Yes, Edna, they are ready to give up their professional success and all ambitions they harboured just for the sake of being irresistibly drawn along by your non-metaphorical chains of thought

Artwork © Yara Bianchetti | Art (@byaraart)

Ticking Time

A Gentlemen’s Agreement

Speaking at a meeting of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Thursday, Deputy Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation Andrey Mikhailovich Fedorov said that the International Chess Federation (FIDE) agreed to refund Russia the sum of over €1 million for the cancellation of the Chess Olympiad, which was originally scheduled in Russia, but due to the escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war, was then moved to India. “In May this year, the International Chess Federation decided to return the funds in full — amounting to over €1 million €uros”, TASS quoted Fedorov as saying. “At the moment, almost €830,000 €uros have already been transferred to the Ugra budget, it being a part of what the region allocated in connection with the holding of said event on its territory. We expect FIDE to pay back the difference in the near future”.

Calling Time

Vantika Agrawal – Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno

4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event; Round of 16 match game 8; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, June 24, 2022

Grünfeld Defence D87

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 0-0 10. 0-0 b6 11. Qd2 Bb7 12. Rfd1 Rc8 13. Rac1 e6 14. Bg5 Qd7 15. h4 cxd4 16. cxd4 Na5 17. Bd3 Nc6. Another continuation is 17. ... Rxc1 18. Rxc1 Rc8 (maybe 17. ... Nc6 19. Bb5 a6 20. Bxc6 Bxc6 21. e5 Rc8 22. Bf6 Bf8 23. h5 Bb7 24. hxg6 Rxc1+ 25. Qxc1 fxg6 26. Qe3 ½ : ½ Melkumyan – Ragger, 6th Tournament of Peace, Zagreb 2019) 19. Rxc8+ Bxc8 20. h5 Nc6 21. h6 Bf8 22. Bb5 a6 23. Ba4 b5 24. Bb3 Bb7 25. d5 with the upper hand for White, Caruana – So, Clutch Chess Champions Showdown International, lichess.org, June 12, 2020, match game 8 (time control: 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move). 18. Bb5 a6 19. Ba4 b5 20. Bb3 Ne7 21. d5 Rxc1 22. Qxc1 exd5 23. exd5 Nf5 24. h5 Re8 25. Qd2 Nd6 26. Ng3 Nc4 27. Bxc4 bxc4 28. h6

28. ... Bh8 (28. ... c3! 29. Qc2 Re5 30. Qxc3 Bh8 31. Qc1 Rxd5=) 29. Qf4? (⌓ 29. Ne2⩲) 29. ... c3! 29. ... f6!? 30. Bxf6 Rf8 is also very interesting, but much more complicated. 30. Bf6 c2 31. Rc1 Qxd5 32. f3

32. ... Qc5+? A half-slip that could cost Black the victory. Instead 32. ... g5! appears to win at once. 33. Kh2 Bxf6 34. Qxf6 Qf8 35. Qf4 Rc8

36. Nh5? In her turn, White misses her saving jump: 36. Nf5!= (heading for e3 or d4) 36. ... gxf5 37. Qg5+ draws by perpetual check. 36. ... f5 37. Ng3 Bd5 38. a4? As they say, one mistake leads to another. There was no alternative but to go, at least temporarily, into an endgame two Pawns down with 38. Ne2 Bxa2 39. Nd4 Bb1 — it was, indeed, anything but an appealing perspective, but at least it still gave White hope. 38. ... Rc4 39. Qd2 Rh4+ 40. Kg1 Qc5+ 41. Qf2 Qxf2+ 42. Kxf2 Bb3 43. a5 Ra4 44. Ne2 Rxa5 45. Nd4 Ba4 46. Ke3 Rc5 47. Kd3 g5 48. Ne2 Kf7 49. Nc3 Bb3 50. Kd2 Kg6 51. Ra1 a5 52. Ne2 a4 53. Kc1 Rd5 54. Nc3 Rd1+ 55. Kb2 Kxh6 0 : 1.

Wow, Edna, you have lost some weight and you did it silent movie style!

