Blest Are We

Virineya Bayros (‏@Virineya)

Good fortune doesn’t shine on all, Not all were born to wear a wreath, But blest who hears the subtle call Of loufty thought and poet’s speech! Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, To Zhukovsky English translation by James Falen

The Count of Monte Cristo

Today we received the following mail from Viola Rocchini, virtuoso dancer and ballet teacher of Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”: “Hello! I send you some pictures from Malta; the first three (from above) have been taken at Popeye Village, and the latter at the Blue Lagoon on the Comino island. Everything’s great here”. Photo courtesy of Viola Rocchini.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

• Harriet Sherwood and Vikram Dodd, “It’s war but not of religions”, says pope after killing of priest in France, The Guardian, July 27, 2016

[...] Francis said: “It’s war, we don’t have to be afraid to say this... A war of interests, for money, resources. I am not speaking of a war of religions. Religions don’t want war. The others want war”. [Read more].

Words Flower

Moscow, Russia: Athletes cross Red Square after laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a farewell ceremony for the Russian Olympic team. Photo: Sergei Chirikov/EPA.

Escape into the Labyrinth

將愛 王菲 (Wáng Fēi) 風風火火　轟轟烈烈 我們的愛情像一場戰爭 我們沒有流血 卻都已經犧牲 掩埋殉難的心跳 葬送一世英名 廢墟上的鷹　盤旋尋找殘羹 夜空中的精靈　注視遊魂背影 忽然一陣鐘聲　穿透黑鴉鴉的寂靜 歌頌這壯烈　還是嘲笑這神聖* #將愛進行到底　偉大是殘酷的衍生 將愛進行到底　沒有對錯的血腥# 重唱: * (#) # # 將愛進行到底 溫柔尚在　寂寞永生 To Love 王菲 (Faye Wong) Wind and fire Fiercely and passionately We struggled for love We did not shed blood Yet we’ve been sacrificed And buried in our living fame Like a dying heartbeat An eagle hovering over the ruins Rounds looking for leftovers Whirling in the night sky Its eyes stuck to the wandering elves Suddenly the sound of a bell Pierces the dark silence Like a hymn to heroica Or scorn of the soul’s hearth #Keep the love alive until the very end A love mercilessly reborn and renewed Keep the love alive until the very end No blood for blood# Repeat *# # Keep the love alive until the very end Lasting tenderness Loneliness for eternity

(English translation by Holden Caulfield)

Nineteen Eighty-Four

London, England: A visitor studies Edmund Clark’s Control Order House, a series of photographs of a house used for a Home Office-enforced control order, on display at the Imperial War Museum. Photo: Guy Bell/Shutterstock.

A Spider on the Stairs

Peter Shaw – Michael Adams
103rd British Chess Championship; Bournemouth, July 25, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D52

