Overclocking

Mariya Muzychuk – Romain Édouard
4th Trophée Anatoly Karpov; Cap d’Agde, October 26, 2015
Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 a6 5. h3 Nc6 6. Qe3 g6 7. c4 Bh6 8. Qc3 Qa5 9. Qxa5 Nxa5 10. Bxh6 Nxh6 11. Nc3 Be6 12. b3. For 12. Nd5 Rc8 13. b3 f6 14. Be2 Nc6 15. Nb6 Rc7 16. 0-0 Nf7 17. Rac1 Nfe5 18. c5 see Dvirnyy – Burnoiu, 2nd Limpedea Cup, Baia Sprie 2010. 12. ... 0-0 13. Nd4 Nc6 14. Nxe6 fxe6 15. Be2 Kg7 16. 0-0 e5 17. Rad1 Rab8 18. Rd2 Nf7 19. g3 Ng5 20. Kg2 Ne6 21. Nd5 Ned4 22. f4 e6 23. Nb6 Rbd8 24. fxe5 dxe5 25. Rxf8 Kxf8 26. c5 Ke7 27. Bf1 a5 28. Nc4 Rc8 29. Rf2 Nd8 30. Nxe5 Rxc5 31. Nd3 Rc3 32. e5 N8c6 33. Rd2 Nc2 34. Kf2 N2b4 35. Nxb4 axb4 36. Bg2 Nxe5 37. Bxb7 Nd3+ 38. Kg2 e5 39. h4 Nc5 40. Bd5 h6 41. Rf2 g5 42. hxg5 hxg5 43. Kh3 Nd3 44. Rf7+ Kd6

45. Bh1? The final error. After 45. Be4 Nc5 46. Bf5 e4 Black stands clearly better, but the war is not yet won. 45. ... Rc2 46. Rf6+ Ke7 47. Rf5 Ke6 48. g4. A blunder by Mariya, but neither 48. Rxg5 Nf2+ 49. Kg2 Ne4+ nor 48. Rf8 e4 would have been of any avail to her. 43. ... Nf2+ 49. Kg2 Nxg4+ 0 : 1. “I thought too much and I got in time trouble”, then Mariya said. “It was an unusual position and I had gone wrong in my calculations. I will have to analyze it, that’s sure! There are still seven rounds. It’s too early to draw conclusions about my performance in the tournament. I don’t know if the scenario will be the same as in 2013 (I qualified for the semifinals after starting with two defeats and two draws). From now on till the end, every victory will be of paramount importance”.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. Romain Edouard
Photo © Europe Échecs (@EuropeEchecs)

Dancing in the Moonlight

Isabella Ceccatelli
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Foto © Stefano Marmino

Sabato 20 giugno 2015
Teatro della Casa del Popolo di Grassina
Piazza Umberto I, 14 · 50015 Grassina (Firenze)

Sinusoidal model

Laura
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”
Foto © Stefano Marmino

Sabato 20 giugno 2015
Teatro della Casa del Popolo di Grassina
Piazza Umberto I, 14 · 50015 Grassina (Firenze)

Veils

Jeanne d’Arc

Romain Édouard – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Trophée KARPOV; Cap d’Agde, October 25, 2015
Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. 0-0 Bg7 6. e5 f6 7. Qe2 fxe5 8. Nxe5 d6 9. Nc4 Nf6. For 9. ... Nh6 10. d3 0-0 11. f4 Bg4 12. Qe1 Qd7 see Gajek – Klekowski, 51st Rubinstein Memorial, Polanica-Zdrój 2015. 10. Re1 Nd5 11. Qf3 Bf5 12. Nc3 Nb4 13. d3 0-0 14. Qe2 Qd7 15. Bg5 Rae8 16. Qd2 Nd5 17. Bh6 Bxh6 18. Qxh6 e5 19. Ne4 Bxe4 20. dxe4 Nf4. So far, Miss Anna Muzychuk has played very resourcefully and Édouard, by his next move – either a mistake or a bold sacrifice :) – allows her to win the Queen against Rook and Knight. 21. Qh4

