The controversy between Freestyle Chess and FIDE is escalating into a major conflict. Both sides have reiterated their positions in various media. The Norwegian NRK quotes Jan Henrric Buettner and FIDE. Emil Sutovsky has responded on X. Behind all this is a large sum of money that FIDE would like to receive. | Photo: sharkolot […]
Monthly Archives: January 2025
Against the popular Semi-Tarrasch (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5), 7.Rb1 (with h4!) is currently the absolute fashionable variation and, with a yield of well over 60%, also a promising choice. In the current ChessBase Magazine #223, IM Balász Csonka takes a close look at the variation and summarizes […]
After giving his Bundesliga debut for St. Pauli, Magnus Carlsen travelled on to the ICE Gaming Fair in Barcelona. In an interview, Carlsen commented on the controversy with FIDE, though he did not mention it explicitly. Still, it was an interesting and open interview.
Wei Yi and Fabiano Caruana scored victories in round 8 of the Tata Steel Masters, with Wei beating Max Warmerdam and Caruana getting the better of Vincent Keymer. The two winners of the day stand a full point behind co-leaders Gukesh Dommaraju, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Meanwhile, Thai Dai Van Nguyen defeated Lu Miaoyi […]
The Djerba Chess Festival is steadily securing its place on the international chess scene as an exciting blend of competition, tourism, and cultural experience. Known as the “sweet Djerba” or the “island of dreams,” this enchanting destination on Tunisia’s southeast coast will host its fifth edition from February 15–23, 2025.
Over the past 18 months, the “Chess for Protection” programme has transformed lives in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, Kenya, using chess as a tool for empowerment and development. Led by FIDE’s Sonja Johnson, the initiative has built sustainable infrastructure, introduced chess to over 2,100 students, and achieved global recognition. From organising youth championships to fostering partnerships […]
Today, 26 January 2025, the legendary Icelandic Grandmaster Fridrik Olafsson celebrates his 90th birthday. Heartfelt congratulations to the Chess Coryphaeus! Our author Eduard Frey presents highlights from a remarkable biography.
The prestigeous Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee is on again, and just in the first couple of days we have been blessed with some instructive tactics! Svitlana has some nice examples prepared for us, either for your watching entertainment, or to actively try to solve them!
Javokhir Sindarov, the 19-year-old Uzbek prodigy, will join the inaugural leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Weissenhaus, stepping in for Viswanathan Anand. A former Chess Olympiad gold medallist and one of the youngest grandmasters in history, Sindarov’s inclusion adds excitement to the ten-player field. After an impressive run in the online qualifier, Sindarov […]
A real life Queen’s Gambit, this captivating memoir tells the story of one of the most renowned women in chess history. Susan Polgar takes on a sexist establishment, standing up to an authoritarian empire and rewriting the rules of what women could achieve against the oppressive backdrop of Cold War Eastern Europe. A must-read book, […]