"Why is Anish Giri on the cover?"

5/29/2018 – In this second part of the review, our columnist draws attention to important games included in the issue. He also offers a test or two to young readers to hone their tactical skills. Among other things, this issue includes games from Wijk aan Zee, Gibralter Masters and Tal Memorial Tournaments. In all, 2189 games (several annotated) with 12 opening surveys from Sicilian to Slav. Not to be missed.

Norway Chess: Carlsen starts with the only win

5/29/2018 – An omen for the upcoming World Championship? Magnus Carlsen played the opening round of the Altibox Norway Chess tournament against Fabiano Caruana, his next challenger in for the World Champion's title, and won, improving his classical record against the American. The remaining games ended in draws. | Photos: Lennart Ootes / Altibox Norway Chess

King on the rim is dim

5/29/2018 – Knights on the rim are dim because they often do not have much room for maneuver. Kings on the rim can be dim because they might fall victim to a mating attack.

Komodo 12 with AlphaZero techniques

5/28/2018 – This is what the chess world has been waiting for: one of the strongest chess engines in the world, but with access to the most important AI enhancement of recent times: Komodo 12 can be switched to a Monte Carlo search, very similar to the one employed by AlphaZero. This engine achieves over 3000 Elo, but more importantly, it plays more aggressively and more human-like. Komodo Monte Carlo is not primarily concerned with material advantage and provides a completely new strategic evaluation of the game.

Simon Says — Can you find the move?

5/28/2018 – In this Simon Says we look at ten different examples from games, or studies and asks you to take a stab at solving them. Simon then looks at the themes and breaks down the examples! | Photo: Alina l'Ami

Karpov Poikovsky: No draws in round one

5/28/2018 – The Karpov Poikovsky tournament went off to a flying start on Sunday as a decisive game was witnessed on every board: Vidit Gujrathi won in Karpovian style in his very first appearance in Poikovsky; Emil Sutovsky ground down Vladislav Kovalev in an 80 move marathon; Ian Nepomniachtchi and Dmitry Jakovenko won after winning a pawn a piece out of the opening; while Anton Korobov crushed Fedoseev's dubious opening. Here's an illustrated report with analysis. | Pictured: Anatoly Karpov | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

Altibox Norway Chess 2018: So wins blitz tournament

5/28/2018 – The Altibox Norway Chess Tournament started with a blitz tournament, and with 10 of the world’s best players competing it was probably one of the best blitz tournaments in the history of chess. It determined which five players will have one more game with White in the classic tournament which starts today on Monday, April 28, but was of course also about prestige and invites predictions of form. Magnus Carlsen was favourite but Wesley So won. | Photo: Alina l'Ami

Chess on the high seas concludes

5/27/2018 – From 11 to 23 May, the Norwegian Bliss was the scene of a "chess tournament at sea". The ship and the tournament travelled from Miami through the Panama Canal to Los Angeles. The winner was Michael Klyszcz from the SG Löberitz, an amateur angler and ex-basketball player. Jürgen Meijerink and Henry Gregory Allen earned prizes. On its last leg, the chess tourists visited "Switzerland in Central America" and then a land of the volcanoes (see picture towards the foot of one of them). | Photo: Michael Dombrowsky

In memoriam Evgeni Vasiukov (1933-2018)

5/27/2018 – On May 10, 2018, Evgeni Vasiukov died in Moscow. In his prime, he was one of the best players in the world and amongst other things he won the prestigious Moscow Championship no less than six times. Later he was a renowned coach, second, and organiser and achieved a number of successes in senior tournaments. An obituary by DAGOBERT KOHLMEYER.

Study of the Month: May, 2018

5/26/2018 – As the column is always changing, reader feedback was received that April’s historical examination was too long and the column should concentrate on studies more, which of course has been the heart of this column. Therefore the next issue will be more condensed again. In May and probably July SIEGFRIED HORNECKER concentrates on selected non-fiction (May) and fiction (July) literature about chess. This month focuses on Josef Kling and Bernhard Horwitz.

Ding Liren nears 2800 Elo, passes Kramnik

5/26/2018 – Rounds five through seven of the Chinese League were held in Shenzhen this week. The team from Shanghai currently leads the league, but the performance of Ding Liren (who plays for Zheijang) has attracted attention. He has had a strong showing, winning all five of his games so far, and by beating Ivan Cheparinov in the seventh round he nudged up past Vladimir Kramnik to the fourth spot in the world rankings and is less than three Elo points shy of 2800. | Photo: qipai.org.cn

