7/27/2021 – The week long Festival de Fontainebleau chess tournament which started on 18 July doesn't feature any Grandmasters or International Masters. While the Open section comprises players with ratings under 2000, competitors in the three closed tournaments - each of which has eight players - have Elo ratings ranging from around 1800 to 2200. But what makes this tournament unique is its location and the Covid-19 related health controls that have been put in place here. | Photos: Club d'échecs de Fontainebleau-Avon

7/20/2019 – Today, July 20th, is International Chess Day! To mark the occasion, Paris-based journalist DHANANJAY KHADILKAR brings us a scene from the famous Jardin du Luxembourg (pictured, the French Senate) where permanent chess tables have been a fixture for two decades, and you can always find a blitz game or two. Around the world, some chess aficionados take to the great outdoors and some new chess maps can help you find chess wherever you are. | Photos: Dhananjay Khadilkar

6/24/2018 – Wesley So won the first leg of the Grand Chess Tour 2018, the combined rapid chess and blitz tournament in Leuven. The tour continues with an equivalent tournament in Paris, where the French conglomerate Vivendi and its "Canal plus" TV channel is a leading partner of the tournament. Indeed, the games will take place in a television studio. Read our report on day four.

6/23/2018 – Another single round-robin of rapid chess was completed in Paris over the past three days. This weekend the French capital hosts a double-round blitz tournament, with the scores of the two tournaments combined to produce an overall winner. As before in Leuven, the lead in the standings is in the hands of the American Wesley So, but this time his margin is much narrower, as he has only one point more than his compatriot Hikaru Nakamura and the Russian former World Blitz Champion Sergey Karjakin. Today, So calmly drew all three of his games. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour

6/21/2018 – After the second day of the GCT rapid tournament in Paris, as in Leuven last week, Wesley So has taken the lead again. Today, the US Grandmaster won two games and played one draw. In the live Rapid Elo list So has now gained 86 points and is second behind Magnus Carlsen. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour

6/21/2018 – The second leg of the Grand Chess Tour has begun, with three rapid chess rounds played in Paris today. After the first third of the rapid round-robin, Viswanathan Anand, Levon Aronian and Wesley So are in the lead with 4 points each. Paris, like the tournament in Leuven last week, uses double-points scoring for the rapid games, which will be combined with the scores in the blitz tournament this weekend to produce an overall winner. Photos: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour

6/26/2017 – After dominating the Rapid games, it looked like it would be a Magnus Carlsen Show, especially after a 4/4 start in the blitz, but things got rocky, and after an initial surge by Hikaru Nakamura, it was local player Maxime Vachier-Lagrave who stormed the Blitz stage, and overtook the world champion. This forced a playoff to decide the title, and once more Magnus Carlsen showed what a pressure player he is, as he took the title. Large illustrated report with GM analysis.

6/25/2017 – It was a thrilling finish on day five, with everyone expecting it to come down to a race between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, but the chess gods had other plans. In an amazing last day surge, showing nothing was decided, French player Maxime Vachier-Lagrave surged, while both Carlsen and Nakamura faded, and ended tied with the World Champion in the overall standings. Once again Magnus Carlsen showed his pressure play chops and won the playoff and title. Express report.

6/25/2017 – Day four, the first of the blitz phase, looked like it would be a runaway express by Magnus Carlsen as he charged with 4/4, but a distraction leading to a loss on time broke his rhythm. Fabiano Caruana, who had played very badly in the Rapid games, made a remarkable comeback and was the second best of the day in blitz. However, the name of the day was Hikaru Nakamura, who scored 7/9 and narrowed the gap with the leader to just one point. Illustrated report by GM Alex Yermolinsky.

6/24/2017 – Though Magnus Calrsen did finish in clear first in the Rapid stage of the competition, Day Three saw his supremacy challenged with the rise of Alexander Grischuk, a past winner of the World Rapid and World Blitz titles, as well as Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Hikaru Nakamura tied just behind. With two days to go, and 18 rounds of blitz games worth half the total points, the title is all but decided yet. Large report with analysis by GM Alex Yermolinsky.

6/23/2017 – For chess fans, Day Two in the Paris tournament in the Grand Chess Tour was a wonderful day to follow the games. The players produced inspired attacks with sacrificed pieces, creative strategy, and all-round fighting spirit. Once more, the big name was Magnus Carlsen, who displayed the brilliant form that had been lacking since his world title defense last November. Close behind is Hikaru Nakamura, trailing by just half a point. Report and many analyzed games by GM Alex Yermolinsky.

