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Chess in school: Government says board game will help pupils’ IQ
Citing the need to help children develop their intellectual capacity, the Armenian government on Thursday decided that chess should to be taught as a separate subject at elementary school level across the country.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Saturday 16 April 2011

Pressure on the diagonal a5-d2 ...
... was Black's counterinsurance when he decided to heat up the central tension with the thrust 13...e6-e5 (diagram). Which continuation now leads to an advantageous opening of the position for White? A) 14.cxd5 B) 14.dxe5 C) a third pawn move... [more] [Link]
Posted: Saturday 26 March 2011

Taking Care in the Endgame
"Do not rush," advises endgame specialist, GM Karsten Müller. "In opposite colored bishop endings the defender must be able to build the fortress." This was not done by young Anish Giri against the experienced Vladimir Kramnik. Dr Müller also analyses the Carlsen vs Anand rook ending, and shows us how sometimes study-like motifs occur in practical games.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Friday 25 March 2011

The Porsche-Kasparov Gambit
Chess and cars aren't usually thought of together, except perhaps with the checkered flag, but this Kasparov event on 7 April may change that. First, face Kasparov in a simul or even in a one-on-one blitz game. Then explore one of the greatest sports car collections in the world at the Collier Automotive Museum in Naples, Florida, which is usually closed to the public.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Thursday 24 March 2011

Amber 2011: Aronian claims third Amber victory in farewell edition
Levon Aronian is the winner of the twentieth and final Amber Tournament. Following earlier wins in 2008 and 2009 this is the third time the Armenian GM claimed first prize. Aronian also won the blindfold competition. The rapid competition was won by Magnus Carlsen, who came second in the overall standings, with World Champion Vishy Anand in third place.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Wednesday 23 March 2011

French Chess Federation suspends players accused of cheating
On Saturday the Disciplinary Committee of the French Chess Federation suspended GMs Sebastien Feller, Arnaud Hauchard and IM Cyril Marzolo, finding them “guilty of a violation of sporting ethics” for allegedly cheating during the Chess Olympiad 2010 in Khanty-Mansiysk. The three received suspensions, after evidence was presented.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Monday 21 March 2011

Liquidating to a pawn ending
In endgames an especially difficult decision always needs to be taken at the point when there is the opportunity to aim for a simplified position by a further exchange of pieces. This was the case for White in this position, namely whether he had a better chance of achieving a draw in the pawn ending after 52.Rxh3 or in the rook ending after 52.Ra1 Rxh5 53.Ra8. How would you evaluate the two endings and which choice would you have made?... [more] [Link]
Posted: Saturday 19 March 2011

Amber 2011: Aronian and Carlsen well ahead of the pack
After eight rounds Levon Aronian, who today defeated World Champion Vishy Anand 1½-½, remains in the lead. With three rounds to go Magnus Carlsen, who defeated Veselin Topalov by the same score, follows at half a point’s distance. In third place, Vishy Anand and Vasily Ivanchuk, are three points behind. Anish Giri won a nice game against Sergey Karjakin.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Saturday 19 March 2011

Tata Steel: "B" and "C" groups after five rounds
The Wijk aan Zee “B” and “C” groups have traditionally served to herald rising stars, such as Karjakin, Carlsen, and Anish Giri the last two years. This year seems unlikely to be an exception with McShane having a breakthrough period since the London Classic, and 14-year-old GM Nyzhnyk in the "C" event just behind Italian GM Daniele Vocaturo. Illustrated report with analysis by GM Karsten Mueller.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Thursday 20 January 2011

Christmas puzzle solutions – part one
As promised we provide you with the solutions to our 2010 Christmas Puzzles. There were a very large number of entries, and our problem expert John Nunn has put a lot of work into explaining the solutions as lucidly as possible. This made it necessary to split the solutions into two parts, with the second due in a few days. For today here is the first part.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Wednesday 19 January 2011

