Tune your tactics - episode 2: knight pins

7/7/2017 – 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! Friday at 3.30 pm CEST it's all about knight pins!

London Loser

7/7/2017 – The diagram shows a standard position from the London System, in which 12....Ne4 by Black would seem like a most natural move. Caution! This move makes the game razor-sharp, and only six moves later one side will resign. Which one? ...

FIDE Grand Prix - Geneva: Will all-star cast lead to masterpiece?

7/7/2017 – The 2017 FIDE World Chess Grand Prix series continues with the third tournament, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland from 5-16th July. The tournament is being held in Hotel Le Richemond, set on the banks of Lake Geneva, by the famous Jet d’Eau, and brings many intriguing names such as Levon Aronian, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, and many more, but does that ensure a thrilling tournament? Round one brought several good wins, such as Teimour Radjabov over Anish Giri. Report with GM analysis.

Exercises in Style: from Wilhelm Steinitz to Magnus Carlsen (1/4)

7/6/2017 – World Champions have style. At least, this is often claimed. Kasparov loved to attack, Karpov excelled in prophylaxis, Capablanca liked positional play crowned by a "petite combinaison", Tal loved intuitive sacrifices while Botvinnik preferred clear strategic plans. But do you recognize the style of the World Champions when you see only the moves of their games? Try it out!

Speelman's Agony #56

7/6/2017 – This week's games are by Max Wahlund, a Swede who will be 45 on July 10th. Max used to be a journalist in Stockholm, but more recently he's lived both in a Buddhist monastery and a Christian community and is currently in Linköping, where he works as a publicity officer for the Church of Sweden. And when he moved to Linkoping, he took up chess again after a break of over twenty years. His two extensively analysed games are evaluate by an experienced GM. You can learn a lot from the notes.

Garry Kasparov returns to competition!

7/5/2017 – This is neither prank nor clever wording: Garry Kasparov will be playing in the official St. Louis leg of the Grand Chess Tour from August 14-19, 2017. Please note that this is the Rapid and Blitz competition, just as the ones held in Paris and Levuen these last weeks, and not the classical events. However, this is not an exhibition event, and will determine the official Grand Chess Tour rankings as well as FIDE ratings of the players. Here is the press release.

Adrian Mikhalchishin: Pattern recognition and pawn structures

7/5/2017 – In the recent issue of New in Chess magazine GM Matthew Sadler, having switched jobs and looking for a low-effort way to keep his feeling for chess alive, watched some ChessBase DVDs on positional themes. He started with Sergei Tiviakov and progressed to Adrian Mikhalchishin, whom he calls "an entertaining and lively host ... who kept me thoroughly entertained all through the many hours of content. He does however make tactical mistakes, caused by the author's unbridled enthusiasm. Still: definitely a series worth consideration.

Memory Techniques: the Peg system (part one)

7/5/2017 – Completing the systems of memory to best use mnemonics, here is the first of two parts on using the Peg system, which together with the Memory Palace is the foundation for efficient use for both short term and long term. This is also the combination of systems used by Timur Gareev in his world record effort, and the one used by the world record holders in memorization. To learn more about what the Peg system is and how it works, read the article.

Knight vs bishop - the eternal duel

7/4/2017 – Who is stronger: knight or bishop? The knight is slow but nimble. And if things go seriously wrong the knight can still try to erect a fortress. However, it's best to design such a fortress carefully.

Bobby Fischer in Iceland – 45 years ago (1)

7/4/2017 – In the final week of June 1972 the chess world was in turmoil. The match between World Champion Boris Spassky and his challenger Bobby Fischer was scheduled to begin, in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik, on July 1st. But there was no sign of Fischer. The opening ceremony took place without him, and the first game, scheduled for July 2nd, was postponed. Then finally, in the early hours of July 4th, Fischer arrived. Frederic Friedel narrates.

Simon says - Recent developments in his latest DVDs

7/3/2017 – In this Simon Says Simon Williams will took a look at the recent developments in his latest DVDs such as the Four Knights and the London System. Tune in for some lively fun later! An example and more information...

Magnus Carlsen wins Leuven with three-point lead

7/3/2017 – It was all Magnus Carlsen in the last two days as he overcame a three-point deficit, trailing Wesley So, who had performed superbly in the rapid games, to win the Grand Chess Tour tournament in Leuven with a full three-point lead. His blitz performance of 3018 Elo over 18 games says it all. Wesley So came in second, while Maxime Vachier-Lagrave took third. Enjoy this illustrated report with analysis by GM Alex Yermolinsky.

Study of the Month: Rocking rooks

7/3/2017 – In his new article, Siegfried Hornecker shows how rooks can be the rock stars of the chessboard. We look at the inofficial "Study of the Year 2015" by Serbian composer Mirko Miljanic, a surprising checkmate by Alois Wotawa and Henri Rinck's king helix. As an addition, a musical work by former World Champion Vasily Smyslov is discussed. The extraordinary high art of chess studies never ceases to impress.