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5 7. Nd2 Bb4 8. Qc2 0-0 9. Be2 e5 10. dxe5 Ne4 11. Ndxe4 dxe4 12. 0-0 Bxc3 13. Qxc3. By moving thus, Edward Lasker vainly hoped to “pacify” the ferocious will to win of the great – and possibly greatest World Chess Champion ever – Emanuel Lasker. 13. ... Qxc3 14. bxc3 Nxe5 15. Bf4 Nd3!? The Spider brings his own personal style to bear on the German giant’s masterpiece: 15. ... Re8 16. c5 Nd7 17. Bd6 b6 18. cxb6 axb6 19. Rfd1 Ba6 20. Bxa6 Rxa6 21. a4 Rea8 22. Kf1 f5 23. Rab1 R8a7 24. g4 fxg4 25. Rb4 Nf6 26. Bb8 Ra8 27. Rd8+ Kf7 28. Bc7 Rxa4 29. Rxa8 Rxa8 30. Rxb6 Nd5 31. Rb7 Ke6 32. c4 Ne7 33. Rb4 Ra1+ 34. Ke2 Ra2+ 35. Ke1 Nf5 36. Rb6 Kd7 37. Be5 Ra4 38. c5 Ke6 39. Bd6 Kd5 40. Rb7 h5 41. Bf8 g6 42. Rd7+ Kc4 43. Rd1 Ra3 44. Rd8 Nh4 45. Bg7 Nf3+ 46. Ke2 Ra2+ 47. Kf1 Rd2 48. Rxd2 Nxd2+ 49. Kg2 Kxc5 50. h3 gxh3+ 51. Kxh3 g5 0 : 1 Ed. Lasker – Em. Lasker, New York 1924. 16. Bd6 Rd8 17. c5 Be6. Some things old, quite a bit new in Michael’s solo performance of Emanuel Lasker’s violin concerto. The rest is pure pleasure. 18. a3 Bc4 19. Rfd1 b5 20. Bxd3 exd3 21. f3 f5 22. Kf2 Re8 23. Rd2 Re6 24. Re1 Rae8 25. Rb2 g5 26. Bc7 Kf7 27. Bd6 Kg6 28. Bc7 h6 29. Bd6 a5 30. Bc7 a4 31. Bd6 Bb3 32. Rd2 Bc2 33. Bc7 Kf7 34. Bd6 Kf6 35. h3 h5 36. Bc7 h4 37. Bd6 Kg6 38. Bc7 Kh5 39. Bd6 Rf6 40. Rh1 Rf7 41. Re1 Re6 42. Rh1 Kg6 43. Ra1 Re8 44. Rh1 Rf6 45. Rg1 Rfe6 46. Re1 Kf7 47. Bc7 Rf6 48. Bd6 Ree6 49. Bc7 Ke8 50. Rc1 Rf7 51. Bd6

51. ... g4 52. hxg4 fxg4 53. Rh1 g3+ 54. Kf1 Re4 55. Bf4 Rexf4 56. exf4 Rxf4 57. Ke1 Kf7 58. Rg1 Kf6 59. Rxc2 dxc2 60. Kd2 h3 61. gxh3 Rxf3 62. Kxc2 Kg5 0 : 1.

Michael Adams
Photo: Brendan O’Gorman

Caprice for Solo Violin

The 60th European Go Congress (Saint Petersburg, Russia, 22 July – 7 August 2016) featured today a special match between Grandmasters Alexander Sergeyevich Morozevich (left) from Russia and Tiger Christopher Robin Hillarp-Persson (right) from Sweden which included two Go and two chess games and a simultaneous exhibition given by both of them. Organizers hope the event helps Go to attract more chess-lovers. Needless to say, the match was triumphally won by Alexander Sergeyevich Morozevich solo violin! Photo: Ekaterina Sekenova ‏(@katya_sekenova).

Blindsight

What is essential is invisible to the eye. Antoine de Saint Exupéry, “Le Petit Prince”

Pablo Picasso, Chess, Paris, 1911
Artwork © Estate of Pablo Picasso/Artists Rights Society, New York

Whiteout

Viorel Antonovich Bologan – Ilya Yulievich Smirin
17th Poikovsky Karpov Chess Tournament; Poikovsky, July 26, 2016
English Opening A15

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. b4 Bg7 4. Bb2 0-0 5. g3 d6 6. Bg2 e5 7. 0-0 a5 8. a3 e4!? This is apparently a new idea, and appears to be a good one. 9. Ng5 Re8 10. d3 exd3 11. exd3 Bg4 12. f3 Bf5 13. Qd2 d5 14. g4 Bc8 15. b5 Nbd7 16. Nc3? Very careless – in any way. After 16. cxd5 Nc5! Black’s game is easier to play, but nothing irreversible has happened yet. 16. ... h6 17. Nh3 dxc4 18. dxc4

18. ... Ne5! Devastating. White must cede a clear Pawn in order to avoid more disastrous consequences. 19. Qxd8 Rxd8 20. Rad1 Be6 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. cxd5 Rxd5 23. a4. Losing another Pawn, but there were not good moves for White. 23. ... Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Bb3 0 : 1. For after 25. Ra1 Nxf3+ 26. Bxf3 Bxb2 27. Rb1 Bd4+ 28. Kg2 Bxa4 it’s skin and bones.

