.Rc1 Bb3 61.Rc3 Be6 62.g5 hxg5+ 63.Kxg5 Bd5 64.Rc7 Be4 65.Re7 Bd3 66.Rd7 Be4 67.Kf4 Bg6 68.Ke5 Kh6 69.Rd8 Kh5 70.Rh8+ Kg4 71.Rg8 Kxh4 72.Rxg7 Kh5 73.Kf6 Bd3 74.Rg3 Kh4 1-0

So be it, Edna; the die is cast, the stage is set and the carpet is rolled out

Courtesy of Elizabeth

Quickies

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Jalving, August DEN"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B66"]
[WhiteTeam "¡Ållez-Y Initiative!"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "48"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Bc4 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.O-O-O Be7 12.f4 Rb8 13.Bb3 d5 14.Rhe1 O-O 15.a3 Bd8 16.f5 Ba5 17.fxe6 Bxe6 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 cxd5 20.Qd4 Qg5+ 21.Kb1 Rfc8 22.Re5 Bxc3 23.Qxc3 Rxc3 24.Rxg5 hxg5 0-1

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "2.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Osmak, Yuliia Vladyslavivna UKR"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Ashdod Elit Chess Club"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "94"]

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.cxd3 c6 7.Nf3 Bd6 8.Qb3 Bxf4 9.exf4 Qb6 10.Qa3 Qc7 11.Ne5 Qe7 12.Qb3 O-O 13.O-O Qc7 14.Na4 Nbd7 15.Rac1 Rab8 16.h3 h6 17.Rfe1 Rfd8 18.Nc5 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Nd7 20.d4 Nxc5 21.Rxc5 Qb6 22.Qc3 a6 23.a3 Rf8 24.Qc2 f5 25.Re3 Qd8 26.Rb3 Qd7 27.g3 Kh8 28.Kg2 Rg8 29.h4 Qf7 30.Qe2 g6 31.a4 Rbd8 32.Rbc3 Rd7 33.b4 Ra8 34.b5 axb5 35.axb5 cxb5 36.Qxb5 Re7 37.Qb6 Rg8 38.Rc7 Rge8 39.Qxb7 Kg7 40.Qb6 Kg8 41.Qd6 Kg7 42.Rxe7 Rxe7 43.Rc8 Rd7 44.Qb8 g5 45.hxg5 hxg5 46.fxg5 Rb7 47.Rf8 Qg8 1-0

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "3.5"]
[White "诸宸 (Zhū Chén) CHN"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E16"]
[WhiteTeam "FIDE MB Team"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "155"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 a5 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.Nc3 O-O 8.O-O Bxc3 9.Bxc3 d6 10.Nd2 Bxg2 11.Kxg2 Re8 12.e4 e5 13.Qc2 Qe7 14.Rae1 Nfd7 15.b3 Na6 16.a3 exd4 17.Bxd4 Nac5 18.h3 Ne5 19.Re3 h6 20.Bb2 Qf8 21.Rfe1 Re6 22.Qc3 Rae8 23.Ba1 Nc6 24.b4 axb4 25.axb4 Nd7 26.Bb2 Ra8 27.Ra1 Ree8 28.Ree1 Nde5 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Ra1 Rxa1 31.Bxa1 f6 32.f4 Nd7 33.Bb2 Qa8 34.Qb3 Kh8 35.Kf2 Nd8 36.Qa3 Qc6 37.Qd3 Qa8 38.Qa3 Qc6 39.Qd3 Kg8 40.Qd5+ Qxd5 41.cxd5 Kf7 42.Ke3 h5 43.Kd3 g5 44.Bd4 gxf4 45.gxf4 f5 46.Nf3 fxe4+ 47.Kxe4 Nf6+ 48.Bxf6 Kxf6 49.Nd4 Nf7 50.Nb5 Nh6 51.Nxc7 Nf5 52.Nb5 Ng3+ 53.Kf3 Nf5 54.Nc3 Nd4+ 55.Ke4 Nc2 56.b5 Na3 57.h4 Kg6 58.f5+ Kf6 59.Kf4 Nc2 60.Ne4+ Ke7 61.f6+ Kf7 62.Kg5 Ne3 63.Nxd6+ Kf8 64.Kxh5 Nxd5 65.Kg6 Nf4+ 66.Kf5 Nd5 67.Nc4 Nc3 68.Nxb6 Nxb5 69.Kg6 Nd6 70.h5 Nf7 71.h6 Nh8+ 72.Kh7 Nf7 73.Nd7+ Ke8 74.Nc5 Kf8 75.Ne6+ Ke8 76.Kg6 Nxh6 77.Kxh6 Kf7 78.Kg5 1-0

