Don’t be desperate, Edna. Luckily we have a B-plan for Sunday!

Artwork © Jon Madrazo (@jonassaenz)

Sunday is not a workday

On next Sunday all the limelight will be on Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, where the high noon clash between SK Schwäbisch Hall and OSG Baden-Baden will determine the German Women’s Club Chess Champion of the FrauenBundesliga 2017/2018. OSG Baden-Baden, on paper, is favourite, thanks to its army of Chess Queens: Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, Anna Olehivna Muzychuk, Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk, and, last but not least, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who is expected – by the managerial team of OSG Baden-Baden – to make her grand début on the FrauenBundesliga stage, given that a week later she will play the 5th GRENKE Chess Classic in Baden-Baden and Karlsruhe. On the other hand, SK Schwäbisch Hall just needs an equaliser to win the title, and may trust in the good shape of its stars Nino Batsiashvili, Lela Javakhishvili, and Deimantė Cornette. The games will be broadcasted live on http://www.thomas-marschner.de/.

From left: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) next to Wolfgang Grenke. Photo © chess-international.de.

O tempora, o mores

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Alexander Igorevich Grischuk
Candidates Tournament; Berlin, March 23, 2018
2r3kr/1b1q2p1/pB2NbBn/1p1p3p/2p5/PnN4P/1P2QPP1/3RR1K1 w - - 1 28

Position after 27. ... Kf8-g8

In today’s game 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) missed his golden chance to make, even brilliantly, his first goal. Or maybe, who knows, the realpolitik to the chess superpower has induced him not to defy doom. Whatever it is, in the position of the diagram White could already put the last nail in Grischuk’s coffin with 28. Nd8! – which should not be too difficult to see – with the Knight obviously taboo due to Qe2-e8+. Instead, he plays another good move, quite by chance: 28. Nxd5!? Bxd5 29. Nf4!? 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) continues playing safely, and again misses his most basic killer moves (29. Nd8! or, perhaps even more mercilessly, 29. Rxd5! Qxd5 30. Nd8! with mate in four moves). 29. ... Nc1 30. Qxh5 Nd3 31. Nxd5 Nf7 32. Qe2? Perhaps it is not wrong in absolute terms, but 32. Nxf6+ gxf6 33. Bxf7+ Qxf7 34. Qg4+ Kh7 35. Qf5+ Kg7 36. Re4 was a much simpler way to win. Now Grischuk’s Knights jump and dance. 32. ... Nfe5 33. Be4 Rh4 34. f4 Rxf4 35. Nxf4 Nxf4 36. Bh7+ Kh8 37. Qe4 Qc6 38. Bd4? A tactical slip that dissipates any advantage. With the obvious 38. Qxf4 Kxh7 39. Bd4 White still retained quite a bit of a winning view. 38. ... Nxh3+? With 38. ... Ned3!∞ Grischuk would have shrugged off any illusions his opponent might have had about the outcome. 39. Kh2 Ng5 40. Qxc6 Rxc6 41. Bc2 Ngf7 42. Bxe5. This seems a very questionable way of insisting to play for the win. What follows is an infinite stillicide towards an inevitable draw by exhaustion. 42. ... Nxe5 43. Rd5 Re6 44. Kh3 Kg8 45. b3 Kf7 46. bxc4 Nxc4 47. Rd7+ Be7 48. Rxe6 Kxe6 49. Ra7 Nxa3 50. Rxa6+ Kd5 51. Bh7 Nc4 52. Kg4 Bf6 53. Ra7 Kd4 54. Bg8 Nd6 55. Kf3 Kc5 56. Ra8 b4 57. Ke2 Bc3 58. Kd3 Kb6 59. Ke3 Kc6 60. Kf4 Nb7 61. Kf5 Nc5 62. g4 Kb5 63. g5 b3 64. Kg6 Kb4 65. Bd5 Bd4 66. Kh7 Kc3 67. g6 b2 68. Ba2 Kc2 69. Rb8 Ne4 70. Rb4 Nc3 71. Be6 $1 Kc1 72. Bf5 Be5 73. Rb7 b1=Q 74. Bxb1 Nxb1 75. Rxg7 Nc3 76. Re7 Bd4 77. Rd7 Be5 78. Kh6 Kc2 79. Kg5 Kb3 80. Kf5 Bh8 81. Rb7+ Kc2 82. Rh7 Bd4 83. Ke6 Kb3 84. Rd7 Bh8 85. Rd8 Bg7 86. Kf7 Be5 87. Re8 Bd4 88. Rb8+ Kc2 89. Rb7 Be5 90. Rb6 Bd4 91. Rf6 Bxf6 92. Kxf6 Nd5+ 93. Kf7 Ne3 94. Kf6 Nd5+ 95. Kf7 Ne3 96. g7 Nf5 ½ : ½.

