Wednesday night training on Playchess

10/27/2009 – First, at 20:00h CET, IM Merijn van Delft, the author of a new book on chess training, begins with a series of lectures on recent grandmaster games. At 9 p.m. ET (02:00 a.m. CET) FM Dennis Monokroussos takes a look at "high-level chess at its worst – real lowlights of the professional chess scene, with moves and other screw-ups you expect from club players." Free for Premium members.

Conquer the Kings – a four-way variant of chess

10/26/2009 – Here's a new angle on our beloved game: four players, who can strategically vary their starting position, and then play independently or join forces to capture the enemy kings. "Last man standing" is the winner. Originator Johnny M. Wahl says that this game is friendlier and more easily digestible than regular chess. He has enthusiastic videos to bear this out. Illustrated report.

Edward Winter's Chess Explorations (29)

10/26/2009 – The Editor of Chess Notes investigates a further batch of discrepancies arising from game-scores. Three of them involve Capablanca (against S. Coleman, F.J. Marshall and T.H. Tylor), and two concern Alekhine (against R. Réti and F. Reinfeld). For instance, regarding the famous game Réti v Alekhine, Baden-Baden, 1925 three versions of the score have been found. Can the truth be established?

Yazici runs for President of the European Chess Union

10/26/2009 – For twelve years now Boris Kutin has ruled over the ECU. Now he is being challenged by a new candidate, the very dynamic President of the Turkish Chess Federation Ali Nihat Yazici, who will be up for election next year during the Olympiad in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia. "ANY" outlined his goals and presidential intention at his editorial campaign launch in Novi Sad.

Humpy replies to Sundar – issues open challenge

10/25/2009 – "The situation is warming up and I’m getting excited!" writes GM Koneru Humpy, the world's second strongest female player. "I know that Mr. Sundar is an old hand at playing chess, especially off the board. He has made his move, which was to be expected. But to my surprise he started with a gambit!!" Humpy replies to the press release of AICF President with a public debate challenge.

Novi Sad: another loss by ringtone

10/25/2009 – Once again modern communications technology struck: in the match Bulgaria vs England GM Alexander Delchev's cellphone went off, leading to an immediate forfeit of the game (watch it on video!). Earlier a player had lost because he was not present at the board for the start of the game. After three rounds of the European Team Championship Serbia leads. Round three report.

Tiviakov takes Univé Hoogoveen with a single win

10/24/2009 – Certainly an unusual four-player double round robin. In this "Crown Group" all games but one were draw, so that the winner of that game, Dutch GM Sergei Tiviakov, came in first, and the loser, Judit Polgar, last. Vassily Ivanchuk and Anish Giri scored 50%. In the Univé Open English GM Steward Haslinger was first by a full point. Final report.

Chess in Paradise: the Ravana Challenge in Sri Lanka

10/24/2009 – GM Mikheil Mchedlishvili of Georgia won it, but more relevantly this GM Open was staged in a luxurious five star hotel, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, with accommodation to the GMs provided in the hotel itself. And there was the free day pleasure trip to Kandy, a world famous tourist spot, where the players got to meet the Indian Ocean and a bevy of friendly elephants.

Indian chess champ on city streets

10/24/2009 – She is thirteen, rated 2132, and won the Asian U-14 title in Delhi last month. With her chess career she has made her country proud. But Saranya's childhood is anything but a bed of roses. Her father deserted the family five years ago, and her mother sells small items made of plastic and mud on the pavement of Thiruvottiyur (near Chennai) to eke out a living. Someone must help this girl.

Sundar: Imagination and half truths

10/23/2009 – "I saw GM Koneru Humpy’s letter on your website," wrote D.V. Sunder, Honorary Secretary of the All India Chess Federation. "You normally seek the reaction of the other side, as you have earlier agreed that there is always the other side of any episode." Indeed there usually is. We bring you in full what we received from the AICF: a letter of clarification.

How Vodovod promoted into first Serbian division

10/23/2009 – Last September the League of Central Serbia took place in Vrnjacka Banja – one of the second divisions of the country, but with twelve GMs and many IMs and FMs (even the fifth and sixth boards have 2300-2400 rated players). The winner qualifies for the highest Serbian division, while the last one was relegated from the group. GM Dejan Bojkov reports.

17th European Team Championship in Novi Sad

10/22/2009 – The first round of this massive event – 38 men's and 28 women's teams, with four boards per round each – brought a number of surprises: Croatia held Russia, Italy defeated Bulgaria, Switzerland beat Ukraine. In the women's section Russia, Georgia and Ukraine won convincingly. We bring you results, games, photos and video reports by Europe Echecs.

The hanging bishop...

