Pontus Carlsson ponders GM secrets

1/5/2018 – Since October, GM Pontus Carlsson has been experimenting with a relatively unexploited form of online coaching: group webinars. If you're looking for a low-cost way to access professional insights from someone with more than 20 years on the international chess scene as player and coach, the next one is starting on Saturday, January 6th, and is half price!

Background showdown

1/5/2018 – Do you remember this game from the London Chess Classic last year? By playing 43...Rh7 in the diagram position Anand could have completed the line-up of kings and rooks on the h-file, creating the deadly threat ...Kg7+. Do you see the reason why he dismissed this?

Hort stories — part 2

1/5/2018 – For decades Vlastimil Hort, born in 1944, was one of the world's best players. He played countless tournaments and matches, where he saw chess history in the making and met many chess legends. No wonder he has lots of short stories to share. Here are some more... | Photo: André Schulz

Young stars in Al Ain Junior International

1/4/2018 – The very first junior U-20 international open chess tournament in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates is being held from December 29th to January 7th, 2018. Under the auspices of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Al Ain Chess & Culture Club the tournament has attracted top young talent from Armenia, India, Iran, and Uzbekistan. | Pictured: The ceremonial first move made by H.E Sheikh Salem BalRakkad AlAmeri | Photo: Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii

KCF Young Stars program goes global

1/4/2018 – The Kasparov Chess Foundation (KCF) program to train young American talents, is expanding to include top prospects from around the world. Here's the info on how you can join. | Pictured: 2016 Under-10 World Champion Rochelle Wu | Photos: Derrick Bryant, kasparovchessfoundation.org

The Life and Sad Endgame of Bill Lombardy

1/4/2018 – William James Joseph 'Bill' Lombardy, who died suddenly in mid-October at the age of 79, has to go down in the annals of U.S. chess — and arguably perhaps the world chess scene — as 'the one who got away', a huge teenage talent equally as gifted as Bobby Fischer, but who gave up the chance to become an elite chess professional at the peak of his career, opting instead to pursue a personal calling to his faith by becoming a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. | Photo: Macauley Peterson

Is the Veresov really wicked?

1/4/2018 – Openings teach us the value of the pieces as well as tactics, patterns, and of course most important of all: pawn structures. They are really the backbone of a player's knowledge, because they open our minds to different middlegame structures, which in turn brings us into different endgames. Openings teach us how to play with different pawn structures — things like when one needs to open the game, and when it is better to keep it closed. The Veresov as taught by IM Andrew Martin can become a good weapon in everyone's repertoire, while helping the player to improve! Davide Nastasio has the review

The first Weekly Show of 2018!

1/3/2018 – Tuesdays at 5pm UK time Lawrence Trent goes on air on Playchess.com. In his show Lawrence Trent will be dealing with the latest trends, games and combinations from the elite chess tournaments. This week features games from World Rapid and Blitz Championship recently concluded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Wei Yi wins exhibition match with David Navara

1/3/2018 – In Yancheng, the Chinese Chess Federation organized a competition between Wei Yi and top Czech player David Navara. After the four games of classical chess, the match was tied 2 : 2. Wei Yi won a playoff. | Photo: www.imsa.cn

January 2018 FIDE Ratings: Green and evergreen

1/3/2018 – It was a great month to end the year, with exciting chess throughout. Fabiano Caruana retook the no.2 spot after his win at London, but the biggest news was really Vishy Anand's evergreen result, taking the World Rapid title at age 48, facing a player less than half his age, albeit a bit green in tournament strategy, 22-year-old Vladimir Fedoseev. Let's not forget Magnus Carlsen who took the World Blitz title, and many more results. | Photo: Anastasia Karlovich

Awake in Arica

1/3/2018 – Awaken in the dream: Is failing to plan planning to fail? Chess in the desert – does it exist? An extensive inquiry (with footnotes) on why you should make your chess trip to the ends of the Earth a reality. | Pictured: Arica's landmark: El Morro, a massive cliff of compressed sand and rock looming 110m over the city | Photos: Alina l'Ami

Hort stories — Part 1

1/2/2018 – For decades Vlastimil Hort, born in 1944, was one of the world's best players. He played countless tournaments and matches, where he saw chess history in the making and met many chess legends. No wonder he has lots of short stories to share. Here are some of them. | Photo: André Schulz

Benjamin Bok wins Groningen Open

1/2/2018 – Have you ever imagined being away at Christmas time and maybe just playing chess somewhere in the world? At the chess festival in the Dutch city of Groningen you had a chance — they played a round even on Christmas Eve. The winner of the strong A-Open on New Year's Eve eve was local hero GM Benjamin Bok, followed by Israeli GM Evgeny Postny | Photo: Harry Gielen

Hidden exits

1/2/2018 – Some endgames look hopeless: the king cannot move, the pawns cannot advance and heavy material losses seem to be unavoidable. But sometimes, when everything seems to be lost, there is an escape.

Review: Pattern recognition, and typical plans

1/1/2018 – Chess is mainly a strategic game because of the pawn structures. Different pawn structures require varying approaches. Strategy is the human concept since unlike an engine, we can't find the right move through brute force. We need to know a given pawn structure, and the plans it engenders. In the past we needed years to learn which were the correct plans depending on which pawn structures we encountered in our games. Now, thanks to this DVD made by one of the most expert trainers in the world, we can learn through the videos, and reviewing curated games, to understand how to deal with the different pawn structures, and reach the next level. Davide Nastasio digs in.

World Rapid lookback: Yermo's notes

1/1/2018 – Readers may have noticed the final report on the World Rapid had not been by Alex Yermolinsky, who begged forgiveness as he was very ill. A day later he sent this series of notes he had already prepared, saying it would be a pity for them to go to waste and we could not agree more. Enjoy the chosen moments with his highly instructive annotations. Happy New Year! | Photo: Anastasia Karlovich

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