Richard Réti – Efim Dmitriyevich Bogoljubov
International Chess Tournament; New York, April 2, 1924
3r1b1k/ppq2Bpp/2p5/2P2Q2/8/1P4P1/P6P/5RK1 w - - 4 25

Position after 24. ... Kg8-h8

25. Be8!! 1 : 0.

Yes, Edna, I read it. They expect you to show your spring collection in the way you talk with your models, so we’re all a bit worried about what you will show, but anyway – may you have much luck and success in putting them in their place!

Artwork © @austinsenethavilay

Midnight’s Noon

Emma, Maddalena, Matilde, and Aurora performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance showdown at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Photo: Foto Rapid Center.

Easter egg

And pray don’t miss the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s Saturday Fischerandom chess meeting (starting at 16,00 as usual), which is the last before Easter Holidays. The youth chess tournament – in both classical and 960 format – will be held at our place on Saturday, April 28, 2018, starting at 16,00. For any further details and information, please contact ildeltadellaluna@gmail.com.

Credit: ConsumerCrafts

Yes, Edna, without you they are nothing. You are greater than the hundred of them combined, and they know it

Artwork © hannahgroff

Fractals and Chaos

From left: Olga Calamai, Viola Rocchini, Sofia Nutini, Costanza Cioni, Silvia Bertini, and Chiara Angelini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance showdown at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Photo: Foto Rapid Center.

Vlad the Impaler

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik – Levon Grigori Aronian
Candidates Tournament; Berlin, March 22, 2018
4r1k1/3b1pp1/1q3n1p/rp2p3/4p2N/1B1PP2P/2P2RP1/4QRK1 w - - 0 25

Position after 24. ... Ra8xa5

And today, Kramnik finally came back to win the “audience award”, once again against Aronian, who seems to inspire him the most. 25. Ng6 Be6 26. Nxe5 exd3 27. Rxf6! “Bravo to Kramnik for having the stomach to keep on fighting after so many painful losses. It takes extraordinary self-posession and creative energy to tend to one’s wounds and re-enter the battlefield with such bold and fearless play”, Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson tweeted. 27. ... gxf6 28. Rxf6 d2! 29. Qg3+ Kf8. 29. ... Kh7?? loses on the spot to 30. c4! followed by the Bishop check on c2. 30. Rf1! Threatening Ne5-d7+. 30. ... Ra7! 31. Ng6+ Kg7 32. Nf4+ Kh8 33. Nh5 f6 34. Nxf6 Rf8 35. Qf4 Rh7 36. Qe5 Qc7?? Aronian falls down at last before the promised land. Instead, 36. ... Rg7(!) 37. Bxe6 Rg5 would have saved Black’s day, for after 38. Nh5+ Rxe5 39. Rxf8+ Kh7 40. Rf7+ White has no more than a draw by perpetual check. 37. Ne8+! 1 : 0. For if 37. ... Qxe5 then 38. Rxf8+ and mate next move, whilst if 37. ... Kg8 then 38. Qxe6+ Rff7 39. Nf6+ Kg7 40. Qg4+ Kf8 41. Qg8+ Ke7 42. Qe8+ Kd6 43. Ne4 mate.

