Boris Gelfand wins Odessa ACP World Rapid

5/25/2009 – It was an exciting – perhaps nail-biting is a better word – final round of the 3rd ACP World Rapid Cup, organised by the PIVDENNY Bank and the ACP in Odessa, Ukraine. The two most experienced players of the event (after Karpov) faced each other. After two draws Peter Svidler produced two winning positions, only to mess them up against Boris Gelfand, who won the event. Big pictorial report.

Tiger Lilov’s Chess Show – Experience the Magic of Learning!

5/24/2009 – Bulgarian chess trainer Valeri Lilov gives live online training on the Playchess server. On Mondays at 20:00h CEST (7 p.m. London, 2 p.m. New York) he presents practical chess problems and interesting themes based on games taken from recent super-tournaments. There is live audio commentary, so come and improve your chess while having a lot of fun! Take a look, it’s free!

3rd ACP World Rapid Cup in Odessa

5/23/2009 – This rapid chess knockout event, sponsored by the PIVDENNY Bank and organised by the ACP, has 16 grandmasters participating. It lasts from May 22 to 24 and is being staged in the Odessa National Academy of Law. The prize fund is US $57,000. The games last from 12 noon to 9 p.m. and are being broadcast on Playchess.com. We bring you a first big pictorial report.

Alexei Shirov wins Super-GM in Sofia

5/23/2009 – Spanish GM Alexei Shirov defeated leader Magnus Carlsen of Norway in just 30 moves to take sole victory in the Sofia GM tournament. His performance: 2864. Carlsen was second, together with Veselin Topalov, who drew his final game against Chinese GM Wang Yue. Vassily Ivanchuk scored his first victory in this tournament against Cuban GM Leinier Dominguez. Final report.

Odessa ACP World Rapid: Gelfand and Svidler in the final

5/23/2009 – The second stage of the ACP World Rapid saw Peter Svidler knocking out fellow-Russian Alexander Grischuk with a win and a draw. Israeli GM Boris Gelfand went all the way against Dmitry Jakovenko, defeating the Russian GM in the final Armageddon game. The final starts at 12:00h and 18:00h on Sunday and will be broadcast on Playchess. More lovely pictures in our second pictorial report.

It's Leko vs Anand in Miskolc

5/23/2009 – Another great event in the north-eastern Hungarian town of Miskolc. After playing Adams, Karpov, Kramnik and Carlsen in previous editions, this time Hungary's top GM Peter Leko faces World Champion Vishy Anand in an eight-game rapid chess match in the beautiful National Theater, from June 2nd to 7th. We will bring you pictorial reports from Miskolc and live coverage of all the games.

Edward Winter's Chess Explorations (21)

5/22/2009 – We all know what a chess combination is, or do we? How best to define it? C.J.S. Purdy examined the matter at some length, and the Editor of Chess Notes has pursued the discussion, incorporating contributions from a number of correspondents. In particular, there is the tricky question of whether a combination must contain a sacrifice. Opinions vary...

GM Nigel Davies: for 35+ only

5/22/2009 – How can older players catch up with the youth? Is there compensation for energy and free time? On this DVD Nigel Davies argues that older players can remain competitive, if they use guile and common sense. William Frost, a fan of the Fritztrainer series and a senior player himself, hafter watching Davies' new DVD says: "bar sales to anyone under thirty-five!". Buy it now or read his review.

Sofia Super-GM: Carlsen and Topalov win

5/22/2009 – In round nine Norwegian Magnus Carlsen defeated Wang Yue in 33 moves, while Veselin Topalov took 81 moves to beat Vassily Ivanchuk. Leinier Dominguez Perez drew a 50-move game against Alexei Shirov. Carlsen leads alone ahead of Topalov and Shirov. In the final round on Saturday Carlsen and Topalov have black against Shirov and Wang Yue respectively. Games and standings.

Sofia Super-GM: all games drawn

5/21/2009 – All three games of round eight in Sofia, Bulgaria, were drawn. Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine drew against Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen in 41 moves. Cuban GM Leinier Dominguez drew against Bulgarian GM Veselin Topalov in the same number of moves, and Alexei Shirov of Spain drew Chinese GM Wang Yue in 44 moves. Carlsen and Shirov lead. Games and standings.

ACP to FIDE: Why must women's tournaments collide?

5/21/2009 – The calendar for women's events is not full: still the first Women's Grand Prix collided with the European Championship, and it looks like the second one will collide with the European Club Cup. On behalf of the ACP Elmira Mirzoeva appeals to FIDE to stop this happening. We include a lengthy exchange between the reigning women's world champion and FIDE in these open letters on women's chess.

Chess Rhapsodies – compiled by Lucio Etruscus

5/21/2009 – Chess in the movies and on television – how often we have seen fleeting snippets or thematic scenes. But now an Italian chess fan has put together a large number of them as four "rhapsodies", elegantly edited and set to music. They run, in chronological order, from 1925 to 2008. The music, truly beautiful, is by the exceptional Croatian pianist Maksim Mrvica. Take the time to enjoy this treat.