Artwork © Rainbowleo

Lumos

Alireza Firouzja – Fabiano Caruana
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, June 23, 2022
Catalan Opening E06

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 0-0 6. Qd3. This is a Gelfand trademark. 6. ... c5 7. 0-0 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nc6 9. cxd5 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Nxd5 11. Rd1 Bf6 12. Qg4?! Firouzja is eager to attack, but Her Majesty does not stand too well here. More scientific seems 12. Qd3 Qb6 13. Na3 Rd8 14. Nc4 Qc7 15. Qb3 Bd7 16. Bd2 Nb6 17. Rdc1 Ba4 18. Qb4 Rd4? (⌓ 18. ... Bc6) 19. Nxb6! Rxb4 20. Nxa8 Qb8 21. Bxb4 Bxb2 22. Rc7! Bxa1 23. Bxb7 Be5 24. Rc8+ Qxc8 25. Bxc8 Bc6 26. Bc5 Bxa8 27. Bxa7 with a won ending, Gelfand – Cyborowski, 29th Czech Team Chess Championship — Extraliga, Brno 2022. 12. ... Bd7 13. Nd2 Qe7 14. Nf3 Rac8 15. e4 e5 16. Qh5 Nb4 17. Bg5 Bxg5 18. Nxg5 h6 19. Nf3 Nc6

Black has already an easier game, which could have pushed Firouzja to “demonstrate” something, thus in fact worsening his situation: 20. Rxd7? Qxd7 21. Bh3

21. ... f5! An unpleasant surprise. 22. exf5?! If 22. Bxf5 then 22. ... Qe8! frustrating all White’s hopes of compensation. But the text is no better. 22. ... Rce8 23. Nh4 e4 24. Rd1 Qf7 25. Qe2 Qxa2 26. Ng6 Rf7 27. Nf4 Qb3 28. Bg4

Caruana concludes with great energy: 28. ... e3! 29. Kg2 Rd8 30. Rxd8+ Nxd8 31. fxe3 Rc7 32. Kh3 Nf7! 33. Bf3 Rc2 34. Qd1 Ng5+ 35. Kg4 Nxf3 36. Qd8+ Kh7 37. Kxf3 Qxb2 38. Qe8 Qf6 39. e4 Rxh2 40. Qd7 Qc3+ 41. Kg4 Qd2 42. Qa4 0 : 1. And White resigned, without waiting for 42. ... h5+! 43. Nxh5 Qe2+ leaving Black a Rook up.

And so the question arises, who will be able to stop Caruana? Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

The Matrix in Theory

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Jan-Krzysztof Duda
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, June 23, 2022
Réti Opening A07

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Bg4 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 Nd7 5. h3 Bh5 6. d4 Ngf6 7. c4 c6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Ne5 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Ne4 11. Nd2 Nxd2 12. Bxd2 Bc5 13. Rc1 Qe7 14. Kh2 0-0 15. g4 Bg6 16. f4 h6 (16. ... f5 17. Qb3 Rad8 18. gxf5 Bxf5 19. Rxc5 Qxc5 20. e4 Bg6 21. Bb4 Qc4 22. f5 Bh5 23. Bxf8 Qxb3 24. axb3 Kxf8 25. exd5 cxd5 26. Kg3 d4 27. Bf3 Bxf3 28. Kxf3 d3 29. Rd1 d2 30. Ke3 Rd5 31. Ke4 Rd8 32. Ke3 ½ : ½ Svidler – Karjakin, 80th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2018) 17. Qe1 Rfe8 18. Qg3 Bh7 19. h4 Rad8 20. g5 hxg5? The opening of the h-file proves to be catastrophic, as White’s attack develops easily and naturally. 20. ... Kh8! would still make a tough defence. 21. hxg5 Bb4