Something to Look Forward to

Shakhriyar Hamid oglu Mamedyarov – Fabiano Caruana
Candidates Tournament; Berlin, March 22, 2018
Catalan Opening E04

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. 0-0 Rb8 7. e3 Be7 8. Nfd2 e5 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. dxe5 Ng4 11. Nxc4 Be6. This position usually occurs with Black’s a-Pawn on a6 and dark-squared Bishop on f8; for instance: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 a6 6. 0-0 Nc6 7. e3 Rb8 8. Nfd2 e5 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. dxe5 Ng4 11. Nxc4 Be6 12. Nbd2 h5 13. f3 Rb4 14. fxg4 Bxc4 15. Nxc4 Qxd1 16. Rxd1 Rxc4 17. Bd2 Rxg4 18. Ba5 Bc5 19. Kf2 Bb6 20. Bc3 Rg6 21. Kf3 Re6 22. Rd3 O-O 23. Rad1 f6 24. Rd8 h4 25. gxh4 fxe5+ 26. Ke4 Rh6 27. Be1 Rg6 28. Rxf8+ Kxf8 29. Bg3 Rg4+ 30. Kf5 Rc4 31. e4 Bd4 32. Bxe5 Bxe5 33. Kxe5 Rc2 34. Ke6 Kg8 35. e5 Rxb2 36. Ke7 c5 37. e6 c4 38. Kd7 c5 39. e7 Rb7+ 40. Ke6 1 : 0 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Mamedyarov, 2nd IMSA Élite Mind Games, Blitz Event, 淮安 (Huái’ān) 2017. 12. Nbd2!? If nothing else, Mamedyarov is showing he has belligerent intentions. The dictate of theory did not promise anything interesting: 12. Qxd8+ Rxd8 13. Nbd2 Bb4 14. e4 Bxd2 15. Nxd2 Nxe5 16. f4 Nd3 17. f5 Nxc1 18. Raxc1 Bxf5 19. exf5 Rxd2 20. Rxc6 Kd7 21. Rfc1 ½ : ½ van der Stricht – Hausrath, Belgian Nationale Interclubs 2007-2008, Ghent 2008. 12. ... h5!? 13. f3 Qd3!? The alternative was 13. ... h4!? 14. fxg4 hxg3 15. Qf3 Rxh2∞ with a very unclear game, but I guess a good compensation for Black. 14. fxg4 Bxc4 15. Nxc4 Qxc4 16. gxh5 Qe6 17. Qf3 Rb5 18. Qf5 Rxe5 19. Qxe6 Rxe6 20. Rf5 Rd6 21. Kg2 Rd1. Black has excellent compensation for the Pawn due to his dynamic advantage in development. 22. b3 g6. Obviously after 22. ... Ba3? 23. Rf1! White would be only too happy to exchange a pair of Rooks and cash in on his extra Pawn. 23. Re5 (Δ Re5xe7+) 23. ... c5!? 23. ... Rxh5 24. Rxe7+ Kxe7 25. Ba3+ Rd6 equalises almost immediately, but apparently Black aims for something more. 24. hxg6 fxg6 25. e4

25. ... Rh7! Intending ... Rh7-f7-f1. 26. h4! Rf7 27. Kh3 Rff1 28. Bg5 Rxa1 29. Rxe7+ Kf8 30. Rxc7 Rxa2. The situation has turned around quite significantly. Now Black is the Exchange up for a Pawn, but White has gained more than enough to repay himself. 31. Be7+ Kg8 32. Rc8+ Kg7 33. Bxc5 Re2 34. e5 Rd1 35. Re8 Rd5 36. Bd6 Re3. Of course, not 36. ... Rxd6?? because of 37. Re7+ followed by e5xd6. 37. Re7+ Kg8 38. Re8+ Kf7 39. Re7+ Kg8 40. b4 Rdd3! Black draws by force. 41. Kg4 Rxg3+ 42. Kf4 Rgf3+ 43. Ke4 Rfe3+ 44. Kf4 Rf3+ 45. Kg5 Rf7 46. e6! No one can say Mamedyarov did not do his best to win! 46. ... Rd5+ 47. Kxg6 Rxd6 48. Rxf7 Rxe6+ 49. Rf6 Re4 50. b5 Rxh4 51. Ra6 Rh7 52. b6 Rg7+ 53. Kh6 Rh7+ 54. Kg5 Rg7+ 55. Kf5 axb6 56. Rxb6 Rf7+ 57. Rf6 Rxf6+ 58. Kxf6 ½ : ½.

