Chess in Schools – the Shevah-Mofet Academy in Tel-Aviv

1/8/2009 – In many countries the education system is in crisis, with academic scores dropping. Some schools are discovering that chess lessons dramatically change the attitude of students, and develop intuition and experience in modulating most practical solutions for similar tasks in their real lives. An elite school in Israel has set up a Chess Academy run by a grandmaster. Boris Alterman reports.

Chess in Turmeric Town Sangli

1/8/2009 – If you wonder how India keeps churning out those child prodigies, head to Sangli. A spacious town (a rarity in India), nestled 400 km to the south east of Mumbai, Sangli stakes a claim for being the largest trading hub for Turmeric in Asia. The town derives its name from Saha Galli, which means Six Lanes in Marathi, the local language. Here from M. Jagadish a pictorial report of chess at the grassroots.

Blindfold Chess – history, psychology, champions, records

1/8/2009 – Just occasionally a new book on our game turns up which is likely to be of widespread interest throughout all parts of the chess world. Blindfold Chess by Eliot Hearst and John Knott (McFarland, 2009), hot off the press, is definitely a volume not to be missed, as it is by far the most detailed study ever made of this fascinating subject. We take an early dip into it.

Learning from the greatest – Paul Keres

1/7/2009 – The Estonian chess genius was born on January 7, 1916 – 93 years ago today. Though he never became world champion, very few players came as close to the throne as he did. In our Playchess lecture Dennis Monokroussos shows us a remarkable game Paul Keres played against Efim Geller at the 1962 Candidates – a game that is worthy of appreciation and emulation.

Ni Hua wins Reggio Emilia 2008/2009 with 1½ points

1/7/2009 – Last year Zoltan Almasi or Hungary took first place in the traditional Italian tournament, scoring half a point more than Ni Hua. This year the Chinese grandmaster came to the event with a 69-point higher rating, while Almasi had dropped by 28 points. The result: Ni Hua took first place with 7.5/9 and a 2840 performance, while Almasi came a distant second with 6.0/9. Illustrated report.

Ivanchuk defeats Leko in Mukachevo

1/7/2009 – For a second time in a year and a half Ukraine's top GM Vassily Ivanchuk has defeated Hungary's top GM Peter Leko in the south western Ukrainian town of Mukachevo. Their six-game match ended in a 3.5:2.5 win for Ivanchuk, with five draws and a single victory in round five. It was, however, deserved, as GM Mikhail Golubev tells us in his big illustrated report.

Handicapping Rybka 3

1/7/2009 – Chess programmers have for many years been finding unique means of "handicapping" their chess engines to make them play a weaker chess game should the human user desire one. The reason for this should be obvious: not everyone enjoys getting his or her head torn off by a 2700+ Elo player on a daily basis. Learn all about Rybka's handicap playing features in the newest ChessBase Workshop.

ITMA? No it is not – it's Igor Kurnosov

1/6/2009 – Going into the final round of the 2008/9 Hastings Masters, Valery Neverov, who had won the tournament a record-equalling three times, needed a win over tournament leader Igor Kurnosov to get a new record fourth successive title. But "it wasn't that man again". The 22-year old Russian GM Kurnosov drew with the black pieces and finished as outright winner. Final report by Steve Giddins.

Vladimir Kramnik on the World Championship Cycle

1/5/2009 – With the chess world in upheaval, and the world championship cycle in doubt, FIDE President Ilyumzhinov chaired an Internet press conference with top players, on December 27th, to find out what they thought. One was missing: former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. In a surprise call on December 28th he told us why he couldn't take part (and what he would have said). Be pleasantly surprised!

Peter Svidler wins Aker Chess Challenge in Gjøvik

1/5/2009 – The first game in the final between Peter Svidler and Magnus Carlsen, a Ruy Lopez Berlin, ended in a draw after 20 moves. That gave Carlsen the chance to go for a win with the white pieces in the final game. But it was the grandmaster from St Petersburg who took first prize with a fine victory against his Norwegian opponent. Hikaru Nakamura of the US beat Kjetil Lie to take third. Final report.

Carlsen and Svidler qualify for final in Gjøvik

1/4/2009 – Magnus Carlsen beat Peter Svidler in round five, both Svidler and Hikaru Nakamura beat the luckless Lie in rounds five and six, and in the end three players tied for first. In the tiebreak round robin blitz Carlsen won both games, while Svidler beat Nakamura. On Monday at Nakamura plays Kjetil Lei for third place, and at Carlsen plays Svidler for first, at 13:00h and 14:20h. Watch it on Playchess!

Svidler leads in Aker Chess Challenge in Gjøvik

1/4/2009 – That's in Norway, where the Gjøvik Chess Club is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a semi-open Swiss with six 2600+ grandmasters and a rapid chess special with Magnus Carlsen, Peter Svidler, Hikaru Nakamura and Kjetil Lie – a double round robin on Friday to Sunday, with final matches for first and third on Monday. After four rounds Peter Svidler leads with 3.0/4. Illustrated report.