21. ... Nxg2! 22. Kxg2 Rf4 23. Qg3 Rg4 24. Rad1 Rxg3+ 25. hxg3 d5 26. exd5 cxd5 27. Nxe5 Qb7 28. b3 d4+ 29. f3 Qb4 30. Re2 Qc3. Here and there Black could surely have played better. As a matter of fact, however, Édouard gradually manages to come out well enough for hoping to survive. 31. Rde1 a5 32. a4 Kg7 33. f4 h5 34. Kh3 Re6 35. Kg2 c4 36. bxc4 Qb4 37. Rd1 Rd6 38. Rd3 Qxa4 39. Rb3 Qe8 40. c5 Rd5 41. c6 Rc5 42. Rb7+ Kg8 43. c7? Just when he thinks the worst is over, Édouard becomes too ambitious. He should have ceded the Pawn with definite chances of a draw. 43. ... Qa8. Naturally! 44. Nc6 Qxb7 45. Re8+ Kf7 46. c8Q Qxc6+ 47. Qxc6 Rxc6 48. Ra8 Rxc2+ 49. Kh3 Rc5 50. Rd8 a4 51. Ra8 Rc4 52. Kg2 d3 53. Kf2 Rd4. There’s nothing wrong with this move, but 53. ... Re4! 54. Rd8 a3! 55. Rxd3 Ra4 56. Rd1 a2 57. Ra1 Ke6 is an elementary win for Black – Bobby Fischer would call it a prearranged win, referring to Kasparov – Karpov, Moscow 1984, World Chess Championship match game 6. 54. Ke1 d2+ 55. Kd1 Ke6 56. Ra5 Kf6 57. Ra6+ Kf5 58. Ra5+ Ke4 59. Ra6 Kd3 60. Rxg6 Kc3? 60. ... Rd5! would still have given Black serious winning chances. 61. Ra6 Rb4 62. Rc6+ Kb2 63. Kxd2 a3 64. Rc2+ Kb3 65. Rc3+ Ka4 66. Rc8 a2 67. Kc2 a1N+ 68. Kd2 Nb3+ 69. Ke3 Nd4 70. Rc5 Ne6 71. Rxh5 Rb3+ 72. Kf2 Kb4 73. f5 Nd4 74. Rh4 Kc5 75. Rf4 Kd5 76. f6 Ne6 77. f7 ½ : ½.

It Ain’t Necessarily So

Marie Rachel Sebag – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Trophée KARPOV; Cap d’Agde, October 25, 2015
Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 dxe5 8. dxe5 Ndb4 9. Qxd8+ Nxd8 10. Na3 Bg4 11. Nd4 Ndc6 12. Nxc6 Nxc6 13. f4 e6 14. Be3 Bb4+ 15. Kf2 0-0-0 16. h3 Bf5 17. Rhd1 a6 18. Be2 Bxa3 19. bxa3 Rxd1 20. Rxd1 Rd8 21. Rc1 Kc7 22. Bf3 Rd3 23. g4 Bg6 24. Bc5 Rd2+ 25. Ke3 Rxa2 26. Bd6+ Kd7 27. h4 Bc2 28. h5 Na5 29. Be2 b5 30. Bf8 Nc4+ 31. Kd4 Bb3 32. Bd3 Rf2 33. Bxg7 Rxf4+ 34. Kc5 Rxg4 35. h6 Nb2 36. Kb6 Nxd3. Now Black is a Knight and two Pawns up, but White has at least a draw by perpetual check here. 37. Rc7+ Ke8 38. Bf6! Sebag wants more than perpetual. 38. ... Rc4 39. Re7+ Kf8 40. Rd7 Rc8 41. Rxd3 Bc4 42. Rd7 Be2 43. Kxa6. After all, White is only a Pawn down and has got a powerful grip on the enemy position. Black must be very careful. 43. ... Ke8 44. Re7+ Kf8 45. Kb7 Re8 46. Rc7 Bf3+ 47. Kb6 Rb8+ 48. Kc5 Ke8 49. Re7+ Kf8 50. Rd7 Rc8+ 51. Kb4 Be2 52. Rd2 Bc4 53. Rd6 Ke8 54. Ka5 Rb8 55. Ka6 Kf8? Muzychuk is in serious time trouble and goes off on the wrong track. Correct was 55. ... Bd5 in order to answer 56. Ka7 by 56. ... Rb7+ with roughly equal chances. 56. Ka7 Re8 57. Bd8! Sebag very elegantly tightens the stranglehold. 57. ... Bd5 58. Kb6 Bc4 59. Rd7 Be2 60. Kc6 Kg8 61. Rd2 Bf1 62. Kd7 Kf8

