Once again, Edna, life transcended itself, and too late they realised that an immortal does not need to be eternal

Artwork © Skylleur

Vincent’s Colours

Vincent Keymer – Arjun Erigaisi

56th Biel International Chess Festival; ACCENTUS Chess960 Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Biel/Bienne, July 15, 2023

qbrkbnrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/QBRKBNRN w GCgc - 0 1

Position #776

1. d4 d5 2. Ne3 c6 3. Ng3 e5 4. 0-0-0 Nhg6 5. c4 exd4 6. Rxd4 Ne6 7. Rd1 Bd7 8. Bc3 0-0 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Nxd5 Rfe8 11. Bc2 Bc6 12. Kb1 b5 13. e4

13. ... Bxd5? A ruinous error. Now, simply 13. ... Nc5! eventually followed by ... Nc5-a4 would have given Black a good game.
14. exd5 Nef4 15. d6. Threatening a trivial Pawn fork.
15. ... Rcd8 16. Nf5 f6? Probably Black has no good moves anyway, but the text falls into a mating attack.
17. a3! Threatening the check at a2.
17. ... Kh8 18. Qa2 (Δ Qa2-f7)
18. ... Ne2 (18. ... Rd7 19. Rge1+−)

19. Bxf6! Rd7. The Bishop is taboo, as if 19. ... gxf6 then 20. Qf7 and mate in three at most.
20. Nxg7! 1 : 0. For after 20. ... Rxg7 21. d7 it’s all over.

Not That Bad

Nay, Edna, in spite of all appearances to the contrary, neither producers nor traders of vaccines and weapons have any reason to rejoice at their present life-span perspective

Artwork © KWoo (@gelfling1220)

shutdown -h -t 604800

So out of the blue the only surviving Internet point in downtown Florence is inaccessible due to not better defined renovation works which shall end on date to be determined, just for the sake of all of us, poor common mortals who used to sit in there when it was raining or it was too hot or too cold outside.

Официр и џентлмен (An Officer and a Gentleman)

Four One-act Plays

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2023; match game 8; 重庆 (Chóngqìng), July 16, 2023

5k2/4R2p/5B1P/5bP1/5P2/4K3/3r4/8 b - - 6 57

Position after 57. Kf2-e3

So, finally, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) did it. And since she did it in 重庆 (Chóngqìng) — the birth city of her opponent — one might well say that “revenge is a dish best served spicy hot”. Yet it was anything but easy for her, as after having the upper hand for much of the time, once again it seemed that White was left with a handful of flies:
57. ... Rd6? In severe time pressure, 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) overlooks an amazing drawing resource: 57. ... Rd3+! 58. Ke2 Rd4!! forcing either the exchange of Rooks or the gain of the f-Pawn.
58. Rc7! Rd3+ 59. Ke2 Rd5 60. Bc3 Ke8 61. Kf2 Kf8 62. Bb4+ Ke8 63. Re7+ Kd8 64. Rf7 Ke8 65. Rf8+ Kd7 66. Bc3 Bg6 67. Rg8 Rd6 68. Be5 Rd2+ 69. Kf3 Rd3+ 70. Kg4 Rd1

71. Rxg6! hxg6 72. h7 1 : 0.

With four games to go, 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) scored a so badly needed equaliser. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Yeah, Edna, to quote Joubert, “Nothing does so much honour to a woman as her patience”

Artwork © Rodrigo Spinelli (@rodrigospin)

Circling the Square

David Navara – Lê Quang Liêm

56th Biel International Chess Festival; ACCENTUS Chess960 Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Biel/Bienne, July 15, 2023

nrqkbbrn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NRQKBBRN w GBgb - 0 1

Position #330

1. d4 d5 2. Nb3 Ng6 3. f4 Bb5 4. g4 e6 5. h4 Bd6 6. h5 Ne7 7. Bh4 c6 8. e4 Bxf1? In a Pavlovian loop, Black captures the Bishop, completely overlooking White’s zwischenzug. 8. ... dxe4 was called for, when there might follow 9. c4 Ba4 10. c5 Bc7 11. Qe3 Qd7 12. Qxe4 f6 with more or less equality.

