It was a thrilling event from start to finish. The final round of the Tata Steel Masters saw four co-leaders grabbing wins to set up a four-way blitz playoff. Wei Yi, Gukesh D., Anish Giri and Nodirbek Abdusattorov played the knockout tiebreaker, which saw 24-year-old Wei claiming overall victory after showcasing his well-known tactical sharpness […]
Monthly Archives: January 2024
FIDE has introduced a series of changes to the qualification paths that will be in effect for the Candidates Tournament in 2026. Most notably, the runner-up from the World Championship match no longer automatically qualifies for the Candidates. The alterations are aimed at enhancing the competitive landscape, encouraging player participation, and ensuring a fair representation […]
Five out of seven games ended decisively in the penultimate round of the Tata Steel Masters, leaving five players tied for first place going into the last day of action. Vidit Gujrathi defeated former sole leader Nodirbek Abdusattorov to create the exciting scenario for Sunday. Vidit and Abdusattorov are joined by Gukesh D., Wei Yi […]
The FIDE Trainers Commission is pleased to announce the winners of the 15th FIDE Trainer Awards 2023 and the Yuri Averbakh / Isaac Boleslavsky Award for the best book published in 2022. Ramesh R B, Abhijit Kunte and Djakhangir Agaragimov were chosen as the top trainers of the year. In the book category, a work […]
The Kasparov Chess Foundation Academy has announced an extraordinary bonus for participants of their course! The renowned grandmaster Fabiano Caruana will be sharing his insights and experiences in an exclusive interview conducted by Christian Chirila. Add it to your calendar!
A magnificent round of chess saw Nodirbek Abdusattorov beating Ju Wenjun to become the sole leader at the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee. Standing in sole second place is Gukesh D., who failed to find a couple of tactical shots that would have granted him a full point against Alireza Firouzja. Four players […]
This episode is a must-watch for every endgame beginner, and soon to be expert. Svitlana is presenting some essential endgame positions and how to deal with them. May it be rook vs. bishop, queen vs. rook, and other positions, which every chess player had on the board already, at least once in their life. Our […]
From the 1960s to the 1980s, Klaus Darga and Hajo Hecht, together with Wolfgang Unzicker, Lothar Schmid, Robert Hübner and Helmut Pfleger, formed the backbone of the German national team. Hajo Hecht and Klaus Darga will soon be celebrating their 85th and 90th birthdays, respectively. Helmut Pfleger recalled their long-standing friendship in his latest column […]
How you play chess reflects your actual personality. If you play chess with more timidity and reservation, you’re likely a passive person who resorts to a diplomatic approach in the face of conflict. While a person who attacks like Mikhail Tal is likely to confront conflict head-on and rather impulsively. So, to what category do […]
In the recently concluded ChessBase Christmas Composition Contest, we received many entries, and thus the decision-making was much harder! The problems submitted were tested upon the criterion of economy, harmony and aesthetics. We decided to make three articles on it, with the final one being about the prize-winners! Hope you have fun replalying these very […]

