Краще прийти на три години раніше, ніж на хвилину спізнитися

Virineya Bayros ‏(@Virineya)

There is no need to spell it all out — this is the secret of arousing... Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin Translation by Joseph Thomas Shaw

When Calls the Heart

Sight without glasses

Virineya Bayros ‏(@Virineya)

He read between the lines as printed; In spirit, though, his eyes were glimpsing Some other lines; he was immersed Deeply in these lines from the first. Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, “Eugene Onegin” Translation by Anthony Briggs

Limelight

Slavutich, Ukraine: People light candles near the memorial to the workers who died during the clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster. Photo: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA.

How to react when a girl says “Sorry I can’t accept your dinner invitation”

Hillary Clinton

Garry Kimovich Kasparov (@Kasparov63)

Strike for Dignity

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Olga Alexandrovna Girya
Women’s Grand Prix 2015–2016; 3rd stage; Batumi, April 26, 2016
Caro-Kann Defence B10

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e5 Ne4 5. Ne2 Qb6 6. d4 e6 7. Nfg1 f6 8. f3 Ng5 9. exf6 gxf6 10. f4 Nf7 11. Nf3 Be7 12. Ng3 c5 13. f5 Nc6 14. fxe6!?TN Bxe6 15. Bd3 0-0-0 16. Bf5 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 cxd4 18. 0-0 d3+ 19. Kh1 dxc2 20. Qxc2+. After very long thought. 20. ... Kb8 21. Bf4+ Ne5 22. Rae1 Bxf5 23. Nxf5 Bd6 24. Nxd6 Qxd6 25. Qf5 Rde8 26. Bg3. White has good compensation for the Pawn. 26. ... Re6 27. Bh4 Rhe8 28. Rd1 a6 29. Qxh7 Ka8 30. Qf5 Rf8. 30. ... d4 31. Bxf6 Nc6 is unbalanced and unclear, but it appears to offer better chances of holding. 31. Rd4 Ree8 32. Rfd1 Nc6 33. Rxd5 Ne7? The immediate 34. ... Qb4 was called for; in that case White should most likely have contented herself with 35. Qf2 relaying on her extra Pawn to eventually secure a laborious win. 34. Qd7! Muzychuk is now a Pawn ahead and dominates the board, but what ever will happen in the time scramble? 34. ... Qb4 35. R5d4 Qxb2. 35. ... Qb6 36. Bf2 is no better. 36. Bxf6. Even stronger is 36. Re4! and Black gets in zugzwang for if 36. ... Qa3 then 37. Bf2 finis. 36. ... Nc6. Both players were in serious time trouble. More stubborn was 36. ... Nc8, although after 37. Bg7! Qf2 (37. ... Rg8 38. Qf7 Qc2 39. h3 makes no much difference) 38. h3 White is up a Pawn and has a far superior position.

37. Qxe8+! Muzychuk finally decides to stop her strike for dignity! 37. ... Rxe8 38. Rd8+ Nxd8 39. Bxb2 Nc6 40. h4 Re2 41. Bg7 Rxa2 42. Rd5 Ra4 43. h5 Kb8 44. h6 Ne7 45. Rh5 Kc7 46. h7 Ng6 47. Rh6 Rg4 48. Bf6 1 : 0.

Muzychuk vs. Girya. Photo: Chess-News.ru (‏@Chess__News).

The Proud Family

Anna Muzychuk – Almira Skripchenko
Women’s Grand Prix; third stage; Batumi, April 26, 2016
Sicilian Defence B32