22. Bxb4 Qxb4 23. f5! A Pawn storm is coming. 23. ... Qxb2

24. e6! fxe6 25. g6 exf5 26. gxh7+ Kh8 27. Rb1 Qf6 28. Rxb7 Rxe2

29. Rxf5! Pretty, though easy. 29. ... Qh6+ 30. Kg1 Rxa2 31. Rbf7 Ra1+ 32. Bf1 d4 33. Rg5 Qd6 34. Qf2 Qa3 35. Rg3 1 : 0.

12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov did not hide his satisfaction with Nepomniachtchi’s performance so far: “Ian Alexandrovich is indeed my pupil”, he said. “And still I can’t see anyone who may be head and shoulders above him in the Candidates Tournament. If Ian Alexandrovich continues to play consistently, then only Fabiano Caruana will be able to compete with him at a distance. Ian Alexandrovich is one of the strongest in the field”. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Needless to say, Edna, any resemblance with famous sunken ships is purely coincidental and unintentional

Artwork © Jheycoco (@jheycoco)

On a Raft and Through the Desert

An invitational conference, titled On the Oligarch’s Yacht. The Bel Paese, the Constitution and dignity as liberty from need and blackmail, organised by the cooperative Generazioni Future and the “Commissione Du.Pre (Dubbio e Precauzione)” (“Doubt and Precaution Commission”), is called at the Italian Institute for Philosophical Studies in Naples, Italy for Saturday, June 25, 2022 10.00 A.M. On the agenda is the denunciation of a government which, in the name of a so-called “European governance”, aims at turning flu pandemics and uncivil wars into instruments to keep the country in a permanent state of emergency. For further details and information, click here.

More from Less

Hikaru Nakamura – Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, June 22, 2022
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. c4 Nb4 9. Be2 0-0 10. Nc3 Bf5 11. a3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Nc6 13. Re1 Re8 14. Ra2 Bf8 (14. ... Na5 15. cxd5 Qxd5 16. Rb2 c6 17. Ne5 Bxa3 18. Bf3 Qd6 19. Rbe2 Bxc1 20. Qxc1 Be6 21. Be4 Rad8 22. Qb1 g6 23. f4 c5 24. f5 cxd4 25. fxe6 Rxe6 26. Nxf7 Kxf7 27. Bd5 Qxd5 28. Rxe6 dxc3 29. R6e5 Qd4+ 30. Kh1 b6 31. Qa2+ Kg7 32. Re7+ Kh6 33. Qf7 Nc4 34. Qxh7+ Kg5 35. R7e6 Qd3 36. h4+ Kf4 37. Qh6+ 1 : 0 Nakamura – Akobian, 60th U.S. Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2016) 15. cxd5 Qxd5 16. c4 Qe4. It’s hard to guess why Nepomniachtchi took such a risk. 16. ... Qd6 as well as 16. ... Qd7 look much sounder. 17. Bf1

17. ... Qg4. The engines give 17. ... Qb1! 18. Rxe8 Rxe8 19. Rb2 Qa1 20. Rxb7 Be4 21. Rxc7 Bd6 22. Rd7 Bxa3 23. Nd2 Qxc1! 24. Qxc1 Bxc1 25. Nxe4 Rxe4 26. d5 Re7! with a draw in sight, but Nepomniachtchi wants to defend his gamble to the end. 18. h3 Rxe1 19. Qxe1 Qe4 20. Re2 Qd3 21. Rb2 Qe4. Clearly not 21. ... Qxa3?? because of 22. Rb5+− (Nakamura). 22. Re2 Qd3

23. Re3 Qb1 24. d5 Ne7

25. Nd2. Nakamura regretted afterwards that he didn’t play 25. Nd4 here, which “I think it’s much better if not winning” (probably in view of 25. ... Qb6 26. Qd2±). 25. ... Qa1 26. Nb3 Qf6 27. Bd2 Ng6 28. Na5. Completely demoralised, Nakamura let his residual advantage slip. He himself later suggested 28. Bc3 Qd8 29. g3 as his best way to keep White’s chances alive. 28. ... b6 29. Nc6 Bd7 30. Bc3 Qd6 31. Bb4 Qf6 32. Bc3 Qd6 33. Bb4 Qf6 34. Bc3 ½ : ½.