Tata Steel Rd.5: Anand, Carlsen win, Grischuk loses to Wang
Viswanathan Anand applied systematic pressure on Jan Smeets until the Dutch GM blundered and gave the World Champion the sole tournament lead. Magnus Carlsen did pretty much the same to Erwin l'Ami, only to blunder the won position to a theoretical draw – which the amazingly determined Norwegian GM went on to win! Alexander Grischuk lost to Chinese GM Wang Hao.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Wednesday 19 January 2011

An unblocked passer ...
... is always dangerous, particularly after having reached the 6th rank already. The second player was well aware of this when he went for 34...Be5 in this position, expecting a certain deflection move whereupon his queen is to stay in the e-file. What do you think? This... A)... loses for Black; B)... leads to an approximately balanced position; C)... gets Black the advantage.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Monday 17 January 2011

Chess prodigies and mini-grandmasters revisited
It is one of our most-quoted reports – a page dating back to 2002, which we upgraded periodically. Now it is time for a general overhaul. With the help of our readers we have collected the data of all prodigies who became grandmasters at the age of fifteen or younger. In addition we address the question: who were the strongest players in the different age categories?... [more] [Link]
Posted: Monday 17 January 2011

Master Moves #3
All the deepest plans or endgame technique are useless if you fall victim to a shot that leaves you in a lost position. Likewise, sometimes that superior play will only offer a single window of opportunity to deliver that final blow, so it is vital to be ready for it when it does. Here are some positions from recent master and grandmaster practice.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Saturday 15 January 2011

Christmas Break Puzzles and Prizes
The ChessBase Christmas Puzzle week is here, with new problems presented by Dr John Nunn for every day from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1st. And there are valuable prizes to be won right now!... [more] [Link]
Posted: Friday 31 December 2010

Giant slalom
Black's cornered king was already stalemated in this game from the recent Remco Heite Tournament, meaning that he had only to give both his rooks to achieve the desired half point. The sequence 39...Rf1+ 40.Kxf1 Rf2+ leads to A) victory for White; B) draw; C) victory for Black (just kidding).... [more] [Link]
Posted: Friday 3 December 2010

Dragoljub Velimirovic: The man with too much chess talent
Dragoljub Velimirovic used to be one of the most feared attackers in the world, always looking for the impossible. His imaginative play was compared to the colorful world champion Mikhail Tal's razzle-dazzle. His playing style was unique, daring and often falling off the edge. He made risky moves and so many of them that you wondered how much punishment his chess pieces could take.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Wednesday 1 December 2010

Flanking and bodychecks
In this endgame it is Black to move. He is fighting for a draw with bishop and king against the pair of white passed pawns (g4,h4). In the game, the pawns outran him. Now it is your turn to try and find the narrow path to safety. Endgame expert GM Dr Karsten Müller has analysed the ending and shows the narrow path to a draw. Can you find it?... [more] [Link]
Posted: Wednesday 1 December 2010

McShane wins Third Remco Heite
It is known as "the tournament with the horse": there is a giant one of the Trojan variety to be seen at the location in the Dutch city of Wolvega, and the first prize includes a live horse – theoretically. Actually the winner gets, in addition to his prize money, a check that allows a local charity to buy a horse for its equestrian therapy. This year's tournament was won by English GM Luke McShane.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Monday 29 November 2010

Austrian Attack
No fewer than two rooks the first player had invested in this recent game from the Austrian Bundesliga to get to grips with the black king. How would you assess the situation after the last move 26...Nc1-d3? White's attack... A) ...results in perpetual check. B) ...leads to mate by force. C) ...is finished, Black's material advantage prevails.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Thursday 25 November 2010

Snowdrops increase their lead in Marienbad
Snow has come to Mariánské Lázne, tons of it, and the Snowdrops are apparently thriving. They lead the Oldhands by 14:10. The event is extraordinary: in the last three rounds, the subject of this report, there was one single draw. Best player with 4.5/6 is GM Humpy Koneru, the only undefeated player Vlastimil Hort.... [more] [Link]
Posted: Thursday 25 November 2010