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 Be7 8. Nc4 b5 9. Ne3 Nf6 10. Bd3 Nb4 11. Be2 Be6 12. a3 Nc6 13. Ned5 Nd4 14. Bd3 0-0 15. Be3 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Bg5 7. c3 Bxe3 18. Nxe3 Nc6 19. 0-0 Ne7 20. a4 bxa4 21. Rxa4 a5 22. Bc4 Bd7 23. Ra2 Bc6 24. Qd3 Qc7 25. b3 h6 26. f3 Kh8 27. Rd1 Rad8 28. Rda1 Ra8 29. Kh1 f5. Skripchenko becomes impatient and ends up making matters still worse. 30. exf5 d5 31. Bxd5 Bxd5 32. Nxd5 Nxd5 33. Qxd5 Qxc3 34. h3 Rad8 35. Qxa5 Qxb3 36. Qxe5 Rd5 37. Qe6. Europe Échecs’ editor-in-chief Grandmaster Bachar Kouatly writes: “The opening battle in the Sicilian Kalashnikov between Anna Muzychuk and Almira Skripchenko was intense, and they both spent a lot of time on it. Everything was finally settled when approaching the time control. [Now], in an already difficult situation, Almira played”: 37. ... Qb5

38. f6! The elder sister concludes in style. 38. ... Rxf6 39. Ra8+ Kh7 40. Qg8+ Kg6 41. R8a7 Rd7 42. Qe8+ Rff7 43. Qe4+ 1 : 0. “On 43. ... Qf5 (If 43. ... Rf5 44. Rxd7 Qxd7 45. g4 wins a Rook. If, instead, 43. ... Kg5 44. h4+ Kf6 45. R1a6+ soon mating. Finally, if 43. ... Kh5 44. Qg4 mate) 44. R1a6+ Kh7 45. Qxf5+ Rxf5 46. Rxd7 also wins a Rook”, Kouatly pointed out.

Anna Muzychuk (R.) vs. Almira Skripchenko (L.)
Photo: Chess-News.ru ‏(@Chess__News)

Diorama

Specs appeal: the U.S. President, Barack Obama, tests virtual reality goggles during a tour of the Hannover Messe industrial technology trade fair in Hannover, Germany. Photo: Christian Charisius/AP.

The hardest game to win is a won game

Chess-News.ru (‏@Chess__News)

Garry Kimovich Kasparov: “The match 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) vs. Mariya Muzychuk looked like a one-way door. There is nothing to talk about, it was a too easy victory”.

Lullaby

Risi nescio quem modo e corona, qui, cum mirifice Vatiniana meus crimina Calvus explicasset, admirans ait haec manusque tollens: ‘Di magni, salaputium disertum!’ I laughed at someone in court lately Who, when my Calvus gave a splendid Account of all Vatinius’ crimes, With hands raised in surprise announced ‘Great Gods, the squirt’s articulate!’ Vuoi ridere? Poco fa, accusandolo in tribunale, il mio Calvo inchioda Vatinio ai suoi delitti: entusiasta uno del pubblico si sbraccia e grida: ‘Gran Dio, che oratore quel cazzetto!’

Gaius Valerius Catullus, LIII
English translation by Guy Lee
Italian translation by Mario Ramous

The Way Back Home

Akshat Chandra – Fabiano Caruana
60th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 25, 2016
Spanish C88

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 b4 9. d4 0-0 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Nbd2 Bc5 12. a5. For 12. Qe2 Bg4 13. h3 Bh5 14. c3 Na5 15. g4 Bg6 16. Bc2 bxc3 17. bxc3 Nd5 18. Nb1 Nf4 see Grischuk – Caruana, Makedonia Palace Grand Prix (4th stage), Thessaloniki 2013. 12. ... h6 13. Bc4 Bb7. For 13. ... Be6 14. Qe2 Nd4 15. Nxd4 Bxc4 16. Nxc4 Bxd4 17. Be3 Re8 18. f3 Nh5 19. g3 Qg5 20. Kf1 Qf6 21. Rad1 Rad8 22. Rd2 g5 23. Red1 see Howell – M. Adams, PokerStars IoM Chess Tournament, Douglas 2014. 14. c3 Qd6 15. Qe2 Rad8 16. Nf1 Ne7 17. Ng3 Ng6 18. Be3 bxc3. I wonder if the immediate 18. ... Bxe3 19. Qxe3 Qc6 was safer – the answer depends upon the groundness of next remark. 19. bxc3. The zwischenzug 19. Rad1! appears more embarassing for Black, since after 19. ... Qc6 20. Bxf7+! Kxf7 21. Qc4+ Qe6 22. Qxc5 White should win at least a Pawn. 19. ... Bxe3 20. Qxe3 Qc6 21. Bf1 Bc8 22. h3 Be6 23. Reb1 Nd7 24. Rb4 Kh7 25. Rab1 Qc5 26. Bxa6 Qxa5 27. Bf1 Qc5 28. Qxc5 Nxc5 29. Bc4. Here 29. Rb5 probably gave White better chances of survival.

