2/25/2026 – From 21 to 29 September 2026, a group tour to Uzbekistan will combine cultural exploration with top-level chess. The journey includes visits to Samarkand, Bukhara and Tashkent, coinciding with the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. Alongside attending the Olympiad, participants will take part in special chess events and training sessions, while discovering the architectural and historical legacy of the Silk Road. | Photo: Mosque Bibi-Khanum in Samarkand, via Wikimedia Commons

2/25/2026 – The eighth edition of the Prague International Chess Festival was officially opened at the Don Giovanni Hotel in Prague, launching the Masters, Challengers and Futures tournaments. The event features the reigning World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, who played a symbolic opening duel with Czech beach volleyball world champion Ondřej Perušič. The game was part of the festival's ceremonial start ahead of play through 6 March. | Photo: Petr Vrabec

2/25/2026 – 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?

2/25/2026 – Netflix has announced "Untold: Chess Mates", a new documentary examining the controversy surrounding Hans Niemann's victory over Magnus Carlsen at the 2022 Sinquefield Cup. The film revisits Carlsen's withdrawal, the subsequent allegations of cheating and the intense public reaction that followed. It also places the dispute within the broader context of modern chess, including the growth of online play and the challenges it has created for trust and governance at the elite level. | Photo: Netflix

2/24/2026 – The Saint Louis Masters will take place from 25 February to 1 March as a nine-round Swiss invitational, bringing together a competitive international field. The event features a $100,000 prize fund and classical time controls, with 69 players taking part. World number three Fabiano Caruana is set to participate, ahead of a demanding schedule in March, which includes the American Cup and the Candidates Tournament. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

2/24/2026 – IM Nico Zwirs presents the Reversed Sicilian as a dynamic and practical weapon for White, especially suited to players who already use the Sicilian with Black and want to build on their existing understanding. Instead of a rigid, move-by-move repertoire, the course offers a flexible framework that helps you choose structures matching your style while learning how to deviate into less familiar setups when needed. Covering major Sicilian systems such as the Closed Sicilian, Najdorf, and Dragon, it explains how the extra tempo for White reshapes typical plans, strengthens attacking chances, and creates new strategic opportunities.

2/21/2026 – Wilhelm Steinitz had lost his World Championship title to Emanuel Lasker in 1894, but he still retained the right to a return match. That rematch was scheduled to take place in Moscow at the end of 1896. Before that, however, Steinitz played a training match against Emanuel Schiffers. Join us on a brief journey back in time to Rostov-on-Don in 1896.

2/21/2026 – The pairings for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 and the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 have been confirmed following the official Drawing of Lots ceremony in Paphos. Scheduled from 28 March to 16 April 2026, both events will determine the challengers for the World Championship titles, with round-one matchups now set and preparations entering their final phase.

2/20/2026 – Entries are open for the 2026 British Chess Championships, which will return to Coventry from 1 to 9 August at the University of Warwick. The event will feature a record £34,000 prize fund, a significantly increased women’s prize fund and an expanded festival programme. Organised by the English Chess Federation, the nine-day championships are expected to attract more than 1,000 players across all age groups. | Photo: Chess in Schools and Communities

2/20/2026 – In this episode, Svitlana explores how to fight back after a blunder, using dramatic comeback examples from players like Magnus Carlsen and classic games from the 19th century to show that even the best can recover from lost material. The key lessons are to avoid self-pity, keep pieces on the board, create complications, pose constant problems, and play actively as if you’re not worse—because pressure often causes the opponent to falter. Ultimately, she demonstrates that chess games are rarely over after a single mistake, and with the right mindset and resourcefulness, even a lost position can turn into a win or at least a save.

2/20/2026 – Who is your favourite chess player – we asked you recently. Whose games do you enjoy the most? We got a lot of feedback, and will show you the choices that human chess players make – and compare them with what a chess AI chooses, after it has played through and evaluated millions of games.

2/20/2026 – FIDE and Freestyle Chess have agreed that the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championships will again be staged in Weissenhaus, Germany in 2027. The agreement confirms the continuation of the championship at the Baltic Sea venue following the inaugural edition in 2026. | Photo: FIDE