LABIRINTI E CASEMATTE

But before starting on her way back home through Eurasia, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will make her début in the 2nd Chess Festival Eighth Centenary 2019 of Salamanca University (II Festival de Ajedrez VIII Centenario 2019 de la Universidad de Salamanca), to be held in Salamanca, Spain from November 25–30, 2019. Also this year, the 2nd Masters Tournament of Salamanca University will feature four women — 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), Sophie Milliet, Karina Szczepkowska-Cyfka, and Sabrina Vega Gutiérrez — and four men — Eduardo Patricio Iturrizaga Bonelli, Ruslan Olegovich Ponomariov, Miguel Santos Ruiz, and Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov (who was the winner of the inaugural edition). The format consists of a seven-round round-robin tournament with a time control 40 minutes per player plus 5 seconds per move.

Fernando Gallego, The Sky of Salamanca, 1483-1492, ceiling mural, old library of the University of Salamanca. Photo: portengaround.

Just a few days after her rapid match with Fedoseev, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and Rhodes Scholar 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) will play the inaugural “一带一路” (“One Belt One Road”) Women’s World Chess Summit “秦农银行杯” (“Qín Nóng Bank Cup”) to be taking place at 建国饭店 (Jiànguó Hotel) in 西安 (Xī’ān), 陕西省 (Shǎnxī province), China from December 19–22, 2019. Besides her, the other participants are as follows (in alphabetical order): Nana Dzagnidze, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, 12th Women’s World Chess Champion Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng), 10th Women’s World Chess Champion Antoaneta Stefanova, 16th Women’s World Chess Champion 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí), and 14th Women’s World Chess Champion Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina. The format consists of a seven-round round-robin tournament. Time control is 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move.

Prune Nourry, Terracotta Daughters Heads, Solo exhibition at The China Institute, New York City, United States, September 2014. Photo: Erika Hokanson. Courtesy of the artist.