The final years of Zukertort

1/31/2018 – In 1886 Johann Hermann Zukertort played the first official match for the World Championship and lost to Steinitz. But at that time Zukertort already suffered from severe health issues which two years later led to his early death. Stephan-Oliver Platz takes a look at the health of Zukertort in the final years of the chess legend.

CHESS Magazine: Changing the Rules

1/30/2018 – Recently a World Championship blitz game between Magnus Carlsen and Ernesto Inarkiev ended in bizarre fashion: Inarkiev stopped the clock because his opponent had "made an illegal move" — and was awarded the point. But then it was ascertained that it was he who had moved illegally on the previous move, and the point was given to Carlsen. We reported extensively on the incident. Now International Arbiter Alex Holowczak weighs in, taking a closer look at the recently released revised rules of the game.

Tradewise Gibraltar: Keeping up with Nakamura

1/30/2018 – English GM David Howell, is the first player to pull even with defending champ Hikaru Nakamura. After nicking the American for a draw in round six, he followed up with a win over Ivan Saric (pictured). We check in with that game and other notable results from the recent rounds. Games annotated by John Saunders. | Photo: John Saunders www.GibChess.com

The imprisoned king

1/30/2018 – Endgames with opposite-coloured bishops are often drawn but these endgames are also often very attractive because often material is less important than piece activity. This leads again and again to interesting tactical turns.

Rediscovering Morphy

1/29/2018 – Review: Certain legendary champions form the foundation on which every player should learn and improve one's chess. Morphy is definitely among the first players one must learn from, as his games can be used for teaching, for learning on one's own, or simply for enjoying the beauty of human creativity. Thanks to a team of ChessBase titled players we have a selection of the most beautiful combinations, endgames, and openings played by Morphy.

Lewis Carroll envisioned his Alice playing chess

1/29/2018 – If we were to create a list of notable writers who made significant contributions to chess, along with Alfonso X of Castile — also known as "the Wise" — Stefan Zweig, Vladimir Nabokov and Jorge Luis Borges, we would have to include Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-1898), that is to say Lewis Carroll, the pseudonym chosen by the Briton to present his literary work. | Photo: Carroll's historical self-portrait

Tata Steel Chess: Carlsen, the Roger Federer of chess

1/29/2018 – Magnus Carlsen scored his record sixth Tata Steel Chess tournament win, on the same day tennis legend Roger Federer won his sixth Australian Open title. Draws from the tournament leaders in the Masters forced a playoff blitz match, which Magnus won with seeming ease. Challengers leader Vidit made a solid draw which secured him the top spot and automatic invitation to next year's Masters. And there will be a next year; at the conclusion of the round, it was announced that the tournament was guaranteed for January 11-27, 2019. Analysis and commentary by GM Daniel Fernandez | Photo: Alina l'Ami Tata Steel Chess on Facebook

Tata Steel Chess Round 13 round-up

1/28/2018 – Magnus Carlsen won the 80th Tata Steel Masters which was decided in a blitz tiebreak over Dutch number one Anish Giri. The players contested two blitz games with 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move, with no sudden death Armageddon game needed. Vidit played solidly to earn a draw that was enough to win the Challengers, as Korobov could not manage to pull off a win with black on-demand. | Photo: Alina l'Ami TataSteelChess.com

Tata Steel Chess: "Tomorrow is the wedding night"

1/28/2018 – Shakhriyar Mamedyarov made a quick draw with Gawain Jones in under 30 minutes. That gave both Anish Giri and Magnus Carlsen an opening to grab the lead with a win, heading into the final round on Sunday. In the Challangers, Vidit got a critical win with black against Girya, and takes a half point edge into round thirteen. Analysis and commentary by GM Daniel Fernandez | Photo: Alina l'Ami Tata Steel Chess on Facebook

Speelman's Agony #69

1/28/2018 – John turns his instructive gave to his own games this week, with two wins for Black, one for John and one for his opponent. 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!

