10/16/2026 – In the diagram position, White has an extra piece and the mating idea Qh6-g7++ – so it's no wonder that the game only lasts two moves after 27.Kh2, right?

10/16/2026 – Three new Chess Houses have opened in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, providing public spaces where residents can play, train with coaches and take part in tournaments. Located in Abay Park, Metallurgists Park and the 17th microdistrict, the facilities were opened by FIDE President Timur Turlov and Shymkent Mayor Gabit Syzdykbekov. The launch was followed by a children’s blitz tournament involving more than 100 young players across the three venues. | Photos: FIDE

10/15/2026 – Today, Rafael Vaganian celebrates his 75th birthday. In 1971, he became the first Armenian chess player after Tigran Petrosian to be awarded the grandmaster title by FIDE. He won numerous medals in team competitions representing the Soviet Union and Armenia, was at one point ranked fourth in the world and played for SG Porz in the German Bundesliga for many years. | Photo: Frank Hoppe

10/15/2026 – Sixteen-year-old Andy Woodward defeated defending champion Fabiano Caruana in round five of the US Championship to join Wesley So in the lead on 3½/5. Jeffery Xiong, Ray Robson and Abhimanyu Mishra also scored victories. In the women's tournament, Alice Lee claimed her fourth consecutive win to extend her lead to a full point. Meanwhile, Rose Atwell defeated defending champion Carissa Yip, who suffered her third loss in the event. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club

10/15/2026 – This week we have a look at another masterpiece by Wei Yi he played in the 8th round of the Olympiad. With the Black pieces he came up with an aggressive setup dealing with the Keymer System (1.Nf3 d5 2.e3) and soon both kings were placed on opposite wings. With very precise play the Chinese top player managed to keep the position closed on the queenside, neutralizing all White's attacking attempts before launching an initiative on the other side of the board. In this episode, we'll have a look at some other examples on how to balance attack and defense. Make sure to check out the game Mendonca-Praggnanandhaa as well, another true modelgame form Black's perspective.

10/15/2026 – The Atyrau Masters in Kazakhstan has attracted a strong international field, with Shamsiddin Vokhidov and Leon Luke Mendonca heading the starting list. Both top seeds suffered unexpected defeats in the opening two rounds, losing to significantly lower-rated opponents. Nguyen Duc Hoa defeated Vokhidov in round one, while Sergey Sklokin-Bagiyan overcame Mendonca in round two. The nine-round Swiss tournament, part of the Kazakhstan Chess Cup, concludes on 20 October. | Photo: Kazakhstan Chess Federation