10/22/2009 – ... was only one of White's problems here after 21... Qxg2, since Black not only threatens 22...Qxe2, but also to take the whole kingside apart.
What is the best continuation for the first player?
A) 22.Nxe6
B) 22.Rd8
C) 22.Bf1

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

Astronaut Fuglesang receives his prize

10/22/2009 – After returning safely to Earth from the 128th mission of NASA's Space Shuttle program, during which he played a game of chess against the readers of a Swedish newspaper, the astronaut Christer Fuglesang was given a prize (in spite of losing the game). It was a Rybka program, signed by five World Champions. One of his reader opponents received a similar prize. Illustrated report with videos.

World number two female player protests

10/22/2009 – "I am very unhappy to inform that I have withdrawn my participation in the Asian Indoor Games 2009 to be held at Vietnam due to some nasty circumstances caused by Mr. D.V. Sundar, Secretary, All India Chess Federation." That is the start of a press release sent to us by Koneru Humpy, the second strongest female player in the world, and the second to cross the 2600 rating mark. Humpy's protest.

Online qualification for VIII Festival in Benidorm

10/22/2009 – December is cold and wet in most of Europe. In Spain it is warm and sunny – very nice to spend a few days playing in an interesting Open. Here's your chance: take part in our special qualifier on the Playchess server this Sunday and win accommodation and participation in the VIII Benidorm Chess Festival. In addition there are valuable software packages to be won. Give it a try.

The Troitzky line

10/21/2009 – The endgame Carlsen-Wang Yue, which was presented last week by GM Karsten Mueller for ChessBase Magazine Online, one variation ended in the diagrammed position with two knights against two pawns. This position is won for the knights' side although, as is well known, two knights alone can't force checkmate. Pivotal for victory is on which square a remaining pawn has to be blocked, determining the so-called Troitzky line.
Since this has led to many requests, Karsten Mueller will explain the subject once more in detail in the following.

Monokroussos on Lilienthal vs Ragozin

10/21/2009 – Viacheslav Ragozin, who passed away in 1962, was one of the trainers of Mikhail Botvinnik. He became famous for blowing smoke into the legendary World Champion's face in order to steel the non-smoker for opponents who did the same. In his Wednesday night Playchess lecture Dennis Monokroussos shows us Ragozin at his best against Andor Lilienthal. Be there at 9 p.m. ET or 3 a.m. CEST.

Support teams in chess – All The King’s Men

10/21/2009 – Behind the kings of the chess world, there’s a crack team of knights – or ‘seconds’, as they are called. They work day and night, and spend months together locked up, and once in a while they want to break the tension. In the team of World Champion Viswanathan Anand Coldplay is staple music, but "the guys now also listen to Tamil music." Jaideep Unudurti reports on Outlook Business.

Univé Tournament 2009 under way in Hoogeveen

10/20/2009 – It used to be known as the Essent Tournament, but the 13th edition of this chess festival has a new sponsor, the Dutch insurance company Univé. There are a number of sections, including a strong international Open. Of greatest interest is the Crown Group, a four-player double round robin, with Vassily Ivanchuk, Sergei Tiviakov, Judit Polgar and 15-year-old Anish Giri. Round two report.

Opening surveys in CBM 132

10/19/2009 – If an author himself plays what he is writing about, this is certainly an advantage. If on top of that he has been employing a variation for almost 20 years successfully against the strongest opponents, then anything he has to say is a revelation. Michal Krasenkow is the greatest specialist of the King's Indian with 6.h3. In his three-part article (CBM 132-134), he lets you in on plans, ideas, variations and secrets of this somewhat underrated system against the King's Indian. Here is the complete Part 1 which deals with lines without 6...e5. The DVD of CBM 132 contains eleven further opening articles. Krasenkow: King's Indian with 6.h3

Magnus Carlsen on Golden Goal

10/19/2009 – Johan Golden is a Norwegian TV host and a colorful figure in the country's comedy, musical and political scene. In his show Golden Goal he recently had a special guest: Magnus Carlsen, Norway's chess wonder and one of the greatest sports heros the country has had. A light-hearted trademark Golden exchange (in Nowegian) ensues. We bring you a video and English transcript.

Prime Minister Borissov vouches for World Championship

10/19/2009 – Bulgaria's newly elected Prime Minister, Boyko Metodiev Borissov, has delivered a three million Euro guarantee for the World Championship match Anand vs Topalov to be held in Sofia next year. "I personally guarantee the budget of three million euro for the match and we will be ready to transfer the money and to sign the contract with FIDE in two months from now," Borissov writes. Facsimile.

Start of the German Bundesliga season 2009/2010

10/18/2009 – The Schachbundesliga is the strongest team competition in the world. The 2009/10 season started this weekend, with the top matches taking place in Solingen, where the German champion Baden-Baden faced the top teams of Solingen and Remagen, Eppingen, Wattenscheid and Hamburg, where we spent a pleasant afternoon watching the action. Pictures, results and games.