63. Rd1? Here Sebag misses her (first) big chance: after 63. Bf6! Ra8 64. Be7+ Kg8 65. Rd1 White wins the Bishop and the game. 63. ... Be2 64. Rd2. Nothing bad, but 64. Rg1 is also a win. 64. ... Bf1 65. Rd4? Again 65. Bf6! was called for. 65. ... f5! Muzychuk, of course, is only too happy to spring to life again! 66. exf6 e5 67. Be7+ Kf7 68. Re4 Bh3+ 69. Kd6 Rg8 70. Rxe5 Bf1 71. Rc5 Rg6 72. Rc7 Rxh6 73. Ke5 Rh5+ 74. Kf4 Rd5 75. Bd8+ Ke6 76. Rc6+ Kf7 77. Rc7+ Ke6 78. Rc6+ Kf7 79. Rc7+ Ke6 ½ : ½.

Sebag’s and Muzychuk’s very tense game ended in a draw. Photo © Pierre Textoris/CapÉchecs.

Le Malade imaginaire

Tigran Alexandrovich Gharamian – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Trophée KARPOV; Cap d’Agde, October 25, 2015
Sicilian Defence B50

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Nc6 5. c3 g6 6. h3 Bg7 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Bb3 b6 9. Re1 Bb7 10. d4 e5 11. dxc5 dxc5 12. Qe2 Qc7 13. Bg5 Na5 14. Bc2 c4 15. Nbd2 h6 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Nf1 Rad8 18. Ne3 b5 19. Rad1 Rfe8 20. Nd5 Bxd5 21. Rxd5 Rxd5 22. exd5 Qd7 23. Rd1 Nb7 24. Qe3

24. ... Nd6. “I’ve not achieved much in the opening, but the position was very complicated. I don’t know if she ‘blundered’ or deliberately sacrificed her h6-Pawn. I had to take it, even though I knew she would have got plenty of play for it!”, then Gharamian said. 25. Qxh6 e4 26. Ng5 Qf5 27. Nf3 Qd7 28. Nh2 Bg7 29. Qe3 Qc7 30. Nf1 Nf5 31. Qe2 Bh6 32. Qg4 Qe5 33. Re1 e3 34. fxe3 Nxe3 35. Nxe3 Bxe3+ 36. Kh1 Kg7 37. Qf3 f5 38. d6 f4 39. Qb7+ Kh6 40. Qf7. Miss Anna Muzychuk has got herself into trouble by trying too hard to win, but now she is lucky enough that Gharamian overlooks a simple way of winning by 40. d7 followed by Qb7-c6. 40. ... Qe6 41. Qxe6 Rxe6 42. d7 Rd6 43. Rd1 Rxd1+? It’s understandable that Black – a Pawn down – wants to liquidate into an ending with Bishops of opposite colour, but perhaps she should have done it by 43. ... Bd2! 44. Kg1 Rxd7 45. Kf1 Rd8 46. Ke2 f3+ 47. gxf3 (47. Kxf3 is comparatively the best and retains some winning chances) 47. ... Bg5 48. Rxd8 Bxd8 and, as the d7-Pawn disappears, the ending looks very drawish indeed. 44. Bxd1 Bb6 45. Bf3. Now, instead, “The ending with Bishops of opposite colour looks like a win for me. White can create various Zugzwang positions”, Gharamian said. 45. ... Kg5 46. Bc6 a6 47. Bb7 a5 48. Ba6 b4 49. cxb4 axb4 50. Bxc4 Kf6 51. h4 Kf5 52. Kh2 Kg4 53. Bd3 Kxh4 54. Bxg6 Kg5 55. Bc2 Kf6 56. a4 bxa3 57. bxa3 Ke7 58. Bf5 Kf6 59. Bd3 Kg5 60. Kh3 Ba5 61. a4 Bc7 62. Ba6 Bb6 63. Bb7 Bc7 64. Bc8 Bb6 65. g4 fxg3 66. Kxg3 Kf6 67. Kf4 Ke7 68. Ke5 Ba5 69. Kd5 Kd8 70. Kc6 Be1 71. Kb5 Kc7 72. a5 Bd2 73. a6 Be3 74. Kc4 Ba7 75. Kd5 Bb8 76. Kd4 Ba7+ 77. Kd5 Bb8 78. Ke6 Kd8 79. Bb7 Ba7 80. Kd6 Bd4 81. Kc6 1 : 0.

