In this episode of The Monthly Dragon, Chris Ward takes a close look at the newest Dragadorf developments and shows why these modern Dragon setups are becoming such a practical weapon for Black. Using fresh blitz examples and clear strategic ideas, he explains how early …h5, flexible piece play and typical Dragadorf plans can leave […]
Monthly Archives: March 2026
Meet the ultimate training-and-prep bundle: Fritz 20 plus Fritz Powerbook 2026 – your personal chess trainer combined with a modern, statistics-based opening reference. With opponent-style simulation, Bullet Training, and AI voice commentary on the Fritz side, you can turn preparation into realistic practice games. And with 25 million opening positions built from 1.7 million high-class […]
Missed opportunities remained a recurring theme in round two of the Women’s Candidates, where all four games again ended in draws. Zhu Jiner obtained a clearly superior position against Kateryna Lagno but failed to convert, allowing a perpetual check to save the game. In the all-Indian encounter, Divya Deshmukh (pictured) also let an advantage slip […]
All four games in round two of the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus ended in draws, leaving the standings unchanged. Fabiano Caruana, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Javokhir Sindarov remain tied for the lead on 1½/2 points. Pragg and Andrey Esipenko got the best chances to fight for more than a draw on Monday, but saw their opponents […]
Chess returns to the Esports World Cup in 2026 following a successful debut at last year’s event. On its biggest stage ever, chess cemented its place in the larger esports ecosystem, drawing impressive viewership numbers while packing the arenas. This year, chess expands with a 21-player pool that now includes a play-in stage prior to […]
Head-to-head records between the participants of the Candidates Tournaments provide useful context for each pairing. Drawing on data compiled via Mega Database 2026, the key statistics from past encounters highlight imbalances and trends. While such figures are not decisive, they offer an additional perspective on how rivalries have developed before a tournament that will determine […]
The 2026 Candidates Tournament kicked off in style, with three decisive results from four games, all in favour of the player with the white piece. Fabiano Caruana defeated Hikaru Nakamura in the all-American clash between top seeds, while Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Javokhir Sindarov scored wins of different nature over Anish Giri and Andrey Esipenko, respectively. […]
The Women’s Candidates began in Pegeia with four draws in round one, though the games featured a number of missed chances. The event, held alongside the open section for a second time, brings together five returning players from 2024 and three young talents. Early pairings included two all-national encounters, while late changes following Humpy Koneru’s […]
The KazChess Masters, held in Shymkent from 21 to 29 March, brought together five experienced international grandmasters and five emerging Kazakhstani players in a single round-robin format. Pranav Venkatesh secured first place with 7½/9, finishing clear of Shamsiddin Vokhidov. The event also highlighted the progress of local talents, notably Danis Kuandykuly (born in 2013), who […]
The Candidates Tournaments form the final qualifying stage of the FIDE World Championship cycle. Each tournament features eight of the world’s strongest players competing in a double round-robin format over fourteen rounds of classical chess. The first round features the clash of top seeds in the open section, with Fabiano Caruana playing white against Hikaru […]