So far both Nakamura and Nepomniachtchi have been showing in great form. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Bells & Whistles

Fabiano Caruana – Richárd Rapport
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, June 22, 2022
Sicilian Defence B46

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g4!? Nge7. They got off beaten tracks — but only apparently so. 7. Be3 b5 8. Nb3 Na5 9. Qd2 (9. g5 Nec6 10. Bg2? Nc4 11. Bc1 Be7 12. h4 Bb7 13. Qe2 Rc8 14. 0-0 h6 15. gxh6 gxh6 16. a4 Qb6 17. axb5 axb5 18. Nd2 N6e5 19. Nxc4 Rxc4 20. Be3 Bc5 21. Bf4 d6 22. Kh1 Rg8 23. Bg3 Bd4 24. Nd1 Ng4 25. Ra3 Qc6 26. c3 Bc5 27. Ra1 Nf6 28. b3 Rxe4 29. Bxe4 Nxe4 30. Kh2 Nxc3 0 : 1 S. B. Hansen – U. Andersson, 20th German Schach Bundesliga, Porz 2000) 9. ... Nxb3 10. axb3 Bb7 11. Bg2 Ng6

12. Rf1!? This is a sort of computer-like theory. Humanly speaking, in such a situation, it is customary for White to first castle, but Caruana was probably deterred by 12. 0-0-0 Nh4 13. Bg5 Be7 14. Bxh4 Bxh4 15. f4 0-0 where White has no apparent way to demonstrate anything with it — after 16. Qxd7? Qb6! Black’s dark-square initiative compensates him ad abundantiam for the Pawn. 12. ... Bc6 13. g5. Still, castling is quite imprudent for after 13. 0-0-0 a5 14. f4 a4 it is not clear who is attacking whom. 13. ... a5 14. f4 a4 15. Rd1. Who knows — maybe Caruana just wanted to pay a tribute to Kramnik’s no castling chess. 15. ... Bb4 16. Qd4 Qa5 17. Qxg7 a3

18. Kf2! At once a home for the King and an unpinning move. 18. ... axb2 19. Ne2

19. ... e5! An interference move, forcing a draw by repetition: 20. f5 Bf8 21. Qf6 Be7 22. Qg7 Bf8 23. Qf6 Be7 24. Qg7 ½ : ½.

Caruana metaphorically “holding the mouse” on a piece of analysis. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Yeah, Edna, creamy coffee panna cotta is the ideal dessert for weight loss

Artwork © spilt__coffee (@spilt__coffee)

The hug of the bear

Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Alireza Firouzja
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, June 21, 2022
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. Be3 Be7 9. Qd2 0-0 10. 0-0-0 Nbd7 11. g4 b5 12. g5 b4 13. Ne2. 13. gxf6 bxc3 14. Qxc3 Nxf6 would cause Black little or no problem: 15. Na5 Qd7 16. Qc6 Rfc8 17. Qxd7 Nxd7 18. b3 f5 19. Bc4 Bxc4 20. Nxc4 Rc6 21. exf5 Rf8 22. f4 Rxf5 23. fxe5 Nxe5 24. Nxe5 Rxe5 25. Rhe1 Bh4 26. Re2 d5 27. Kd2 Rce6 28. Kd3? (28. c3 Rxe3 29. Rxe3 Bg5 30. Rde1 Rh6 31. Re2 Rh3!∓) 28. ... d4 29. Bf2 (if 29. Kxd4 then 29. ... Rxe3 30. Rxe3 Rd6+!−+) 29. ... Rxe2 30. Bxh4 Rxh2 31. Be1 Rh3+ 32. Kd2 h5 33. Bf2 Rh2 34. Rf1 Rf6 35. Ke2 g5 0 : 1 Shankland – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 22nd Hawaii International Chess Festival “Grandmaster Challenge”, Blitz Tournament, Waikīkī Beach, Honolulu 2015 (time control: 5 minutes with no increment). 13. ... Ne8 14. f4 a5 15. f5

