7/12/2017 – National Cup games, in chess and in other sports, are usually run in a “knock out” system with half of the remaining competitors eliminated in each round. For already more than a generation, Israeli chess has been adopting a more innovative and dynamic method to run this traditional enterprise. At the end of the league season, 40 teams from the top divisions regroup for a day of real fun: A five-round rapid Swiss competition with almost all the country’s top players taking part.

7/12/2017 – Wednesday at 8pm UK time Daniel King will go on air on playchess.com. You can watch the episode here on live for free. Daniel King will focus on the game Can - Robson from the World Team Championships. More information...

7/11/2017 – In a few days the Sparkassen Chess Meeting 2017 will begin in Dortmund. As always, it is a strong Grandmaster tournament but this year it is dedicated to Vladimir Kramnik, with good reason: Dortmund and the former World Championship have a long and special relationship.

7/11/2017 – On July 11, 1972, the legendary Match of the Century between Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer finally began. Fischer arrived late, due to heavy traffic, and was clearly distraught with the camera arrangements. To everybody's surprise he played a Nimzo instead of his normal Gruenfeld or King's Indian. The game developed along uninspired lines and most experts were predicting a draw. And then, on move twenty-nine, Fischer engaged in one of the most dangerous gambles of his career. "One move, and we hit every front page in the world!" said a blissful organiser.

7/11/2017 – Endgames are the soul of the chess games. This would probably a phrase from GM Karsten Müller. The german grandmaster is one of the leading experts when it comes to endgames. He published books and DVD's about this topic. In his Endgame Magic Show Müller invites strong players and shows recent examples of the tournament praxis. Starting at 3pm Uk time. Guest: GM Mihail Marin.

7/11/2017 – The youth versus experience battle between So and Anand in the finals of the 30th Leon Masters 2017 was looked forward to with great interest by chess fans all over the world. The rapid section of four games ended with a 2-2 tie. However, Wesley managed to win the match by defeating Anand in the blitz. In his first appearance at the Leon Masters, Wesley So goes back home with the winner's trophy!

7/11/2017 – As the Grand Prix in Geneva hits the official midway point after five rounds, it is safe to say that things are going to become make-or-break for a number of players who still wish to vie for one of the two coveted spots in the next Candidates. One player who clearly set out to make a stand was Alexander Grischuk, who defeated Pavel Eljanov in an important theoretical game. Enjoy this study of the various situations, accompanied by analysis by GM Mekhitarian.

7/11/2017 – Tuesdays at 5pm UK time Lawrence Trent goes on air on Playchess.com. In his show Lawrence Trent will be dealing with the latest trends, games and combinations from the elite chess tournaments. This week is all about the Grand Chess Tour and the World Team Championship.

7/11/2017 – Queen endings are notoriously difficult. Sometime they end in a perpetual, sometimes a lonely and brave passed pawn decides the day and sometimes the king is mated. Today on the playchess server, 4 pm: Endgame Magic with Karsten Müller and Mihail Marin.

7/10/2017 – In this Simon Says Simon Williams will took a look at weird rook moves! After this broadcast Simon will take holidays and return in august for the next Simon says. An example and more information...

7/10/2017 – Round four was a quiet round in terms of the leaderboard, since few attempts to really rock the boat were made. Radjabov continues to lead with 3.0/4 by half a point over a group of six players, but it wasn’t all dull as several did come to the board with a will to make a fight of it. The most interesting of these was no doubt the spectacular game between Saleh Salem and Richard Rapport, analyzed in the report by GM Alexandr Fier.

7/9/2017 – After two very strong rounds of fighting chess, and a wealth of results, it was inevitable that at some point the games would align for a tepid day, and that day was round three. Of the nine games, only two ended in a decisive result, though one player will really be kicking himself: Pentala Harikrishna, as he squandered an utterly won game against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Report with analysis by GM Krikor Mekhitarian.

7/9/2017 – The legendary Match of the Century between Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer was staged in the Laugardalshöllin in Reykjavik. This is Iceland’s largest sporting arena, seating 5,500, but also the site for concerts – Led Zeppelin, Leonard Cohen and David Bowie all played there. 45 years after the Spassky-Fischer spectacle Frederic Friedel visited Laugardalshöllin and discovered some treasures there.

7/8/2017 – Only two rounds into the third installment of the AGONizing FIDE Grand Prix series, and it already appears to be the best to date. After a snoozefest in Sharjah, it picked up a bit in Moscow, but in Geneva they just sprinted out of the gates at full steam. If round one was a pleasant surprise, round two was sensational with five decisive games, nearly six, including excellent wins by Aronian and Radjabov, who has 2.0/2. Report and analysis by GM Yermolinsky.

7/8/2017 – Instead of watching fireworks or going to barbecues this American Independence Day Weekend, almost 1200 chess players flocked to Philadelphia to play in the World Open Chess Tournament. Over 30 grandmasters competed, eyeing the $20,000 first place open section prize and looking for a strong tournament to play in. Tigran Petrosian secured sole first for a very big payday, while 17-year-old IM Zhansaya Abdumalik tied for 2nd with a GM norm. Report by Vanessa Sun with analysis by GM Yaro Zerebukh | Photo by Tim Hanks

7/7/2017 – It should come as no surprise that the mere qualification process to the world's strongest national championship is one that would fit well as the 11th of Hercules' trials. The Russian Higher League is that qualifying tournament, and brings in players rated 2700, and names such as Maxim Matlakov, the reigning European Champion, and Alexander Morozevich. The Women's section sees junior WIM Polina Shulova leading. Report and analysis by GM Elshan Moradiabadi.

7/7/2017 – German Grandmaster Georg Meier is an early leader in Jerusalem after three rounds. Yochanan Afek sent us this report of early highlights, including a "Greek gift". Dutch GM David Klein (pictured in his Maccabiah t-shirt) is also in the top group. | Photo: Ritvo Photography

7/7/2017 – Grandmaster Timur Gareyev is full of original and creative ideas. In life and in chess. At the board he is always ready for an unexpected attack. His DVD about the Trompowsky Attack (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5) shows his passion for active, at times even explosive play. Christian Höthe, a long-time "Tromp" follower had a look at the DVD.