This video is a valuable chess lesson by IM Mkrtchian. Watch Lilit walk through a full “real tournament” prep routine in ChessBase 26. Find out how she scouts an opponent in the Mega Database, predict their openings, and steer the game into a line she specifically prepared. The payoff: a sharp Rossolimo move-order trap explained […]
Category Archives: News
Some years ago, Alan McGowan published a remarkably comprehensive biography of the German chess writer Kurt Richter (born 24 February 1900, died 29 December 1969). But then McGowan encountered the fate of every biographer: he found new information. While it does not change the overall picture, it does lead to corrections in the details. A […]
In rotary problems the board is rotated by 180° for a second position with a different solution. It is usually pawns that make a different when you turn the board around. Or the king/queen positions, or castling is involved. Can one devise problems where these factors do not play a role? Yes one can, as […]
The concluding day in Doha saw the World Rapid Championship take final shape after thirteen rounds in the open and eleven in the women’s event. Magnus Carlsen won his sixth world rapid title, finishing a full point ahead of four players. Vladislav Artemiev and Arjun Erigaisi completed the podium on tiebreak scores. In the women’s […]
Day two of the World Rapid Championship in Doha reshaped both title races as the standings tightened near the top. In the Open section, Vladislav Artemiev (pictured) and Hans Niemann moved into a shared lead after nine rounds, closely followed by a strong chasing group. The women’s event saw Humpy Koneru draw level with Zhu […]
These days it is not easy to challenge anyone with problems or studies. Loading the PGN and clicking Start will usually get you the solution in seconds. So we are trying to provide you with “computer resistant” puzzles in this year’s Christmas Puzzle Week. Today the subject is taking back a move in a given […]
There is a certain simplicity in how meaningful initiatives begin. In this article, we look at one such story that started with four schoolboys and a game they loved. Aaditya, Nehan, Krish and Vivaan are young chess players from Mumbai who chose to share the joy of chess with more people. They named the initiative […]
There are chess puzzles which only consist of a line of text, asking you to construct a position or a game that it describes. Some can be awesomely difficult, like the puzzle we first posted 41 years ago. Two world champions were not able to solve it. We tell you about that, and present a […]
The World Rapid Championship began in Doha with five rounds in the open and four in the women’s event, producing clear early reference points without deciding the race. Magnus Carlsen, Gukesh Dommaraju, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Arjun Erigaisi and Vladislav Artemiev share the lead in the open section, while Zhu Jiner (pictured) emerged as the sole leader […]
This article presents a curated selection of the most instructive endgames of the year, chosen by renowned endgame specialist Karsten Müller. Drawing on examples from elite tournaments and beyond, the collection highlights the enduring relevance of endgame technique in modern chess, with contributions from players such as Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju.