Interview with Natalia Pogonina (1/2)

4/12/2015 – "The race after titles, fame and money is destroying people from the inside", says Natalia Pogonina in an in-depth interview conducted after the exciting Women World Championship. After being dubbed (justifiably) the queen of comebacks after producing three victories in must-win situations, the finalist discusses the special preparation made, and her mental approach.

US Champ R10: Leaders in Position

4/12/2015 – Round ten set up an end that might be somewhat anti-climatic. In the Open So was able to recover from his forfeit loss by beating Kamsky with black, something that hadn't happened since 2012. Robson and Nakamura drew in a boring game, leaving Nakamura one game away from the title. In the Women's Krush won, Nemcova lost and it will all come down to their showdown.

What is wrong with Wesley So?

4/11/2015 – It was incredible and mind numbing: the number eight player in the world rankings, Wesley So, won four games, drew one and incredibly lost three, one against a 14-year-old GM with the white pieces. Then in round nine he was forfeited for writing or having an encouraging note to himself below his scoresheet. Clearly the 21-year-old GM was in emotional distress. Here is some background.

Dubai: Three players lead after four rounds

4/11/2015 – Not the ones in our thumbnail, but David Howell, Nils Grandelius and Yuri Solodovnichenko, all with perfect 4.0/4 scores. Sagar Shah, our reporter in Dubai, tells us what it is like to face a stronger player, equipped with precise calculation and sense of initiative: 'When you lose and you don’t really know where you went wrong it means that there is something to be learnt from that game!'

BBC Radio talks with John Nunn

4/11/2015 – The prospect of a game of chess over the radio combined with an interview is now an established success thanks to its revival by Dominic Lawson. Readers will recall that BBC Radio 4 has resurrected a concept dating back to Bobby Fischer with the series "Across the Board". Not limiting itself to it, Tim Harford interviewed John Nunn on math, computers and Lasker.

US Champ R9: Forfeit?!

4/11/2015 – A shocking development in the US Chess Championship. Wesley So, one of the top players in the world, was forfeited in his game against Akobian by the tournament's Chief Arbiter, Tony Rich. The reason? Note taking! He had been warned several times not to do so but ignored the warnings. In the Women's, Krush finally caught up to Nemcova. As to the controversy, what do you think?

Ivan Ivanisevic wins Karpos Open

4/10/2015 – Macedonia does not automatically ring bells when it comes to chess, yet it has been home to some of the great chess battles, when its capital Skopje, flew under the flag of Yugoslavia. Trying to reignite its glories of the past, the 5th Karpos Open is one step in that direction, Skopje will also host the European Chess Club Cup later this year. Here is the report and a historic video.

Saving liquidation?

4/10/2015 – 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.

US Champ R8: Show of Strength

4/10/2015 – Some deadly and accurate games in both sections. In the Open there were five decisive results. Troff was annihilated by Nakamura, Onischuk outplayed Naroditsky in professional fashion, Gareev taught a nice lesson to Sevian while Holt's preparation against So won him the game. In the Women's, Krush keeps advancing, she won a nice game against Melekhina and trails by half a point.

Judit's clock simul against French students

4/9/2015 – What is it like to play against eight University chess teams of 3-4 players each, simultaneously, with your eight clocks all running at the same time? And doing something like this, as a retired player, for the first time in your life. Not too much of a problem if you happen to be the strongest female player in the history of the game. Judit Polgar tells us how it felt in this EY Chess Trophy simul.

US Champ R7: Deadly Precision

4/9/2015 – Many crucial games were played with excellent technique today in the U.S. Championship. Sam Shankland played without a wrinkle against Timur Gareev, while Wesley So did the same against Alexander Onischuk. With more trouble, but winning at the end, Robson took out Naroditsky to tie for first. In the Women's Katerina Nemcova won again, keeping her tournament lead.

A lasso for the horse

4/8/2015 – 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!

The 17th Dubai Open Begins

4/8/2015 – Over the years the Dubai Open has established itself as one of the strongest open tournaments in the world. This year the event witnesses the participation of 150 players from 43 countries, with 39 grandmasters, 22 of whom are rated above 2600. The overall rating average is 2182. We have a reporter in Dubai who has provided a big illustrated report from the tournament venue.