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "4.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Roebers, Eline NED"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A85"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "Knight Dance"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.g3 g6 6.Bg2 Bg7 7.h4 h6 8.Bxf6 Nxf6 9.e4 c6 10.Nge2 O-O 11.Nf4 Qe8 12.h5 g5 13.Ng6 Rf7 14.e5 dxe5 15.Nxe5 Rf8 16.Qe2 Ng4 17.Nxg4 fxg4 18.O-O-O Qf7 19.Rd2 Bf5 20.Be4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Qxc4 22.Re1 Rad8 23.Qxe7 b5 24.Qe6+ Qxe6 25.Rxe6 c5 26.d5 b4 27.Ne4 c4 28.d6 c3 29.bxc3 bxc3 30.Rd3 Rf3 31.Kc2 Bf8 32.Rxf3 gxf3 33.Kxc3 Kf7 34.Rf6+ Ke8 35.Kc4 Kd7 36.Kd5 Kc8 37.Rxf3 Kb7 38.Rb3+ Ka6 39.Nc5+ Ka5 40.Nb7+ 1-0

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "鹿妙夷 (Lù Miàoyí) CHN"]
[Black "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D31"]
[WhiteTeam "Turkish Airlines Sports Club"]
[BlackTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "124"]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.a4 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.e4 c5 9.d5 Nd7 10.Bxc4 Nb6 11.Ba2 exd5 12.exd5 Bg4 13.O-O Bxf3 14.Re1+ Be7 15.Qxf3 Qxf3 16.gxf3 Rd8 17.Re2 Kf8 18.a5 Nc8 19.Ne4 h5 20.Rc1 Rh6 21.Nxc5 Bxc5 22.Rxc5 Nd6 23.Rc7 Re8 24.Re3 Rf6 25.Kg2 Rg6+ 26.Kf1 Rf6 27.Ke2 Rd8 28.Bb1 g6 29.Bc2 Rf4 30.Rb3 Re8+ 31.Re3 Rd8 32.Rb3 Rd4 33.Be4 Nxe4 34.fxe4 Rxe4+ 35.Kf3 Re5 36.Rbxb7 Rf5+ 37.Ke4 Rxf2 38.b4 Re2+ 39.Kd4 Rf2 40.Kc5 Rf5 41.Kc6 Rdxd5 42.Rxf7+ Ke8 43.Rxf5 Rxf5 44.Rb6 Rf4 45.Kc5 Rf5+ 46.Kd6 Rf2 47.Ke6 Re2+ 48.Kf6 Rb2 49.Kxg6 h4 50.h3 Rb3 51.Kg5 Rxh3 52.Rxa6 Rb3 53.Rb6 h3 54.a6 h2 55.Rh6 Rxb4 56.Rxh2 Ra4 57.Rh6 Kd8 58.Kf5 Kc7 59.Ke5 Kb8 60.Kd5 Ka7 61.Kc5 Rxa6 62.Rxa6+ Kxa6 1/2-1/2

Generations on the move: 鹿妙夷 (Lù Miàoyí) and 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán). Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE.

