Queens in Between

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 26, 2025

Sicilian Defence B51

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 e6 6. d3 a6 7. c4 Be7 8. Nc3 0-0 9. h3 b6 10. d4 Bb7 11. d5 b5! 12. cxb5 exd5 13. exd5 axb5 14. Bxb5 Nb6 15. Bc6 Bxc6 16. dxc6 Qc8 17. Re1 Re8 18. Bg5 Qxc6 19. Qd3 h6

20. Rxe7! hxg5!? Rather than accept the Exchange and to subject to White’s initiative after 20. ... Rxe7 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Nh4, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) turns the tables by giving up a Pawn in order to give her pieces more scope and utimately get to a drawish endgame.
21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Nxg5 d5 23. b3 d4 24. Ne2 Nbd5 25. a3 Qd6 26. Nf3 Nh5 27. b4 cxb4 28. axb4 Nhf4 29. Nxf4 Nxf4 30. Qb5 Rb8 31. Qe5 Qxe5 32. Nxe5 Rxb4 33. Ra8+ Kh7 34. Nxf7 d3 35. Rd8 Ne2+ 36. Kh2 Rd4 37. Rxd4 Nxd4 38. Ng5+ Kg6 39. Ne4 Nb3 40. g4 d2 41. Nc3 Nd4 42. f4 Ne2 43. f5+ Kh6 44. Nd1 Kg5 45. Kg2 Nf4+ 46. Kg3 Ne2+ 47. Kf2 Nf4 48. Kg3 Ne2+ ½–½.

You know, Edna, nothing is as heavenly as a bowl of tiramisu laden with mascarpone and chocolate

Artwork © Bloodfilth

The Gift of the Danaides

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 姜天瑜 (Jiāng Tiānyú)

15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 25, 2025

Richter–Veresov Attack D01

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 cxd4 5. exd4 a6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Ne5 Bd7 8. g3 e6 9. Bg2 Qb6

10. 0-0 Qxb2? Nothing new under the sun, yet it can hardly be denied that the b2-Pawn is all too often laced with deadly poison. This case makes no exception.
11. Nxd5 exd5 12. Nxd7 Nxd7

13. Re1+!? Check and chock. Nevertheless, 13. c4 Qxd4 14. Re1+ Kd8 15. Qh5 was also very strong, Malassagne – Ganguly, 44th French Team Chess Championship, Chartres 2024.
13. ... Be7 14. c4 Qxd4? The Black Queen takes just another bite from the poisonous basket. Critical was 14. ... dxc4 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. Bd6 0-0 17. Rxe7 with White soon regaining her Pawn and securing a manifest superiority of position.
15. cxd5!+− Qxd1 16. Raxd1 Nce5 17. Bxe5 Nxe5 18. Rxe5 Kd8 19. d6 Bf6 20. Re2 Re8 (20. ... Rb8 21. Bh3 Re8 22. Rc2+−)
21. Rc2 Re5 (21. ... Rb8 22. d7 Re7 23. Bh3+−)
22. d7 Be7 (22. ... Rb8 23. Bxb7!+−)
23. Bxb7 1–0.

In Too Deep

史亦歌 (Shǐ Yìgē) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 25, 2025

Bogo-Indian Defence E11

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Bb4+ 3. Bd2 a5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 b6 6. e3 0-0 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. 0-0 d6 9. Qe2 Bxc3 10. Bxc3 Ne4 11. Be1 f5 12. Nd2 Nd7 13. f3 Nxd2 14. Bxd2 Qe7 15. Bc3 e5 16. dxe5?! This looks like a strategic incongruence. More to the point seems 16. d5 Nc5 17. Bc2 c6 18. dxc6 Bxc6 19. b3⩲ preparing a2-a3 followed by b3-b4.
16. ... Nxe5 17. Rae1 Rae8 18. Kh1 Qh4 19. Qc2 Qh5 20. Bxe5 Rxe5 21. f4 Re7

22. e4? A catastrophic mistake, which not only loses a Pawn, but also leaves White an overwhelming endgame advantage. The best seems to be 22. Be2! Qg6 23. Bf3 Bxf3 24. Rxf3, though after 24. ... Rfe8 the backward White Pawn on e3 is certainly a weakness.
22. ... fxe4 23. Bxe4 Rfe8 24. Bd5+ Bxd5 25. Rxe7 Bxg2+ 26. Qxg2 Rxe7 27. f5 Re2 28. Qg3 Qe8 29. f6 Qe4+ 30. Rf3? (30. Kg1 g6−+)
30. ... Qb1+ 0–1.

Ways to strength and beauty. Photo: 中国体育报 (China Sports Daily).

