Women's World Rapid in Batumi – Pictorial Part 1

6/4/2012 – We brought you the video report of this very attractive event, won by Bulgarian GM Antoaneta Stefanova. Now, with the Blitz World Championship under way, it is time for a big pictorial. This was sent to us by our colleague Anastasya Karlovich, whose photographic skills are growing from event to event. "Nastya" not only provides professional pictures but also very useful player portraits.

The third Danzhou tournament – chess and children

6/4/2012 – If the Danzhou grandmaster tournament is celebrating its third edition, it is because the Danzhou Chess Federation also makes sure it is more than a congregation of the country's best players. It is a chance to give chess in its region a shot in the arm like few. On the rest day after round five, a full day of activities involving hundreds of children was organized. Pictorial by WGM Gu Xiaobing.

Women's World Blitz – Gunina on fire

6/4/2012 – The reigning European champion in classical chess and blitz, Valentina Gunina, has scored a stunning 8.0/8 points on the first day of the Women’s World Blitz Championship, to take a two-point lead over the rest of the field. Her nearest rivals are IM Mariya Muzychuk and GMs Nana Dzagnidze, Anna Muzychuk and Natalia Zhukova. Results, video plus part two of our Rapid pictorial.

Maribor: European Capital of Culture to host chess events

6/4/2012 – It is the second largest city in Slovenia and jointly with Guimarães in Portugal, the 2012 European Capital of Culture. Recently it staged the meeting of Nobel peace prize laureates, and from May to September it will host chess tournaments, which will include top players, politicians, sportsmen, women to the youngest novices. The slogan is: Maribor will be the capital of chess in 2012!

CBM training: US Championships revisited

6/3/2012 – "Please consider having Karsten annotate the game from the final round between Melekina-Ni," wrote Michael Bacon from Asheville, USA. "Melekina had a winning position, but let it slip in the ending, something I, and many others, have done all too often." Our ChessBase Magazin endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller was happly to comply and sent us four endgames from the tournament.

Stefanova wins Women's World Rapid in Batumi

6/3/2012 – The top-ranked players were all battling for the medals, but it was the luckiest (by her own admission) who took Gold in the end. Antoneta Stefanova could hardly complain – two of her highest-ranked opponents blundered winning positions to mate in two or mate in one. The Blitz Championship starts on Monday. From the final rounds of the Rapid we are treated to Europe Echecs video reports.

Women's World Rapid and Blitz in Batumi

6/2/2012 – The Women's World Rapid and Blitz championships have started in Batumi, Georgia. It brings together many of the top female players around the world, including Anna Muzychuk (2598) and Koneru Humpy (2589), though not Hou Yifan, who is currently playing in Danzhou. Both events are well-funded with $12000 to the rapid winner and $10000 to the blitz winner. Illustrated report with videos.

'Gelfand, you are awesome!' – the Challenger returns to Israel

6/2/2012 – More than a month away from home, family, children. At long last World Championship Challenger Boris Gelfand was back on Israeli soil. At Tel Aviv Airport he was given a hero's welcome, by young fans and the press. At the airport there was a scare with missing luggage, but that resolved itself quickly, and the family reunion was unspoiled. Shay and Shulamit Bushinsky report.

Knight sorties

6/1/2012 – With the preceding exchange 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 (diagram) White had cleared a central square for the knight sortie 21.Nd5 in order to uproot the black bishop d3 with tempo.
What does this operation entail in the end?
A) positional advantage for White
B) equality
C) material gains for Black
ChessBase Magazine, larger diagram and solution.

3rd Danzhou GM tournament starts strong

6/1/2012 – Showing it was not a one-of series, the third edition of the Danzhou GM Chess Tournament has begun in Danzhou. It brings most of China's brightest talents such as Wang Yue, Ding Liren, Bu Xiangzhi, and Hou Yifan. The event also has more than just a generous prizefund, the champion will be also earn a spot on the Chinese team in the upcoming Olympiad. Pictorial report by WGM Gu Xiaobing.

World Championship closing ceremony in Moscow

6/1/2012 – On Thursday, a day after the after the end of the playoffs, the closing ceremony of the World Chess Championship was held – with champions, dignitaries, sponsors, laurel wreaths and trophies. We have videos and pictures of the the festivities. Also statics of the Championship as a media event, which was so successful that the Russian Chess Federation is considering a repeat.

Anand vs Gelfand in the news

5/31/2012 – After successfully defending his title in Moscow Indian World Champion Viswanathan Anand – but also Challenger Boris Gelfand – have been in the news. Anand made it to a big front-page spread in the Indian Telegraph, while Gelfand received a hero's tribute in Israel. You can google the many hundreds of press stories or go through a few we have picked out for you.

