Tata Steel Chess: Four Candidates among Masters’ participants

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2026 takes place in Wijk aan Zee with the youngest Masters field in the event’s history. This preview examines the format, the historically young lineup and the Challengers field, while noting that world champion Gukesh Dommaraju will face four Candidates Tournament’s participants: Anish Giri, defending champion Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (pictured), Javokhir […]

ChessBase tips for beginners – Variations from Reference & Engines

Anastasia Corotcova explains how to insert variations into your notation using both reference games and engine suggestions. It shows how the Reference tab lists common moves and past games for the current position, allowing you to click or copy them directly into your analysis. Finally, it demonstrates how to add an engine (Kibitzer) and insert […]

FIDE rating review 2025: The year’s biggest gains and breakthroughs

From 1971 to 1980, FIDE issued just one rating list per year. This gradually increased to the current standard of monthly updates—a change driven by obvious practical needs. Yet frequent rating lists can sometimes obscure the broader picture of yearly progress. In this piece, the FIDE highlights players who achieved significant rating gains over the […]

Harshit Raja – A powerful 1.e4 Repertoire

Harshit Raja’s course teaches a complete and practical 1.e4 repertoire, showing how to get comfortable, easy-to-play positions against all major Black defences including …e5, Sicilian, Caro-Kann, French, Scandinavian, Alekhine, and rare sidelines. Instead of heavy theory, he focuses on simple plans, strong central control, and clear piece development, often recommending slightly offbeat but very effective […]

“I just wanted a medal” – Vladislav Artemiev on beating Magnus Carlsen and winning silver at World Rapid 2025

Vladislav Artemiev had an impressive run at the FIDE World Rapid Championship 2025. He finished the tournament unbeaten, defeated Magnus Carlsen, survived severe time pressure against Arjun Erigaisi, and eventually claimed the silver medal. In this exclusive interview with Sagar Shah, Artemiev speaks openly about his approach to the tournament, his struggles with time management, […]

Maurice Ashley appears on the Oprah Winfrey Show: “To become a GM, one must first be a GM”

Maurice Ashley appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” alongside organisational psychologist Adam Grant in a conversation about learning, character and long-term development. Drawing on his experience as a player, coach and teacher, Ashley reflects on discovering chess in Brooklyn, guiding the Raging Rooks from Harlem, and the broader life lessons the game offers about resilience, […]

Garry Kasparov live lecture

Your chance to train and talk with Garry Kasparov, LIVE! On January 18, 2026, you are in for something special. Chess legend Garry Kasparov, former World Champion and one of the greatest players of all time, will host an exclusive live lecture. This one-of-a-kind event provides chess enthusiasts and competitive players with a rare opportunity […]

2025: A breakthrough year for Javokhir Sindarov

Javokhir Sindarov’s 2025 season marked a turning point in his career. Focusing exclusively on classical chess, this analysis examines how the young Uzbek combined a selective tournament schedule with exceptional results in high-pressure events, culminating in victory at the FIDE World Cup and qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, despite a relatively modest rating climb […]