6/12/2009 – About 320 volumes on chess, 400 periodicals, nine unexamined personal floppy disks, proofs for My 60 Memorable Games, preparation notes for Taimanov, Petrossian and Spassky – all of this was up for sale at Bonhams and Butterfield on Madison Avenue. It was snapped up for US $61,000 by Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield, sponsors of the 2009 US Championship. Press release and details.

6/11/2009 – The ChessBase CD "The greatest tournaments in the history of chess" has a remarkably detailed review of the most beautiful game in the 1883 London tournament. In the diagram position the d5-square has been cleared; but White now has to deal with threats on the c-file. Which evaluations is correct: A) Black has the initiative firmly in his hands since he is threatening ...Rc2; B) It's obvious how White can get the advantage – what are long diagonals for? C) The bishop on b2 will play a decisive part in the attack – but first White needs some more open lines. The solution is here, but first ponder over it with a larger version of the diagram

6/11/2009 – Last week the Chinese Championship was decided, amongst other things, by a winner getting a full point when his last-round opponent did not appear at his board in time for the start. A lot of readers have commented, some eloquently, some stridently, some tongue-in-cheek, on FIDE's "zero tolerance" rule. We, on the other hand, were hard put to find the exact wording. Who can help clear this up?

6/10/2009 – He had read about her in chess magazines and websites. In August 2008 they met at the Tal Memorial. Peter Zhdanov and Natalia Pogonina played some blitz, and a new friendship was born, which eventually blossomed into love and led to a marriage between the two young Russian chess players. They are currently working on an extraordinary book, one you are not going to want to miss.

6/9/2009 – The sixteen-year-old winner of the 2009 Championship, with 8½/11 and a near-2800 TPR, was undefeated and beat three of the four highest-rated players in the tournament. In this week's Playchess lecture Dennis Monokroussos takes a first look at Ding's chess, specifically that the game that decided the championship: his win over Wang Hao. Be there to watch at 9 p.m. ET.

6/9/2009 – The 2009 Chinese Championship was won by Ding Liren, an untitled 16-year-old, rated 2458, the youngest national champion ever. But Ding's victory was overshadowed by the last-round default of his opponent, who was not seated at the board when the clocks were started. The only female contender, 15-year-old GM Hou Yifan, also lost a game by default when she arrived five seconds late for the start.

6/8/2009 – Both games were hard-fought draws, with World Champion Vishy Anand pressing, but unable to overcome Peter Leko's defence. In the end Anand had won 5-3. We bring you games with GM analysis and pictures of the final day in Miskolc. For his victory Anand received an equisite crystal glass trophy (and Peter Leko a smaller one). We used the opportunity to visit the artist who made them.

6/7/2009 – Once again it was a real cliff-hanger: the first two rapid chess games were drawn, then Vassily Ivanchuk won and took the lead, after which Magnus Carlsen equalised. A blitz decider was required. The first two games were drawn, in the final Armageddon game Carlsen won by trapping Ivanchuk's knight. So the 18-year-old Norwegian, number three in the world, once again shows his class.

6/7/2009 – We have known him for decades, and he never fails to surprise us. Just a week after his 44th birthday Nigel Short delivered a stunning performance at this six-player classical tournament in Malmo, Sweden. After conceding just one draw in the first four rounds he defeated second seed Ivan Sokolov, rated 2669, with the black pieces to take the event with a 1.5 point lead. Pictorial report.

6/7/2009 – One of the key encounters at the weekend was the 4th game between Carlsen and Ivanchuk in the final of the rapid chess event in Leon. The Ukrainian required only a draw to achieve victory in the tournament, but nevertheless he turned to an opening which is actually well suited to an aggressive repertoire for Black. He had obviously not read the article by Alexey Kuzmin in CBM 125, which we publish here in full. In the position in the diagram the Russian had recommended 8…dxc4 or 8…Na6. You can replay the game Carlsen - Ivanchuk or read the article Kuzmin: The Slav Stonewall

6/7/2009 – Vishy Anand took the full point with black in the first game of the day, a Gruenfeld Russian with the first eleven moves mirroring the previous game. In the second game Anand was pressing with white, but just when it looked over Peter managed to hold the draw. We bring you grandmaster commentary and historic photos of a world chess champion being mobbed by adoring female fans.

6/6/2009 – After a draw in the first of four rapid chess games Chinese GM Wang Yue dealt Magnus Carlsen a blow by winning game two. But the young Norwegian came back immediately with a 23-move win in game three. The fourth game was drawn, so that a blitz tiebreak was necessary. It was won by Magnus in the final, sixth game. Playchess is broadcasting all games live. Day two report.