Edna Disarming Cruella, or Love Disarm’d

Credit: Stéfany

Sparks in the Dark

From left: Viola Rocchini, Silvia Bertini, Olga Calamai, and Chiara Angelini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance showdown at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Photo: Foto Rapid Center.

Tomorrow Never Knows

South Korea’s K-pop singers will make four-day visit to Pyongyang, North Korea from March 31 to April 3 and give two performances as an exchange of courtesy after North sent performers to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the South’s Ministry of Unification said in a statement.

Splitting Hairs

A woman in Pyongyang, North Korea, having her hair styled by a female hairdresser. Photo: Damir Sagolj/Reuters.

Instant-runoff voting

Kosovo’s opposition lawmakers release a teargas canister inside the country’s Parliament in Pristina before a vote for an agreement to ratify or not a border demarcation deal signed in 2015 with Montenegro. Photo: AFP/Armend Nimani.

Yes, Edna, I know you are already thinking ahead to your next fall/winter collection, but I guess you won’t take long holidays this summer either

Artwork © tidlin

Shading and Blending

North Korea, South Korea, and United States might hold a trilateral summit meeting to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula and ensure peace in the region, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said attending a board meeting of the South Korean preparatory committee for the upcoming North-South summit on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, as reported by the Yonhap News Agency.

Swiss President Alain Berset shakes hands with Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, during the preliminary round of the women’s ice hockey game between Switzerland and the combined Koreas at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea on Saturday, February 10, 2018. Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images.

Once Upon a Summer’s Night

From left: Silvia Bertini, Sofia Nutini, Viola Rocchini, Chiara Angelini, Olga Calamai, and Costanza Cioni performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance showdown at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Photo: Foto Rapid Center.

Green tea may keep you awake

Hostesses serve tea ahead of a speech by China’s President 习近平 (Xí Jìnpíng) and the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in 北京 (Běijīng), China. Photo: AFP/Nicolas Asfouri.

Daylight saving time

From left: Olga Calamai and Sofia Nutini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance showdown at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Photo: Foto Rapid Center.

Pray, Edna, don’t forget to put your clocks forward one hour next Sunday night!

Will and Work

Fabiano Caruana – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
Candidates Tournament; Berlin, March 20, 2018
Bogo-Indian Defence E11

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 0-0 7. 0-0 c6 8. Qb3 b6 9. Nc3 Ba6 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Ne5. If 11. Bf4 there might follow 11. ... Nc6 12. Rfc1 Rc8 13. Qa4 Bb7 14. Ne5 a6 15. Qd1 Nxe5 16. Bxe5 h6 17. Rc2 Nd7 18. Bf4 b5 19. Rac1 Qa5 20. a3 Rc4 21. Nb1 Rfc8 22. Nd2 Rxc2 23. Rxc2 Qd8 24. Qc1 Rxc2 25. Qxc2 Nb6 26. Nf3 Nc4 27. Ne5 Qb6 28. Nxc4 bxc4 29. Qc3 Bf6 30. Be3 Qb5 31. f4 Qa4 32. Bf3 Bd8 33. Bd2 Bb6 34. e3 f6 35. Bg4 Kf7 36. Bh5+ g6 37. Bf3 Qc6 38. Qc1 Qc7 39. Bc3 Kg7 40. h4 h5 41. Kg2 Qd7 42. Kh2 Qc7 43. Kg2 Qd7 44. Kh2 Qc7 ½ : ½ Lê Thanh Tú – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 3rd Asian Indoor Games, Halong City 2009. 11. ... Bb7 12. Rfc1 Nc6 13. Nxd5 Nxd4 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7 15. Qc4 Bxg2 16. Qxd4 Rfd8 17. Qf4! A sensible novelty with respect to 17. Qb4 which led to a very quick draw after 17. ... Qxb4 18. Bxb4 Bb7 19. Rc7 Ba6 20. Nxf7 Nd5 21. Nxd8 Nxc7 22. Nc6 ½ : ½ Gleizerov – I. Faragó, 18th Internationale Schach-Open, Oberwart 1996. The text, instead, ensures White a slight but lasting positional edge, requiring Black to play very carefully not to fall into a difficult position. 17. ... Bb7 18. Bb4 Qe8 19. Rc7 Nd5 20. Qxf7+ Qxf7 21. Rxf7 Ba6 22. Ba3. 22. Be7 Rd7 doesn’t seem to cause Black any discomfort. 22. ... Bxe2 23. Rc1 Bh5. 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) sets himself in defensive array maybe a little too early, thus allowing his opponent to significantly improve his command of the board. Therefore, 23. ... a5 at once was deserving consideration, so as to answer 24. Rb7 by 24. ... Ba6, while on other neutral moves, Black might even consider playing ... Be2-d3. 24. Rb7 Be8 25. Kg2 a5 26. h4 Rdb8 27. Rxb8 Rxb8 28. g4 b5 29. b3 b4 30. Bb2 a4 31. h5 Ra8 32. Kg3 Kf8 33. Nf3 Bd7 34. Rc4 Kg8 35. Ne5 Bb5 36. Rc5 Be8 37. Nc4 Bd7 38. Ne5 Be8 39. Bd4 Kf8 40. f3 Ke7 41. Kh4 Kf8 42. Kg5 h6+ 43. Kh4 Kg8 44. Kg3 Kh7 45. Nd3 Kg8 46. Rc1 axb3 47. axb3 Kh7 48. Nc5 Bf7 49. Re1. The e6-Pawn is doomed, but Black has clear ideas of what he’s doing.