Tigran Alexandrovich Gharamian vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo © Pierre Textoris/CapÉchecs

Dear Prudence

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Zhansaya Daniyarqyzy Abdumalik
4th Trophée KARPOV; Cap d’Agde, October 25, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Be3 c5 8. Qd2 0-0 9. Nf3 cxd4 10. cxd4 Bg4 11. Be2 Nc6 12. Rd1 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 e5 14. d5 Nd4 15. Bxd4 exd4 16. 0-0 Qd6. If, nonchalantly, 16. ... Rc8 then 17. g3 Rc3 18. Bg2 Qc7 19. f4 Rc2 (this is only making things worse) 20. Qd3 Rc3 21. Qb1 b6 22. e5 and White’s position looks imposing, Shipov – Ilinčić, IKO Chess Tournament, Belgrade 1992. 17. 17. Rfe1. Improvisation? For 17. g3 f5 see Hareux – Vareille, French Chess Championship Accession Tournament, Vichy 2000. 17. ... Rac8 18. Bg4 Rc4 19. f4 Qc5 20. Rc1. Consideration deserves 20. Kh1 Rc2 21. Rc1 Rxd2 22. Rxc5 Rxa2 23. d6 with a very unclear position.

20. ... f5. Here 20. ... d3+ 21. Kh1 b5 could have been more promising. 21. Rxc4 Qxc4 22. Rc1 Qb5 23. Bf3 fxe4 24. Bxe4 Qd7 25. g3 Re8 26. Qd3 Qe7 27. Re1 Qb4 28. Re2 Rc8 29. Kg2 Rc3 30. Qd2 Qd6 31. Qd1 b5 32. Bf3. Much wiser was 32. Rd2 Re3 33. Re2 Rc3 repeating the position and earning a draw. 32. ... Qc5. The Exchange sacrifice by 32. ... Rxf3! 33. Kxf3 Qxd5+ appears very promising (even if it should not win), and in any case, Zhansaya Daniyarqyzy would have risked anything. 33. Qe1 Re3 34. Rxe3 dxe3 35. Qd1 Qd4. Black decides to force a drawish ending with Bishops of opposite colour. 36. Qxd4 Bxd4 37. Be2 b4 38. Kf3 a5 39. Ke4 Bb6 40. d6 a4 41. d7 Kf8 42. d8=Q+ Bxd8 43. Kxe3 b3 44. Bc4 Bb6+ 45. Kd2 bxa2 46. Bxa2 Bg1 47. Ke2 Ke7 48. h4 h5 49. Kf3 Kf6 50. g4 hxg4+ 51. Kxg4 Be3 52. Kf3 Bc1 53. Kg4 Bd2 ½ : ½.

What time is it?

• Alessio Marino, Windows: il supporto al fuso orario della Corea del Nord arriverà il 20 Ottobre, tech.everyeye.it, October 12, 2015

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, accompanied by his wife Ri Sol-ju who is seated to his right, attend a performance of the Chongbong band at a theatre in Pyongyang, North Korea. Photo: KNS/AFP/Getty.

The Remains of the Life

Migrants and refugees board a train heading to Serbia from the Macedonian town of Gevgelija, on the Greek border. It was reported that 10,000 people crossed from Macedonia into Serbia last Sunday night and headed north to the Croatian border. The EU has called a mini summit with Balkan countries on the crisis as Slovenia became the latest state to buckle under the number of refugees desperate to reach northern Europe before winter. Photo: Robert Atanasovski/Images.

Замороженный йогурт (Frozen yogurt)

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Trophée Anatoly Karpov; Cap d’Agde, October 24, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D77

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 d5 5. Bg2 dxc4 6. Na3 c3 7. bxc3 0-0 8. 0-0 c5 9. Qb3 Nc6 10. Rd1 Na5 11. Qb2 Bf5 12. h3. Varying from 12. Bf4 Qb6 as in Karpov – M. Muzychuk, 2nd Trophée Anatoly Karpov, Cap d’Agde 2013. 12. ... Rc8 13. Bd2 Qb6 14. Qxb6 axb6 15. Be1 Rfd8 16. e3 Be4 17. Ng5 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 h6 19. Nf3 Ne4 20. Rab1 cxd4 21. cxd4 Nc3 22. Bxc3 Rxc3 23. Nb5 Rc2 24. a3 Nc4 25. Kg1 Nd6 26. Nxd6 Rxd6 27. Rdc1 Rxc1+ 28. Rxc1 Rc6 29. Rb1 e6 30. a4. Karpov has kept a lasting initiative by skillful, quiet maneuvers, in his best style. 30. ... f6 31. Kg2 Bf8 32. g4 Bd6 33. Rb5 Kf7

