New Year's present: Progressive Chess

1/1/2018 – Tired of chess? Even if your answer is a resounding No! you might want to try something new: an easy-to-learn faster and more dramatic version of the game, which is also one of the most popular chess variants world-wide. For the first time a comprehensive English language book on the subject has been released, with instructions, annotated games and scores and scores of delightful puzzles. Plus a chess engine that actually plays and analyses Progressive Chess. It is all free for our readers – a New Year's gift from author, Matej Guid.

Speelman's Agony #67

12/31/2017 – A Happy New year to readers as we embark on the final Agony column of this year with two fascinating games by Murray Campbell. Fancy Jon taking a look at your games? Send them in! If you appear in the Agony column, not only will you get free detailed commentary of your games by one of chess’s great authors and instructors, and former world no. 4 player, but you also win a free three-month ChessBase Premium Account!

Magnus Carlsen and Nana Dzagnidze are World Blitz champions

12/31/2017 – After a thrilling two days of action, we saw severe turnarounds by the challengers on Day 2. Magnus Carlsen capped a brilliant day with a massive score against the world's best to snatch gold. Sergey Karjakin fought back to win silver, and Vishy Anand concluded his magnificent run with bronze. In the Women's event, Pia Cramling faded as she lost steam, while Nana Dzagnidze took gold. We bring a massive report by Alex Yermolinsky. | Photo: riyadh.fide.com

Webster wins, extends Pan-Am streak to six

12/31/2017 – The Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championships (Pan-Am) concluded Saturday, December 30th, 2017, with Webster University becoming Pan-Am champions. Qualifying for the President’s Cup (the “Final Four of College Chess”) are the following schools: Webster University, Saint Louis University (2nd place), Texas Tech University (3rd place), and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (4th place). | Pictured: Webster’s “A” team with Coaches FM Truong and GM Polgar and the organizer of the Pan-Am Kelly Bloomfield. | Photo: A. Root

Plus piece vs passed pawn

12/30/2017 – In the diagram position the fork 38.Ne6+ forces Black's hand. 38...Qxe6 39.dxe6 Rxd3 40.e7 - which result is to be expected? A) White wins B) Black wins C) a peaceful ending

Webster U. undefeated at Pan-American Intercollegiate

12/30/2017 – The Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championships (Pan-Am) had one dispute and several close matches in rounds 4 and 5. Despite announcements before each round to leave cell phones back in hotel rooms, in round 4 the Michigan “B” team forfeited a game because of a cell phone. Also in round 4, Webster’s “A” team and SLU’s “A” team notched 2½ : 1½ victories over their opponents. Thus, by Friday afternoon, both Webster “A” and SLU had won four out of four matches. In round 5, Webster “A” defeated SLU 2.5-1.5. The only other team entering round 5 with four match wins, the UTRGV “A” team, lost. Therefore Webster “A” is the only team with 5 out of 5 match wins going into the sixth and final round on Saturday morning. Pictured: Shimanov and Kovalyov | Photo: A. Root

World Blitz Championship LIVE

12/30/2017 – The "King Salman World Blitz & Rapid Championships 2017" in Riyadh from Decemer 26th to 30th. At the half way point of the Blitz Championship, the defending champ Sergey Karjakin leads with 9 / 11. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is a half point back followed by Peter Svidler and a trio of Chinese: Wang, Ding and Yu on 8 / 11. In the Women's Pia Cramling has a full point lead with 9½ / 11. Watch live with Rounds 11 to 22 from 12:00 Noon CET (6:00 AM EST) on Saturday with commentary by E. Miroshnichenko & WGM K. Tsatsalashvili.

World Blitz - Day 1: Karjakin and Cramling grab lead

12/30/2017 – The second stage is underway in Riyadh. 138 players are contesting the World Blitz Championship title in a 21-round Swiss, played over two days. At stake is a quarter-million first prize and the title of World Blitz Champion. After 11 rounds of wild action, defending champion, Sergey Karjakin has taken the lead, while the women's section, veteran Pia Cramling stormed to a commanding lead. Report and analysis by Alex Yermolinsky. | Photo: Anastasia Karlovich

Which is the best game of 2017?

12/29/2017 – In 2017 many fantastic games were played. We have selected ten of the best. What's your pick for game of the year? Vote for your favourite!

Pan-Am Team College Chess

12/29/2017 – Round three of the Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championships (Pan-Am) in Columbus, Ohio, ended on Thursday night, December 28th. As expected, the seven highest-rated teams have won every match thus far. There have been surprises, such as Webster University changing its “A” team lineup. However, the Pan-Am is not all about the top-rated teams. There are players and teams playing in their first Pan-Am who will grab your attention, such as Northwest University (pictured) Walter Borbridge (Board 3), Elliott Neff (Coach), Benjamin Mukumbya (Board 1), Phiona Mutesi (Board 2), Andrew Uptain (Board 4), Joseph Castleberry (Northwest University President) | Photo: A. Root

Anand and Ju Wenjun are 2017 World Rapid Chess champions

12/29/2017 – It would be an understatement to describe the last day of the King Salman Rapid Chess Championship as exciting. Round after round, the balance of power was rocked by big games and big results and every time you though it was now clear, something dramatic took place. In the end, it came down to a playoff between Vishy Anand and Vladimir Fedoseev won by the Indian. In the women’s section, Ju Wenjun completed her domination with gold. Enjoy this large illustrated report. | Photo: riyadh2017.fide.com

Which is the endgame of the year?