29. ... Nd3! Caruana immediately jumps to his young opponent’s feet. 30. Ra4 Ngf4 31. Ne1 Nxe1 32. Rxe1 Rd2! Fabi is biting hard; Black is about to invade his opponent’s second rank with both Rooks. 33. Bf1. After this White’s spaces become more and more cramped, but 33. Nf1 Rc2 would be hardly better. 33. ... Rb8 34. Rb4 Ra8 35. Rb7 Raa2 36. Nh1. Alas, it’s not the Knight of Aron Nimzowitsch! 36. ... c5 37. Rc7 Ra5 38. Ng3 Rc2 39. c4 g6 40. Rb1 Kg7 41. Rcb7 Raa2. The cat and mouse play. 42. Nh1 Bxc4 43. Bxc4 Rxc4 44. Re7 Rb4 45. Rd1 Rd4 46. Rb1 Ne6 47. Rbb7 Nd8 48. Rbc7 Kf6 49. f4 Rd1+ 50. Kh2 exf4 51. e5+ Kg5 52. Rxc5 Ne6 53. Rc3 Rdd2 0 : 1.

Fabiano Caruana has finally come back home!
Photo: Lennart Ootes

聘礼

李超 (Lǐ Chāo) – Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov
4th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, April 25, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D43

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. g3 Nd7 8. Bg2 dxc4 9. 0-0 Be7 10. Ne4 Qf5 11. Ned2 e5 12. e4 Qe6 13. Rc1 b5. For 13. ... exd4 14. Nxd4 Qf6 15. Nxc4 0-0 16. Nf5 Nb6 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Qd6 Qd8 19. Rfd1 Bg4 see Kramnik – Anand, 5th Classic KO, London 2013. 14. b3 c3 15. Rxc3 Bb7

16. d5! A very powerful Pawn sacrifice by 李超 (Lǐ Chāo), who suddenly feels the strength coming back to him. On the other hand, if 16. dxe5 then 16. ... c5 with equality. 16. ... cxd5 17. Rc7 Rb8 18. exd5 Bxd5 19. Re1 Rd8 20. Nd4 Qb6 21. Bxd5 Qxc7 22. Ne6 Qb6 23. Nxd8 Qxd8 24. Nf3 0-0 25. Bc6 Nf6 26. Qxd8 Bxd8 27. Nxe5. Peace after the storm. Topalov defended very well, even though he was a bit lucky because his moves were pretty forced. 27. ... Ba5 28. Re2 Rb8. The draw may well have been agreed within a few moves, but a warrior cannot indulge in lazy sweetness. 29. Kg2 Kf8 30. f4 Bc3 31. g4 Rb6 32. Bf3 Rd6 33. Nc6 a6 34. Nb8 Rb6 35. Nc6 Nxg4 36. Bxg4 Rxc6 37. Bd7 Rg6+ 38. Kf3 f5 39. Re8+ Kf7 40. Re3 Rd6 41. Be8+ Kf8 42. Bh5 g6 43. Bxg6 Rxg6 44. Rxc3 Rd6 45. Ke3 Kf7 46. a4 Re6+ 47. Kf3 bxa4 48. bxa4 Rb6 49. Ke3 Rb4 50. a5 Rb5 51. Rc7+ Kg8 52. Rc8+ Kg7 53. Rc7+ Kg8 54. Rc8+ Kg7 ½ : ½.

Former FIDE World Chess Champion Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov, ever more committed to his role of justitiarius errans, likes to show off his skill as a swordsman. Photo: Fiona Steil-Antoni.