34. h4. Another tempting way of squeezing Black is 34. d5 exd5 35. Nd4 when White recovers his Pawn with interest. 34. ... Bc7 35. h5 Rc4 36. a5 bxa5 37. Rxb7 gxh5 38. gxh5 Ke7 39. Nd2 Rc2 40. Ne4 f5? This looks like the losing move. Black should have played 40. ... Rc4 since after 41. Kf3 f5 42. Nc5 Kd6 43. Ra7 Bb6 44. Nb7+ (the main point is that Black can now reply to 44. Ra6 with 44. ... Kc6) 44. ... Kd5 45. Ra6 Rb4 46. Nxa5 Rb5 47. Nb7 e5 White’s extra Pawn is very difficult to convert into a win. 41. Nc5 Kd6 42. Ra7 Bb6 43. Ra6 Rxc5. Black, nolens volens, must sacrifice the Exchange, since 43. ... Kc6 fails to 44. Na4. 44. dxc5+ Kxc5 45. Kf3 Kb5. Objectively speaking, Black has not sufficient compensation for the Exchange, and after the comparatively better 45. ... Kc6 (threatening to trap the Rook by ... Kc6-b7) 46. Ra8 Kb7 47. Rg8 a4 48. Ke2 a3 49. Kd3 f4 50. exf4 Bxf2 51. Kc2 White also wins in a similar manner to the text. 46. Ra8 a4 47. Ke2 e5 48. Kd3 e4+ 49. Kc2 f4 50. exf4 Bxf2 51. Re8 e3 52. f5 e2 53. Rxe2 Bd4 54. Re4 Kc4 55. Rxd4+ 1 : 0.

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov vs. Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: Europe Échecs.

It’s Never Easy

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Trophée KARPOV; Cap d’Agde, October 24, 2015
French Defence C15

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2 dxe4 5. a3 Be7 6. Nxe4 Nf6 7. N2g3 0-0 8. c3 Nbd7 9. Bd3 c5 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. Nxc5. If 11. Nxf6+ then 11. ... Kh8 12. Bxh7 Qxd1+ 13. Kxd1 Rd8+ as in Hajnal – Broomfield, Budapest 2003. 11. ... Bxc5 12. 0-0. Or 12. Bg5 Be7 13. Qe2 Nd5 as in Berg – González Menéndez, 30th European Junior Chess Championship, Avilés 2000. 12. ... b6 13. Ne4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 Ba6 15. Bxa8 Bxf1 16. Qxd8 Rxd8 17. Kxf1 Rxa8 18. Ke2 Kf8 19. a4 Ke7 20. b4 Bd6 21. a5 b5 22. a6 Kd7 23. Be3 Kc6 24. g4 Bc7 25. Rd1 Rc8 26. Bd4. Obviously, if 26. Bxa7 then 26. ... Ra8 27. Bd4 e5 with an absolutely equal position. 26. ... g6? This weakens the dark squares enormously. It seems to me that after 26. ... f6 Black would have had no problems at all. 27. h4 Bb6 28. Bf6 Rg8 29. Rd3 h5? Black does not stand at all well, but this move makes things even worse. 29. ... Re8 30. f4 Bc7 31. Kf3 appears a lesser evil. 30. g5 Re8 31. f4 Bc7 32. Be5! Rb8

