4/3/2025 – The 2025 Women's World Championship between defending champion Ju Wenjun and challenger Tan Zhongyi began with a cautious and unspectacular draw. Ju Wenjun had white, but could not find a way against Tan Zhongyi's determination to simplify in order not to lose the opening game with black. | Photo: Anna Shtourman

4/3/2025 – In his new Fast & Furious show, Robert Ris takes another look at the Sicilian Taimanov and shows a fine game by Nihal Sarin with this line. | Fast & Furious is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.

4/3/2025 – The ChessBase Opening Encyclopedia 2025 has recently been released with many new features and improvements. In an interview ChessBase editor and lecturer Thomas Stark explains how this comprehensive and versatile product is created, what it can do and how to get the most out of it.

4/3/2025 – The 2025 FIDE Women's World Championship officially commenced with a press conference and opening ceremony in Shanghai. Held at the JW Marriott Hotel, the event featured remarks from FIDE officials, local sports representatives and chess dignitaries, highlighting China's rich chess legacy. Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi engaged with journalists before participating in the traditional drawing of lots, which determined Ju would play white in the first game. The championship match begins on 3 April. | Photos: Anna Shtourman

4/2/2025 – Nový Bor claimed their 14th Czech Extraliga title, finishing three points clear of the competition with a dominant performance. Pentala Harikrishna played a key role, remaining unbeaten and delivering a standout 2868-rated performance. Lysá nad Labem and BŠŠ Frýdek-Místek secured second and third place, respectively. Nový Bor, also the reigning European Club Cup champion, continue to assert their dominance in Czech team chess. | Photo: Nový Bor Chess Club

4/2/2025 – For the second consecutive year, the University of Texas at Dallas will host the prestigious President's Cup, the most exclusive event in collegiate chess. Scheduled for 5-6 April 2025, the tournament will feature the top four teams from the Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship, competing in a round-robin format. With a record number of grandmasters in the qualifying event, the level of competition is set to be exceptionally high. Matches will take place at UT Dallas’ McDermott Library Suite.

3/29/2025 – The Agzamov Memorial took place from 21 to 29 March in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, attracting a strong field of international players in Group A. Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin claimed outright victory with an unbeaten 8/10 score, finishing ahead of a competitive field that included eight 2600+ rated players. Among the standout performances was 15-year-old Uzbek IM Khumoyun Begmuratov, who secured ninth place with a solid 7/10. | Photo: Uzbekistan Chess Federation

3/29/2025 – Grandmaster Kirill Shevchenko has been handed a three-year worldwide ban, with one year suspended, following allegations of cheating at the 2024 Spanish Team Championship. The FIDE Ethics & Disciplinary Commission (EDC) found that Shevchenko had hidden a mobile phone in a toilet but could not determine with certainty that he had used it to gain an unfair advantage. | Photo: European Chess Union

3/29/2025 – Supported by his powerful pawn f6, White quickly wins from the diagram position. The first two moves may be obvious, but with number three you can 'really go for it' - have fun!

3/29/2025 – Pentala Harikrishna, one of India's finest chess grandmasters, has built a life in Prague, blending his passion for chess with a deep connection to the city. In an insightful interview with Sagar Shah, Harikrishna shares his journey - from his rise in the global chess rankings to his experiences working with world champions Gukesh and Ju Wenjun. As they explore Prague's landmarks, he reflects on the challenges of professional chess, the evolving landscape of Indian chess and the importance of unwavering support from family. | Photo: Amruta Mokal

3/28/2025 – In this sneak peek, IM Robert Ris presents a strategic lesson from his course Mastering Chess Strategy Vol. 2 by analysing his own game against GM Praveen Thipsay. He highlights the importance of king safety and multi-purpose moves, showing how he found a secure setup for his king while activating his rooks for an attack. The game showcases how small strategic decisions can lead to winning positions. The course uses an interactive format where viewers try moves, get feedback, and learn through practice. It’s aimed at players ready to go beyond the basics and refine their positional understanding.

3/28/2025 – Beauty prizes at chess tournaments are great. But there have always been disputes about which game in a tournament deserves this prize. For example, Kateryna Lagno (pictured) felt unjustly ignored when the award was presented at the Women's Grand Prix in Monaco 2025 and has now protested in an open letter. Thorsten Cmiel reports on this dispute, which has political dimensions. | Photo: Niki Riga / FIDE