李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
Photo: Rolf Haug/Matt & Patt

Desert Island

Anna Muzychuk – Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
Women’s Grand Prix; third stage; Batumi, April 25, 2016
Sicilian Defence B66

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. 0-0-0 h6 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bf4 d5 11. Qe3 Bb4 12. Be2 0-0 13. e5 Nh7 14. Ne4 f5. Kosteniuk varies from 14. ... Qh4 15. a3 Ba5 16. Nd6 Bb6 17. Qxb6 Qxf4+ 18. Qe3 Qxe3+ 19. fxe3 a5 as occurred against the same opponent two years before, A. Muzychuk – Kosteniuk, 30th European Women’s Club Cup, Bilbao 2014. 15. exf6. It is very likely a step into unknown territory. For 15. Nd6 Ng5 16. a3 Bxd6 17. exd6 Ne4 see Dobrowolski – Shishkin, 26th Józef Kochan Memorial, Koszalin 2015. 15. ... Nxf6 16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Be5 Bc5 18. Qc3 Qxf2 19. Bd3 Bd7 20. Rhf1. Anna launches herself into a one-way attack which implies the sacrifice of a second Pawn. 20. ... Be3+ 21. Kb1 Qxg2 22. Qb4 c5. Kosteniuk knows very well the variation as Black, and it’s not easy to take her by surprise. 23. Qb7 Bb5

24. Rf7. Very Lasker-like gamble. Objectively speaking, it’s not satisfactory, but the priority line listed by most chess engines, viz. 24. Rfe1 Bf2 25. Rd2 eventually followed by Be5-g3, doesn’t look so appealing, too. 24. ... Rxf7 25. Qxa8+ Rf8 26. Bh7+ Kxh7 27. Qxf8. That’s the position she was aiming for. However, we much prefer Black, who has two Pawns for the Exchange, two powerful Bishops and plenty of initiative. 27. ... Qg4! 28. Rh1. Not 28. Re1?? Bd2 29. Rh1 Qg2 and the Rook is lost. 28. ... Qg2. Kosteniuk contents herself with a draw by repetition. Apparently, 28. ... d4 29. Qe7 d3! seemed to offer her excellent prospects for a dynamic advantage. 29. Rd1 Qg4 30. Rh1 Qg2 ½ : ½.

Here are the participants in the Women’s Grand Prix enjoying their free day. It happened yesterday in Batumi, Georgia. All photo by Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich.

保全

北京 (Běijīng), China: Security personnel take a nap behind one of the halls of the Auto China show. Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters.

Pawn promotes to Queen

叶诗雯 (Carissa Yip) – Irina Borisivna Krush
56th U.S. Women’s Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 24, 2016
Sicilian Defence B43

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Bd3 Nf6 7. 0-0 d6 8. f4 Nbd7 9. Kh1 Be7 10. Qe2 0-0 11. Bd2 Nc5 12. Rae1 Nxd3 13. cxd3 b5. For 13. ... Qb6 14. Nb3 Qd8 15. d4 d5 see Parma – Gligorić, 20th Anniversary of Liberation of Belgrade, Belgrade 1964. 14. Rc1 Qd7 15. g4 Bb7 16. g5 Ne8 17. f5. Maybe too committal. 17. ... b4 18. Nd1 e5 19. Nf3 d5 20. Nf2 f6 21. gxf6. 21. g6 h6 leads nowhere. 21. ... Nxf6 22. Nxe5 Qb5 23. Neg4 dxe4 24. Nxf6+ Bxf6 25. Nxe4 Rfe8 26. Rce1 Rad8 27. Rf3 Rxd3? Krush’s hallucinations begin. After 27. ... Kh8 Black is up a Pawn and her Bishops dominate the board. 28. Qxd3 Qxd3? It was not too late to seek salvation by 28. ... Rxe4 29. Qxb5 Rxe1+ 30. Kg2 axb5 31. Bxe1 Bxb2 32. Bxb4 Kf7 33. Kf2 Bxf3 34. Kxf3 Kf6 with a draw in sight. 29. Rxd3 Rxe4 30. Kg1 31. Rg3 Rd4 32. Bg5 Bxg5 33. Rxg5 Kf7 34. Kf2 Bd5 35. b3 a5 36. Ke3 Re4+ 37. Kd2 Rd4+ 38. Ke3 Re4+ 39. Kd2 Rd4+ 40. Kc1 Kf6 41. Reg1 Rh4 42. Rxg7 Rxh2 43. Kb1 a4 44. Rd7 Be4+ 45. Ka1 axb3 46. axb3 h5? Krush fought long and strenuosly, but now she goes badly wrong. With 46. ... Bc2 Black would have kept excellent drawing chances. 47. Rf1! Rh1! 48. Rd6+! Kg7 49. f6+ Kf7 50. Rd7+! Kg6. On 50. ... Ke8 51. f7+! wins. 51. Rg7+ Kh6 52. Rxh1 Bxh1. Now Irina was most likely hoping for 53. Rg1 Bd5, but...