15. ... Bc4!? Firouzja walks the sidelines. The usual continuation is 15. ... a4 16. fxe6 axb3 17. cxb3 fxe6 18. Bh3 Rxa2 19. Bxe6+ Kh8 20. Ng3 Nc7 21. Bc4 Qa8 22. Rhf1 Rxf1 23. Rxf1 Ra1+ 24. Kc2 Rxf1 25. Bxf1 d5 26. Qf2 g6 27. h4 Qf8 28. Qxf8+ Nxf8 29. Ba7 dxe4 30. Bb8 Nfe6 31. Nxe4 h6 32. Bc4 hxg5 33. hxg5 Kg7 34. Kd3 Kf8 35. Ke3 Bd8 36. Bxe6 Nxe6 37. Bxe5 Nxg5 38. Bd6+ Ke8 39. Bxb4 Nxe4 40. Kxe4 Kd7 41. Kd5 ½ : ½ Radjabov – Vachier-Lagrave, FIDE Grand Prix 2014–15, 2nd stage, Tashkent 2014. 16. Kb1 a4 17. Nbc1 d5 18. f6 gxf6 19. gxf6. Strict epistolary theory says 19. Ng3 Nd6 20. gxf6 Nxf6 21. Bh6 Kh8! 22. Qg5 Rg8 23. Qxe5 Ra5 24. Bf4 Re8 25. Bg5 a3 26. b3 d4 27. Qxd4 Rxg5 28. Bxc4 Qa5 29. Rhe1 Rd8 30. Qa1 Qb6 with a dynamic balance, Vornanen – Salonen, 43th Finnish Veteran’s Championship, by e-mail, 2011–12. 19. ... Ndxf6 20. Ng3

20. ... Bxf1?! Maybe this will be subject of debate by Firouzja and his seconds. 20. ... Kh8!?∞ seems here more appropriate and useful. 21. Rhxf1 a3. After an eternity of thought. 22. b3 Kh8 23. exd5 Nd6? Good or bad, Black just ought to play 23. ... Qc7, though after 24. Rxf6! Bxf6 25. d6 Qc6 26. Qxb4 White has more than enough compensation for the Exchange. 24. Qxb4 Rc8. Not 24. ... Nde4? on account of 25. d6! winning at once, while if 24. ... Nd7 then 25. c4 f5 26. c5 Rb8 27. Qe1 with a crushing advantage. 25. Bb6 Qd7 (25. ... Qe8 26. Rxf6+−)

White is winning now, and Nepomniachtchi concludes energetically: 26. Qe1! Rb8 27. Ba5 Nc4 28. d6! Bd8 (28. ... Nxd6 29. Qxe5+−) 29. Bc3 Qe6 30. Nd3 Nd5 31. Nf4 Nxf4 32. Rxf4 f6 33. Qe2 Nb2 (33. ... Nxd6 34. Bxe5+−) 34. Rdf1 Re8 35. Rh4 f5

36. Rxh7+! Kxh7 37. Qh5+ Kg8 38. Nxf5 Bf6 39. Rg1+ 1 : 0. Because of 39. ... Kf8 40. Qh6+ Kf7 41. Rg7+ followed by mate in two.

Today Nepomniachtchi taught his young opponent much, if not all, about the Najdorf. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

You know, Edna, the older they get, the more they rant

Artwork © Alex kemp (@aokhockey08)

Tales and Things

What is it the dancers say in the changing room?

The Thread of Ariadne

Earnestly seeking, Claudia found the thread of Ariadne that will take her out of the cage of the “New Normal”.

Suddenly, This Summer

Suddenly, this summer through the two-sided mirrors of time and space.

Q&A

Letizia rehearsing specific body language elements.

Like It Never Happened

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk – Antoaneta Stefanova

4th Online Women’s Speed Chess Championship Main Event; Round of 16 match game 5; time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move; chess.com, June 20, 2022