Grand Chess Tour - Leuven Express: Magnus Carlsen runs away with event

7/2/2017 – With a performance rating in excess of 3000 Elo, Magnus Carlsen's blitz skills not only allowed him to bridge the three-point deficit after the rapid games, but to finish with a full three-point lead and run away with the Leuven tournament of the Grand Chess Tour with 25.5/36. Wesley So was able to at least secure clear second with 22.5/36, a half-point ahead of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave with 22.0/36. Express report.

International Women's Chess Festival in Erfurt

7/2/2017 – It's taking place from Monday, July 31st, to Friday, August 4th, with six tournaments: Ladies Champions Match, Young Masters, Women’s Open, German National Rapidplay & Blitz Championships, Girls Grand-Prix-Final. the entry fee is €55 per player, €35 for players born in 1999 or later. Total prize fund: €6.060. Open to girls and women with a valid FIDE ID. Go register, it will be great fun.

Grand Chess Tour - Leuven: The Magnus Carlsen Show

7/2/2017 – With a three point lead over Magnus Carlsen after the rapid games, and two over Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Wesley So had to have though it would at least carry him over until Sunday. However, he could not have predicted the Magnus Carlsen Show that lasted throughout the day, with the World Champion in scintillating form, finding inspired and many-times clear best moves grandmasters might find challenging even in classical games. Full report by GM Alex Yermolinsky.

Grandmasters Stukopin and Belous Storm the Midwest

7/1/2017 – Russian Grandmasters Andrey Stukopin and Vladimir Belous won the 1st Wisconsin International Chess Festival, topping a 64-player field with a convincing 7.5/9. Both University of Texas at Brownsville students took the event by storm, going undefeated in nine games and living up to their expectation as the top two seeds. Report and analysis by GM Joshua Friedel.

Grand Chess Tour - Leuven Express: Magnus Carlsen catches up leader

7/1/2017 – With Wesley So winning the Rapid game phase, opening up a two-point edge over Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and a three-point lead over Magnus Carlsen, the question was whether they might catch up with him in the blitz phase. The World Champion answered in emphatic fashion as he blew away the field with 7.5/9 on day one of the blitz phase, and already caught up with So in the combined scores. Express report.

Grand Chess Tour - Leuven: Wesley So wins Rapid stage

7/1/2017 – Day three showed no big surprises as far as the winner was concerned, with World no. 2 Wesley So winning the Rapid stage of the Leuven tournament with 14.0/18, two points ahead of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who lost his final round game against Levon Aronian, and three points ahead of Magnus Carlsen, who stands at 11.0/18. There will still be 18 blitz games to follow over the weekend, so the event is still very much undecided. Report and analysis by GM Alex Yermolinsky.

July 2017 FIDE ratings: Redistribution of wealth

6/30/2017 – This month's ratings list brings a number of remarkable results, all worthy of commentary. First and foremost is Levon Aronian's deserved return to the 2800-club after great wins at the Grenke Classic, and now at Norway Chess. Also worth noting is that the group of players rated 2800 or more has grown to six, but before concluding 'ratings inflation' read the commentary in the article to see if you still think that way after.

New: Robert Ris - The Chess Player's Mating Guide, Vol.2

6/30/2017 – Mating the enemy king is the ultimate goal in chess. Capturing weak pawns, exploiting open lines or playing with a good knight against a bad bishop is all well and good and might lead to a better endgame but mate immediately wins the game. And mating attacks are fun. Particularly so if you follow the advice of Robert Ris.

Plain sailing?

6/30/2017 – In the diagram position, 35.Nc7+ Kf6 36.Nxe8+ nets a whole rook for White, and on top of that with check. Who could ask for more? I do - I want to see how you continue following 36...Kg6 then!

Grand Chess Tour - Leuven: Wesley So increases lead

6/30/2017 – Day Two was very much a repeat of the previous day, with Wesley So repeating his stellar performance and increasing his lead to two points over Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Magnus Carlsen, the top performers in the previous event in Paris. The games have been all quite exciting with nearly three-quarters ending in decisive results. Here is the illustrated report with GM analysis.

Sasikiran wins 52nd Capablanca Memorial 2017 - Part One

6/29/2017 – In its basic form it was just an interview, but in substance it was a master class that IM Sagar Shah received from GM Sasikiran Krishnan who had just won the 52nd Capablanca Memorial 2017. Before leaving for the FIDE World Team Championship, Sasi found some time to discuss his games from Cuba where he scored 6.5/10 and remained undefeated. This article shows you how a grandmaster rated nearly 2700 thinks and what one can learn from his words and variations.