9/27/2009 – "Nigel has a 3:2 lead, so it is quite simple for Zahar," wrote GM Klaus Bischoff. "He has to win the last game, a draw is of no use. This must-win situation is unpleasant, but every chess player has been in there." And who amongst us has not failed. The game ended in a draw and Nigel Short had won the match 3.5-2.5, pretty much in keeping with the rating difference. Final report with GM analysis.

9/26/2009 – "So we have four games played and White could not win a single game yet," noted match commentator Klaus Bischoff. "Today we will see Nigel's last try with the white pieces." Try he did, and in fact pulled off a fine victory to take a 3.0-2.0 lead in this match (with one game to go). Not a single game so far has been unfought or boring. Report with GM analysis.

9/26/2009 – This Category 16 event, billed as the "highest rated international invitational tournament in U.S. history", is named after its founder, former Women's World Champion Susan Polgar. After six rounds GMs Kuzubov, Andreikin and Hammer lead, but Group B (Cat. 11) is also interesting, since 14-year-old IM Ray Robson is trying to pick up his final GM norm. Illustrated report.

9/25/2009 – ... is a continuation which immediately springs to mind in a position - if, for example, a piece can be developed to an active square in the opening with tempo. In the diagram, playing 16.Rad1 White occupied the d-file with his rook and at the same time attacked the opponent's queen. What is your judgement on this?
A) simple and strong, the move maintains a powerful initiative;
B) here nature is against White, Black gets the advantage; 
C) neither nor, with a precise reaction the position is kept in balance.
The solution is here, but first ponder over it with a larger version of the diagram.

9/25/2009 – Everyone expected an easy win by Kasparov, but their eight-game blitz encounter started with a shock loss. Karpov drew first blood, Kasparov took a "deep breath" 17-move draw to clear his head, and then went on to score five wins in a row. The final game was a draw, leaving Kasparov winning the blitz with 6.0:2.0 and the match with 9.0:3.0 – exactly as their ratings predicted. Illustrated report.

9/24/2009 – Day two of the commemorative rapid chess match saw Anatoly Karpov win a fine game against the man who dethroned him as World Champion 25 years ago. In the final game Garry Kasparov only needed a draw, but put on the pressure until Karpov crumbled and lost – again – on time. The final score of 3.0:1.0 is exactly what the ratings predicted. Illustrated report with videos.

9/18/2009 – GM Adrian Mikhalchishin is a well-known chess trainer. He has assisted Romanishin, Beliavsky, Anatoly Karpov, the Polgars, the Polish, Dutch and Turkish national teams. He has captained a team with Karpov, Anand, Kramnik, Beliavsky, Short and Gelfand. He is also a leading expert on the Arkhangelsk Variation, and he provides five hours of video lessons on it on this new training DVD.

9/18/2009 – We promised you one more report from this Chinese tournament, with the lovely photos of Ye Rongguang, who apart from being China's first GM, is an avid photographer. On the free day Rongguang accompanied the players to the Ningbo Museum and Dongqian Lake, where many posed willingly in front of the Song Dynasty statues. We also revisit the controversy over the final round draw.

9/17/2009 – A scheduled training session with Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen was used as an occasion to meet the Norwegian press. The two sat down for a friendly game against Education Minister Solhjell, and all three answered questions for a Channel 2 journalist. The government is set to back their brightest chess star, said the Minister, and his country's bid to host a Chess Olympiad. Video report.

9/16/2009 – One, the current US Champion, was born in the year the other, a former World Championship candidate, had just won the Soviet Championship for the third time. Their scintillating encounter, analysed by Dennis Monokroussos in his Wednesday night Playchess lecture, took place earlier this year at the NH Tournament in Amsterdam. Watch and learn on the server.

9/16/2009 – We reported recently on the event and the results, but with a disgracefully meager number of pictures. We just didn't have any – until suddenly our friend Ye Rongguang, the first Chinese player in history to gain the GM title, sent us a huge quantity. Rongguang is an avid photographer with professional equipment. Here is part one of a giant pictorial: impressions of Ningbo.

9/16/2009 – ... for Training and Instruction in Chess. The aim is to help in the development of chess federations in Africa, in the critical areas of introducing chess in schools, raising membership, organizing tournaments, getting finances and obtaining sponsorship. The first week of lectures and activities is to be held in a somewhat controversial location: Khartoum, Sudan. Press release of the TCF.