The Winds of Autumn

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 张潇 (Zhāng Xiāo)

15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 25, 2025

Richter–Veresov Attack D01

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 g6 4. e3 Bg7 5. Nb5 Na6 6. Be2 0-0 7. h3 c6 8. Nc3 Nb8 9. Nf3 Nbd7 10. 0-0 b6 11. Nb1 Bb7 12. Nbd2 c5 13. c3 e6 14. a4 Ne4 15. a5 Bc6 16. Qc2 Nxd2 17. Qxd2

17. ... f6? This allows White to open up the position to her advantage. Instead, she ought to have sealed it with 17. ... Qe7! 18. b4 c4 followed by ... b6-b5.
18. c4! Kh8 19. Bd6 Re8 20. b4! cxb4 21. cxd5 Bxd5 22. Bxb4 e5 23. dxe5 Nxe5 24. Nxe5 Rxe5? Fatally weakening the back rank. She should have retaken with the Pawn.
25. Rfd1 Qe8 (25. ... Qg8 26. f4+−)
26. axb6 axb6 27. f4 Rxa1 28. Rxa1 Rf5

29. g4! Qe4 30. Ra8+ Bf8 31. Rxf8+ Kg7 32. Bf1 Qh1+ 33. Kf2 Qf3+ 34. Ke1 Qg3+ 35. Qf2 1–0.

Through the Typhoon

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 高木子嫣 (Gāo Mùzǐyān)

15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 25, 2025

Sicilian Defence B21

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qd3 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. Be2 d6 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Nd5 Bg4 10. c3 Nd7 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 Kh8 (⌓ 12. ... g5 13. Bg3 Bh5)
13. Rad1 Re8 14. Qe3 Nb6 15. h3 Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Ne5 17. Qe3 Nxd5 18. Rxd5 Qc7 19. Kh1 Nc4 20. Qc1 Qc6 21. Rfd1 e6 22. R5d4! Nb6. The Rook is taboo, as after 22. ... Bxd4 23. Qxh6+ Kg8 24. Rxd4 mate would follow in a few moves.
23. Bf3 Nc4? This allows a tactical blow. Though far from being optimal, 23. ... d5! would have at least avoided the worst of it.

24. Bf6! Kh7 25. e5 d5 26. Rh4 Rh8 27. Rdd4! Threatening both Qc1xh6+ and Rd4xc4.
27. ... Nxe5 28. Qxh6+! 1–0. Mate follows after 28. ... Bxh6 29. Rxh6+ Kxh6 30. Rh4#.

Oh yes, Edna, it will be a pleasure as always, to be of service to you

Courtesy of ニコライ・ボルコフ@日本語読めない卓 (@nikoraiTRPG)

Éclair

宋宇新 (Sòng Yǔxīn) – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)

15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 23, 2025

French Defence C02

1. e4 c5 2. c3 e6 3. d4 d5 4. e5 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. 0-0 Bd7 8. Nbd2 Nge7 9. Re1 h6 10. Nb3 dxc3 11. bxc3 Na5 12. Nbd4 a6 13. Ba3 Nec6 14. Rb1 Qc7 15. Bxf8 Rxf8 16. Qe2 f5 17. exf6 Rxf6 18. Nxc6 Nxc6 19. c4 dxc4 20. Bxc4 Kf8 21. Qe4 Rd8 22. Bd3 Be8 23. Qh7 Bh5? (23. ... Qf7! 24. Be4 Qg8 25. Qxg8+ Kxg8 26. Rxb7 Nd4=)
24. Qh8+ Kf7

25. Ng5+! hxg5 26. Qxh5+ Kf8 27. Bg6 Ne7 28. Qh8+? Better at once 28. Rec1! Qd7 29. Rd1 Qxd1+ 30. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 31. Qxd1 Nxg6 32. Qd8+ Kf7 33. Qd7+ Ne7 34. Qxb7 with the White Queen dominating the board.
28. ... Ng8 29. Bh7 Kf7 30. Rec1 Qd7 31. Bxg8+ Rxg8 32. Qh5+ g6 33. Qxg5 Rf5 34. Qh6 b5 35. Rb3 Rc8 36. Re1 Qd4 37. Qh7+ Qg7 38. Qh4 Qf6 39. Qh7+ Qg7 40. Qh4 Qf6 41. Qe4 Qe5 ½–½.

