A CHESS SCANDAL?

A CHESS SCANDAL? Nick e mailed me this link to a story about how Hou Yifan, the best woman chess player in the world, had lost a game in only five moves in the final match of an important chess tournament held in Gibraltar. Nick’s e mail had the subject line “CHESS SCANDAL”. Hou Yifan had in fact lost deliberately as a protest. The impact of her protest was greater because she had not revealed her plans until she showed up half an hour late and then made an opening move of 1. g4 and followed up with 2. f3. These first two moves are astoundingly weak. She then resigned after five moves. The televised commentary by the dumbfounded experts (click on the picture of Hou Yifan making a move) is quite funny. They repeat themselves over and over and speculate over and over that she must be drunk.