Edition two: Ivanchuk vs Leko in Mukachevo

1/4/2009 – In October 2007 Vassily Ivanchuk defeated Peter Leko in a 12-game rapid chess match. It ended in a 6:6 tie, but the Ukrainian GM won the blitz tiebreak. The revenge match, which is being staged in the western Ukraine town of Mukachevo, consists of six games, of which the first two were drawn (in 79 and 16 moves) on Saturday. Report and games.

Out with the old, in with the new

1/3/2009 – Chess players with hangovers are not a pretty sight. Chess players with New Year's Day hangovers are even less pretty. Sure giveaway signs are bloodshot eyes and excessive coffee consumption. The wisest players take a half point bye on New Year's Day. For those who didn't do that at Hastings, there were mixed fortunes. Steve Giddins presents the highs and lows.

Conference of top players in Elista

1/3/2009 – It took place on December 27th, an online conference with top grandmasters and FIDE officials, to find out what the players think of the new World Championship cycle. President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who chaired the meeting, has promised to publish full details of what was said, but trouble with the transcript of the audio files is delaying their publication. We bring you the opening introduction of the President and the full statement by Magnus Carlsen.

Edward Winter's Chess Explorations (14)

1/2/2009 – Books inscribed by Yasser Seirawan and Magnus Carlsen are the prizes which have been placed on offer in the latest Chess Explorations quiz. A few days before Christmas, six positions were given, and readers were invited simply to state which move White played in each case. Now, the Editor of Chess Notes presents the answers, discusses the positions and announces the winners.

Jones, Kurnosov, Neverov lead in Hastings

1/1/2009 – As the 84th Hastings Congress heads into 2009, the lead is shared by Gawain Jones of England, Igor Kurnosov of Russia and Valery Neverov of Ukraine. Lower down the lists, some amateur players have produced brilliant efforts, helped in at least one case by advance sight of what is surely the greatest chess book ever written. Onsite reporter Steve Giddins explains.

Topalov leads in the January 2009 FIDE ratings

12/31/2008 – The latest rating list does not count the Nanjing Super-GM, but even without it Veselin Topalov has stayed in first place, with a rating just four points shy of 2800. In second place is the World Champion Viswanathan Anand, who gained eight points from his match against Vladimir Kramnik (now eighth) to end at 2791. Vassily Ivanchuk is third, Magnus Carlsen fourth. January 2009 ratings.

84th International Chess Congress in Hastings

12/30/2008 – The annual International Chess Congress at Hastings has started at the Horntye Park leisure centre. The nine-round Masters' section features 13 GMs, 16 IMs and one WGM. The field is led by the rating favourite Emanuel Berg of Sweden, and the British challenge by David Howell. We will be reporting on the event on a two-round basis. Here for starters is the round one report by Steve Giddins.

André Diamant wins Brazilian Championship 2008

12/30/2008 – The 75th Brazilian Championship was held in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the country's southernmost state. 18-year-old IM André Diamant, a Jewish lad wearing a typical Yarmulke, outplayed his more experienced and better-ranked opponents to score 8.0/11 points and win the event in impressive style. From Brazil we bring you a big illustrated report by Igor Freiberger.

Capablanca vs Molina and Ruiz

12/29/2008 – Some sacrifices are part of a winning combination, and other sacrifices are made for long-term compensation. Both kinds are common, but how often do you see a sacrifice to stalemate the enemy army? That's what happens in our Playchess lecture, which deals with a 1914 victory in a consultation game, starring the legendary José Raúl Capablanca.

Bobby Fischer: The Wonder Match

12/29/2008 – In January this year one of the world's greatest chess geniuses, Bobby Fischer, died. He was 64 and had lived a turbulent life, fraught with trials, tribulations – and love for chess. Fischer is gone, but his memory and legend live on, even in the pages of the biggest newspapers, where he will periodically appear. As in this Magazine piece of the New York Times. We bring you excerpts.

Ivanchuk proposes a Candidates' tournament with 14 players

12/29/2008 – "I'd like to offer my opinion on the changes to the world championship system," writes Vassily Ivanchuk. The world number three ranked player goes on to suggest that the Grand Prix should not be a qualifier, and that 14 or 12 players should play a tournament, regular or knockout. This for 2010, "after which it will be possible to start planning a new cycle." Translation from ChessPro.

Elista R13: Eljanov beats Inarkiev, all other games drawn

12/28/2008 – Which means: no change in the top rankings. Teimour Radjabov, Dmitry Jakovenko and Alexander Grischuk share first place, with Radjabov leading in the Grand Prix after three events. He and Grischuk battled it out in the final round for 97 moves without a result. The other contender for sole first, Jakovenko, did not get a chance to win with black against Evgeny Alekseev. Final report.