The concluding day of the Tata Steel Chess India event decided the blitz titles in Kolkata. In the open section, Wesley So kept things under control to secured first place with a round to spare. Nihal Sarin got second place, while Arjun Erigaisi again finished third. The women’s event ended in a playoff, where Carissa […]
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The concept behind ChessBase’s “60 Minutes” courses is simple: a one-hour video course for just under ten euros. There are also courses on middlegame or endgame topics, but most of them present rather “specialised” opening lines. In the second instalment of a small series, Jochen Schwarz introduces the most important 60 Minutes courses for 1.e4 […]
In this analytical column, GM Jon Speelman examines the disproportionate power of subtle “creeping” moves in chess. Using examples from games by Alireza Firouzja, Boris Spassky (pictured in 1964) and Garry Kasparov, he shows how small, almost inconspicuous piece shifts can radically alter complex positions. Blending modern encounters with classic material and personal recollections, Speelman […]
The 2025 European Women’s Blitz Championship, held on Friday in Monte-Carlo, brought together 127 players for a 13-round Swiss played at a 3+2 time control. The title was decided in dramatic fashion in the final round, where top seed Eline Roebers defeated long-time leader Bella Khotenashvili to secure tournament victory. | Pictured: The start of […]
The final day of the rapid tournaments at the Tata Steel Chess India event saw titles decided in both sections. In the open, Nihal Sarin claimed first place after finishing clear of the field, ahead of Viswanathan Anand. The women’s tournament also produced an outright winner, with Kateryna Lagno securing victory with a round to […]
The rift between FIDE and Freestyle Chess seemed final – and then, on Wednesday evening, a press release from both surprised the chess world: in February 2026, the first joint World Championship in Freestyle Chess is set to take place in Weissenhaus, Germany. Sagar Shah of ChessBase India conducted an in-depth interview with Jan Henric […]
A reigning world chess champion has not played a serious game in Czechia for exactly 95 years. That is about to change. GM Gukesh Dommaraju, also known as Gukesh D, will take part in the 8th edition of the Prague International Chess Festival. The Indian prodigy has broken numerous modern chess records. The Festival, the […]
FIDE and Norway Chess are pleased to announce the first 16 players who have earned the right to receive an invitation to the 2026 Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot tournament (“Total Chess 2026 Pilot”), the new combined competition across Fast Classic, Rapid, and Blitz.
The second day of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament brought further movement in the standings ahead of the final rapid rounds. In the open section, Vishy Anand remained at the top, now joined by Nihal Sarin after the young Indian’s perfect day. The women’s event again produced a sole leader, as Kateryna Lagno pulled […]
With their inclusion project Open Window, Tatiana Flores and Laura Schalkhäuser provide a forum for communication and the exchange of experiences related to living with disabilities. One of the topics they address is sport — including chess — and participation despite physical impairment. In an interview, Paralympic champion Martin Braxenthaler spoke about his personal experiences.