FIDE ratings September 2010: average ratings up, up, and up...

8/31/2010 – The FIDE ratings lists for September 2010 are out, and though there were few cataclysmic changes, some statistics do stand out: the average rating continues to rise, and the top 100 now average 50 Elo more than eight years ago. How about FIDE title requirements? We also took a look at the biggest Elo gains over the last 12 months. Can you guess who and by how much? Read all, see all.

Miskolc 2010: Gelfand beats Leko 4.5:3.5

8/30/2010 – He tried everything, including a super-sharp line employed by his opponent. But in the end it was top Israeli GM Boris Gelfand who had scored two wins to local hero Peter Leko's one. The event is very popular in the eastern Hungarian city, where it is hosted in the National Theatre by the Lord Mayor. We bring you pictures and GM analysis in our final report.

Arctic Securities Rapid: Anand and Carlsen lead with 2.5/3

8/29/2010 – The first half brought the result many expected: the World Champion and the world's highest ranked player won both their games against their lower-ranked opponents, and drew the encounter against each other. But it was not all smooth sailing. In his game against compatriot Jon Ludvig Hammer Magnus stared disaster in the face. First day report with poignant videos by Europe Echecs.

Spanish Chess League – Kasparov Marcote wins

8/29/2010 – Though the initial four rounds seemed to indicate that this Linex-Magic would not qualify to the final this year, Solvay slipped at the crucial moment. The match-up was a repeat of last year, when Kasparov Marcote had taken the laurels, and this year was no different, despite Linex-Magic's two highest Elos. The final result was a decisive 4.5-1.5. Here is the final report.

Miskolc 2010: Gelfand takes the lead after six rounds

8/29/2010 – Hungary's top GM showed great fighting spirit and produced some very deep ideas. But at the critical moment Peter Leko failed to cash in on his chances and this, combined with some very accurate play by the Boris Gelfand, just a few Elo points his superior, netted the Israeli GM a second point in this rapid chess match in Hungary. We bring you full GM commentary of round five and six.

Arctic Securities Rapid: Carlsen gets 'hammered', reaches final

8/29/2010 – Sorry, we simply had to use the pun, which was slipped to us by a British colleague. Top seed Magnus Carlsen, who almost suffered defeat in the first half of this tournament, actually did lose to compatriot Jon Ludvig Hammer in the second half. He survived an attack by Judit Polgar to join Vishy Anand, reigning supreme with 5.0/6, in Monday's final. Don't miss it.

Arctic Securities Chess Stars begins today

8/28/2010 – This double round robin rapid chess event is taking place in Kristiansund, Norway. The four players include reigning World Champion Vishy Anand, the world's strongest male and female players (Magnus Carlsen, Judit Polgar) and Norwegian talent Jon Ludvig Hammer. The rounds start at 14:30 CEST. Live broadcast is available on Playchess, with video on NRK. Here are details and schedule.

The right counterattack...

8/28/2010 – ... against the black bishop e4 White had to find here after 37...Qh6, since capturing on f6 with his hanging knight h5 would allow 38...Qxh3+. What do you think, which queen move is best suitable for that purpose?
A) 38.Qd4
B) 38.Qf4
C) 38.Qh4

The solution is here, but first ponder over it with a larger version of the diagram.

Miskolc 2010: Leko and Gelfand tied after four rounds

8/27/2010 – This traditional rapid chess event this year pits top Hungarian GM Peter Leko against Israel's strongest, Boris Gelfand, in eight games of rapid chess. After the very beautiful openings ceremony the two played four games in the National Theatre. Boris Gelfand won the very first one, Peter Leko the fourth. We bring you a big pictorial report with the opening ceremony and GM analysis.

Trinidad – land of sun, music, beaches and chess!

8/26/2010 – This year’s "Caribbean Chess Carnival" attracted 147 players from ten countries, including one GM, Gennadi Sagalchik of the USA, who duly won the event. The sensation, however, was 11-year-old Josh Colas, the scholastic All American player from White Plains, New York, whose fine performance culminated in a win over a four-times Trinidadian champion. Daaim Shabazz reports.

Spanish Chess League – Top seed Kasparov Marcote leads

8/26/2010 – The Spanish Chess League - Honor Division is currently underway, with no less than 39 players over 2600, including Shirov, Ponomariov, and Short among others. Top seed Kasparov Marcote, with an average rating of 2668, has taken the lead, but the surprise second is Solvay, rated 7th, spearheaded by three Indian GMs, including junior Negi with a 2829 performance. Illustrated report.

Bit by bit to endgame wisdom

8/25/2010 – GM Karsten Müller’s endgame course is already a modern classic. In Volume five he deals with the overarching principles: activity, initiative, mate and the correct exchange. In his review, Sean Marsh points out that sometimes it takes Mueller "only a few short minutes to show something really valuable and easy to remember". Buy Chess Endgames 5 now or read more.