49. ... Ne7! 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)’s first active move proves to be timely right and should have guaranteed him a draw. 50. Bb2. If 50. Nxe6 then 50. ... Nc6 51. Bc5 Re8 52. Nf8+ Kg8 53. Rxe8 Bxe8 54. Ng6 Bf7 with a draw coming soon. 50. ... Nc6 51. f4 Ra2 52. Nd3 e5! 53. fxe5 Bxb3 54. e6 Ra7? The comedy of errors begins. Correct was 54. ... Ne7(!) and if 55. Rc1 then 55. ... Ra7 with equality. 55. Nc5! Bc4. 55. ... Bd5 56. Nd7! doesn’t make much difference. 56. Nd7! Bb5 57. Nf8+!? Even stronger seems 57. Re3! with the almost imparable threat of Re3-f3. 57. ... Kg8 58. Ng6 Ne7? 58. ... Ra8(!) eventually followed by ... Ra8-e8 would have offered a more robust defence. 59. Ra1! Nc6 60. Rd1! Threatening both Rd1-d2-f2 and Rd1-d5-f5. Black is dramatically helpless. 60. ... Kh7 61. Rd5 Ba4 62. Kf4? Caruana misses 62. Rd2! (Δ Rd2-f2) 62. ... Ne7 63. Nf8+ Kg8 64. Rd8 Nc6 65. Nd7+! Nxd8 66. e7 and finis. 62. ... Bc2! 63. Rc5 Ba4 64. g5! hxg5+? Another error that could be fatal! Stockfish’s 64. ... Ra8(!) 65. Rf5 hxg5+ 66. Rxg5 Bc2 67. e7 Kg8(!) 68. Rg2 b3 69. h6 Kf7 70. Ne5+ Nxe5 71. Rxg7+ Ke6 72. Bxe5 Re8 must end in a draw. 65. Rxg5 Nd8 66. Re5? It is Caruana who makes the last mistake! With 66. Nf8+! Kg8 67. h6! there was an elegant win. 66. ... Be8! 67. e7 ½ : ½.

A Spring Day

A daisy is covered in snow on the first day of spring in Düsseldorf, Germany. Photo: Martin Gerten/AFP/Getty Images.

Yes, Edna, I too think you should have done much better, but don’t make a drama of it

Artwork © Jon Madrazo (@jonassaenz)

Rites of Passage

From left: Chiara Angelini, Olga Calamai, Sofia Nutini, Viola Rocchini, and Silvia Bertini performing in the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”’s final dance showdown at the Teatro SMS of the People’s House in Grassina on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Photo: Foto Rapid Center.