8/31/2022 – There are many ways to train tactics, from methodical themes, to deep positions, and while all have their place in a player's arsenal of training tools, there is one that specifically targets speed of recognition and play: the Tactics Sprint. If you feel like you want a method to improve your ability to see and play tactics in minimal time see this intro with video!

8/31/2022 – From August 19 to September 1 the European Women's Championship will take place in Prague, and besides titles, prestige and money the qualification for the Women's World Championship 2023 is at stake. Going into the final round, Monicka Socko is the sole leader with 8 points. Three players stand a half point back, including Lilit Mkrtchian, Socko’s final opponent. Round 11 starts Wednesday at 13.00 CEST (7.00 ET, 11.00 UTC). Follow the games live.

8/31/2022 – The Play Magnus Group’s Challengers Chess Tour will return next month with a line-up of the world’s top juniors mentored by Judit Polgar, it was announced today. The tour, which launched the career of Indian superstar Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and which was shortlisted for a prestigious ESG Award for promoting gender equality, will start its first two-day event on September 3.

8/31/2022 – There was no stopping Alireza Firouzja at the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz tournament, as the 19-year-old won the event with four rounds to spare! In his first-ever participation at a tournament in Saint Louis, Firouzja finished with an astonishing 26/36 score, five points ahead of second-placed Hikaru Nakamura. The youngster gained over a hundred rating points in blitz (he now sits at a stratospheric 2902.6), which prompted him to climb to second place in the live ratings list, only six points behind Nakamura. | Photo: Grand Chess Tour / Crystal Fuller

8/30/2022 – The fourth leg of this year’s Grand Chess Tour, the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, was played on August 26-30. The last rapid and blitz event of the series hosted ten top players from around the world, including wunderkind Alireza Firouzja, World Championship challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi and defending champion Hikaru Nakamura. | Photo: Grand Chess Tour / Lennart Ootes

8/30/2022 – 2022 Candidates Tournament: Review with videos by Dorian Rogozenco and Robert Ris - "Special" on the Ukrainian sisters and Olympic champions Anna and Mariya Muzychuk: 21 annotated games + contributions on strategy and endgame - Ragosin à la Keymer: Roven Vogel presents 1. d4 d5 2.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bb4 5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.e3 - Prague Chess Festival 2022: Annotated games by Harikrishna, Keymer, Navara, Shankland and Vidit - "Practical Tips for the Tournament Player": Let Jan Markos show you how to master must-win situations! - In Fischer's footsteps: Yago Santiago attacks Najdorf with 6.Bc4 - "Shocker" in the Jobava London System: Daniel King shows the new gambit idea 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 c5 4.e4!? in the video and much more.

8/28/2022 – Alireza Firouzja has played in four out of the nine decisive games seen so far at the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz tournament. On Saturday, the 19-year-old lost to Fabiano Caruana and defeated Leinier Dominguez to keep the sole lead he had attained on the first day of the competition. Ian Nepomniachtchi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Jeffery Xiong — all undefeated in the event — stand one point back. | Photo: Grand Chess Tour / Lennart Ootes

8/27/2022 – On 30 June 1908, just after 7 AM (all dates correspond to our Gregorian calendar), an explosion occurred in the harsh forests in Siberia near the Tunguska river. The explosion happened over an area that is nearly unpopulated, so apart from an estimated 80 million trees (and, we suppose, the wildlife in that area of 2150 km²) only three humans died in the event that would likely have been a major catastrophe if it had happened over a densely populated area.| Photos: Pixabay

8/27/2022 – If the idea to snatch a pawn with 14...Nxc3? in the diagrammed position gives you an uneasy feeling, your chess understanding is definitely okay. And now you are invited to show how White refutes this idea!

8/27/2022 – The Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, part of the Grand Chess Tour, kicked off on Friday. On the first three days of the event, the ten participating world-class players battle it out in a round-robin tournament of 25+10 rapid games. After the first day, on which three rounds were played, Alireza Firouzja is topping the standings with 5 points (a win is worth two points in the rapid). | Photo: Grand Chess Tour / Lennart Ootes

8/26/2022 – Svitlana is showing us some more smart moves from Chennai. We learn a lot about the two openings, plans in the middle game, and some endgame knowledge. The Canadian WIM was able to win against Jenny Astrid Chirivi Castiblanco from Colombia, and achieve a draw against Gulenay Aydin from Turkey.

8/26/2022 – In his Power Play Show, Daniel King examines critical and instructive moments from the exciting match between rising star Praggnanandhaa and world champion Magnus Carlsen from the FTX Crypto Cup tournament in Miami. | Power Play is on air most Fridays. Watch it on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.