Category Archives: News

Andrew Martin: The Vienna Game – Dynamic, Flexible and Deeply Underestimated

IM Andrew Martin makes a compelling case for the Vienna Game as a versatile and dangerous weapon, offering rich attacking chances with far less theory than mainstream alternatives like the Ruy Lopez or Italian. His course covers three distinct approaches – aggressive f2–f4 systems, solid early Bc4 lines, and positional g3 setups – giving you […]

Candidates Tournament 2026: Eight contenders, one dream

The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 is set to begin on 29 March, when eight elite grandmasters will start their fourteen-round quest to earn the right to challenge reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju. The lineup combines seasoned contenders such as Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura with rising stars including Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Javokhir Sindarov. | Image: […]

Review: 60 minutes against the French

The concept behind Chessbase’s “60-minute” courses is simple: a one-hour video course for just under 10 Euros. There are also courses on middle game and endgame topics, but most courses focus on quite “specialised” opening variations. In the second instalment of a short series, Jochen Schwarz presents the most important 60-minute courses for 1.e4 players […]

Naroditsky Memorial Rapid & Blitz set for July, Nakamura heads the field

The inaugural Naroditsky Memorial Rapid & Blitz will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 3 to 5 July 2026, combining open tournaments with elite showcase events across a three-day festival. Featuring a guaranteed $50,000 prize fund and offering FIDE Circuit and US Chess Grand Prix points, the competition is open to players of all […]

Bodhana Sivanandan gains 200+ rating points in a month to secure FIDE Master title at 11

A sustained run of strong tournament results has enabled Bodhana Sivanandan to secure the FIDE Master title after she crossed the 2300 rating threshold for the first time. The British prodigy, who recently turned 11, gained more than 200 rating points across appearances in the 4NCL, Graz Open and Cannes Chess Festival, consistently holding her […]

Record at grenke Chess Festival

Weeks before the first move is played, the grenke Chess Festival 2026 is surpassing all previous dimensions. More than 3,000 registrations mark a new record for the world’s largest open chess festival. With Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer among the participants, and the chance to qualify for the next Freestyle World Championship, Karlsruhe will become […]

Bled Chess Festival: Chess tradition in idyllic surroundings

For almost a century, the Slovenian spa town of Bled has held a special place in international chess history. With the chess festival currently running until the weekend, this traditional venue continues the legacy of great tournaments – combining its historical prestige with an event for ambitious title holders, amateurs and young players. | Photos: […]