12/20/2023 – The name "Hastings" has a very special ring to it in the chess world. In 1895 one of the most important tournaments in chess history took place in the seaside resort on the south-east coast of England, and chess tournaments are still regularly held there today - no tournament in chess history has a longer tradition. The Berlin FM Jürgen Brustkern is a great expert on Hastings and has written a book on the history of this tradition together with Norbert Wallet. In an interview with ChessBase he reveals what fascinates him so much about Hastings.

12/20/2023 – As it is already well-known, chess is a game of repeated motifs; a game of repeated knowledge! Once you carefully and correctly learn a motif, a pattern or an opening, your subconscious carefully stores it for use when time comes and demands! Here is a valuable lesson from a world-class chess trainer on the subject. There is a lot to learn!

12/19/2023 – This month marks the birth anniversary of Viswanathan Anand. The phenomenal rise of the Indian super talent created a chess wave in his own land that shows no sign of diminishing. Vishy has been an inspiration for many young players, and today he is an ambassador for the game. Here our columnist recalls the early career of the former world champion.

12/19/2023 – D Gukesh scored his second win in-a-row, against Sanan Sjugirov, in the fifth round of the Chennai Grand Masters. Gukesh seized his advantage and synthesized an attack on the kingside. Sjugirov had no proper answer to it and succumbed. The Arjun Erigaisi-Levon Aronian saga continues. Arjun had a great opportunity to beat Aronian for the first time in a rated game in over two years. Unfortunately, he pushed a pawn incorrectly in the rook endgame and eventually lost his advantage. The two-time World Cup winner managed to salvage a draw. Pavel Eljanov handed Alexandr Predke his third consecutive loss. Gukesh is in the sole lead with 3½/5, followed by Pentala Harikrishna and Eljanov at 3/5 each. | Photos: Shahid Ahmed

12/19/2023 – Budapest will host the Chess Olympiad 2024, Uzbekistan will host the Olympiad in 2026, and Abu Dhabi has been selected as the host city for the 47th Chess Olympiad in 2028, triumphing over Genoa with a vote of 96 to 60 during the FIDE Council meeting on December 17th.

12/19/2023 – Rounds three and four of the Czech Extraliga were affected by the European Rapid Chess and Blitz Championships, which took place at the same time. Many players participated there and some league matches had to be postponed. But Moravska Slavia and Frydek Mistek played and took the lead in the league. | Photo: Brno's chess ambassador Inna Puhajkova made the first move at the board of Boris Gelfand and Anton Korobov. | Photos: Vladimir Jagr

12/19/2023 – The Max Euwe Centre in Amsterdam is an institution. It offers training courses, houses a huge library with more than 10,000 books and helps to support the wide interest in the cultural, social and academic aspects of chess. After 32 years, the Centre must now leave its location, but will be given new premises on the same street, the Max Euweplein. The move will involve some costs and the Euwe Centre would be happy if chess fans could support it.

12/19/2023 – Rook endings are difficult. The diagram shows a position from a game Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Magnus Carlsen played at the Aimchess Rapid Online tournament. It is White to move and win. In the game Abdusattorov failed to find the winning move - can you do better?

12/19/2023 – FIDE has issued a statement in response to the last-minute series of matches in Chartres, France, which began on Monday 18th December and in which Alireza Firouzja is playing three much weaker opponents in an attempt to gain the necessary Elo points that would secure him a place in the 2024 Candidates Tournament.

12/19/2023 – Four players are sharing the lead with 5½ points each after six rounds of play at the Chessable Sunway main tournament in Sitges. Sethuraman S.P. (India), Dominik Horvath (Austria), Brandon Jacobson (United States) and Iniyan Pa (India) are the current co-leaders in the 10-round open event. Two side stories from Sitges dominated the news cycle these days, though: Leinier Dominguez’s withdrawal and Faustino Oro’s participation in Sunday’s blitz tournament. | Photo: David Llada

12/18/2023 – There are still two places available in the 2024 Candidates Tournament. One of these places will go to the player with the highest Elo rating in the January 2024 world rankings who has not yet qualified for the Candidates Tournament. A tournament was therefore organised at short notice in Chennai, India, to give Erigaisi and Gukesh a better chance to qualify. Leinier Dominguez tried his luck at the Sunway Sitges Open, while Alireza Firouzja now suddenly has a chance to gain Elo in a series of matches in France.

12/18/2023 – D Gukesh scored his first win of the event against Alexandr Predke in the fourth round of the Chennai Grand Masters. Gukesh joined Pentala Harikrishna in the lead with 2.5/4 points each. Harikrishna had a well contested draw against Levon Aronian. Parham Maghsoodloo also scored his first win of the event, against Sanan Sjugirov. Arjun Erigaisi had a well contested draw against Pavel Eljanov. Five players are trailing the leaders at 2/4 each. They are Aronian, Eljanov, Maghsoodloo, Sjugirov and Arjun. | Photos: Shahid Ahmed