9. e5! In fact, a refutation of Black’s 8th move.
11. ... Bxe5 10. fxe5 Bb5 11. Qg5 Qc7

12. h6 Nb6. Black’s position is inexorably falling apart. Of course, Black could not play 12. ... gxh6?? because of 13. Qxg8+ Kd7 14. Nc5#, whilst if 12. ... g6 then 13. Nf2 to be followed by Nf2-h3, Qg5-f6 and Nh3-g5.
13. hxg7 Nc4 14. Ng3 c5 15. Nh5 cxd4 16. Nxd4 0-0-0. Desperation, as Black was virtually in zugzwang.
17. Qxe7 Qb6 18. c3 Nxe5 19. Qb4 a6 20. Bxd8 Rxd8 21. 0-0-0 1 : 0.

And yet, Edna, even a thousand look-alikes are not enough to take the scene away from you

Artwork © Sara Lee-Morris (@sarasquarepeg)

Quantum entanglement

This afternoon we paid a long-due visit to an old friend of ours — 林丽丽 (Lín Lìlì) — only to find that her past as a dancer through the looking-glass of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” still haunted her.

To be sure, Edna, one must be careful not to get too close to the crossing point between a still life and an eternal life

Photo © Marian Btr

Shaped canvases

Footage from the flash mob of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” at Anconella Park in Florence, Italy, on Sunday evening, July 9, 2023. Video: Alessandro Rogai.

Well, Edna, redundantly speaking, one cannot but feel that wherever you go, and whatever the weather, you, and you only, can make flowers bloom out of season

Artwork © Loren Conner (@lorenconner_art)

Sea of Poppies

Tourists visit the flowering lentil fields in Castelluccio di Norcia, Umbria, Italy. Photo: Francesco Fotia/Shutterstock.

Yes please. You know, Edna, there is an old paradox that says, “’Tis more honourable to Beg than to wear a Crown”

Artwork © InkArtWriter

Breaklock

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2023; match game 5; 上海 (Shànghǎi), July 11, 2023

Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 5. 0-0 d6 6. c3 a5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. Re1 Ba7 9. h3 Be6 10. Bc2 h6 11. d4 exd4 12. Nxd4 Bd7 13. Be3 Ne5 14. Nd2 c5 15. N4f3 Bc6 16. Nxe5 dxe5 17. a4 Qe7 18. Qe2 Rfd8 19. Red1 Bb8 20. Qc4 b6 21. b4

21. ... axb4? Three-time Women’s World Champion 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) commits here a crucial strategic mistake, leaving White with a very powerful bind, which 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) has no difficulty in turning into an overwhelming grip. More solid was 21. ... Bd6! 22. b5 Bb7 23. Qa2 Nh5! 24. Bb3 Bc7 with a tenable game.
22. cxb4 Bd6 23. b5! Bd7 24. Qc3 Be6 25. Nc4 Bxc4 26. Qxc4 Ne8 27. Bb3 Nc7 28. Qc2 Ne6 29. Bd5 Rab8 30. Bxe6 Qxe6 31. Rd5 Be7 32. Rad1 Rxd5 33. Rxd5 Ra8 34. Bd2 Kf8 35. Bc3 f6 36. Qb3 Qc8 37. Qc4 Qe8 38. g3 Qc8 39. Kg2 Qe8 40. h4 h5 41. Bd2 Rb8 42. f4 exf4 43. Bxf4 Rb7 44. Qe2 g6 45. e5! Qa8

46. Qf3! f5 47. Rd7! Ra7 48. Qxa8+ Rxa8 49. e6 Rxa4 50. Rb7 Ra8 51. Rxb6 c4 52. Rc6 Bd8 53. b6 Ra2+ 54. Kf3 Rb2 55. Rc8 Rb3+ 56. Ke2 Rxb6 57. Rxd8+ Ke7 58. Rc8 Rxe6+ 59. Kd2 Re4 60. Kc3 Kf7 61. Rxc4 Re8 62. Rc7+ Kf6 63. Bg5+ Ke5 64. Re7+ Rxe7 65. Bxe7 1 : 0.