33. Ke3? Apparently, Mariya Olehivna lets her sister slip away. The right way is 33. Bxc7! Kxc7 34. Kf3 Rb6 35. Ke4 Rxa6 36. Ke5 and White’s King decisively penetrates. 33. ... Rb6? But Anna totally overlooks her saving clause: after 33. ... Bxe5! 34. fxe5 Rb6 35. Ke4 Rxa6 36. Rd6+ Kb7 37. Rd7+ Kc6 38. Rxf7 Ra1 Black should be able to hold her own. 34. Ke4. Black is not given a second chance! 34. ... Rxa6 35. Bxc7 Kxc7 36. Ke5. The rest is easy. 36. ... Ra3. The editor of Шахи.укр (Shakhy.ukr) calls this “a fatal mistake”, recommending instead 36. ... Rc6 37. Kf6 e5+ 38. Kxf7, but after 38. ... exf4 39. Rf3 Black’s game looks hopeless anyway. 37. Kf6 a5 38. bxa5 b4 39. Rd4 Rxa5 40. Kxf7 bxc3 41. Rc4+ Kd6 42. Rxc3 Rf5+ 43. Kxg6 Rxf4 44. Kxh5 e5 45. g6 Ke6 46. Kg5 Rf1 47. h5 Rg1+ 48. Kh6 e4 49. g7 Kf7 50. Rc7+ Kf6 51. Kh7 1 : 0.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk (left) vs. Anna Olehivna Muzychuk (right). Photo © Pierre Textoris/CapÉchecs

Daylight saving time

On the desert sands, by the autumn sea

Photo: Isadora Duncan

Закон Ома (Ohm’s law)

Tigran Alexandrovich Gharamian – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Trophée Anatoly Karpov; Cap d’Agde, October 23, 2015
Sicilian Defence B45

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. e5 Nd5 8. Ne4 Qa5+ 9. c3 Qc7 10. f4 Qb6 11. Bd3 Be7 12. Qe2 f5. The two sisters must separate: 12. ... Rb8 13. a3 a5 14. c4 f5 15. exf6 Nxf6 16. Rb1 Nxe4 17. Bxe4 Qd4 18. b3 d5 19. Bd3 Bf6 20. Be3 Qc3+ 21. Bd2 Qd4 22. cxd5 Qxd5 23. 0-0 Rxb3 24. Rxb3 Qxb3 25. f5 Qxa3 26. fxe6 Qc5+ 27. Kh1 Qe5 28. Be4 Bxe6 29. Bxc6+ Ke7 30. Qa6 Rd8 31. Bxa5 Rc8 32. Re1 Qxa5 33. Qxa5 Rxc6 34. Qa7+ Kf8 35. h3 Bc8 36. Qa8 Rc7 37. Qd5 Bb7 38. Qd6+ 1 : 0 余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – A. O. Muzychuk, 76th Tata Steel Challengers Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2014. 13. exf6 Nxf6 14. Be3 Qc7 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. 0-0-0 Qa5 17. a3 Rb8 18. Qc2 Ba6 19. Rhe1 Bb5 20. Bxb5 Rxb5 21. Bd4 Qc7 22. c4 Rb7 23. g3 Bxd4 24. Rxd4 c5 25. Rd3 0-0 26. Red1

26. ... Rfb8!? Muzychuk bravely decides to give Queen and Pawn for two Rooks. Maybe she was afraid she could not withstand the consequences of 26. ... Rf7 27. Rd6 when White would have exerted sustained pressure on her position. 27. Rxd7 Qxd7 28. Rxd7 Rxd7 29. Qe4 Rb6 30. Qe5 Rc6 31. f5 Re7 32. f6 gxf6 33. Qxf6 Rd7 34. Kc2 a6 35. Kc3 Rb7 36. b4 cxb4+ 37. axb4 Rbc7 38. Kb3 Rd7 39. c5 Rf7 40. Qg5+ Kf8 41. Qd8+ Kg7 42. Qg5+ Kf8 43. Qd8+ Kg7 44. Qe8 Rfc7 45. Ka4 Kf6 46. g4 Kg5 47. h3 Kf4 48. Qh5 e5 49. g5 e4 50. Qg4+ Ke3 51. Qg3+ Kd2 52. Qf2+ Kd3 53. Qf1+ Kd2 54. Qf2+ Kd3 55. Kb3 e3 56. Qc2+ Kd4 57. Qc4+ Ke5 58. Kc3 a5 59. Qd4+? Here Gharamian misses a very elegant win: 59. Kd3! (threat: Qc4-e4 mate) 59. ... Kf5 60. h4 (again threatening Qc4-e4 mate) 60. ... Kg6 61. Qe4+ Kh5 62. g6! hxg6 63. Qf4 finis. 59. ... Kf5 60. Qxe3 axb4+ 61. Kxb4 Rxc5 62. Qxc5+ Rxc5 63. Kxc5 Kxg5 64. Kd4 Kh4 65. Ke3 Kxh3 66. Kf4 ½ : ½. Well, Muzychuk secured a prestigious – if not easy! – draw.