US Champ R6: Big Results

4/8/2015 – Important results in the Open section of the U.S. Chess Championship. Onischuk took down Kamsky to now tie for third with Sevian, who defeated Troff. In second place, is Robson who leapfrogged over So in a very strange game. The newest addition to the American team is now in third. In the Women's Krush blundered away a win, and with Nemcova winning again she now leads by a point.

The Guardian speaks to Sevian

4/7/2015 – It was only a matter of time before 14-year-old Samuel Sevian, the youngest grandmaster in US history, attracted the attention of the international media. The Guardian, a British news paper, had a chat with the prodigy during the US Championship, in which he discussed his long term ambitions for the World Championship, and what he learned from Kasparov.

Closing ceremony: Mariya Muzychuk is crowned

4/7/2015 – The official closing ceremony of the Women's World Chess Championship took place on April 6. 64 players from 28 countries competed for the chess crown from March 16 to April 5. In the final match Mariya Muzychuk from Ukraine defeated Natalia Pogonina from Russia by 2.5-1.5 and became the 15th World Champion. In the high-profile affair, unique gifts were given. Pictures and comments.

Ziaur Rahman, Liza Akter win Asian Zonal

4/7/2015 – 33 male players and 15 females, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal, assembled in Ratnagiri Resort near Katmandu in Nepal, withing sight of Mount Everest. They took part in the Asian Zonal section 3.2, won $1,500 and 1,000 dollars, but more importantly qualified for the FIDE World Cup. We bring you a special illustrated report from the top of the world.

Aeroflot Final: Nepo victorious

4/7/2015 – He only had to hold a draw in the final round, and he had no problems doing so. Ian Nepomniachtchi drew Ivan Bukavshin to take hom the Aeroflot crown and earn his qualification to the Dortmund super-tournament later this year. The battle for second place in the last round between Daniil Dubov and Lu Shanglei was a completely slugfest, which also went in favor of the Russian.

Switch-Side Chain-Chess Revisited

4/7/2015 – The search continues for a chess variant which retains the flavour of the original game but does not succumb to the brute calculating power of modern computers. AI researcher Azlan Iqbal has proposed his own unique variant. Now he provides some test games and shows how Carlsen could have won (instead of lost) WCCh Game 3 against Anand in Sochi had Switch-Side rules applied.

Nicholas Pert: The French Defence

4/6/2015 – Nicholas Pert, English grandmaster and experienced coach, loves the French Defence. He has played this opening in hundreds of games and it brought him many fine victories and helped him to become grandmaster. On his new ChessBase-DVD he distills this huge knowledge into a French repertoire. For Davide Nastasio this opened a window into a new world.

Mariya Muzychuk is the 15th World Champion

4/6/2015 – In the last game of the match, Natalia Pogonina needed a win at all costs, and the question was whether Mrs Comeback herself would be able to pull off a fourth miracle in the tournament. Unfortunately, the task was made all the harder as she had Black, and White only needed a draw, and Muzychuk pretty much shut down Natalia in the game. At the end, a new champion was crowned.

US Champ R5: Bloody Easter

4/6/2015 – A holiday for many people in America, but the players in the U.S. Chess Championship definitely did not take it off. After six draws in the previous round, the entertainment level in round five was off the charts. Blunders, unexpected results, complicated positions, awkward/brilliant moves, it had it all! Meanwhile in the Women's in a difficult melee, Krush kept her chances alive.

Going viral with planetoid Vishyanand

4/5/2015 – We had heard about an asteroid being named after the 15th World Champion some months ago. But with inherent devious cunning we decided to hold back the news, which was an ideal "fake April Fool's joke". It left many readers, thinking it was made – even Anand has his doubts. After we confirmed that it was genuine, Indian newspapers picked it up and turned it into a media storm.

WWch Final G3: One step from the title

4/5/2015 – After the nervous wreck that was game two, with errors and mistakes belying the nonchalant face both players displayed, game three was a different beast altogether. The two finalists duked it out in a Semi-Slav, sidestepping the Meran for less chaotic waters, and succeeding to a degree. It would go down as an uneventful game, were it not for one move.