9/21/2017 – Rapid tiebreaks will decide both semifinal matches! Just one step away from identifying two players who would make it to the Candidates 2018. Games kick off at 13:00 CEST (7:00 AM EST) with live commentary from Tbilisi by GMs Evgeny Miroshnichenko and WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili and live updates by our reporters Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal.

9/21/2017 – Every evening at 9 pm CEST we offer you a round-up show of the games played at the World Cup in Tbilisi. Yesterday Daniel King showed the highlights and upsets of game 2 of the semifinals. Who will go through to the final and qualify for the candidates? Have a look...

9/21/2017 – In the semifinals of the World Cup 2017 we are witnessing two extremely different kind of matches. While Wesley So and Ding Liren fought until their very last drop of blood was left, Levon Aronian and MVL have hardly sat beyond an hour in their two games combined. In the end the result of both the matches was same: two draws and the action shifts to the tiebreaks. Today, however, Ding Liren missed a clear opportunity to win the game and the match and advance to the finals. We bring you detailed coverage.

9/20/2017 – In an attempt to sidestep mainline opening theory, a lot of today’s 1.d4 players have switched to systems like the Trompowsky or the London. Therefore players — whether amateur or professional GMs — can no longer rely on their Nimzo-Indians or Queens Gambits and have had to look for antidotes to these systems. One such club player, Davide Nastasio, got his hands on Daniel King's Powerplay 25. Going through the contents of the DVD, he found that King's work not only provides an easy-to-learn remedy against these systems but also helps amateurs get a better understanding of themes like pawn breaks, destroying opponent's centre, opening and closing lines, etc.

9/20/2017 – Wesley So showed some excellent technique in the queenless middlegame to completely outplay his Chinese opponent Ding Liren. On the 40th move Ding made a mistake which gave Wesley an opportunity to sacrifice the exchange and torture his opponent for the rest of the game. Wesley had seen the move, yet did not play it. We try to find the reason why the American GM missed this opportunity. Aronian could not show anything concrete against MVL's Grunfeld and the players quickly agreed to a draw. Game analysis, pictures and exciting videos from Tbilisi. | Photo: Amruta Mokal

9/19/2017 – ... where angels fear to tread. This little pearl of practical wisdom is a reminder that it is hardly ever good to rush things. Particularly so when you are in a hurry. For instance, in a race of passed pawns.

9/19/2017 – With a staggering share of the world’s elite playing in the World Cup, vying for a spot in the forthcoming Candidates in Berlin, it was a surprise to see so many of the biggest names falling like flies by the midway point, such as Carlsen, Kramnik, Caruana and more. However, the truth is Magnus Carlsen only had a 36% chance to even make the final! Here are some eye-opening stats and numbers. | Photo: ChessBase India YouTube

9/18/2017 – Grandmaster Wesley So is in the semifinals where he faces Ding Liren. That puts him one match away from qualification to the Candidates. In the extended video interview, he explains how he beat Fedoseev, why he turns his chair sideways, how he tracks the average rating qualification for the Candidates, the role of his foster mother Lotis Key, and why his fans give him hope. So is unique among the remaining World Cup participants in that he can also qualify by rating, should he lose to Ding. We take a look at the interesting scenarios. | Photo: Macauley Peterson

9/18/2017 – The FIDE World Cup in Tbilisi is turning into a master class for the endgame rook vs bishop: Last week French GM Maxime Vachier Lagrave held a theoretically lost tiebreak game against Russian GM Alexander Grischuk and thus qualified for the next round. Where did Grischuk go wrong and how could he have won? World-class trainer Efstratios Grivas show you how — and gives you the chance to win rating points in the process.

9/18/2017 – The next stop in GM Alex Yermolinsky summer chess journey took him to the mighty State of Iowa where the 63rd edition of the Iowa Open was held. The number alone commands respect for longevity and tradition, and as he explains, there are good reasons. Instead of focusing on seeing it as an example of growing suburbia, we are shown the scenic views, and reasons why players return year after year | Photos: Alex Yermolinsky

9/18/2017 – In this Simon Says we take a look at one of the most exciting replies to 1.d4. Join Simon Williams for an overview of this opening which arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6. Watch live from 18:00 CEST (12 Noon EDT):

9/18/2017 – The quarterfinal tiebreak was a short affair as Maxime Vachier-Lagrave managed to show some excellent bit of chess in the second 25'+10" rapid game with the black pieces. He beat Peter Svidler with an overall score of 2.5-1.5 and advanced to the semifinals. He will now face Aronian in the final hurdle for the qualification to the Candidates tournament. Wesley So will be pitted against Ding Liren. We bring you all the analysis of today's tiebreak and also what you can expect in the matches that begin on Tuesday.