Tigran Alexandrovich Gharamian vs. Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: Europe Échecs.

Capsizing

Zhansaya Daniyarqyzy Abdumalik – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Trophée Anatoly Karpov; Cap d’Agde, October 23, 2015
Spanish C92

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Nd7 10. d4 Bb7 11. Nbd2 exd4 12. cxd4 Bf6 13. Nf1 Na5 14. Bc2 Re8 15. Ng3 g6 16. Rb1 c5 17. b3 Nc6 18. d5 Nce5 19. Nh2 c4! For 19. ... Nb6 see Drenchev – Scripcaru, 30th International Open, Teteven 2015. 20. f4 Nd3 21. Bxd3 cxd3 22. Nf3 h5 23. b4 a5 24. a3 axb4 25. axb4 Nb6 26. Qxd3 Nc4 27. Kh2 Ra2. The powerful position of Black’s forces fully compensates Anna for the sacrificed Pawn. 28. Nf1 Bh4 29. Rd1 Bf2 30. N1d2? Ne3 31. Rh1

31. ... Qf6? A grave miscalculation. After 31. ... h4! 32. Rg1 (what else?) 32. ... Qf6 Black’s attack looks overwhelming. 32. g3 Rc8? 33. Qe2 Nxd5? Anna should have tried try to complicate things with 33. ... Bxg3+ 34. Kxg3 h4+ 35. Nxh4 Rc3. The rest of the game is quite crazy: 34. exd5 Ba7 35. Qe4 h4 36. Rf1 Rc4 37. Qe1 hxg3+ 38. Qxg3 Bxd5 39. Qg5 Qc3 40. Qxd5 Qe3 41. Kh1 Rcc2 42. Qe4 d5 43. Qxe3 Bxe3 44. Nb3 Bb6 45. Ra1 Rxa1 46. Nxa1 Rc4 47. Bd2 d4 48. Ne5 Rc7 49. Rc1 f6 50. Rxc7 Bxc7 51. Nxg6 Kf7 52. Nh4 Ke6 53. Nb3 Kd5 54. Kg2 Kc4 55. Nc5 Kd5 1 : 0.

Zhansaya Daniyarqyzy Abdumalik vs. Anna Muzychuk
Photo: Europe Échecs (@EuropeEchecs)

King Kong

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Laurent Fressinet
4th Trophée Anatoly Karpov; Cap d’Agde, October 23, 2015
Scotch Game C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qf6 5. Nb5 Bc5 6. Qe2 Bb6 7. N1c3 Nge7 8. Be3 Ba5 9. 0-0-0 a6 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 axb5 12. Bd4+ Qe7 13. dxc6 bxc6 14. Bxg7 Rg8 15. Be5. Another, possibly more interesting, try is 15. Bf6 Qxe2 16. Bxe2 Rxg2 17. Rhg1 with better chances of compensation for the Pawn, A. Kogan – Jonkman, 3rd Torneo Internacional, Bajada de la Virgen 2005. 15. ... d5 16. Bg3 Qxe2 17. Bxe2 Bf5 18. Bd3 Bg6 19. c3 Kd7 20. Kc2 Bb6 21. a3 Rae8 22. Rhe1 Bxd3+ 23. Kxd3 c5 24. f3 c4+ 25. Kc2 c6 26. Re4 Re6 27. a4 bxa4 28. Rxc4 Re2+ 29. Kb1 Bf2 30. Re4 Rxe4 31. fxe4 Bxg3 32. hxg3 Rxg3 33. exd5 Rxg2 34. dxc6+ Kxc6 35. Rh1 f5 36. Rxh7 Kd5. White has recovered her Pawn, but Black’s King, having much greater mobility, makes the difference.

37. Ra7. This may seem a loss of time, but perhaps no. In any case, after 37. Rf7 Ke4 38. Re7+ Kf3 39. c4 White would have retained definite chances of a draw. 37. ... f4 38. Rxa4 f3 39. Rf4 f2 40. Ka2 Ke5 41. Rf8 Ke4 42. Kb3 Ke3 43. c4? Here White throws away the game. It seems to us that 43. Re8+! Kd3 44. Rf8 Ke2 45. Kc4 should draw easily. 43. ... Rg3 44. Rxf2 Kxf2+ 45. Kb4 Ke3 46. Kb5 Kd4 47. b4 Rg8 48. c5 Ke5 0 : 1.