Tata Steel Challengers: Vidit has the edge

1/27/2018 – Korobov and Vidit have been the cream of the crop in the Tata Steel Chess Challengers tournament, and they have scarcely given their peers a chance to challenge the lead. We take a closer look at these two contenders with games annotated by GMs Mikhail Golobev and Daniel Fernandez. | Photos: Alina l'Ami TataSteelChess.com

ChessBase 14: How to study pawn structures

1/27/2018 – When using ChessBase 14, most players tend to focus on its most obvious functions, such as searching for a player, or just analyzing with an engine. However there are numerous powerful functions that can be great learning tools to accelerate your progress. One such tool is the Similar Structure function, and in this tutorial we will learn how to use it and some methods to work with it.
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Tata Steel Chess: Tied trio

1/27/2018 – A draw between co-leaders Carlsen and Mamedyarov did not change the basic calculation, as Giri had the unenviable task of black against Caruana, and also drew. Anand's win over a downtrodden Hou Yifan, gives him some momentum heading into the final weekend half point behind. Karjakin beat Kramnik, but both (along with Wesley So) still have theoretical chances, just a point back. Vidit and Korobov keep their edge with a safe draw in their head-to-head game. | Photo: Alina l'Ami Tata Steel Chess on Facebook

Remembering Karel Treybal

1/26/2018 – Karel Treybal was a strong Czech player but an amateur and a judge by profession. However, he could beat players such as Alexander Alekhine or Geza Marozy. In 1941 the Gestapo charged Treybal with illegal possession of firearms and executed him. Vlastimil Hort remembers a Czech patriot and a "chess gentleman". | Photo source: Jan Michalek

Security check

1/26/2018 – White cannot castle, but with his knight blocking the centre and the king ready to scarper to f2 his position seems just fine. Can you prove this evaluation wrong?

The Power Play Show

1/25/2018 – Thursday at 8pm UK time Daniel King will go on air on playchess.com. You can watch the episode live for free. Daniel King will be discussing the game Carlsen-So from the Tata Steel torunament 2018. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. Puzzle and the live video...

Tata Steel Chess: And then there were three (again)

1/25/2018 – Wins from Carlsen and Mamedyarov — the latter with the black pieces — re-established a three-way tie between the pair and Anish Giri, who drew with Sergey Karjakin. Kramnik also won to move within a half point of the leaders. Anand too notched a full point and is a full point back. In the Challengers no change at the top but newcomers Dmitry Gordievsky and Matthias Bluebaum improved to plus one scores with their victories today. | Photo: Tata Steel Chess on Facebook

Benko's Christmas problems solutions

1/25/2018 – 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. This year it was seven problems, one shaped like a tree and six like candles. Here the solutions — and some new and amusing problems to tickle your mind. | Photo of Benko: Diana Mihailova

IV Floripa Open: When it rains it pours

1/25/2018 – With wild weather and even wilder results on the board, rounds seven and eight at the 4th Floripa Open saw a series of 'zebras', as Brazilians put it (explained in the report). The leaderboard was finally reduced to a handful, and Vitor Carneiro, Leandro Perdomo and Alexandr Fier seized the podium. Then in a spectacular game, Alexandr Fier fell to Neuris Delgado in a brilliant mating combination with bishop and knight. Not to be missed! | Photo: Albert Silver

What is Garry up to?

1/24/2018 – Kasparov has been making the media rounds as he does, but lately he's been fielding questions on chess rather than the subjects that are more often in his sights: Russia, politics, and AI. He's recently been featured in a serious conversation with conservative commentator Bill Kristol, a not-so-serious Q&A session with Twitter users published by Wired Magazine, and a wonderful mini-history lesson for The New Yorker magazine. | Photo: WIRED YouTube

An amusing problem composed by Zukertort

1/24/2018 – Johannes Zukertort (1842-1888) was a student of Adolf Anderssen and one of the world's best players of his time. In 1886 he played a match against Wilhelm Steinitz which was the first official World Championship match in chess history. Zukertort was also a prolific chess publisher. Stephan Oliver Platz presents an amusing chess problem by Zukertort.

Tata Steel Chess: Giri makes his move

1/24/2018 – Giri grabbed a chance after an oversight from Maxim Matlakov and notched an important win heading into the homestretch of this year's Masters tournament. With all other games drawn, there remain several players within striking distance, including Magnus Carlsen. GM Daniel Fernandez is back with the play-by-play. The Challengers has been status quo for several rounds, with Vidit and Korobov at the top by a safe margin. | Photo: Alina l'Ami Tata Steel Chess on Facebook © 2018 Tata Steel

IV Floripa Open: Tales of war

1/23/2018 – The IV Floripa Open is now in full swing, and many an adventure has taken place in the first six of ten rounds. From heroic battles to ignoble defeats, and many a dream on the line still. In spite of the accelerated pairings to force true fights earlier, eleven players share first with 5.0/6, with Alexandr Fier at the top after a thrilling game against Andrés Rodrigues. | Photo: Albert Silver

The king is a strong piece

1/23/2018 – Steinitz often emphasised the strength of the king. Of course, kings are particularly strong in the endgame because they are less vulnerable with fewer pieces on the board. But even if you can no longer mate the enemy king, you should keep a good eye on him.