12/28/2017 – Vote for the best endgame of 2017! As the year comes to a close, we are once again looking for the chess events and personalities of the year, more precisely here, move of the year, the game of the year, the endgame of the year, and the player of the year. Join in and vote for your favourites.

What was the move of 2017?

12/28/2017 – As 2017 comes to a close, we are once again looking for the chess events and personalities of the year, more precisely here, move of the year, the game of the year, the endgame of the year, and the player of the year. Join in and vote for your favourites. First up: Move of the year!

World Rapid - Day 2: Fedoseev and Ju Wenjun lead the pack

12/28/2017 – The second day at the King Salman World Rapid Championship continued its thrilling run with a clash between the leaders Fedoseev and Jobava won by the Russian. He continues as sole leader with 8.0/10. Half a point behind him are Wang Hao, Peter Svidler, and a rejuvenated Vishy Anand, who beat Magnus Carlsen in a big game. In the Women's section, Ju Wenjun leads with 8.0/10. Report and analysis by GM Alex Yermolinsky. | Photo: riyadh2017.fide.com

Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess 2017

12/27/2017 – The Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championships (Pan-Am) is December 27-30. Since there are 64 squares on the chess board and this tournament is being held for the 64th time, the players and the organiser anticipate a memorable event. In this first of four reports, WIM Alexey Root interviews Grandmaster Razvan Preotu of The University of Texas at Dallas and the organiser of the 2017 Pan-Am, Mr. Kelly M. Bloomfield. Games will be available at the organiser’s web site, and at Live.ChessBase.com

Helpless pawns

12/27/2017 – Oh, the pawns! Every pawn is a potential queen but the way to the queening square is long and full of danger. "Zugzwang" and a powerful enemy rook are just two of them.

World Rapid - Day 1: Fedoseev, Jobava, and Ju Wenjun

12/27/2017 – The incredibly rich King Salman World Rapid Championship has started with a record prize fund only rivaled by that of the actual world championship. The tournament started with a bang as Magnus Carlsen lost his first round game to Bu Xiangzhi! The early leaders are Fedoseev and Jobava in the Open section with 4½ / 5 and Ju Wenjun in the Women's with 5/5. We bring a huge report with 11 games chosen and analysed by Alex Yermolinsky | Photo: riyadh2017.fide.com

FIDE's Riyadh Gambit

12/26/2017 – The World Rapid Championship attracted significant international media attention as it began on Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the focus was mostly centred around the absence of Women's World Rapid and Blitz Champion Anna Muzychuk, and all players from Israel, who were denied visas to travel to the country. | Photo: riyadh2017.fide.com

John Nunn puzzles – the solutions

12/26/2017 – A little over a week ago we told you about the activities of our English friend, mathematician, grandmaster, author and publisher. He is also a world champion chess problem solver, and a composer – which is why we gave you a selection of his problems and studies. Today, as a Christmas puzzle week present, you get the solutions, annotated by John, as well as the answers to his logical and mathematical problems. And the lovely knight tour questions. Only one reader solved a majority of the tasks, and he gets the personally dedicated book from John.

Pal Benko's Christmas problems

12/25/2017 – Every year Pal Benko, grandmaster, former World Championship candidate, and one of the best problem composers in the world, sends our readers very special seasonal greetings. They come in the form of chess problems in which the pieces represent figures – this time a Christmas tree and candles. It is the start of our Christmas puzzle week, which we bring you for the eighteenth year in succession. Prepare for puzzles that cannot be easily solved with a computer, tasks which require you to think all by yourself. And a nostalgic look to the past.

Garry Kasparov on how it all started

12/24/2017 – He has written many books, but this may be his most important. In Deep Thinking Garry Kasparov describes a journey he embarked on, in 1985, that led him to a monumental confrontation with machine intelligence. At the same time computers enhanced his and all chess players' abilities to study the game. He also narrates the beginnings, which included a humiliating defeat at the hands of a German toddler in a computer game — quite an enchanting Christmas tale.

Aravindh takes Sitges Sunway 2017

12/24/2017 – The "Sunway Chess Festival" ended today in the Catalan city of Sitges. In the last round, the game between the 18-year-old Indian Chithambaram VR Aravindh and Zdenko Kozul from Croatia was the top duel: Both players had previously led the field together with 6½ / 8 each. In a balanced, but extremely sharp position, Kozul finally went wrong, which left the Indian with 7½ / 9 and the sole tournament winner. "Chessbrah" Aman Hambleton earned his third and final GM norm. | Photo: twitter.com/sunwaychessopen

Study of the Month: December, 2017

12/23/2017 – In the final episode of this year, we will have a look at a some great enthusiasts among the chess composition community who by their work directly or indirectly made this monthly column possible. The first two of them are the former and the current chief editor of the magazine "eg" (or: EG), short for "end-game".

A Short trip to Kyrgyzstan

12/23/2017 – Nigel Short got to cross another country off his already impressive list (now at 123 countries at last check) as he made his first foray to Kyrgyzstan in November at the invitation of MiniChess Central Asia. Alexandra Samanagova's photo report shows a jam-packed five day tour. | Pictured: Press conference at the Sputnik international news agency (left to right: Talant Mamytov, Nigel Short, Bakyt Omurzakov, Robin Ord-Smith) | Photo: MiniChess Team