Ilya Yulievich Smirin
Photo: Chess-News.ru

♀♂

• Wereldkampioene schaken Hou Yifan komt naar Hoogeveen | Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will play in Hoogeveen, Dagblad Noorden, July 26, 2016

From 16 to 22 October 2016 Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will take on Nigel David Short in a top match included into the program of the 20th Hoogeveen Chess Tournament. It promises to be a very interesting match featuring two gender opposites. For further details, see http://www.hoogeveenchess.nl/nl/hoogeveen-matches-hou-yifan-short-en-van-foreest-sokolov.

Artwork © ayonana

The Red Bicycle

London, England: The Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, outside his home. Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images.

Opening & Closing Doors

生命的萎缩或开拓与一个人的勇气成正比。 Shēngmìng de wěisuō huò kāità yǔ yīgè rén de yǒngqì chéng zhèngbǐ. Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. 阿内丝·尼恩 (Anaïs Nin)

Photo © Les-Diables

Tea Serving Automaton

Tavistock, England: A 10-metre Man Engine, created to mark the 10th anniversary of the date when the Cornwall and West Devon mining landscape was added to the list of Unesco World Heritage Sites, takes to the streets. Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images.

Торта „Гараш“ (Garash cake)

Silvio Danailov – Julio Ernesto Granda Zúñiga
36th Open Internacional Villa de Benasque; Benasque, July 15, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Declined D30

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 c6 3. c4 e6 4. Qc2 Nd7 5. g3 Ngf6 6. Bg2 b6 7. 0-0 Bb7 8. b3 Rc8 9. Rd1 c5 10. Nc3 dxc4

11. d5! Danailov’s crushing novelty! White sacrifices a second Pawn in order to exploit his manifest lead in development. If, instead, 11. dxc5(?) there follows 11. ... Bxc5 and Black has already more than equalized, Kaidanov – Strauss, 93rd U.S. Open, Dearborn 1992. 11. ... cxb3? This will turn out to be very bad. Granda Zúñiga should have played 11. ... exd5 12. Nh4 g6 13. Nxd5 even though with a clear White’s advantage. 12. axb3 Bxd5. No better is 12. ... exd5 13. Rxa7 with consequences similar to those of the game. 13. e4 Ba8 14. Rxa7 Rc7 15. Ra2. Very obviously, the Bulgarian International Master doesn’t throw everything away exchanging the Rooks. Granda Zúñiga horrifyingly realizes he is in Zugzwang! 15. ... Qc8 16. Bf4 Bc6. The Rook has no good square for salvation. 17. Bxc7 Qxc7 18. e5 Ng4. Now Danailov gives a very pretty conclusion to his “Immortal Game”. 19. Nb5!! Bxb5. If 19. ... Qb8 then 20. Rxd7! Kxd7 (else 20. ... Bxd7 21. Rxa8 winning more prosaically) 21. Qd3+ Ke8 22. Ra7 Be7 23. Nfd4!! finis. 20. Nd4!! 1 : 0. Bravo!

It was in the reign of George III that the aforesaid personages lived and quarrelled; good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal now.

Not Needing all the Words

Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov – Viorel Antonovich Bologan
17th Poikovsky Karpov Chess Tournament; Poikovsky, July 25, 2016
Modern Benoni A62

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. 0-0 Re8 10. Bf4 Ne4 11. Nxe4 Rxe4 12. Nd2 Rxf4 13. gxf4 Bxb2 14. Rb1 Bg7 15. e4 Nd7 16. Qf3 b5 17. Rfe1 c4. Decidedly improving on 17. ... Ba6 18. Qa3 Bc8 19. Rxb5 Bh6 20. Qg3 Ba6 21. Rb3 Qf6 22. e5 Qxf4 23. Ne4 Nxe5 24. Ra3 Bb5 25. Nxd6 Bd3 26. Qxf4 Bxf4 27. Nb7 c4 28. d6 Rc8 29. Rxe5 Bxe5 30. d7 Rb8 31. Rxd3 cxd3 32. d8=Q+ Rxd8 33. Nxd8 d2 34. Bf3 Bd4 35. Nc6 Bc5 36. Kf1 Kg7 37. Na5 Kf6 38. Nb3 Bd6 39. h3 Ke5 40. Ke2 Bb4 41. Nxd2 Kd4 42. Bc6 Ke5 43. Nf3+ Kf4 44. Bd5 f5 45. Bg8 h6 46. Bh7 g5 47. Nd4 g4 48. h4 1 : 0 Eljanov – Sjugirov, 15th European Individual Chess Championship, Yerevan 2014. 18. e5 dxe5 19. Rxb5 Ba6 20. Rbb1 exf4 21. d6 Rc8 22. Qxf4 c3 23. Re7 Bf6 24. Bd5