Italian Game C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nbd2. Now rediscovered, it is also used to be a favourite of Kosteniuk. 7. ... Nxe4. The alternative 7. ... d5 is obviously not unknown to Kosteniuk: 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. 0-0 0-0 10. a3 Bxd2 11. Bxd2 Bg4 12. h3 Bxf3 13. Qxf3 Nb6 14. Bd3 Nxd4 15. Qxb7 Rb8 16. Qe4 f5 17. Qe3 c5 18. Rad1 Nd5 19. Bc4 Kh8 20. Qe5 Nb6 21. Ba2 Re8 22. Qxc5 Na4 23. Qd5 Nxb2 24. Rb1 Qf6 25. Rfe1 Red8 26. Qa5 Nd3 27. Rxb8 Rxb8 28. Qxa7 Rf8 29. Re3 Nc6 30. Qb7 Nc5 31. Qb6 Ne4 32. Rd3 Rb8 33. Qc7 Qa1+ 34. Kh2 Nxf2 35. Qxb8+ 1 : 0 Kosteniuk – E. Hansen, 2nd Champions Chess Tour, 1st stage, Airthings Masters, Prelims Tournament, chess24.com, February 22, 2022 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 8. d5 Nxd2. Another line is 8. ... Ne7 9. 0-0 Nxd2 10. Nxd2 0-0 11. a3 Ba5 12. b4 Bb6 13. d6 cxd6 14. Ne4 Nf5? (14. ... d5! 15. Bxd5 d6! 16. Nxd6 Nxd5 17. Qxd5 Be6=) 15. Bb2 (15. Bg5+−) 15. ... Qh4 16. Bd5 Re8 17. Qf3 Nh6 18. Nxd6 Rf8 19. Rae1 Bc7 20. Be5 Qg4 21. Nxf7! 1 : 0 Kosteniuk – 周齐宇 (Zhōu Qíyǔ), April 5 Titled Tuesday Late, chess.com, April 5, 2022 (time control: 3 minutes plus 1 second per move). 9. Bxd2 Qe7+. 9. ... Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 Ne7 is most usual here, whereupon there can follow 11. h4!? d6 12. h5 h6 13. 0-0-0 0-0 14. Rdg1 b5 15. Bb3 Bg4 16. Nh4 c5? (⌓ 16. ... c6!) 17. f3 Bxh5 (17. ... c4 18. Bc2 Bd7 19. g4→) 18. g4 Bg6 19. Nf5 with a crushing attack, Caruana – Nakamura, 1st Online Rapid Chess Championship Week 3 Knockout, chess.com, February 27, 2022 (time control: 10 minutes with no increment). 10. Kf1 Na5?

11. Bd3? Apparently, White does not notice that 11. d6! wins material by force (11. ... Qxd6 12. Qe1+). 11. ... 0-0?

12. Bxh7+! A crucial novelty, which does justice to White’s claim to the initiative. Quite pointless is 12. Be3 b5 13. Qc2 Nc4 14. Bxh7+ Kh8 15. Bd4 (15. Bg5!? f6 16. h4!⩲↑) 15. ... c5 16. dxc6 dxc6 17. a3 Ba5 18. b4 Bb6 19. Re1 Be6 20. Ba1 ½ : ½ Kurmann – Klauser, 114th Swiss Chess Championship, Bern 2014. 12. ... Kxh7 13. Ng5+ Kg6

14. Qg4? Kosteniuk indulges in automatism. Best is 14. h4! f5 15. Rh3 and White’s attack continues undaunted. 14. ... f5? But Stefanova misses the right way: 14. ... Bxd2! 15. Ne6+ Bg5 16. Nxf8+ Kh6 (16. ... Qxf8?! 17. h4 d6 18. Qg3 leaves White with promising chances) 17. Qh3+ Bh4 18. Re1 d6! and Black is fine. 15. Qxb4 Qxb4 16. Bxb4 Re8 17. Bxa5

17. ... b6?? The losing blunder! Correct was 17. ... Kxg5 18. h4+ Kh5 19. Bc3 with the better game for White. 18. Bd2+− Ba6+ 19. Kg1 Re2 20. Nf3 Bc4 21. Bc3 Bxd5 22. Ne5+ Kh7 23. Nxd7 Rae8 24. h4 R8e7 25. Nf8+ Kg8 26. Ng6 R7e4 27. f3 Rc4 28. Rd1 c6 29. Ne5 Rxc3 30. bxc3 Rxe5 31. Rd2 Re3 32. Rc2 a5 33. Kf2 Rd3 34. c4 Bf7 35. Rb1 Rd4 36. Rxb6 Rxh4 37. Rxc6 a4 38. a3 Rd4 39. Rc8+ Kh7 40. Ke3 Rd1 41. Rc3 g5 42. c5 f4+ 43. Kf2 Rd2+ 44. Kg1 g4 45. fxg4 Bd5 46. Rd8 Rxg2+ 47. Kf1 Bc6 48. Rd6 Be4 49. Rd4 Bc6 50. Rxf4 Ra2 51. Rb4 Rd2 52. Rb6 Bg2+ 53. Ke1 Ra2 54. c6 1 : 0.