6/22/2017 – The Paris tournament of the Grand Chess Tour, running from June 21-25 started with exciting chess from the players, and many dramatic reversals. Both Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So took off with 2.5/3, but it was really Carlsen's show as he displayed excellent form on the first day. With many games and snippets, here is the illustrated report by GM Alex Yermolinsky.

6/17/2016 – On the sidelines of the Paris leg of the Grand Chess Tour, five tournaments were held for 400 youths on the grandiose lawns of the Invalides, a 17th century complex of museums and monuments relating to the military history of France. This event saw the elite players visit the delighted children all in with a live string ensemble playing!

6/12/2016 – Hikaru Nakamura convincingly won the Grand Chess Tour Paris. After a shaky start into the second day of the blitz tournament he started to win game after game. World Champion Magnus Carlsen, however, failed to find his form and lost one game after the other. After 16 of 18 rounds Nakamura was 2.5 points ahead and had won the tournament with two rounds to go.

6/10/2016 – The rapid tournament of the Grand Chess Tour Paris was exciting to the end. After five rounds Hikaru Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen were sharing the lead with 3.5/5 each, and on day two both tried hard to win the tournament. In the end Nakamura, who scored 3.5/4 out of the four last rounds, had the better of it and finished half a point ahead of Carlsen.

6/10/2016 – The first part of the rapid tournament on day one of the Grand Chess Tour tournament in Paris brought fine games, surprising blunders and exciting chess. After five rounds Hikaru Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen share the lead with 3.5/5 each. Day two of the tournament starts doday, 14:00 hrs local time. To follow the games with live video and commentary click here!

6/7/2016 – On Thursday the Grand Chess Tour begins in Paris and ten of the world's best players will try their skills in rapid and blitz. Maybe the chess fans from the Jardin du Luxembourg will come to "La Maison de la Chimie" to watch Carlsen & Co. play, maybe they prefer to do what they do throughout the year. Play chess in beautiful surroundings.

5/21/2016 – In just over two weeks the first event of the 2016 Grand Chess Tour will be inaugurated in Paris, France. The best players in the world will duke it out over four days in rapid and blitz chess, including Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Vladimir Kramnik and more. The games will be broadcast via Dailymotion Games, a company specializing in broadcasting video games live. Press Release.

4/6/2016 – Le Marais is one of the oldest quarters in Paris, combining old world charm with modern day functionality. Over the Easter weekend, from 26th to 28th March, it also was host to a charming chess festival, played in the elegant City Hall of the fourth Parisian district. 400 players took part to enjoy the tournament and the unique atmosphere of this part of Paris.

10/4/2013 – The stage was set for epic duels: Caruana had to win with the black pieces to win the tournament solo and qualify for the Candidate's tournament in case that Gelfand drew Ponomariov, which he ended up doing. Instead Caruana repeated moves early in the opening, and he wasn't the only one. Bacrot-Grischuk and Gelfand-Ponomariov didn't make it past the opening. Report.

10/3/2013 – With powerful preparation and a strong follow-up Gelfand was able to take down Nakamura and steal the leading position from him. Caruana took advantage of this and beat Tomashevsky, putting him at 6.5/10 tied with the Israeli. In the duel of the French players Bacrot easily demolished Fressinet and he is now tied with Nakamura. We bring you in-depth analysis by grandmaster Romain Edouard.

10/2/2013 – The players exemplified France's motto, liberty, equality and brotherhood. Giri-Caruana and Tomashevsky-Grischuk were hard fought, and although the other players tried their best the drawish nature of the positions they arrived to lead to today's round featuring six draws. This leaves Nakamura still half a point ahead of Caruana and Gelfand with two rounds to go. Report of round 9.

9/30/2013 – A bloody round in Paris! The most important results were clearly Caruana's clean and effective victory against Gelfand and Ivanchuk's loss on time in a drawn position against Nakamura. With this gift the American leads in clear first ahead of Gelfand and Caruana. Bacrot ground down Ponomariov in nice style while Grischuk crushed Giri in a superior rook endgame. Report of round eight.

9/29/2013 – Two decisive games happened today. In the first one to finish, Nakamura took full advantage of an opening blunder by Caruana to win a queen for a rook and easily take a full point, the American surpasses his Italian rival and is now in second place. Gelfand and Grischuk, in heavy time pressure, blundered back and forth but ultimately the Israeli came ahead and leads. Report and analysis.