Pinned

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – 王秦萱逸 (Wáng Qínxuānyì)

15th National Games | Chess Finals; Round-Robin Women; time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), September 23, 2025

Sicilian Defence B40

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3 b6 4. Bb2 Bb7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. e5 Nd5 7. Nb5 a6 8. Nd6+ Bxd6 9. exd6 0-0 10. d4 Nc6 11. c4 Nf6 12. Be2 Ne4 13. 0-0 f5 14. d5 Na7 15. Ne5 exd5 16. cxd5 Nc8 17. b4 Ncxd6 18. bxc5 bxc5 19. Qa4 Nb5 20. Bc4 d6 21. Nc6 Qg5 22. Qc2 Kh8 23. Rad1 Rac8 24. f3 Nf6 25. f4 Qh5

26. Ne7? Had White foreseen what might come, she would have played her cards much more coolly (26. Rfe1).
26. ... Rc7? Luckily for 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Black missed here a brutal refutation in 26. ... Ng4! 27. h3 Ne3 winning material.
27. Nxf5 Ng4? Now too late. Black had to play 27. ... Nd4! 28. Nxd4 cxd4 29. Bxd4 Nxd5 with an approximate balance.
28. h3 Rxf5? Black commits her third mistake in a row with irreparable consequences. She should have retreated the Knight.
29. hxg4 Qxg4 30. Be2 Qg6 31. Bd3 Bc8 32. Rde1 Kg8 33. a4 Na7

34. Re6! Bxe6 35. dxe6 Qxe6 36. Bxf5 Qe3+ 37. Kh2 d5 38. Be5 Rc6 39. Rf3 Rh6+ 40. Bh3 1–0.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) scored a win and a draw in the first two rounds of the Finals of the 15th National Games. Photo: 梁子铭 (Liáng Zimíng).

Hey, Edna, you looked like Spiderman climbing the Empire State Building

Artwork © Omar Soto (@omarsoto_art)

Let’s Go to the Movies

Director 舒淇 (Shū Qí) and star actress 9m88 climb the red carpet for 女孩 (Nǚhái) (Girl) premiere screening at the 30th Busan International Film Festival in Busan, South Korea, Sunday, September 21, 2025. Video: Happybittermelon.

Yes, Edna, there are only two days left before you’ll be back on stage, and yet even two days seem an eternity to your fans

Artwork © catmedooo (@🌜Mohamad.K.Washaly🌛)

Postcards from the Past

On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 12th World Chess Champion and Honorary President of the Soviet Peace Foundation, Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov, attended the commemoration ceremony of the 80th anniversary of victory over militarist Japan and the end of World War II, organised and hosted by the Foundation ”My Genealogy“ in the Column Hall of the House of Unions at Moscow, Russia. Photos: Soviet Peace Foundation.

Ah, yes, Edna; they forget to say that the concert begins at seven in the evening

Courtesy of 디즈니 코리아 (Disney Korea)

DooRooDooRoo

The Ensemble of Being

To be sure, Edna, the winter monsoon may be colder than the summer monsoon

Photo © Catherine Huie (@patharoni_)

The Queen Goes Bollywood

Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is announced as one of the stars for Season 3 of Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) which will take place in India from December 13-24, 2025. Playbill: Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (@GCLlive).

暫時集合2 (This Temporary Ensemble Vol. 2)

Come on, Edna; it is just another case in which reality far outshines fiction

Courtesy of Justwannasea (@justwannasea)

If only life were a movie

The Candidate, 1972. A poster for the award-winning political satire. Photo: Pictorial Press/Alamy.

Oh, Edna, you are like Mona Lisa in van Gogh’s harvest landscapes

Photo © Ольга Лапушена (@lapushena_olga)

Mission: Impossible

Where are we?

Giorgio Agamben, Quodlibet, September 15, 2025

In hell. Any discourse that does not start from this awareness is simply groundless. The circles in which we find ourselves are not arrayed vertically, but scattered throughout the world. Wherever humans associate with each other, they produce hell. The circles and ditches are everywhere around us, and we recognise, as in Goya’s caprichos, the monsters and devils that govern them.
What can we do in this hell? Not so much, or not only, as Italo said, to take care of a parcel of good, what is not hell in hell. Because it too has been contaminated, in whole or in part — in any case no te escaparas. But rather let you stop, be silent, observe, and, at the right time, speak out, tear down the curtain of lies upon which hell lies. Because hell itself is a lie, the lie of lies that prevents the passage of non-hell, of what joyfully, simply, anarchically exists. Of the never been that every time hell covers with its being, as if there were no other possibility outside the ditches and circles in which inevitably you have been always already enrolled. Be you the point, the threshold in which the state exhausts itself, where the possible, the only true reality, springs up from the source. Thought does not consist in accomplishing the possible, as the demons invite you to do, but in making the real possible, in finding a way out of the ineluctability of facts that the dominant ideology seeks to impose in all spheres — and first and foremost in politics. While in the infernal hubbub around you, everyone attempts to diabolically, technically at any cost accomplish the possible, every state, every thing, every thread of grass, if you perceive them in their truth, become once again, silently, lucidly for you possible.

(English translation by I, Robot)

Sandro Botticelli, The Abyss of Hell, 1480. Courtesy of WikiArt.

She Said, She Said

The Spring Dance from the Lagoon

Singer, songwriter, and actress 9m88 dances on the red carpet for 女孩 (Nǚhái) (Girl) premiere screening at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy, September 4, 2025. Photo: 罗鸿 (Laurent Hou)/Bánh Mì.