Wow, Edna, your passage through the stargate was too fast for my eyes to track

Artwork © Gabih 💕 (@desenhos_cartoons129)

Parallel algorithms

丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Richárd Rapport
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, June 19, 2022
Grünfeld Defence D87

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 0-0 10. 0-0 b6 11. Rc1 Bb7 12. Bb5 Rc8 13. Qd2 cxd4 14. cxd4 Qd6 15. Rfd1 Qb4 16. Qd3 e6 17. h4 Rfd8

18. Bg5! A powerful novelty by 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), sensibly improving on 18. a3 Qe7 19. Bg5 Bf6 20. Qe3 h6 21. Bxh6 Nxd4 22. Rxc8 Nxe2+ 23. Bxe2 Bxc8 24. h5 Rxd1+ 25. Bxd1 Qd8 26. Bc2 Qc7 27. Bd1 Qd8 28. Bc2 Qc7 29. Bd1 Qd8 ½ : ½ Giri – Nepomniachtchi, The Magnus Carlsen Invitational, Prelims Tournament, chess24.com, April 23, 2020, match game 1 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 18. ... Nxd4!? Rapport comes up with a sharp Exchange sacrifice, rather than resigning himself to 18. ... f6 19. Bd2 (or also 19. Bf4) with the better game for White. 19. Bxd8 Rxd8 20. h5 Be5 21. a4 Kg7

22. Kf1! A strong, quiet move which neutralises all of Black’s tactics, while White also threatens to win a piece with Rc1-c4 (that was not playable right now: 22. Rc4?? Nf3+!). 22. ... Nxe2

23. Qxe2? This is a good mistake since it secures White a certain advantage, but 23. Qxd8! was much stronger, for after 23. ... Qxe4 (23. ... Nxc1 24. Qg5+−) 24. Bxe2 Qxg2+ 25. Ke1 Qh1+ 26. Kd2 Bf4+ 27. Kc3 Black is on the ropes. 23. ... Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 a6. Of course taking the e4-Pawn at once would cost a piece. 25. Bxa6 Bxa6 26. Qxa6 Qxe4

27. Re1. Apparently, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) is not yet himself — that is, his himself of three years ago. Here, for example, one can hardly disagree with the conclusions reached by the engines that 27. Qe2 is White’s best way to play for the win. 27. ... Qd4 28. Qe2 Bf6 29. hxg6 hxg6 30. Qe4 Qd2 31. Re2 Qd1+ 32. Re1 Qd2 33. g3 Bd4 34. Qe2 Qc3 35. Rd1 Qc6 36. Qg4 e5 37. Rxd4 exd4 38. Qxd4+ Kg8 39. Qd8+ Kg7 40. Qd4+ Kg8 ½ : ½.

An impossible synchronisation: just like two time zones existing in parallel. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Hello, Professor!

Professor Davide Tutino was also a welcome guest at the caucus of the National Liberation Committee (CLN) in Florence, Italy on Sunday, June 19, 2022.

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

A caucus of the National Liberation Committee (CLN) was held at Parco dell’Anconella in Florence, Italy on Sunday, June 19, 2022. On the agenda was the election of regional representatives that hopefully will help make the CLN an effective and influential organisation.

