Bilbao 08: All games drawn, Caruana and Carlsen lead

10/11/2012 – In this round the leaders did not showed anything special, and their games were drawn. However, this was compensated by the joint effort of Vallejo Pons and Levon Aronian. The Armenian opted for an extremely passive version of Modern Defense as if to invite Vallejo for a fierce attack. The invitation was duly accepted. Full report and commentary by Piotr Kaim.

Remembering Svetozar Gligoric (Part three)

10/10/2012 – He was one of the great players of the 20th Century, record national champion of Yugoslavia, friend of Bobby Fischer, theoretician, musician, author and gentleman. He died in August at the age of 89. Kiril Penusliski, a Macedonian art historian, has selected games that better illustrate the unique Gligoric style, and narrates them in their historical context – with exquisite descriptive analysis.

Daniel King's simple opening repertoire

10/9/2012 – "I have yet to see one of Daniel King's Power Play DVDs that I did not enjoy," writes Steve Goldberg in Chess Cafe, "and PowerPlay17: Attack with 1.e4 is no exception." It provides you with systems that will put your opponent on the defensive. "Thanks to King's 'ideas-based' approach rather than pure memorization, viewers will find it easy to recall the basic considerations." Review.

Bilbao Rd7: Carlsen joins Caruana in lead

10/9/2012 – Whereas the first half of the Grand Slam Masters marked a disappointing start for the world number one, and a comet-like run by Fabiano Caruana, the start of the second half has been just the opposite. The Italian seems to have slowed down a little, but Magnus Carlsen scored his second straight win, beating Vallejo Pons in a strong kingside attack. Full report and commentary.

Romanian League in a more or less exciting Black Sea resort

10/8/2012 – Why go to the Bulgarian Black Sea cost when we have the Romanian seaside jewel Mamaia? This question did not get an automatic answer when WGM Alina L'Ami attended the Romanian League, as a reporter and participant. The place looked off-season and forlorn, but that changed slowly with the joys of playing a team competition. Big pictorial report.

Two more online qualifiers for World Mind Games

10/8/2012 – Tonight, Monday, October 8th, at 20:00h = 08:00 p.m. (click for world-wide timings), the penultimate round of the World Mind Games qualifier will be held on the Playchess server. You have one more chance on Saturday. The winners take part in a "Candidates" tournament, of whch the top prize is an all-paid trip to Bejing to attend the World Mind Games 2012. Don't miss it.

Bilbao Rd6: Carlsen avenges loss and beats Caruana

10/8/2012 – After suffering the unthinkable in round one, when he started with a harrowing loss to Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen could well be expected to charge after revenge in their return game. And that is exactly what he did. It was vintage Carlsen as he reached a slightly better endgame, and proceeded to transform lead into gold as only he seems able to. Full report.

The Bilbao half of the Grand Slam Final begins tomorrow

10/7/2012 – We have been through many days without a super-tournament, and some of you are probably suffering withdrawal. Not to worry: on Monday the top GMs will be at it again, Carlsen, Anand, Aronian, Karjakin, Caruana, Vallejo. The second half of the Fifth Chess Masters Final will be held from October 8-13 in the Central Atrium of the Alhondiga Bilbao, Spain, in a soundproof glass box. Press release.

Rogoff on innovation, unemployment, inequality and dislocation

10/7/2012 – "Two hundred years of breathtaking innovation have produced rising living standards for ordinary people," says a renowned economist (and chess grandmaster), "with no sharply rising trend for unemployment." As an example, Ken Rogoff looks at the world of professional chess, where technology has actually contributed to equalizing incomes of player and trainers. Must-read article.

Polish Team Championship: How to beat a higher rated opponent

10/6/2012 – Four GMs, 13 IMs and few dozens other players gathered in Poronin, a beautiful mountain village, for the Polish First League, an eliminator to the Extra League. Czech IM Pawel Simacek (2477) and Ukrainian GM Orest Gritsak (2548) won the competition on the first board, scoring both 6/9. In wonderfully annotated games Piotr Kaim shows us the narrow path to improvement in chess.

1st Anastasia Chess School on Krk Island

10/5/2012 – Anastasia Golubenko was a superb chess trainer who mass-produced an army of champions in Estonia. Earlier this year, aged 46, she passed away after a long illness. Croatian chess friends organised a commemorative Chess School on the island of Krk, close to where Anastasia spent her youth. The U11 tournament was auspiciously won by her daughter Sanja. Report by Valery Golubenko.

Deflection sacrifice

10/5/2012 – The white squares in Black's camp are vulnerable. What can the first player achieve in the diagram position by playing 45.Bh5+ Kxh5 46.Qxf5+?

A) win of the queen
B) win of a pawn
C) only perpetual check.

ChessBase Magazine/October, larger diagram and solution.