53. Rg5!! A pretty pointe. 1 : 0. For after 53. ... Kxg5 54. f7 the Pawn promotes.

Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (@CCSCSL)

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Broadway

Fabiano Caruana – Gataulla Rustemovich Kamsky
60th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 24, 2016
Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. 0-0 Bg7 6. Re1 d6 7. e5 dxe5 8. Nxe5 Qc7 9. d4!? Maybe a novelty. For 9. Qe2 Be6 10. d3 Nf6 11. h3 Nd5 12. Na3 0-0 see Leventić – Zelenika, 16th Croatian Team Chess Championship, Šibenik 2007. 9. ... cxd4 10. Qxd4 Nf6 11. Nc3 Be6 12. Qc5 Rc8 13. Bf4 Qb7 14. Na4 0-0 15. Qa3 Qa6 16. Nd3 Bf5 17. Ndc5 Qc4 18. Be5 Rfd8 19. c3 Rd2 20. Qb4 Qxb4 21. cxb4 Rcd8 22. Bc3 Rc2. White’s position is all but easy, and furthermore Caruana is dangerously short of time. 23. h3

23. ... h5! Kamsky doesn’t hesitate to give up a Pawn for penetrating on the second rank (the seventh, from his point of view). 24. a3. If 24. Rxe7 then 24. ... Nd5 25. Rxa7 Nxc3 26. bxc3 Rdd2 and White can seriously start worrying for his future. 24. ... h4 25. Rxe7. Alea iacta est! 25. ... Nd5 26. Rd1 Ra8 27. Bxg7!? Fabi sacrifices the Exchange, after a few minutes of tought. It appears a risky gamble, especially in time shortage. Apparently, the consequences of 27. Ree1 Nxc3 28. bxc3 a5 looked tenable for White. 27. ... Nxe7 28. Bf6 Nd5 29. Bxh4 Re8 30. b5! Searching for maximum activity. 30. ... cxb5 31. Rxd5 bxa4 32. Bf6 Rc4 33. Bc3 Rc8 34. Nd7 Rxc3! Even if almost forced, it is the best solution. 35. bxc3 Rxc3 36. g4 Bxd7. Played almost instantly. The philosophical alternative was 36. ... Be6 37. Rd4 Rxa3 38. Nc5 Bb3 trying to capitalize on the extra Pawn in the endgame of Rook and Bishop vs. Rook and Knight. 37. Rxd7 Rxh3 38. Rxa7 Rxa3. Now the ending is drawn, and Caruana, of course, knows how to draw it. 39. g5 Ra1+ 40. Kg2 Kf8 41. Kf3 a3 42. Kf4 Ra2 43. Kg3 Ke8 44. Kf3 Ra1 45. Kf4 Kd8 46. Rxf7 Rf1 47. Ra7 Rxf2+ 48. Kg3 Ra2 49. Ra6 Ra1 50. Kg2 a2 51. Ra8+ Kc7 52. Ra7+ Kb6 53. Ra8 Kb5 54. Rb8+ Kc4 55. Rc8+ Kd3 56. Rd8+ Ke3 57. Ra8 Kf4 58. Ra5 Kg4 59. Kh2 Kf3 60. Ra3+ ½ : ½.

