1/10/2026 – In this analytical column, GM Jon Speelman examines the disproportionate power of subtle “creeping” moves in chess. Using examples from games by Alireza Firouzja, Boris Spassky (pictured in 1964) and Garry Kasparov, he shows how small, almost inconspicuous piece shifts can radically alter complex positions. Blending modern encounters with classic material and personal recollections, Speelman explains why these quiet moves are so hard to anticipate and so decisive when they occur. | Photo: P. van Zoest / ANP, via geheugenvannederland.nl

1/10/2026 – The 2025 European Women's Blitz Championship, held on Friday in Monte-Carlo, brought together 127 players for a 13-round Swiss played at a 3+2 time control. The title was decided in dramatic fashion in the final round, where top seed Eline Roebers defeated long-time leader Bella Khotenashvili to secure tournament victory. | Pictured: The start of the crucial Roebers v. Khotenashvili encounter. | Photo: European Chess Union

1/10/2026 – The Social and Educational Chess Conference will take place in Bhubaneswar from 14 to 16 January 2026, marking the launch of the FIDE Year of Chess in Education. Organised by FIDE in partnership with KIIT and the All India Chess Federation, the event will bring together educators, researchers and practitioners to examine how chess can be used as a structured tool for learning, inclusion and social development. The programme combines research, case studies and practical initiatives from around the world.

1/9/2026 – The final day of the rapid tournaments at the Tata Steel Chess India event saw titles decided in both sections. In the open, Nihal Sarin claimed first place after finishing clear of the field, ahead of Viswanathan Anand. The women's tournament also produced an outright winner, with Kateryna Lagno securing victory with a round to spare. Aleksandra Goryachkina finished in sole second place. With the rapid champions crowned, attention now turns to the blitz double round-robin, which follows over the weekend. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

1/9/2026 – The rift between FIDE and Freestyle Chess seemed final – and then, on Wednesday evening, a press release from both surprised the chess world: in February 2026, the first joint World Championship in Freestyle Chess is set to take place in Weissenhaus, Germany. Sagar Shah of ChessBase India conducted an in-depth interview with Jan Henric Büttner of Freestyle Chess to learn more about this remarkable turnaround.

1/9/2026 – A reigning world chess champion has not played a serious game in Czechia for exactly 95 years. That is about to change. GM Gukesh Dommaraju, also known as Gukesh D, will take part in the 8th edition of the Prague International Chess Festival. The Indian prodigy has broken numerous modern chess records. The Festival, the most prestigious chess event in central and eastern Europe, will be held from 24 February to 6 March at Hotel Don Giovanni in Prague.

1/7/2026 – Welcome to The Initiative – a show dedicated to the relentless battle for momentum in chess! In every game, players fight to seize control, dictate the pace, and keep their opponent on the back foot. But what does it really mean to have the initiative? How do the world’s best players maintain pressure and transform small advantages into crushing attacks?

1/7/2026 – In the final sections of our Christmas Puzzle Week we brought you a variety of famous and less well-known puzzles. Among them a mate problem that solves itself – literally. And one that looks deceptively simple, but requires a very subtle strategy to find the win. In no less than 46 moves! Can computers solve it?

1/7/2026 – Zhu Jiner's 2025 season marked a decisive shift in her standing within women's chess. Focusing exclusively on classical chess, this analysis traces her rise from the edge of the top ten to world number two, examining her breakthrough performances in the Women's Grand Prix, a brief mid-year dip in form and a strong finish - which included a remarkable showing at the Fujairah Superstars tournament. | Photo: Abhilash Shinde

1/6/2026 – The seventh edition of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament will take place in Kolkata on 7-11 January, featuring separate rapid and blitz tournaments in both the Open and Women's sections. The event is highlighted by the return of five-time world champion and Indian chess icon Viswanathan Anand, alongside a strong mix of domestic and international players. | Image: Official site

1/6/2026 – Lilit Mkrtchian analyzes a complex and instructive game she played against 17-year-old Georgian rising star Anastasia Gad at the European Women’s Championship, showing how deep opening preparation and understanding of pawn structures gave her an early, lasting advantage. She explains her use of ChessBase to study her opponent’s tendencies, deliberately steering the game into a Slav-type structure with colours reversed, where her opponent made subtle inaccuracies that allowed Lilit to build pressure and play comfortably. Despite time trouble and a tense middlegame with aggressive counterplay, Lilit kept control, found precise tactical solutions, and ultimately converted her advantage, highlighting how opening knowledge, planning, and calm decision-making decide high-level games.

1/6/2026 – Five national federations, including the German Chess Federation, have filed a lawsuit against FIDE with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Through the legal action, the federations are challenging the decisions adopted by the General Assembly of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) on 14 December 2025 concerning the participation of Russian and Belarusian national teams in international chess competitions.