2/14/2018 – Bad press for FIDE as Dr. Adrian M. Siegel, the organisation's treasurer, has informed all officials and members of the World Chess Federation via an open letter that the FIDE account has been closed by the Swiss UBS bank, due to the more than two year old sanctions of the US Treasury against FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. | Photo (of Dr. Siegel): GFHund (Sarah Hund) CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

12/2/2017 – It is not often that chess players gets serious attention in the straight press. Luckily we have some great ambassadors for the game. Like IM and WGM Tania Sachdev, who is not just a successful player, but also a much sought after commentator at top events. Last weekend the London newspaper Telegraph devoted a whole lot of space to the media star who is currently doing live video commentary for the London Chess Classic. She talks about the discrepancy between the sexes in a sport that should offer more scope for equality than most. The article remarkably includes a number of glamour shots and details about the exact cost of her attire.

3/28/2017 – We reported yesterday: the official International Chess Federation web site announced the resignation of its President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, followed within hours by emphatic denials from Ilyumzhinov. Today there are new letters on the FIDE page, describing the circumstances of his alleged resignation: "During the Presidental Board Meeting in Athens, you several time threatened to resign, and at the end of the meeting three times you repeated 'I resign' before leaving the room." In a press conference of the Russian Chess Federation Ilyumzhinov explained his position.

12/7/2015 – Judit Polgar has retired from tournament chess but still promotes the game. The English newspaper "The Telegraph" met "On the black-and-white battlefield with the world’s greatest female chess player" and Rachel Halliwell turned this meeting into a long portrait, in which Polgar speaks about her career, sexism, the benefits of chess and offers four winning tips.

11/28/2015 – The London Chess Classic will start in about a week and English journalist Nigel Farndale used this opportunity to visit and to interview World Champion Magnus Carlsen at his new house in Norway. With dry humor the World Champion talked about his career, love and infatuation, his elo-rating, his passion for soccer and the pros and cons of being a super-star.