Musical giants and chess

3/7/2015 – The fascination with artists and chess is well-documented, and a special place must also go to the musicians who use it for entertainment, challenge and relaxation. Some have also taken it to extremes such as the famous Prokofiev-Oistrakh match. Here are some of the most notable personalities caught in front of a board, ranging from Leonard Bernstein to David Bowie.

The best way to learn endgames

3/7/2015 – Well, you can follow the wonderful didactic explanations of John Nunn, but chances are in a year you will have forgotten the exact strategy. Unless you practise it in a number of practical examples. But where to get these? ChessBase 13 provides a great way to extract similar positions. Find out about this valuable training tool and learn an important endgame in the process.

A repertoire against the Sicilian

3/7/2015 – Bobby Fischer had no doubt what to play with White. His "best by test" choice was 1.e4. But what, then, to do against the Sicilian? Lorin D'Costa and Nick Murphy have an answer. They offer a repertoire that avoids the theoretical lines and is "an excellent guide that will provide a rich and fruitful resource for the amateur player". Review by Rory McCluckie.

2015 Euro Ch Rd10: Najer new leader

3/6/2015 – With just one round to go Russian GM Evgeny Najer is the sole leader in the European championship with 8.0/10 after three consecutive wins against Esen, Nisipeanu and Korobov respectively. Nepomniachtchi, who had been in the lead in round eight, lost a crucial game to Navara, who is in second. In third is Khismatullin who's win deserves the beauty prize.

Counter gardez

3/6/2015 – Tactics can seem deceptively simple, particularly when seeing an engine analysing grandmaster games. Strange, however, how difficult it is to find the right move and to calculate variations properly when playing yourself. It is easier if you solve tactical puzzles regularly. In the ChessBase Magazine and his tactics column Oliver Reeh helps you to do so.

Barden's Evening Standard column continues

3/6/2015 – He is one of the most respected writers in chess – and has been at it for quite a while. Leonard Barden has published a daily column in the Evening Standard, without a break, for over 58 years – and is set to break all records as a columnist – not just for chess. His contributions are not just informative, they are eminently readable and entertaining. You should visit the web site on a daily basis.

2015 Euro Ch Rd8: Nepomniachtchi takes sole lead

3/5/2015 – In the Ramada hotel in Jerusalem tension is rising up as the battle for one of the 23 qualifying spots for the World Cup reaches its apex. In the eighth round Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi took a sole lead with 6.5/9 after beating Englishman David Howell whilst all other seven leaders had settled for a draw. A group of thirteen grandmasters are just half a point behind the leader.

India strikes, China equalizes

3/5/2015 – It seems as if neither team can put a real dent on the other; India was able to take round three with a narrow victory 2.5-1.5 in a day full of surprises: Lalith Babu beat Ding Liren with the black pieces, while Wang Chen did the same against Sasikirian! The top players from both teams losing with white. China struck back in the fourth rounds Wang Chen beat Sasikirian again!.

Impressions from Cappelle la Grande

3/5/2015 – The traditional Cappelle la Grande tournament is now on its 31st edition. The huge open attracted over 550 chess players to a city with a population of less than 10,000. The tireless globetrotter Alina l'Ami could not pass the opportunity to participate in such a prestigious event, alongside her husband; she brings us beautiful impressions directly from France, where she made new friends.

35th Indian National Team Championships

3/5/2015 – This event, held in Goa, India's richest state, has a meagre prize fund (200,000 rupees or $3,500). In spite of this it attracts a very high calibre of players – our report explains why. This year it was won by the top seed team of PSPB, which clinched all nine matches, scoring a perfect 18.0/18. None of their players lost a single game, three won board prizes. Part one of our big illustrated report.

Nagesh Havanur on ChessBase Magazine #164

3/4/2015 – The electronic magazine that appears on DVD or per download every two months, is a vital weapon in the arsenal of tournament players. The latest issue includes 1479 top international games, 115 with expert annotations, and twelve opening surveys ranging from Vienna Game to Reti Opening. Professor Nagesh Havanur at ChessWorld recommends it warmly.

2015 Euro Ch Rd7: A mob at the top

3/4/2015 – Sometimes a tournament, no matter how strong, will see a player take off as if he had King Kong chasing him. This was the case last year when Alexander Motylev won with a record score. It is also most certainly not the case this year as the top spot is shared by nine players at 5.5/7, followed by no fewer than 21 more at 5.0/7. Lots of fighting chess and the gold is wide open.

