Rus SuperFinal 07: Gunina joins leaders

12/6/2014 – Valentina Gunina found herself in a lost position against Anastasia Bodnaruk, but through cunning, good defense and a lot of help from her opponent she managed to win the game and tie for the lead with Alisa Galliamova and Aleksandra Goryachkina, who drew their game. In the open Igor Lysyj was unable to solve a study-like position and to fell victim to Vadim Zvjaginsev.

Viktor Bologan: The Caro-Kann with Black and White

12/5/2014 – The Caro-Kann enjoys the reputation of a solid opening. But in the hands of a player who knows what he is doing it can be very dangerous. Thus, if you play 1.e4 with White you better come prepared. On his new DVD Viktor Bologan recommends to play the Advance Variation against the Caro-Kann. Priyadarshan Banjan had a look at Bologan's take on the Caro-Kann.

Blow number 3

12/5/2014 – Do you know the feeling when you have outplayed your opponent and your position looks won but your opponent refuses to resign and congratulate you, but instead defends stubbornly? He comes up with one only move after the next while you just cannot find the decisive move? Well, after delivering the first and second blow you sometimes have to find the final one.

RUS SuperFinal 06: Leaders cement positions

12/5/2014 – Not the pre-tournament favorites, but the leaders are playing powerful chess. Lysyj in the Open section is performing fantastically at 2924 and his latest victim was Khismatullin. With this win Lysyj leads by a full point. In the Women's, Goraychkina drew Pogonina, but Galliamova was able to turn a bad situation into a tie for the lead.

Carlsen analyzes the World Championship (1/2)

12/4/2014 – Shortly before his mega match against Norway, Magnus Carlsen took advantage of his presence in the NRK studios during his dinner break and decided to record his game-by-game summary of the World Championship match. The video was posted on his YouTube channel, which we have transcribed here with ample diagrams of key moments. It is a fascinating read.

Yu Yangyi wins Qatar Masters Open 2014

12/4/2014 – He started as the 13th seed, rated 2705, but went on to beat two Top Ten players, both in great form, to take clear first. Chinese GM Yu Yanyi has gained 25 Elo points and now has a live rating of 2730 (no. 24 in the world). A remarkable achievement of a player who is still in the Juniors section of the FIDE ratings. We bring you the games and pictures in our final report from Doha.

Qatar Masters: Kramnik wins, takes sole lead

12/4/2014 – Anish Giri was on a path to a triumphal win, but after winning the first six games he lost in rounds seven and eight to drop out of contention for first place. Meanwhile Vladimir Kramnik notched up his sixth win in succession – going for a caruana? – with a beautiful game, and is now poised to take the title in the final round on Thursday. Round eight report by Sagar Shah.

Chessbase 13 through the eyes of a top Junior

12/4/2014 – With a rating of 2625, 20-year-old Vidit Gujrathi is India’s top Junior and number ten in the world Junior ratings. He is a perfectionist and well known as a dangerous theoretician. We sent him a copy of our new ChessBase 13 and asked for his opinion. Vidit thinks it is mandatory buy for all ambitious players, analysts and professionals, and finds some of the new functions 'simply amazing!'.

Myanmar Open won by Short and Belous (1/2)

12/3/2014 – The Zaw Win Lay Myanmar International tournament was held in Yangon, Myanmar from the 24th of November to 29th of November 2014. It was a nine round Swiss event with 128 players taking part in it. The tournament was held in the memory of GM Zaw Win Lay who passed away on 3rd of October 2014. Although no games were saved for the event, we bring exclusive key games sent by the players.

Qatar Masters: Kramnik brings down Giri

12/3/2014 – He was on the path to a straight caruana (seven wins in the first seven rounds of a very strong tournament). But Anish Giri, who yesterday was sporting a performance rating way above 3000, was stopped in his stratospheric flight by former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. Now the two of them lead with 6.0/7 points. With two rounds to go it's going to be an exciting finish.

Chess and Education Conference in London

12/3/2014 – It is part of the London Chess Classic and shares the location with it: the second Chess and Education Conference brings together leading experts on school chess and mathematics education on 6 and 7 December 2014 at the Olympia Conference Centre, Kensington. Experts from different countries provide examples of how to connect school chess and mathematics.

2014 London Classic allows all to play

12/3/2014 – In last year's London Classic, the theme was a Pro-Celebrity event with top players paired with British celebrities. This year the organizers have decided to let everyone have a chance at fulfilling their dream: in an Open rapid tournament, all six superstars will play in the same field as everyone who registers to play. Ever wanted to sit across Anand or Kramnik? This is your chance!