Durarbayli endures in St. Louis Summer Classic

5/25/2018 – Vasif Durarbayli doubled up Varuzhan Akobian in a rapid tiebreak for first place in the top 'A' group of the St. Louis Summer Classic, winning both playoff games and earning $6,000. Both players finished the classical tournament with 6.0 / 9, a half point ahead of third-place finisher, Sam Sevian. GM Daniel Fernandez looks at the ninth round games. There was also a 'B' tournament, but one with far less drama at the end, as top seed Kamil Dragun took a quick draw to clinch clear first a full point ahead of Andrey Stukopin | Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club on YouTube

Tune your tactics

5/25/2018 – A solid tactical understanding is sure to help any chess player in critical situations. Whether it is a simple exchange or a mating attack, tactics are ubiquitous. Take advantage of the opportunity to develop your tactical understanding in this series with IM Oliver Reeh and Pascal Simon! (Normally) Friday's at 15:30 CET (9:00 AM EDT) it's all about Tactics!

OSG Baden-Baden takes German League 2018 title

5/25/2018 – After the teams of OSG Baden-Baden and SG Solingen had ended the season tied, a playoff fight for the title of German team champion was necessary, and was held yesterday in Baden-Baden. The defending champions narrowly won, with a final match score of 4½ : 3½ thanks to wins by Rustam Kasimdzhanov and Peter Svidler, and in spite of a board one loss by Fabiano Caruana to Anish Giri. | Photo: Guido Giotta, schachbundesliga.de

Tactics training and history in one

5/25/2018 – Will my tactical vision improve? With the right glasses, the answer is a resounding Yes! Dedicate the next ten hours to train under IM Oliver Reeh, and you'll discover your eyes will acquire new powerful tactical spectacles which will make you see the board under a different tactical light! Reviewer DAVIDE NASTASIO explains.

Adams' solutions

5/25/2018 – In the diagram position Black holds several trumps, above all his active queen on b6 which nails down the white king on f1. Can you see how the English super-GM increased his advantage decisively?

German League playoff match: LIVE

5/24/2018 – Today in Baden-Baden the match is held for the German League Championship 2018. The team of OSG Baden-Baden meets SG Solingen in a tiebreak match after both teams were tied through fifteen regulation rounds. Baden-Baden is very strong, as usual, led by Fabiano Caruana, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Viswanathan Anand, but Solingen has brought in world number nine Anish Giri to play top board.

Saving annotations from a ChessBase video

5/24/2018 – Via Playchess, ChessBase offers hundreds of live and on-demand videos: live commentary webcasts of high-class tournaments or regular shows with the likes of Daniel King, Simon Williams, Lawrence Trent, and other stars. These videos are full of exciting annotated games, but have you ever wondered how you can you copy them to your own database? It just so happens that you can — and it's pretty easy! | Photo: ChessBase
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The Power Play Show

5/24/2018 – Thursday at 8pm UK time Daniel King will go on air on playchess.com. You can watch the episode live for free. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. Puzzle and the live video...

Srinath Narayanan wins 3rd Kolkata International

5/24/2018 – The third edition of Kolkata International Grandmaster Open came to a close on Tuesday. At the end of nine rounds, GM Srinath Narayanan emerged on top of the field with a score of 7½/9. This was one of the best Grandmaster events organised in India and also happens to be the last event of FIDE Presidential candidate Nigel Short before he begins his election campaign. | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

St. Louis Summer Chess Classic LIVE

5/23/2018 – The Saint Louis Chess Club continues to expand its offerings of world-class chess. Four times a year, for example, invitational tournaments are held, in which young players from the Elo range between 2500 and 2600 points are able to gain valuable experience against invited veteran players. The final round in two groups is live with an abbreviated commentary webcast from 20:30 CEST (14:30 EDT).

Endgame Magic with guest GM Daniel Fernandez

5/23/2018 – England's newest grandmaster, Daniel Fernandez, is in Hamburg recording a FritzTrainer to be published later this year. He joins Karsten for a look some recent endgames from tournament practice. Watch live at 15:00 CEST (9:00 AM EDT) or later on-demand!

Chess on the high seas: The Panama Canal

5/23/2018 – The chess tournament aboard the "Norwegian Bliss" continues, as the players travel from Miami to Los Angeles. On the way the chess tourists have now made the transition from the Atlantic to the Pacific passing the "eighth wonder of the world": MICHAEL DOMBROWSKY sends his latest dispatch. | Photo: Andreas Back

NEW: Yannick Pelletier: A Classical Guide to the French Defence

5/23/2018 – The French Defence is the sharpest opening setup against 1.e4. With his first two moves, e6 and d5, Black tries to provoke the advance e4-e5. This closes the centre and gives Black the opportunity to get active play on both wings. This DVD gives you the key to start out with the French Defence. GM Yannick Pelletier is a specialist of this opening and believes that the most efficient way to understand its ideas, plans, and typical structures is to study classical lines. He offers you a repertoire that is based on well-established lines that have been tried and tested for decades and that have proven their validity.