Invitation to Kolkata, City of Joy

3/4/2015 – The Indian city of Kolkata is a big bustling metropolis that is often referred to as "the city of joy". Kolkata indeed holds many attractions one of which is chess. From 15th to 24th March it will be host to the Second International Grand Masters Chess tournament. A strong open that offers a chance to play a good tournament in an interesting place.

Karpov on Fischer (3/3)

3/4/2015 – In this final part of the interview, Anatoly Karpov recounts his various meetings with the elusive Bobby Fischer, from the first time he saw him in person to their final meetings. Even then, it becomes clear that not only did the American suffer from his extreme biases, but that perhaps there was more to the talks and negotiations than just wanting his demands met.

China strikes first, India retaliates!

3/4/2015 – The Chinese team was able to take the first round 2.5-1.5 on the hands of a very capable Ding Liren, who unquestionably outplayed Adhiban. However their lead did not last very long: Wei Yi missed a good chance to score in round two while Lalith was able to secure a win for the Indian team, beating Wang Chen in a long endgame and tying up the series, 4-4.

2015 Euro Ch Rd6: A junta at the top

3/3/2015 – After more than one round of wait-and-see, the sixth round of the European Championship turned up the heat as heads rolled at the top. Both early leaders, Anton Korobov and David Navara, lost as rivals took their fates in their own hands to take over the lead, and there are now four new top dogs at 5.0/6, with Ian Nepomniachtchi at the helm. Illustrated report.

Giovanni Gigantes' giant

3/3/2015 – Every week ChessBase magazine author and renowned endgame expert Karsten Müller presents a remarkable or particularly instructive endgame in his blog. A click on the diagram opens a larger board. Test your endgame skills, improve and have fun!

Wesley So: Life at the top (2/2)

3/3/2015 – In the second part of his extensive portrait of potential World Championship candidate Wesley So, Eliseo Tumbaga reveals that So and Magnus Carlsen once trained together and wonders how the career of the 21-year old will continue in 2015, if he will work with a professional coach, and how he will adjust to the new life as one of the world's best.

Karpov on Fischer (2/3)

3/3/2015 – in 1974, Anatoly Karpov defeated Viktor Korchnoi in the Candidate Finals to earn the right to play Bobby Fischer for the title. Although Bobby never showed up, Karpov had no way of foreseeing this, and prepared for it as best he could. Want to know how he got ready for the greatest match in his life? Read on to find out the complete details of his preparation.

2015 Euro Ch Rd5: A very crowded podium

3/2/2015 – Round five was another fairly controlled affair, with only three decisive games on the top sixteen boards. This isn't to say they were not played out, but clearly the players preferred to err on the side of caution than not when making decisions. This worked out well for Korobov, who drew but stays in the lead. Still, there was room for creative play.

Rustam Kasimdzhanov: The new McCutcheon

3/2/2015 – Wilhelm Steinitz was proud on his defensive skills but they did not help him when he faced the McCutcheon variation in the French Defence for the first time. One example that shows how dangerous the whole line is for White. Rustam Kasimdzhanov has many more and more modern examples to offer - and an exciting repertoire for players who like to play for a win.

Barclaycard Yes2Chess tournament 2015

3/2/2015 – How would you like to play in an international chess tournament, via the Internet, as a school team. You will be competing for an extraordinary prize: each national tournament winner will receive a fun-filled trip to London in June 2015 to take part in Finals. The tournament is open to primary/ elementary school teams from eight countries, registry and participation is free. Don't miss it!

Karpov on Fischer (1/3)

3/2/2015 – Though most chess players know about the match that never took place in 1975, few know that not only did Anatoly Karpov follow the games in Reykjavik closely in 1972, but that he was also a part of the team responsible for preparing and training Boris Spassky for his title defense. Here is the first part of an interview dedicated to only one topic: Bobby Fischer.

India vs. China summit starts tomorrow

3/1/2015 – The World Team Championship is around the corner, in only a month and a half the top teams will face each other in Armenia, and the top squads are preparing for this tournament. A friendly Scheveningen-style match will be held between China and India in Hydebarad, India. The locals are fielding their Olympic team, while China brings both Ding Liren and the newly minted 2700, Wei Yi.