Mariya Muzychuk vs. Laurent Fressinet
Photo: Europe Échecs (@EuropeEchecs)

Gratis versus libre

The French President, François Hollande, addresses reporters with the Greek Prime Minister, Alexīs Tsipras in Athens, Greece. Photo: Yannis Kolesidis/EPA.

Le Jour et la Nuit

From left: Anna Muzychuk, Bachar Kouatly, and Mariya Muzychuk. Photo: Europe Échecs (@EuropeEchecs).

From left: Anna Muzychuk, Mariya Muzychuk, and fifteen-year-old Kazakhstani chess prodigy Zhansaya Daniyarqyzy Abdumalik. Photo: Europe Échecs (@EuropeEchecs).

The opening ceremony of the 13èmes Rencontres d’Échecs du Cap d’Agde that welcomed all the participants, still waiting for 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov. Photo: Europe Échecs (@EuropeEchecs).

Come on, Hillary: forgive ’em all

Washington, United States: Former Secretary of State and Democratic Presidential hopeful Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton testifies before the House Select Committee on Benghazi. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images.

Workers of the world, unite!

Chequers, United Kingdom: British Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President 习近平 (Xí Jìnpíng) enjoy a pint in the local pub. Photo: Andy Rain/EPA.

The Midnight Man

• Margaret Myers, How Patti Smith’s midnight encounter with Bobby Fischer sparked an “abstract friendship”, PBS NewsHour, October 23, 2015

Fist pump

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik – Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov
31st European Chess Club Cup; Skopje, October 22, 2015
Queen’s Indian Defence E14

As usual, Kramnik and Topalov both refuse to shake hands out of hate for each other. Furthermore, everyone here in Skopje says the playing hall is too dark, but Topalov didn’t let Kramnik use an extra table lamp, as he had been allowed two days ago. Vladimir Borisovich, however, just smiled and said: “That’s okay, I’m even better in blindfold!”. 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3. “I played this in Rapid & Blitz but maybe he didn’t notice. It’s my new way of playing with White – just trying to get a game!”, then Kramnik said. 3. ... c5 4. Bd3 b6 5. 0-0 Bb7 6. c4 cxd4 7. exd4 Be7 8. Nc3 d5 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Ne5 0-0 11. Qg4 f5 12. Qe2 Bf6 13. Bc4 Re8 14. Rd1 Nd7 15. Bb5! Much more to the point than the colourless alternative 15. Bxd5 exd5 16. Bf4 Nf8 17. Qd3 g5 18. Qg3 Ne6 19. Nd3 Bxd4 20. Re1 ½ : ½ Zsu. Polgár – Bischoff, 18th Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Dortmund 1990. 15. ... Bxe5 16. dxe5 Qe7 17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. Qh5 g6 19. Qh6 Rec8 20. Bg5 Qf7 21. Bxd7 Qxd7 22. Bf6 Qf7 23. b3 Qf8 24. Qf4 Rc2

25. h4! Now Vladimir Borisovich gets the initiative. 25. ... Rac8 26. h5 Qe8 27. Rd3! “Kramnik getting in a slo-mo Kingside assault on Topalov!”, Jaideep Unudurti said. 27. ... R2c3 28. Rad1 gxh5? A very nervous move – a serious blunder indeed – but Black’s task was not easy in any case. Whatever it is, now Kramnik storms in with: 29. Rxd5! exd5 30. e6! Poor Topalov! 30. ... R3c7 31. Rxd5 Qxe6 32. Qg5+ Kf8 33. Rxf5 Rf7 34. Qh6+ Ke8 35. Re5 Rc6 36. Qxh5 1 : 0. A magnificent display of chess talent by 14th World Champion Kramnik.

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik vs. Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov
Photo: Chess-News.ru

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Il Sole in Una Stanza

“Il Sole in Una Stanza” ™ © Mado Flynn

Through the Wormhole

Miratovac, Serbia: A child peers through a scarf after crossing the Macedonian-Serbian border. Photo: Armend Nimani/AFP/Getty Images.