Fabiano Caruana. Photo: Lennart Ootes.

Nothing else matters but love

Pentala Harikrishna – 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
4th Altibox Norway Chess; Stavanger, April 24, 2016
King’s Indian Defence E60

Yesterday 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) forgot all about his secret love’s dilemmas and enjoyed practising at target archery, so today he should feel like Superman. Well, almost officially :). 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. e4 Bg7 6. Ne2 0-0 7. Nec3 e5 8. g4!? Much more common is 8. Bg5; the text could well be a novelty. 8. ... h5 9. h3 Nh7 10. Be3 h4 11. Qd2 Bf6. Black’s position looks like an hybrid between King’s Indian Defence and the Old Benoni. 12. Rg1 Bg5 13. Bxg5 Qxg5 14. Nb5 Qe7 15. g5! Black must make up something quickly for avoiding a positional crush. 15. ... a6 16. N5c3 Nd7 17. Qg2 Kg7. Most chess engines urge for the very unclear line 17. ... f6 18. gxf6 Rxf6 19. Qf2 g5 20. Qxh4 Rxf3 21. Nd2 Kh8 followed by ... Rf3-f4, but 李超 (Lǐ Chāo) is understandably reluctant to bid farewell to the human race. 18. Nd2 f6 19. gxf6+ Qxf6 20. Nd1! Harikrishna demonstrates superb positional understanding. If 20. 0-0-0 there might follow 20. ... g5! with unclear consequences. 20. ... Rf7! 21. Nf2 Ndf8. After long thought. 22. Nd3 b5! Alternating defence and offense. 23. 0-0-0 g5?? That’s the hero’s “tragic flaw”. Correct was 23. ... Kh8!∞ in order to answer 24. f4!? by 24. ... exf4 25. e5 dxe5 26. Ne4 Qg7 and Black looks fine.

24. f4! Now this is devastating. 24. ... exf4 25. e5! Qf5. Also after 25. ... dxe5 26. Ne4 Qh6 27. Nxe5 Black’s position falls apart. 26. e6 f3 27. Qh2 Bxe6. What else? 28. dxe6 Qxe6 29. Nf2 Qe3 30. Ng4 Qf4 31. Qxf4 Rxf4 32. Nxf3! bxc4. On 32. ... Rxf3 33. Bg2 skewers two Rooks. 33. Ngh2 Ne6 34. Rxd6 Nd4 35. Rd7+ Kh8 36. Ne5 Nf8 37. Rf7 Re4 38. Rxg5 Rd8 39. Rxf8+ Rxf8 40. Ng6+ Kg7 41. Nxf8+ Kxf8 42. Rxc5 1 : 0.

Pentala Harikrishna and 李超 (Lǐ Chāo)
Photo © Jose Huwaidi 2016

He’s trying to find a way to invite her at dinner without her boyfriend’s permission

• Malcolm Bernard Pein, Chess legend Garry Kasparov to take on America’s top stars at blitz event, The Telegraph, April 19, 2016

Hillary Clinton

Garry Kimovich Kasparov (@Kasparov63)

Kindergarten

Myrsini, Greece: A child plays with a plastic create a few metres away from a summer resort sheltering nearly 350 Syrian refugees under the care of a Syria-born mayor. The LM Village resort had previously been abandoned for years and extensively looted, a side-effect of the economic crisis gripping Greece since 2010. Photo: Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images.

Mosaic

Draginovo, Bulgaria: Emilia Pechinkova, a Bulgarian Pomak (Bulgarian-speaking Muslim) bride poses following the “gelina” or face-painting ceremony carried out by female guests and relatives in preparation for her three-day wedding ceremony. Photo: Nikolay Doychinov/AFP/Getty Images.