Spassky resurfaces in Moscow – Interview and TV news footage

10/5/2012 – In August we reported that the former World Champion Boris Spassky had disappeared from his home near Paris, where he said he had been under "house arrest" and in fear for his life. Then his sister expressed concern that he might have been abducted. Now Spassky has appeared on Russian TV to explain his situation, while the news portal Whychess has recorded an in-depth video interview.

John Nunn: 'The Behting study is sound'

10/5/2012 – In August we published a study that we have been using for almost three decades as a challenge for computers to solve. However endgame and study expert John Nunn suggested that there might be an alternative solution to the study. After extensive analysis and with the help of some of our readers Dr Nunn has now come to the conclusion that the study is after all correct. Astronomical update.

Kasparov in Lüneburg, Minister to promote chess in schools

10/4/2012 – Recently the northern German city of Lüneburg saw a festive chess event. Guests of honour was Garry Kasparov and the Culture Minister of Lower Saxony Dr. Bernd Althusmann. Kasparov used the opportunity to pressure the minister into making chess part of the school curriculum. If things go as planned a pilot project will soon introduce chess as a regular subject in 100 schools.

London Rd11: Final Grand Prix round – watch it live!

10/3/2012 – The leader of the tournament, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, is currently playing white against Peter Leko. The baying pack, half a point behind, is hoping to catch or in fact overtake the Azeri. Boris Gelfand and Alexander Grischuk have white against Hikaru Nakamura and Rustam Kasimdzhanov, Veselin Topalov is playing black against Anish Giri. We show you how best to follow the action live.

London Rd11: Topalov, Gelfand, Mamedyarov tie for first

10/3/2012 – Boris Gelfand beat Rustam Kasimdzhanov, Veselin Topalov outplayed Anish Giri with black, while the previous tournament leader Shakhriyar Mamedyarov settled for a draw against Peter Leko. This left three players tied for first, with 7.0/11 points each, and although Topalov had the highest tiebreak the official tournament report calls all three winners. Video interviews and GM commentary.

CBM training: Endgames from the London Grand Prix

10/2/2012 – "Gelfand's king goes for glory" – or should we simply call it entrapment? You remember the surprising and traumatic mate trap that Chinese GM Wang Hao walked into. Our ChessBase Magazine columnist GM Karsten Müller has been busy looking at the games in London and explains the entire genesis of the Gelfand mate. Two other examples complete this highly instructive endgame column.

London Rd10: Nakamura beats Giri, Mamedyarov stays in the lead

10/2/2012 – Azeri GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov took the lead yesterday for the first time, and kept it today after five out of six games were drawn. The top seed in the tournament, Hikaru Nakamura, who by his own tweet says he seems to do his absolute best to commit harakiri, won his game against Anish Giri after four losses in a row. Note: the final round games tomorrow start two hours early.

FIDE October ratings – Magnus on top by 22 points

10/1/2012 – The lead of world's number one Magnus Carlsen over number two Levon Aronian has decreased from 27 to 22 points, after the Armenian gained five in ten games played last month. The biggest climber (by far) in the past month was Czech GM David Navara, who gained 31 points and climbed from ran 57 to 26. World Champion Anand has slipped from sixth to seventh. FIDE October rankings.

Malaysian Chess Festival 2012 in Kuala Lumpur

10/1/2012 – Once again the Malaysian Chess Festival was held at the five-star Mid Valley Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. This year's Festival was held in three sections. The top IGB Dato' Arthur Tan Chess Tournament, with 176 players from 14 countries, was won by Filipino GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. The ASTRO Rapid Open Team Chess Championship has 66 teams participating. Report by Reza Mahdipour.

Chess Train Tournament starts in Prague

10/1/2012 – On Friday October 12th the "Chess Train 2012" rapid chess tournament is due to start – at 10 a.m. in Prague. Two rounds are played on each leg of the journey, which will take you from Prague to Dresden, Wroclaw, Piestany, Vienna and Prague. The starting fee is 60 € and the train fare 120 €. The prize fund is 4,000 Euros. Hurry, book now, there are still some places free.

London Rd9: Gelfand loses, Mamedyarov takes the lead

10/1/2012 – Alexander Grischuk almost managed to arrive late and forfeit the game, but he went on to beat the tournament leader Boris Gelfand. Azeri GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov defeated Leinier Dominguez Perez to go into the sole lead with 6.0/9 points. He is followed by Grischuk, Topalov and Gelfand, all half a point behind. Round nine report with GM commentary.

São Paulo Rd5 – Caruana keeps lead after brush with disaster

9/30/2012 – Another beautiful day, and high drama in spite of the draws. While Carlsen and Anand fought a tough game with no decision, and Vallejo-Pons split the point with Karjakin, the eyes were on the game between Aronian and Caruana. The Armenian soon achieved a winning advantage, and an upset seemed in order, but somehow Caruana escaped disaster and held. Illustrated report by Albert Silver.