5/10/2020 – Today we want to bring all our locked-in friends something unusual. This article is not going to make you stronger, it will not improve your strategic wisdom, or inform you on what is going on in the (virtual) tournament scene. It is meant to purely entertain – just cause you to smile or chuckle. It includes what we claim is the easiest chess problem ever composed (picture). Enjoy.

5/10/2020 – Round 6 of the New York Tournament saw the clash of the two Laskers: Emanuel vs Edward Lasker. It was a remarkable fight that lasted for 103 moves and gave Emanuel Lasker an opportunity to demonstrate his amazing defensive skills. World Champion José Raúl Capablanca played an endgame brilliancy against Savielly Tartakower and showed why it is worth remembering to look for sacrifices and mating attacks in the endgame. Alexander Alekhine smashed Dawid Janowsky. Geza Maroczy defeated Frank Marshall, and Richard Reti won in hypermodern style against Frederick Yates. | Photo: Emanuel Lasker (right) and Edward Lasker (left, with Black)

5/10/2020 – There was no lack of drama on the last day of the round-robin section at the Nations Cup, as United States qualified to Sunday's Superfinal by outscoring Europe by merely a half board point. Europe had beaten the Americans in their direct round-nine clash, but could not overcome Rest of the World to get their spot in the final, while United States inflicted China's first loss of the event. The Chinese squad will get a chance to take revenge on Sunday, when the action kicks off one hour later than usual. | Pictured: Wesley So | Photo: Niki Riga

5/9/2020 – This is the third entry of logic riddles for chess players. In this case the riddle is a bit different compared to the previous logic riddles. It doesn't require too much mathematical skill and some people have a very hard time solving it. Others can find the answer in a finger snip. Keep in mind, you don't need a chess board for the solution, just your imagination and cleverness.

5/9/2020 – World Champion José Raúl Capablanca is often called a "Chess Machine" because his games seem to be so smooth and flawless. In fact, since his defeat against Oscar Chajes on January 21 , 1916 Capablanca has not lost a single game in the last eight years. But now, in round 5 of the tournament in New York, he suffered a sensational defeat against Richard Reti (pictured). | Photo: Ernst & Cesanek (Archive)

5/9/2020 – China has secured a spot in Sunday's final at the FIDE chess.com Nations Cup, while Russia, India and Rest of the World are completely out of contention. The United States have climbed to second place and will fight for the remaining spot in the final with Europe, which only collected one match point on Friday — the contenders will face each other in round nine. | Pictured: Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Lennart Ootes

5/8/2020 – Suffering withdrawal? No visits to the chess club? So how about taking part in a giant blitz tournament. It is all virtual on the Playchess server, where you can play against more than twenty GMs, twenty IMs and many other titled players who have confirmed their participation so far. Amongst them are some the brightest young supertalents in the world, There is a prize fund of Rs. 101,000. Watching and playing is free of charge. Make this a Saturday full of chess!

5/8/2020 – In this Power Play Show Grandmaster Daniel King takes a look at a Queen's Gambit Declined position from the game Nakamura-Carlsen. | Photo: Lennart Ootes (Archive) | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 18:00 UK (19:00 CEST, Noon EST) on playchess.com. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.

5/8/2020 – The FIDE has announced a Wilhelm Steinitz memorial tournament in the middle of May - online! World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen will lead the event, including 19 other players, which have been nominated by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

5/8/2020 – Many people are staying home now, more than ever. Baking bread has become a very popular activity in these times. Did you know that there is a cake recipe called the "chess pie"? Did you also know, that Robert Fischer has once received a cake, which looked like one of his played chess games? Chess can be such a sweet experience.

5/8/2020 – His convincing win against Alexander Alekhine in round 3 of the tournament in New York seems to have inspired former World Champion Emanuel Lasker, and in round 4 he won his second black game in a row, this time against his old rival Dawid Janowsky. In the prestige duel between Capablanca and Alekhine the Cuban dominated once again, but in the end Alekhine managed to escape into a draw. Bogolyubov came to a nice win against Reti and Yates won against Edward Lasker. Tartakower and Maroczy drew but Tartakower enriched the theory of openings with an original concept.

5/8/2020 – In the diagram position White played 15.d6!, a powerful move that opens the diagonal for the light-squared bishop and allowed White to score a brilliant victory after 15...Bxd6 16.Bc4+ Kg7. How did White win? Join and enjoy!