12/13/2020 – A big point for Nepomniachtchi. In Round 7 of the Russian Superfinal, Ian Nepomniachtchi won the top match against Sergey Karjakin in fine style. With 5½ points, the leader now has a full-point lead over Karjakin, who despite the defeat managed to hold on to second place for the time being. In the women’s competition, Polina Shuvalova did not win for the first time in Round 7, as she “only” managed a draw against Leya Garifullina. | Photos: Eteri Kublashvili

12/13/2020 – This year we are launching our "Christmas Fritztrainer Calendar". For the next 24 days, you can open one of our Fritztrainer doors daily, and guess: Which Fritztrainer is this? If you send us the correct answer by email, you are participating in a raffle to win plenty of prizes, including our big Christmas surprise packages!

12/13/2020 – Vlastimil Hort is a charming and elegant story teller, and likes to share his memories of past and present masters. About a year ago he published a book with 64 of his chess stories in German, which now appears in English. Reason enough to reread what André Schulz wrote about Hort's book! | Photo: Alina l'Ami

12/12/2020 – After beating Magnus Carlsen, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave reached the final of the Chess.com Speed Chess Championship, when he will face blitz specialis Hikaru Nakamura. The match consists of 90 minutes of 5+1 blitz, 60 minutes of 3+1 blitz, and 30 minutes of 1+1 bullet chess, and starts at 18:00 CET, 9:00 Pacific Time. Follow the games live, with commentary. | Picture: Chess.com

12/12/2020 – What is a good gift for a passionate chess player? ChessBase has a huge variety of nice digital presents, which make even more sense in these weird times, no doubt! But there might be something else as an option - something physical. Chessplus has been on the market since a couple of years, but this time it is easier than ever to get a hold of it. | Photos: from Chessplus

12/12/2020 – Hikaru Nakamura qualified to the final of the Speed Chess Championship on Wednesday with a narrow victory over Wesley So. On Friday, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave became the other finalist. The Frenchman defeated none other than world champion Magnus Carlsen with a 13:11 score after playing 24 blitz and bullet games (which were played with three different time controls). The final will be played today (Saturday) at 18:00 CET, Noon ET. | Image: chess.com

12/12/2020 – This year we are launching our "Christmas Fritztrainer Calendar". For the next 24 days, you can open one of our Fritztrainer doors daily, and guess: Which Fritztrainer is this? If you send us the correct answer by email, you are participating in a raffle to win plenty of prizes, including our big Christmas surprise packages!

12/12/2020 – Mikhail Botvinnik became world champion for the first time in 1948. After defending the title twice, he lost it to Vasily Smyslov in 1957. Botvinnik reclaimed the title with a clear victory in a rematch the very next year. In game 14, he played what he called “maybe his most subtle rook ending”. Endgame specialist Karsten Müller now wonders whether a few mistakes have not been discovered yet. You can help him solve the historical riddle! | Pictured: Botvinnik v Smyslov on April 19, 1957 | Photo: Fotograaf Onbekend / Anefo

12/11/2020 – The Spanish Chess Federation organized a training match in which five of the strongest players from the Iberian country faced an international squad over ten days in La Palma, one of the Canary Islands. The double-round Scheveningen tournament came to an end on Wednesday, with the international team getting a 27:23 victory. | Pictured: Ivan Cheparinov facing Jaime Santos | Photos: Spanish Chess Federation (FEDA)

12/11/2020 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look how Wesley So - successfully - plays against the King's Indian. And there will be another problem by Odette Vollenweider, the most prominent female composer of the modern era. | 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. | Photo: Champions Chess Tour | Archive

12/11/2020 – Vishy Anand celebrated his 50th birthday last year. But the crowd of well-wishers on his 51st birthday was almost even bigger. In a video his friends from Grenke in Baden-Baden have captured congratulations from prominent well-wishers all over the world.

12/11/2020 – After six rounds Sergey Karjakin and Ian Nepomniachtchi continue to share the lead in the Superfinal of the Russian Championship - both won their games in round 6. In the women's tournament Polina Shuvalova continues to win and with 6.0/6 she is now 1½ points ahead of the field. | Photos: Eteri Kublashvili