24. ... cxd2? A clear miscalculation by Bologan. First, he should have played 24. ... g5! and if, for instance, 25. Qe3 then 25. ... cxd2 26. Rxf7 Kh8 27. Qxd2 Ne5 28. Rxa7 Bd3 with unclear play. 25. Rxf7 Kh8 26. Qxd2 Ne5. Now it’s not time anymore for 26. ... g5 because of 27. Qe3 Ne5 (27. ... Nf8 28. d7 Nxd7 29. Qe6+-) 28. Rxa7 Qxd6 29. Qh3 winning easily (Kouatly’s analysis). 27. Rxa7 Qxd6 28. Rxh7+ Kxh7 29. Bg8+ Kxg8 30. Qxd6 Rc6 31. Qd5+ Kg7 32. f4! “The pointe of the combination: Black loses a piece”, says Grandmaster Bachar Kouatly in his commentary for Europe Échecs. 32. ... Bc4 33. Qg2 Rc5 34. fxe5 Rxe5 35. Rb7+ Kf8 36. Qh3! “Black has only a few checks to consolate himself before the time control”, Kouatly said. 36. ... Rg5+ 37. Kf2 Rf5+ 38. Ke1 Bf7 39. Qh6+ Ke8 40. Rb8+ Kd7 41. Qh3 Kc7 42. Rf8 Be6 43. Qg3+ Kd7 44. Qd3+ Rd5 45. Qxd5+! Elegant to the end. 45. ... Bxd5 46. Rxf6 Bxa2 47. Rxg6 Ke7 48. Kf2 Bf7 49. Rg5 Kf6 50. h4 1 : 0.

Maxim Sergeevich Matlakov
Photo: ruchess.ru

Icing on the Cake

武汉 (Wǔhàn), China: A giant panda lies on an ice block to cool down at 武汉 (Wǔhàn) zoo. Photo: ImagineChina/Shutterstock.

Snow White’s (unofficial) eighth dwarf

Snow White’s (unofficial) eighth dwarf Freely inspired by Patti Smith’s “Dog Dream” Have you ever seen Arcovazzi’s hammer drill It got wings It can fly If you speak Of it to him It’s the only Time Arcovazzi Can’t look you in the eye Have you ever held Arcovazzi’s grass snake It rattles like a stir-fry pan It sleeps under the pillow It coils in his hand It rants and it strikes out When Arcovazzi cries out When Arcovazzi cries out Have you ever pressed To your face Arcovazzi’s bird Arcovazzi’s bird It lies on Arcovazzi’s hip Trembles inside him It drops upon the ground It rolls with Arcovazzi round It’s the only one Who comes When Arcovazzi comes Have you ever seen Arcovazzi’s hammer drill It got wings It can fly When it hits The nail on the bed He’s the only Thing allowed To sleep on Arcovazzi’s back

仲夏夜之夢 (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Back to Saturday morning, July 16, 2016, just while 林丽丽 (Lín Lìlì) is sharing her dream of dancing the White Swan with a whole audience of ballerina dolls. Photo: Lawrence of Arabia.

水上飛機 (Seaplane)

State-owned company produces the AG600, about the size of a Boeing 737, which can be used fighting forest fires and performing marine rescues China has completed production of the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, state media has said, the latest effort in the country’s program to wean itself off dependence on foreign aviation firms. [Read more].