The Boy in the Bubble

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – 王晨 (Wáng Chén)
51st Chinese Chess Championship; 兴化 (Xīnghuà), April 24, 2016
Sicilian Defence B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Be3 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. Kh1 0-0 11. Qe1 Bd7 12. Qg3 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Bc6 14. Rae1 b5 15. a3 Rae8 16. Bf3 Rd8. Back to where it should have gone in the first place. However, it is all theory, lost time included. 17. Re3 Qb7. After 17. ... g6 18. e5 Black must retreat the Knight, unless to ruin himself: 18. ... dxe5? 19. Bxe5 Qb6 20. Bxc6 Qxc6 21. Qh4 Nd5 22. Qxh7+! 1 : 0 Bernadskiy – Fedoseev, 6th Vasylyshyn Memorial, Lviv 2009. 18. Rfe1 g6 19. Qh3 Rfe8 20. Qh6 Bf8 21. Qg5 Nd7

22. Nd5! Qb8. Clearly not 22. ... exd5?? 23. exd5 and White will recover the piece with overwhelming effects. 23. Nf6+ Nxf6 24. Bxf6 Rc8 25. Bg4! Ba8? The losing move. Black could not afford the luxury to lose time anymore. It appears that 25. ... Qb7! (eyeing the e4-Pawn) would have offered the best counterchances. 26. Rh3! With the devastating threat of Qg5-h4. 26. ... Rc5 27. Qh4 h5. Or 27. ... h6 28. Qxh6! Bxh6 29. Rxh6 and mate in two moves. 28. b4! 1 : 0. White wins heavy material.

韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

α Cen

“Alpha Centauri” ™ © Mado Flynn

Handmade in Italy by Mado Flynn

The Firebird

Aleksandr Lenderman – Fabiano Caruana
60th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 23, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D31

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 c6 6. e3 Bf5 7. g4 Be6 8. h4 Nd7 9. g5. For 9. h5 Qb6 10. Rb1 Ngf6 11. f3 h6 see Botvnnik – Spassky, 75th Jubileum Vierkamp, Oegstgeest 1970. 9. ... h6 10. g6

10. ... f5!? Fabi’s Copernican novelty. “A long time ago I looked at it, like two years ago. And then I kind of stopped playing this variation. It’s not a great idea, doesn’t give Black anything special, just a slightly worse position. White can play h4-h5, f2-f3, Bf1-d3, Ng1-e2. [...] I had a feeling that the position would be complicated enough that I wouldn’t have so much to worry about. And it’s very difficult for White to keep control and improve his position. In my old analysis with Rustam Kasimdzhanov we decided Black should be able to defend. And if White gets ambitious, which I thought he might, then Black gets chances to win. [...] I had noticed that a few times in these closed maneuvering positions, [Lenderman] sometimes struggles. Just a thought”, then he said. For 10. ... fxg6 11. Bd3 Nf8 12. Nf3 Bf5 13. Ne5 Nf6 14. Rg1 see Caruana – Melkumyan, 11th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2012. 11. Bg3 Ngf6 12. Nh3 Nb6 13. Nf4 Bd7 14. f3 0-0 15. Kf2 Rc8 16. Bd3 c5 17. Kg2. It is not easy to discover when Alex actually started going wrong. Maybe now he should have played 17. Nce2. 17. ... cxd4 18. exd4 Bd6 19. Qb3 Kh8. “It looks like his King is chronically weak, and he has some tactical problems to solve”, Fabi said in the confessional. Indeed, Black is strongly threatening ... Nf6-e4 and it is not clear how to prevent it. 20. Bb5. Of course, this makes things worse, but 20. h5 Ne4! would cause White serious trouble anyway. 20. ... Bxf4 21. Bxf4 Nh5 22. Be5 Bxb5 23. Qxb5 Qf6 26. Kf2 Qxg6 27. Rg1. Desperation, but for Alex the situation was past recovery. In fact, White’s King is too exposed to survive the assault. 27. ... Qf6 28. Rh1 Nf4 29. Ke3 Ng6 30. Rxd5 Nxh4 31. Rd7 Qg5+ 32. Kd3 Nxf3 33. Rd1 Qg2. Intending ... f5-f4 followed by ... Rf8-e8-e3 mate. 34. Rxb7 Rfe8. Or vice versa. 35. Rc7. Afterwards Caruana said he was praying for 35. Qxf5 Qd2+!! 36. Rxd2 Ne1 mate. 35. ... Rb8 36. Qc6 Red8. The threat is 37. ... Rxd4+ 38. Ke3 f4 mate. 37. Kc4 Rxd4+ 38. Kc5 Rxd1 39. Nxd1 Qg1+ 40. Kc4 Qd4 mate.