Monokroussos Playchess Show: Sigurjonsson-Stein, Reykjavik 1972

5/20/2009 – Leonid Stein (1934-1973) was one of the great players of his day. He won three Soviet championships, two super-tournaments, twice earned entry into the Candidates cycle, and had an overall plus score against world champions.Our Playchess lecturer Dennis Monokroussos shows us an exceptional and exciting game by this great and not forgotten master. Be there to watch at 9 p.m. ET.

Sofia Super-GM: Carlsen beats Dominguez

5/20/2009 – Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen beat Leinier Dominguez of Cuba in 43 moves. Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria drew with Spanish GM Alexei Shirov in 30, while Chinese GM Wang Yue drew against Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in 34 moves. Carlsen and Shirov lead with 4.5/7 points. Shirov's performance is 2865, Carlsen's is 2857. Games and standings.

Rybka wins 17th World Computer Chess Championship

5/19/2009 – In the final round of the event, staged by the International Computer Games Association in Pamplona, Spain, the US-Czech program Rybka beat its closest rival, Junior from Israel, to take the title with a point and a half to spare. Junior, Shredder and Deep Sjeng shared 2-4th. You probably know that you can buy the World Champion in the ChessBase shop. Actually Rybka won three titles.

Sofia Super-GM: Shirov beats Ivanchuk

5/19/2009 – Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk suffered his fourth loss in six games, when he was defeated in 49 moves by Alexei Shirov from Spain. Bulgarian GM Veselin Topalov drew his game against 18-year-old Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen. Cuban GM Leinier Dominguez Perez drew with GM Wang Yue from China. Shirov leads with 4.0/6 points and a 2875 performance. Games and standings.

'I am ready to resume negotiations with FIDE'

5/19/2009 – Josef Resch is the President of UEP, the company that organised the 2008 World Championship in Bonn, a successful businessman from Mukachevo in Western Ukraine. In recent months UEP was bidding for the organisation of the 2010-2011 cycle – with a four million Euro budget. But negotiations with FIDE broke down. Now Josef Resch explains why. Sport Express interview.

Ilyumzhinov: 'It is not the size of the logo, it’s the principle'

5/19/2009 – In our previous report the UEP President Josef Resch harshly criticized the negotiations with FIDE. The President of the World Chess Federation reacted immediately with his own somewhat different take on the matter. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov describes the course of events and how the negotiations collapsed. In this Sport Express interview he provides a number of other interesting tidbits. Must read.

Monday night: chess lessons for beginners and fans

5/18/2009 – Bulgarian FIDE Master Valeri Lilov, rated 2411, has a weekly show on Playchess.com. On Mondays at 20:00h CEST (7 p.m. London, 2 p.m. New York) he presents practical chess problems and high quality analysis of games from recent super-tournaments. There is live audio commentary, and visitors can forward their questions on the material at the end of each broadcast. Take a look, it’s free!

Croatia and Slovenia win the Mitropacup 2009

5/18/2009 – The Croatian Men's team won this team championship outright, on match points ahead of Italy, which had the same number of board points (22.5). In the women's section it was a start-to-finish victory for the two Slovenian teams, who took Gold and Silver. The best player in the event, by far, was the Italian GM Fabiano Caruana, who is all of sixteen years old. Results, games and video.

Hikaru Nakamura is the US Champion 2009

5/18/2009 – Not Gata? – we hear you cry. No, top seed Gata Kamsky was a point behind and took home $7,500, while Nakamura, who defeated Josh Friedel in the final round (actually he crushed him in 22 moves), got the title and the first prize of $40,000. Second was 17-year-old Robert Hess, who only managed to draw in round nine. From a wonderful championship we sign off with a final illustrated report.

Sofia Super-GM: Topalov beats Wang Yue

5/17/2009 – Bulgarian GM Veselin Topalov beat Wang Yue from China in 33 moves. 18-year-old Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen drew against Alexei Shirov, Spain, in 39 moves. Cuban GM Leiner Dominguez-Perez was lucky to escape with a 49-move draw against Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk (e.g. 35...Rxg2 would have brought instant victory). Carlsen and Shirov lead. Games and standings.

US Championship: young guns battle for the US title

5/17/2009 – In the penultimate round 21-year-old Hikaru Nakamura beat the GM aspirant Michael Brooks to take the lead at the St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center. He was joined at the top by Robert Hess, 17, who beat defending champion Yury Shulman. Kamsky, Onischuk and Akobian are half a point behind going into what promises to be a very exciting final round. Watch it unfold on Playchess!

Sofia Super-GM: Topalov beats Ivanchuk

5/17/2009 – Actually it was Vassily Ivanchuk who, in a completely drawn position, played a suicide move (37.Qxb7??) and gave up the whole point with white against Veselin Topalov. Wang Yue drew against Magnus Carlsen in 25 moves, Alexei Shirov drew Leinier Dominguez Perez in 43 moves. Topalov, Carlsen and Shirov lead after the first half of the tournament. Monday is a free day. Games and standings.