3/21/2021 – Dr. N Mahalingam Chess Academy is for the first time organizing an international online blitz open tournament, with a total prize fund of ₹100000. It will take place on Sunday, 21st March at 7 p.m. IST (2:30 p.m. CET, 09:30 New York) in the ChessBase India webroom on Playchess. Entry is FREE for GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs. For everyone else the entry fee is ₹200 for Indians, and 3 Euro for foreigners. The tournament can be played via Windows software, desktop or laptop browsers only. So far 279 participants – including lots of GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs – have registered. | Photo: Yugam 2021

3/21/2021 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books about chess training and chess strategy. In the 19th instalment of his ChessBase show “Understanding before Moving”, Herman shows how a rook can revitalize an attack after being lifted. | Photo: Tommy Grooten

3/21/2021 – In the first set of the Magnus Carlsen Invitational finals on Saturday all the games played between Anish Giri and Ian Nepomniachtchi ended in draws. In the first game, Giri missed a chance to win, while the remaining three games were evenly matched. In the match for third place, Wesley So had no chance against Magnus Carlsen: the World Champion won the first set 3:1. | Photo: FIDE

3/20/2021 – High school student Ashley Yan started a chess nonprofit organization, The Piece Project, where she and her friends teach free chess lessons to children through Zoom. Anyone can get involved, as a student, instructor, or partner. Woman International Master Alexey Root interviews Yan. | Pictured: Ashley Yan

3/20/2021 – Improving one’s opening repertoire is the top priority for many chess fans. Of course, ChessBase Magazine takes this into account and provides over 10 opening articles and 3 videos with each issue — in other words, lots of new ideas for the initial phase of the game that are just waiting to be tested by you (and hopefully converted into full points!). As part of the CBM anniversary, we have put together a small selection of opening articles for you to study and download!

3/20/2021 – Ian Nepomniachtchi and Anish Giri only needed draws on day 2 of the semis to reach the finals of the Magnus Carlsen Invitational. While Giri in fact defeated Wesley So for a second day in a row, Nepomniachtchi knocked out Magnus Carlsen in the blitz tiebreakers. | Photo: Maria Emelianova / FIDE

3/19/2021 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King looks at contemporary games in which one of the players swiftly escapes from defeat by using devilish ideas. Daniel also looks at how theory has developed in the Spanish Steinitz variation. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.

3/19/2021 – A hundred years ago, from March 15 to April 28, the historical 1921 World Chess Championship match between Lasker and Capablanca was played in Havana, Cuba. Conversations to organize the match began in 1911, but World War I got in the way. In the end, the Cuban grandmaster obtained a convincing victory.

3/19/2021 – Lawrence Trent and Arne Kaehler talk about what happened chess-wise last week. They each choose three articles, which might be interesting, and worth talking about the most. They give their opinions on various topics, and encourage you to think about the subject, analyse games, or read the articles thoroughly yourself.

3/19/2021 – Ian Nepomniachtchi and Anish Giri only needed draws on day 2 of the semis to reach the finals of the Magnus Carlsen Invitational. While Giri in fact defeated Wesley So for a second day in a row, Nepomniachtchi only knocked out Magnus Carlsen in the blitz tiebreakers. | Replay the games or relive the commentary webcast by IM Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal from ChessBase India. Full report to follow shortly.

3/19/2021 – Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So are favourites in their semifinal clashes against Ian Nepomniachtchi and Anish Giri at the Magnus Carlsen Invitational. But they are both behind after the first set. | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

3/19/2021 – It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Petra Korchnoi – Petronella Leeuwerik before her marriage to the two-fold World Championship Challenger. She was a remarkable personality and a great friend, and will be sorely missed. The pink framing of her obituary picture has a reason: it was promised to her a few years before her passing.