Georgian Championship 2012 + Kasparov's visit

5/30/2012 – In our previous report we brought you pictures of the leading players, with frank and candid comments on their careers, interests and hobbies. The second part is dedicated to lesser-known but still very interesting Georgian players, and to the visit on the final day by Garry Kasparov, who signed an agreement with the national Department of Education for a program of Chess in Schools.

WCh Tiebreak: Anand draws final game, retains title!

5/30/2012 – The fourth game of the tiebreak brought a tangible advantage for Challenger Boris Gelfand, who needed to win with the black pieces to stay in the match. But World Champion Vishy Anand kept things under control and found a very neat solution to the problems. With a draw the World Champion won the tiebreak 2.5-1.5 and keeps his title. Full report with photos, videos and GM analysis.

Kavalek in Huffington: Viswanathan Anand Retains World Chess Title

5/30/2012 – The young Anand used to finish classical games under an hour – before he matured and took more time to think. But speed was always his friend. Gelfand didn't have bad results in the past tiebreaking games, but long deliberations against Anand spoiled some of his promising positions, as GM Lubomir Kavalek shows us in his Huffington Post column – hot off the press.

World Championship – Tiebreak preview and prediction

5/29/2012 – Tomorrow, Wednesday, at 12:00h (High Noon) Moscow time, the tiebreak games for the World Championship begin – four rapid games, five pairs of blitz, and then if necessary Armageddon. Who has the better chances? GM Daniel King examins this question – with annotated game examples. We also bring you an pictorial report on the many interesting personalities in Moscow.

Chess Problems: Obstruction!

5/29/2012 – In his last column problem expert David Friedgood explained the self-block, which is a special case of today's theme: obstruction. This occurs when a piece moves to a square so that another piece is prevented from occupying it. We are given two examples that show the basic idea – one with three beautifully engineered variations – and two problems to solve. An entertaining challenge.

Jobava wins Georgian Championship with 2½ point lead

5/28/2012 – It is his third time (after 2003 and 2007): 28-year-old GM Baadur Jobava, rated 2721, won the title in the Chess Palace in Tbilisi with consummate ease. We asked our reporter WIM Sopho Nikoladze, to provide portraits of the players with personal data. This left her initially frustrated – "they are all chess professionals and like football", but she dug deeper and produced some frank and candid details.

World Championship G12 – Draw in 22 moves

5/28/2012 – It has been an underwhelming match, but there can be no peace, as the rules will not allow it. After a very strange game, Anand entered an endgame a pawn up, and although he was slightly better and Gelfand had 16 minutes for 18 moves, they drew! This means that the classical world champion will be decided by rapid games, and possibly blitz. Full report with GM commentary, pictures and videos.

Asian Nations Cup – China wins both sections

5/27/2012 – The 2012 Asian Team Championship in Zaozhuang, Shandong, China brought resounding victories for China in both the open and women's sections. In fact both the China 1 and China 2 teams took medals. India took Silver in the men's, the China 1 women's team scored a 9.0/9 clean sweep. Once again our Iranian colleague has provided us with exemplary must-watch video reports.

Kramnik speaks: My Path to the Top

5/27/2012 – This ChessBase DVD was produced in 2007, when Vladimir Kramnik was still world champion. On it he describes the nirvana of attending the Botvinnik School, of being nominated for the Olympiad in 1992 by Garry Kasparov, how he went on to dethrone his mentor. Apart from narrative and analysis the DVD also includes previous interviews with ChessBase. Review by Prof. Nagesh Havanur.

World Championship G11 – Anand draws with a Nimzo Indian

5/26/2012 – It was the penultimate game of the match, and the last white for Gelfand. The game was a Nimzo-Indian once more, and though it ended in a draw after 25 moves, the tension came from Gelfand’s extensive use of the clock, leaving him with only twelve minutes when they shook hands. Will Anand go all out with white in the last game, or prefer the rapid playoffs? Pictures, videos, GM commentary.

Kavalek in Huffington: US Chess Champ Hikaru Nakamura (Part 2)

5/25/2012 – Two best U.S. grandmasters, the defending champion Gata Kamsky and the top-rated American Hikaru Nakamura, went neck-to-neck in the 11-round robin, leaving others far behind them. Hikaru was a half point behind Kamsky with two rounds to go. They met in the penultimate round and Nakamura scored the most needed victory – with black. GM Lubomir Kavalek annotates the key games.

Secret Story

5/25/2012 – Unless you have been living in a cave for the past ten years, the words “Big Brother” will first evoke thoughts of the world-wide TV phenomenon, rather than George Orwell’s classic novel. France has a particular spin-off that is now entering its sixth season, called Secret Story, starting tonight. Why are we publishing this? It is because this season, there is a chess player in the group.