[Event "2nd FIDE World Blitz Team Championship — Pool A"]
[Site "London GBR"]
[Date "2025.06.14"]
[Round "6.5"]
[White "侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) CHN"]
[Black "Ulziikhishig, Khishigbat MGL"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D01"]
[WhiteTeam "WR Chess Team"]
[BlackTeam "The MongolZ"]
[TimeControl "180+2"]
[PlyCount "62"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Bf4 d5 4.e3 Bd6 5.Qf3 c6 6.g4 h6 7.h4 Bb4 8.Bd3 Qa5 9.Ne2 c5 10.g5 Ng8 11.Be5 c4 12.Bxg7 cxd3 13.Bxh8 dxe2 14.Kxe2 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Qxc3 16.Rac1 Qc4+ 17.Kd2 Bd7 18.Bg7 hxg5 19.hxg5 Nc6 20.Rh8 O-O-O 21.Qxf7 Nge7 22.Rxd8+ Kxd8 23.Bf6 Qb4+ 24.c3 Qb2+ 25.Rc2 Qb1 26.g6 Be8 27.Qf8 Kd7 28.g7 Bg6 29.Rc1 Qb2+ 30.Kd1 Bh5+ 31.f3 Bxf3+ 0-1

Ends and Means

End of Ukraine

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, June 13, 2025

The war in Ukraine is approaching to its conclusion which, however it takes shape, will inevitably coincide with the debacle of the “former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic” (before which a Ukrainian state had never existed, and it is well to remember that Crimea — which Zelenskyy does nothing but claim — was transferred to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic only in 1954 by Khrushchev and, according to the census of that year, was populated by 72% Russians). As the European ruling class has been repeating over and over again: we will be with Ukraine till the end. But inevitably this end will also imply the fate of Europe. What will Europe do and say when the end of Ukraine, which they contributed to make catastrophic, will be a fait accompli? According to the prediction of the most cautious political observers, it is probable that even the identity of the present European community, which has no other legal status than that of an international agreement between states, will be called in question. And this is the only positive consequence which we can expect from the war in Ukraine, otherwise, like all wars, woeful.

(English translation by I, Robot)

Vasily Vasilyevich Vereshchagin, The Apotheosis of War, 1871. Courtesy of WikiArt.

Well, Edna, the correct answer is bold espresso chocolate cake with red chili ganache frosting and a dash of black cocoa

Courtesy of BuzzFeed

Take Away

Cold Blood

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Zsóka Gaál

3rd FIDE World Rapid Team Championship; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; London, June 13, 2025

Caro-Kann Defence B10

1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d3 g6 4. e5 Bg7 5. d4 f6 6. exf6 Nxf6 7. Be2 0-0 8. 0-0 Ne4 9. c4 Nd6 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Nc3 Nf5 12. Qb3 e6 13. Be3 Nc6 14. Rad1 a6 15. Na4 Qd6 16. g3 b5 17. Nb6 Na5! 18. Nxc8 Raxc8 19. Qd3 Nxe3 20. Qxe3 Rc2 (20. ... Nc4)
21. b3 Rxa2 22. Ra1

22. ... Rxe2! 23. Qxe2 Nxb3 24. Rad1 a5 25. Kg2 Qb6 26. Rb1

26. ... Rxf3?! Black could simply play 26. ... a4, virtually forcing White to give back the Exchange. On the other hand, the sacrifice of the second Exchange — beyond its soundness — perfectly fits to “fast” time controls.
27. Qxf3 Nd2 28. Qe2 Nxb1 29. Rxb1 b4 30. Rc1 Bxd4 31. Rc8+ Kg7 32. Qf3 Bf6 33. Qf4 e5 34. Qc1

34. ... b3? This impulsive move enables White to penetrate the Black King’s defences. Correct was 34. ... Bd8! 35. Rc6 Qa7 holding everything under control.
35. Rc7+ Kg8 36. Rd7 Qb4 37. Qc8+ Qf8 38. Qb7 a4 39. Rc7 d4 40. Rc8 Bd8 41. Qd5+ Kg7 42. Rxd8 Qf5 43. Qb7+ Kh6 44. Rd7 Qxd7 45. Qxd7 b2 46. Qb5 a3 47. Qb3 d3 48. Kf1 e4 49. Ke1 Kg5 50. h3 h5 51. Qb5+ Kh6 52. h4 1–0.