• Agence France-Presse, World’s largest seaplane unveiled by Chinese state company, The Guardian, July 25, 2016

Chinese workers wave national flags as the Amphibious aircraft AG600 is rolled off a production line in 珠海 (Zhūhǎi) in south China’s 广东省 (Guǎngdōng province). Photo: 梁旭 (Liáng Xù)/AP.

Between Scylla and Charybdis

Boris de Greiff – Boris Vasilievich Spassky
1st José Raúl Capablanca Memorial; Havana, 1962
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bf4 Bg4 4. e3 e6 5. Be2 Nf6 6. Ne5 Nxe5 7. Bxe5 Bxe2 8. Qxe2 c6. The reference book also contemplates 8. ... Nd7 ½ : ½ L. Ortega – Godena, 1st International Open Capo d’Orso, Porto Mannu 2007. 9. 0-0 Be7 10. Nd2 0-0 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. c4 Be7 13. Rfc1? I don’t like the opening play by de Greiff, but it’s just my taste. Here, however, White certainly uses the wrong Rook to occupy the c-file! 13. ... Bd6 14. c5. White seems strategically confused, caught between the Scylla and Charybdis dilemma, while Spassky hits the time for strengthening his own position, starting from the centre. 14. ... Bc7 15. f4 f6! 16. Qg4 Qe7 17. Rf1 e5 18. fxe5 fxe5 19. Rxf8+ Rxf8 20. Rf1

20. ... Re8! A very bright and elegant mind: Black takes control of the e-file. Almost forever. 21. Kh1 Qe6 22. Qf3 Bd8! The Bishop is surrounding the d4-Pawn. 23. b4. 23. dxe5 Bc7 is far from satisfactory, but it seems a bit more tenacious than the untimed text move. 23. ... Bf6 24. Nb3 exd4 25. exd4 Qe2 26. Qf4 Qc4 27. g4 h6 0 : 1. White’s Queenside is falling apart, while the Black Rook is eager to penetrate along the e-file. Nothing worse could have happened to a Spassky’s admirer such was de Greiff!

Seated: Boris de Greiff (left) vs. Boris Vasilievich Spassky (right). Standing on left, Ernesto Che Guevara is watching the game. Photo: Oud Zuylen.

Four Lustra

Gente magazine, before September 1992. Uruguayan journalist Lincoln Raúl Maiztegui Casas announcing and commenting on Bobby Fischer’s comeback twenty years after the Match of the Century.

Back Court

While he was in Tucumán, Argentina, to give a simultaneous exhibition against twenty players, Robert James Fischer enjoyed playing tennis – that was one of his most favourite sports. And however discreet he was, his presence was caught by the photoreporter of La Gaceta, Friday, November 12, 1971.

Bobby Fischer preparing for a (powerful) overhead smash. Or was it a serve? Photo: La Gaceta.

• Fischer en Tucumán (I), Ajedrez Historico, June 11, 2013
• Fischer en Tucumán (II), Ajedrez Historico, June 12, 2013

Snow Joke

Alexander Anatolyevich Motylev – Dmitry Vladimirovich Andreikin
17th Poikovsky Karpov Chess Tournament; Poikovsky, July 24, 2016
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Be3 Bb4 5. e5 f6 6. Bd3 fxe5 7. Qh5+ Kf8 8. dxe5

8. ... d4. Experience teaches. If, instead, 8. ... Qe8? there might follow 9. Qh4 Nge7 10. Nf3 Kg8 11. 0-0 Bd7 12. Ne2! and White stands much better (even though then he managed to lose the game!), Andreikin – Bocharov, Siberian Bank Cup, Novosibirsk 2012. 9. Qf3+ Ke8 10. Qh5+ Kf8 11. Qf3+. Of course, Andreikin knows better than anyone what is happening: ½ : ½ Tomczak – Andreikin, 47th World Junior Chess Championship, Gaziantep 2008. 11... Ke8 12. Qh5+ ½ : ½. Just a joke!

Dmitry Vladimirovich Andreikin. Photo: Russian Chess Federation.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Dublin, Ireland: Two dogs ride on a horse during a display by the Equestrian Artist Santí Serra on day five of the Dublin Horse Show. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.