Romanian league in Napoleon retreat (2/2)

12/2/2014 – In this second part of her soul-searching article on the Romanian League, Alina L'Ami shares her thoughts on Romania and its deeply rooted traditions, as well as contrasting memories as a child and today. Seeking a sense of nostalgia, she examines everything with a look to remember. As usual, this is combined with her photos and player profiles, all in her inimitable style.

RUS SuperFinal 05: Big results!

12/2/2014 – How the standings have changed in both sections! Thanks to big upsets in the Open section (Khismatullin defeating Morozevich, Lysyj defeating Karjakin) there are new leaders. Lysyj sits alone with 3.5/5 followed by Jakovenko and Nepo with 3.0/5. In the Women's we had five decisive results again (!) but this time only one of the leaders won: Goryachkina leads with a half point lead.

China squashes Romania at King's Cup

12/2/2014 – The traditional super-tournament held in Bucharest every year went through a format change. Instead of a round robin this year the event was a Scheveningen-style match between the olympic teams of Russia and China. The Asian team held nothing back sending three of their gold medalists and reinforced with the u20 World Champion. The result: a squashing victory for the Chinese.

Simply the best: Mega Database 2015

12/2/2014 – 6.1 million games, from 1560 to 2014, 68,000 of them annotated by top players. Chess history at your fingertips. If you want to enjoy the games of the champions, learn from comments by Carlsen, Caruana, Kramnik, Anand, and many other top players, remember your own games from the past or prepare for your next opponent: the Mega Database does it all. A pleasure, a treat and a must for every chessplayer. The Mega 2015 ships now.

Qatar Masters: Anish heading for a 'Caruana'?

12/2/2014 – YAAW – Yet Another Anish Win, in round six. But this time he had to work hard for it and do a 'Carlsen', which we define as using relentless pressure to win a drawn position. In round seven, starting at 3:00 p.m. local time today, Anish Giri faces Vladimir Kramnik, with the black pieces. Don't miss it! But while you are waiting you can enjoy a lot of chess in our round six report.

Tricky knights

12/2/2014 – In the endgame knights are often surprisingly helpless when fighting against rooks. Unlike a bishop the rook can reach all squares of the board and unlike the knight the rook is fast. However, knights are tricky and sometimes they manage to get the better of the stronger piece. Particularly so when passed pawns spice up the position and tactics count.

December 2014 ratings: A few more historic marks

12/2/2014 – It was a remarkable month and not merely because of the amount of top level chess. Although nearly everything was overshadowed by the World Championship, new historic marks were set. Alexander Grischuk had the best result of his career and rocketed to 2810, while Samuel Sevian became the youngest GM in US history. Not least is Wei Yi who is now in the Top 100 at age 15.

RUS SuperFinal 04: Race tightens

12/2/2014 – The race in the open section of the Russian Super Final is increasingly tighter as the sole leader, Morozevich, lost his game against Lysyj. The executioner now tops the leaderboard next to Jakovenko, Nepomniachtchi and the vanquished Morozevich. In the Women's section every single game was decisive, and even more interestingly, all three of the leaders won their games!

Downloading and installing ChessBase 13

12/2/2014 – Our new flagship program is the buzz in the chess world. Top players are sending in congratulations, chess fans are busy experimenting with the new cloud functions. But how easy is it to get your hands on the program? We have step-by-step instructions on how to install ChessBase 13 via download. But beware: it is going to take you all of six minutes to complete. It's easy peasy.
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Modern Openings: A Concise Overview

12/1/2014 – Modern opening theory challenges. If you play topical lines you have to keep up with the developments in latest theory. If you do not play these openings it helps to know them to understand what is going on in top level chess. In both cases opening expert Rustam Kasimdzhanov offers help: with his DVD "Trends in modern Openings". Demanding, informative, inspiring.

Morozevich early leader in Kazan

12/1/2014 – What a month November has proven to be for chess! As if all the super-tournaments we have witnessed in Russia are not enough, the Russian Super Final has kicked off, along with the Women's section. In the Open tournament, which boasts six 2700s, Alexander Morozevich has taken an early 2.5/3 lead while in the Women's there is a three way tie. Early report of a promising event.

Romanian league in Napoleon retreat (1/2)

12/1/2014 – The Romanian Team championship was held this year in the lovely area of Calimanesti, Romania. Famed for its sulfuric springs both hot and cold reputed to have miraculous medicinal benefits, it was a favorite of the late Napoleon III. The region is a mix of the classic with the residues of the communistic grip it was held in for so many years, and the tale is told by Alina L'Ami.