6/17/2026 – Kazchess, led by Richard Rapport and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (pictured), and Dragon Chilling, with Ding Liren and Ju Wenjun in the lineup, were the only teams to finish the opening day of the World Rapid Team Championship on a perfect score, collecting four wins from four matches in Hong Kong. Several of the leading contenders dropped points early, with Magnus Carlsen's WR Chess losing in round two and Alireza Firouzja's Hexamind suffering two defeats. Mr Birdie and Friends, led by Vladislav Artemiev and Sam Sevian, ended the day in third place. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

6/17/2026 – Following a complaint by the Ukrainian Chess Federation, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered FIDE to suspend the Chess Federation of Russia over the staging of tournaments in occupied territories. The FIDE Council complied with the ruling - but only in part. Several federations have already protested.

6/17/2026 – Andrew Hong won the Masters section of the Aktobe Open 2026 – Vladimir Dvorkovich Memorial after scoring 7/9 and finishing half a point clear of the field. The FIDE Circuit event in Kazakhstan brought together 210 players from 21 countries. Daniyal Sapenov took second place on tiebreaks, ahead of Daniil Dubov, while Polina Shuvalova was the top-scoring female player. | Photo: KazChess

6/17/2026 – Chess and brain-computer interface research came together at a clinical symposium held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, with FIDE Treasurer Zhu Chen among the invited guests. The event followed recent demonstrations of BCI technology through online chess, including Neuralink patient Noland Arbaugh's game against Anna Cramling. Researchers discussed medical applications for neurological conditions, while chess was presented as a useful tool for exploring cognition, digital interaction and future clinical testing. | Photo: Liang Ziming

6/16/2026 – The opening press conference for the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships 2026 took place on June 16 at The Pavilion, The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong, marking the official start of one of FIDE's most dynamic and spectator-friendly competitions. The event brings together more than 40 teams and over 300 players from around the world, featuring elite grandmasters, top women players, rising stars and amateur participants competing side by side in a unique team format.

6/16/2026 – Arne and Karsten show 2 bishop against knight fights. | You can watch the Endgame Magic Show on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account.

6/14/2026 – Shamsiddin Vokhidov and Mukhiddin Madaminov remain tied for first place at the UzChess Cup with one round to go, after both drew their games on Sunday. Ian Nepomniachtchi and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (pictured, right) scored wins to move within half a point of the leaders, while Nikolas Theodorou defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov after the Uzbek grandmaster was caught by the touch-move rule in an equal endgame. The final round kicks off four hours earlier than usual, at 8.00 CEST. | Photo: Official website

6/14/2026 – Training, endgame technique and a wealth of up-to-date analysis: the latest ChessBase releases focus on different aspects of practical chess improvement. From interactive training with Fritz 21 and strategic insights drawn from the games of Bent Larsen, to clearly structured endgame principles presented by Karsten Müller and Leon Luke Mendonca, as well as current tournament coverage and opening theory in ChessBase Magazine, these products form a versatile package – practical, well-founded and designed to support continuous improvement. | All photos: ChessBase

6/14/2026 – You can find the perfect games for your training in no time: using the shortcut CTRL+F, you can search your databases specifically for players, game phases, or strategic and tactical themes. These search results let you focus your training exactly where you or your students want to improve.

6/13/2026 – The lineups for the 2026 World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships have been confirmed, with 43 teams and more than 300 players set to compete in Hong Kong. Previous frontrunners WR Chess, Hexamind and Team MGD1 return with strong squads, while Dragon Chilling, led by Ding Liren, adds further interest. With many of the world's leading rapid and blitz players involved, the fourth edition features considerable depth across the field.

6/13/2026 – Yağmur Gündüz takes on Fritz 21 and shows that even club-level players around 1200 Elo can have exciting and entertaining games against the engine. Although Yağmur quickly gets into a difficult position and loses several pawns, she keeps fighting actively, finding creative tactical ideas involving forks, pins, and mating threats. The game suddenly turns around as the “Fork Queen” uncorks a series of strong tactical combinations and reaches a winning position. The episode demonstrates perfectly that Fritz 21 is not only enjoyable for grandmasters, but can also provide fun, learning moments, and real excitement for ambitious hobby players.

6/13/2026 – With only a few weeks remaining before the start of the Kasparov Chess Foundations's Friendship Festival 2026 in Radenci, Slovenia, interest from the international chess community continues to grow. Players, trainers, and chess enthusiasts from around the world are preparing for what promises to be one of the most diverse chess festivals of the summer. The event combines top-level competition, educational activities, and unique opportunities to meet some of the most influential figures in chess.