Touch and Technique

Eline Roebers – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd FIDE World Rapid Team Championship; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; London, June 13, 2025

Sicilian Defence B32

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Be6 9. Be3 Bg5 10. Nc2 Bxe3 11. Nxe3 Nf6 12. Be2 0-0 13. 0-0 Nd4 14. Nc2 Nxc2 15. Qxc2 Rc8 16. Qa4 Qb6 17. Rab1 Qc5

18. Rbc1? Dutch International Master embarks on an unsound Pawn sacrifice which will be soon followed by further loss of material, thus making 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s task very easy.
18. ... Bxc4 19. Nd5 Nxd5 20. Rxc4 Nb6! 21. Rxc5 Nxa4 22. Rd5 Rfd8 23. f4 exf4 24. Rfd1 Nxb2 25. R1d2 Nc4 26. Bxc4 Rxc4 27. e5 Kf8 28. exd6 Rd7 29. Kf2 f6 30. Kf3 Kf7 31. h4 h6 32. h5 Ke6 33. R5d3 Rc5 34. Kg4 Rg5+ 35. Kh4 b5 36. Rd4 a5 37. a3 a4 38. R4d3 Rg3 39. Re2+ Re3 40. Rexe3+ fxe3 41. Rxe3+ Kxd6 42. Kg4 Kc5 0–1.

As the saying goes, put a tiger in the engine. Photos: ChessBase India.

An Interview with 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

You know, Edna, a woman and her teddy bear can do more than the devil

Courtesy of Carousell

Underbelly

When asked whether she prefers classical or faster time controls, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) answered diplomatically: “I’m happy to adjust to different time formats”. Photo: Take Take Take (@TakeTakeTakeApp).

French Bistro

Stavroula Tsolakidou – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

3rd FIDE World Rapid Team Championship; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; London, June 12, 2025

French Defence C02

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 d5 4. e5 Nc6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Be2 Nge7 7. Na3 Ng6 8. Nc2 f6 9. exf6 Qxf6 10. Bg5 Qf7

11. 0-0 Bd6 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. c4 0-0 14. Qd2 Nf4 15. Bxf4 Qxf4 16. Rad1 Qxd2 17. Rxd2 Rae8 18. cxd5 exd5 19. Rxd5 Rxe2 20. Rxc5 Bg4 21. Re1 (21. Ne1 Rd2 22. f3 Bf5=)
21. ... Bxf3 22. gxf3 Rd2 23. Kg2 Rf6 24. Re4 Rg6+ 25. Rg4 Re6 26. Re4 Rg6+ 27. Rg4 Re6 ½–½.

Caught in the Loop

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Irina Bulmaga

3rd FIDE World Rapid Team Championship; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; London, June 12, 2025

Konstantinopolsky Opening C44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Qd6 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. d3 0-0-0 9. g4 Bg6 10. Nh4 Nd4 11. 0-0 Be7 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. Ne4 Qd7 14. c3 Nc6 15. Be3 f5 16. Nc5 Bxc5 17. Bxc5 Nf6 18. Qa4 Nd5 19. Be3 Nxe3 20. fxe3 Qxd3 21. Rae1 Rd6 22. Kh2 a6 23. gxf5 gxf5 24. Rd1

24. ... Qxe3 (24. ... Rxh3+! 25. Bxh3 Qe2+ 26. Bg2 Rg6 27. Qe4!! Qxf1 28. Bxf1 fxe4 29. Bxe4 Rf6⩱)
25. Rxd6 cxd6 26. Rxf5 Qd3 27. Rf7 Qe2

28. Rxb7!? Tempting, but not true. 28. Qb3! Qb5 29. Qe6+ Kb8 30. Qxd6+ Ka8 31. b4 leaves White with the upper hand.
28. ... Rxh3+! 29. Kxh3 Qh5+ 30. Kg3 Qg5+ 31. Kf2 Qd2+ 32. Kf1 Qd3+ 33. Kg1 Qe3+ 34. Kh2 Qh6+ 35. Kg3 Qg5+ 36. Kf2 Qd2+ 37. Kf1 Qd3+ 38. Ke1 Qe3+ 39. Kf1 Qd3+ 40. Kg1 Qe3+ 41. Kh2 Qh6+ 42. Kg3 ½–½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) wears the team’s uniform, but her heart beats for Kenzo. Photo: ChessBase India.

In a way, Edna, reading one book is like eating one tiramisu

Courtesy of Bianca Peters