And yet they both, for opposite reasons, know deep in their heart that one swallow does not make a summer. Photo: Stev Bonhage/FIDE.

Not to flatter you too much, Edna, but you are the living proof that si duo faciunt idem, non est idem!

Artwork © Evan Schuster (@evanschusterdraws)

Through Magritte’s canvases and what they found there

The second flash mob of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” at Anconella Park on Sunday evening was, in spite of its being a holiday and a most torrid day, as much enthralling as the first. Some photos and videos are available at the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” website.

In Search of Equilibrium

In an interview with Milan Dinić for the FIDE website while she was still in Dubai, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) hardly ventured a prediction on the final outcome of the Women’s World Chess Championship match between 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) and 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié). “It’s hard to say what will happen. 居 (Jū) is experienced and won the title before, 雷 (Léi) is young, and maybe she is more motivated. It will depend on their prep and how they build their shape up”, she said. When asked whether it is easier to defend or to claim the crown, she said that it was the same for her, for, after all, the key to success lies in balancing motivation and skill: “If you lack motivation, you just enjoy yourself, but that has its drawbacks. To have motivation but lack experience — it reminds me of Firouzja in the [2022] Candidates; he didn’t do well, but he tried hard. There should be a balance. The players will find the most suitable path for themselves. It’s not the same for everyone. You should see what makes you feel more ready”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said.

“Even though the titles are both in China, I wouldn’t say China is dominating the chess world. In the open section, Magnus decided not to compete, but personally, I think he is the strongest”, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) said, perhaps thinking of herself as well. “To win a title does not equal dominance”. Photo: Anna Shtourman/FIDE.

What did you say, Edna? There is always a second act

Courtesy of AI Images

Aurora

In the third row in the audience a dear and old friend of ours was seated.

Waiting for the Sunset

Pictured top to bottom: Arianna, Viola, Claudia and Letizia waiting for the sun to go down and the flash mob performance of the Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna” at Anconella Park to begin.

Well, Edna, hic sunt dracones

Artwork © Jose-Ramiro

A Resilient Crown

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)

Women’s World Chess Championship 2023; match game 3; 上海 (Shànghǎi), July 8, 2023

Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 0-0 6. Bg5 d6 7. Nbd2 a6 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. d4 exd4 10. cxd4 Bb6 11. 0-0 h6 12. Bf4 (⌓ 12. Bh4 Re8 13. Re1 g5 14. Bg3 Bg4 15. Qc2⩲)
12. ... Re8 13. Qc2 (⌓ 13. Re1 Bg4 14. Qc2 Qd7=)

13. ... Nxe4! A little tactic which wins a Pawn, even if temporarily, leaving Black with a theoretical edge and in practice an easy equality — a situation which marks a clear turnaround compared to 居文君 (Jū Wénjūn)’s struggles in the first two games.
14. Nxe4 Bf5 15. Rfe1 d5 16. Ne5 Bxe4 17. Qc3 Qf6 18. Bg3 Re6 19. Kh1 a5 20. f3 Bf5 21. a4 h5 22. Bf2 Rae8 23. Rf1 c5 24. dxc5 Qxe5 25. Qxe5 Rxe5 26. cxb6 cxb6 27. Bxb6 Re2 28. Bxa5 Rxb2 29. Bc3 Rc2 30. Rfc1 Ree2 31. a5 Bd3 32. Rxc2 Rxc2 33. Bd4 Ba6 34. Kg1 f6 35. Rb1 Ra2 36. Ra1 Rd2 37. Bc3 Rc2 38. Bd4 Kf7 39. h4 Rc4 40. Rd1 Ke6 41. Kf2 Ra4 42. Ke3 43. g3 Ra3+ 44. Kf2 Kd6 45. Rb1 Kd7 46. Rb8 Ra2+ 47. Ke3 Ra3+ 48. Kf2 Ra2+ 49. Ke3 Ra3+ ½ : ½.

居文君 (Jū Wénjūn) has apparently benefited from the day off and, for the first time in the match, she enjoyed an easy time. Photo: David Llada/FIDE.