Yeah, Edna, on Sunday, you’ll travel out of your time zone through a vacuum to a new galaxy which will offer you a queen’s throne

Artwork © sani_hachidori_stickt (@sani_hachidori_stickt)

After all, yesterday is another day

Hikaru Nakamura – Teimour Boris oghlu Radjabov
Candidates Tournament 2022; Madrid, June 18, 2022
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Nbd2 Nd4 6. Nxd4 Bxd4 7. c3 Bb6 8. d4 c6 9. dxe5 cxb5 10. exf6 Qxf6 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Qh5 Qc6 13. Re1. It’s no one’s fault if the only theory worth mentioning is an extemporaneous one: 13. Nf3 d6 14. Re1 f6?! 15. Be3 a6? 16. Bxb6 Qxb6 17. Qd5+ Rf7 18. Rad1 Bg4 19. Qxd6 Qa5 20. Qd5 Bxf3 21. gxf3 Re8 22. f4 g6 23. e5 Qb6 24. Rd4 fxe5 25. Rxe5 Rf8 26. Re7 Kg7 27. Qe5+ Qf6 28. Rdd7 Rxe7 29. Rxe7+ Kh6 30. Qc7 Rh8 31. h3 Qf5 32. Kh2 Qc2 33. Qc5 1 : 0 Nepomniachtchi – Aronian, 5th Speed Chess Championship, chess.com, November 11, 2020, round of 16 match game 7 (time control: 5 minutes plus 1 second per move). 13. ... Re8 14. Nf3 d5 (14. ... Rxe4? 15. Bd2! d5 16. Ng5 Qg6 17. Nxe4! Qxh5 18. Ng3+−) 15. exd5 Rxe1+ 16. Nxe1 Qc4 17. h3 Bd7 18. Qf3 Re8 19. Be3 Bxe3 20. fxe3 Re5 21. d6

21. ... Qd5. Also interesting is 21. ... Bc6! 22. d7! Bxd7 23. Qxb7 Bc6 24. Rd1 Re8 leaving Black with enough compensation for the Pawn and a dynamically balanced game. 22. Rd1 Qxf3 23. Nxf3 Rxe3 24. Rd5 f6 25. Rc5 Re6 26. Rc7 Rxd6 27. Rxb7 a6 28. Nd4 h5 29. h4 g5 30. g3 Kf7 31. Kf2 Kg6 32. Ke3 Rd5 33. Ra7 Rd6 34. b3 Be6 35. Rc7

35. ... Rd5? It seems that this is Black’s crucial mistake, albeit not his losing move in a strict sense. Correct was 35. ... Bh3! 36. Ra7 Bf1 with a hard nut to crack. 36. Rc6! Clearly not 36. Nxe6? on account of 36. ... Re5+ simplifying into a drawish Rook endgame. 36. ... Re5+ 37. Kf2 Bd7 38. Rxa6 gxh4 39. gxh4 Re4 40. Rd6 Bc8 41. Rd8 Bg4 42. Rd5

42. ... Bc8. 42. ... f5 43. Rd6+ Kf7 44. Nxb5 f4 45. Rd2 is another nightmare for Black, but still yet not his worst nightmare. 43. Rc5 Bd7 44. Rc7 Be8 45. Nf3 Re6 46. Ra7 Re4 47. Ra8 Kf7 48. Rd8 Re7 49. Rd2 Re4 50. Rd5 Kg6 51. a3 Re7 52. Nd4 Re4 53. Nxb5 Rxh4 54. Nd4 Rh2+ 55. Kg3 Rd2 56. c4 Rd3+ 57. Kh4

57. ... Bf7? 57. ... Rc3! was Black’s best chance of salvation, e.g. if 58. a4 then 58. ... Bxa4! 59. bxa4 Rxc4 with good drawing prospects. 58. Rd8 Rd1 59. a4 Rh1+ 60. Kg3 h4+ 61. Kg2 Rc1 62. a5 Kh5 63. Kf2 Kg4 64. Rf8 h3 65. Rxf7 h2 66. Rg7+ Kf4 67. Ne2+ Ke5 68. Ng3 Rc2+ 69. Kf3 Rc3+ 70. Kg2 Rxb3 71. a6 Ra3 72. a7 Kd4 73. Nf5+ Kxc4 74. Rb7 Kc5 75. Ne7 1 : 0.

The day after a defeat, Nakamura gave proof of his character. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.