Fabiano Caruana
Photo: Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (@CCSCSL)

Potty parity

• 侯逸凡不满赛制宣布退赛 称已忍了6年忍无可忍 | 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), dissatisfied with the Women’s World Chess Championship system, said she gave up Women’s Grand Prix after six years of suffering, sports.163.com, April 22, 2016

After three consecutive victories in the Women’s Grand Prix series, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), freshly recrowned with the sceptre she had renounced last year, decided to abandon the series circuit, without obviously precluding the possibility of her participation in the unisex chess tournaments. Apparently, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) was quickly getting more and more frustrated by the fact that International Chess Federation (FIDE) didn’t even consider her three written proposals aimed for changing the Women’s World Chess Championship alternating formats, which make her feel pushed beyond her tolerance limit. “I suffered for six years, and now I’m fed up!”, she said.
Of course, the proposal of equating men’s and women’s World Chess Championship systems is more than justified from a social and sporting point of view, if it is carried out in the best interests of all other female players too. As one doesn’t know the details, one can only wonder if the aim of collective women rights hopefully embedded in her “law reform” was clear to the recipient too, not necessarily his fault.

Chinese Chess Association (中国国际象棋协会) parade (from left): 余少腾 (Yú Shǎoténg), 田红卫 (Tián Hóngwèi), 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), and 叶江川 (Yè Jiāngchuān).

Stepping Out

Mariya Muzychuk – 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě)
Women’s Grand Prix; third stage; Batumi, April 23, 2016
Italian Game C54

1. e4. Starting over from the beginning. 1. ... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Rc1. An old try is 11. Re1 Nf4!? 12. Ne4? Bg4! 13. Qd2! Nh3+! 14. gxh3 Bxf3 15. d5! Ne5 16. Qf4! (Dubois – Steinitz, London 1862, match game 5) and now 11th World Chess Champion Robert James Fischer recommends 16. ... Nxc4 17. Qxf3 Nd6 with equality. 11. ... Nf6!? There is nothing wrong with it, but 11. ... Nb6 12. Bb3 Bg4 appears to be strategically more consistent, Minić – L. Portisch, Zonal Tournament, Halle 1967. 12. Qa4 Ne7 13. Ne5 c6 14. Qb3 Ned5 15. Rfe1. The alternative 15. Qf3 Nb6 doesn’t worry Black at all, Heimann – Moor, 16th Neckar Open, Deizisau 2012. 15. ... Qb6 16. Qxb6 axb6 17. f3 Ra4

18. Ne4. Mariya offers a (temporary) positional Pawn sacrifice to keep Black bottled up. 18. ... b5 19. Bb3 Rxd4 20. Nd6 Rd2 21. Rcd1 Rxd1 22. Rxd1 h5 23. h4. White insists in capitalizing on her slight dynamic advantage as recovering the Pawn by 22. Nxb5 Re8 would lead to a more or less equal position. 22. ... h5 23. h4 g6 24. Rd4. Intending g2-g4-g5 followed by a Knight sacrifice on f7. 24. ... Kg7 25. g4 hxg4 26. fxg4 c5. That’s the saving clause and, of course, 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) didn’t miss it. Now there follows a massive liquidation leading to a draw. 27. Rxd5 Nxd5 28. Bxd5 f6 29. Nef7 Bxg4 30. Nxb7 Rxf7 31. Bxf7 Kxf7 32. Nxc5 Ke7 33. a4 Kd6 34. b4 bxa4 35. Nxa4 g5 ½ : ½.

Mariya Muzychuk (R.) vs. 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) (L.)
Photo: Anastasiya Valeryevna Karlovich