Yasser Seirawan - My Best Games

8/25/2010 – In Seirawan's multimedia DVD, My Best Games, we are given a personal look at the journey of a beginner, child of the Fischer boom, to grandmaster in under eight years. Yasser Seirawan's engaging presentation focuses on key games in his progression as well as key moments and plans. All in all, it makes for very enjoyable, yet instructive viewing. Here is a review by Albert Silver.

Anand rebuffs birthers, rejects honorary doctorate

8/24/2010 – It happened to Barack, now World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand faces doubt concerning his nationality. Anand was born in Chennai (at the time Madras), India, where he has a residence. But he also has one in Spain, which led to the confusion. The result: Anand declined receiving the honorary doctorate he was to be awarded. Naturally he is an Indian citizen. Press reports and video.

The rear lights of passed pawns

8/24/2010 – Richard Reti? Nope. Nikolay Grigoriev? Try again. Henri Rinck? No, the following position, with only four pieces on the board is not from the torturous imagination of some study composer designed to have your mind standing upside down. This position actually arose in the game between Georgiadis - Sandalakis, played in 2010 in an Open on Crete. The player with White was faced with a delicate problem that had an elegant solution, worthy of a place in some endgame manual. Can you find the narrow path to victory? White to play and win.
Analysis by GM Karsten Müller on ChessBase Magazine Online.

NH Chess - Nakamura takes it in dramatic last round

8/23/2010 – The ticket to next year's Amber seemed almost a formality, as Anish Giri needed only a draw against Danish GM Nielsen, but a slip in the final liquidation forced him into a blitz tiebreak against renowned speed specialist, Hikaru Nakamura. The top American GM lived up to his reputation, as he took both games, snatching the ticket at the last minute. Report for rounds 9 and 10 with new pictures.

Kavalek at Huffington: A Nimble Chess Artist

8/23/2010 – The former U.S. champion Hikaru Nakamura is fast. The quicker the pace on the chessboard, the more he seems to enjoy playing. His nimble skills helped him to secure a place for the next traditional Amber tournament, a blindfold and rapid chess extravaganza played every spring on the French Riviera. GM Lubomir Kavalek show us one of Nakamura's games – a 17-move cruncher.

Sasikiran, Henrichs win Hogeschool Zeeland

8/23/2010 – This event took place in a very beautiful Dutch seafront location: in Vlissingen, historically known as Flushing, from where the Dutch Empire was built in the 17th century. Two players of a total of 250 scored 7.5/9, with top seed GM Krishnan Sasikiran of India beating German IM Thomas Henrichs on tie-break points. Five players followed half a point behind. Illustrated report.

Edward Winter's Chess Explorations (46)

8/22/2010 – Morphy versus the Duke and Count (Paris, 1858) was described by Frank Marshall as ‘the most famous game of all time’. Even so, as the Editor of Chess Notes demonstrates, modern masters’ views differ concerning its value, and there is much about the circumstances of the game which is still enveloped in mystery. Another intriguing historical investigation...

2010 French championship - Husband and wife win

8/22/2010 – Bacrot was out for a record 7th title, and Fressinet was out for his first, but it was Romain Edouard and Fressinet who raced neck and neck throughout. Don't miss Romain's exquisite miniature against Tkachiev in the penultimate round. In the end, Fressinet showed his will to win, and took the tiebreak, while his wife, Skripchenko, took the Women's title. Report with pictures and videos.

NH Chess - Rising Stars strike back in rounds 7 and 8

8/21/2010 – The Rising Stars stopped the bleeding, after the Experience had reduced their lead to a single point, by winning the next two rounds. The stories of the rounds were Van Wely's 17-move loss to Nakamura after a bizarre memory hiccup, though punctuated by a nice tactic, and Giri's nice win over Ljubo, which regained him the sole lead. Nakamura is only a half point behind. Report for rounds 7 and 8.

Details of Fischer's exhumation revealed

8/20/2010 – "I will give you a report but stress that we keep all details confidential as we have strict orders from the authorities not to reveal any such detailed information to the media," wrote Thordur Bogason, the Icelandic lawyer representing Jinky and Marilyn Young in the Fischer paternity suite. But their Philippine lawyer Samuel Estimo did pass it on – to us and the New York Times. Detailed description.

Test your IQ(P)

8/20/2010 – In this typical IQP position White would like to avoid piece exchanges with 17.Ne4 but of course has to reckon with the knight sortie 17...Ncb4. What does this entail in your opinion?
A) advantage for Black;
B) advantage for White;
C) balanced play.

The solution is here, but first ponder over it with a larger version of the diagram.

Mukachevo Match: Naiditsch beats Efimenko 3.5:2.5

8/19/2010 – The chess match between Zahar Efimenko and Arkadij Naiditsch, organised by Universal Event Promotion and the Mukachevo Chess Club 32x64 in Mukachevo, Ukraine, was won by Naiditsch. The German GM held on to a second-round lead and drew the rest of the games to by a 3.5:2.5 score. Final report with game commentary by GM Mikhail Golubev.