Peter Svidler wins Russian Championship– for the fifth time

10/29/2008 – During the main tournament the St Petersburger GM was trailing by half a point, but got into the playoffs by winning his last-round game. In the playoffs it was the same story: he trailed Dmitry Jakovenko by half a point but defeated him in the last game to take the title. Svidler has won the Soviet or Russian Championships five time, the first time when he was eighteen. Congratulations Pjotr!

Anand vs Kramnik – psychological and preparation aspects

10/29/2008 – Last week our Playchess lecture by Dennis Monokroussos saw Anand riding high on a two-point lead. He won game six and pressed in game sevedn. But then the tables started turning. In this week's lecture Dennis looks at the critical moments of game ten, which Kramnik won. See you in the Broadcast room.

WCC R11: Fighting draw, Anand wins World Championship by 6.5:4.5

10/29/2008 – It was a game of almost unbearable tension. Anand switched to 1.e4, Vladimir Kramnik went for do-or-die complications, Anand obliged, and for a couple of hours nobody knew what would happen. In the end, Vishy Anand prevailed, got a slightly better position and Vladimir Kramnik offered a draw. Anand remains World Champion. First report with comments by Garry Kasparov and Malcolm Pein.

World Championship Bonn – a resounding success

10/29/2008 – The organisers of the World Chess Championship 2008 have provided some statistics on the event: 86% of the 3,780 tickets available for the spectators were sold, 427 journalists from 28 countries were present, 1,271,000 Internet visitors were served, while an estimated 20 to 30 million visitors followed the games live. Impressive numbers to be found in this UEP press release.

Karpov and Ivanchuk in the semi-finals of Cap d'Agde

10/29/2008 – The French Mediterranean seaside resort is hosting its eighth annual rapid chess tournament, with 16 well-known international players who played in two preliminary groups. After that eight qualifiers proceeded to the quarter-final knockout section, where 12th World Champion Anatoly Karpov, 57, was given a hard time by a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl. You can watch it on Playchess.

WCC Bonn: Analysis of game ten

10/28/2008 – "An astonishing game," says Malcolm Pein. "Kramnik got his kind of position with a tiny edge and a clear plan. He appears to do very little, but he does it very well." Later Kramnik admitted: "I didn't have to do anything, and the position was winning". It brought him his first win over Anand in this World Championship match. Commentary by IM Malcolm Pein and Lakhdar Mazouz.

WCC Bonn: Analysis of game nine

10/27/2008 – It was a critical moment in the World Championship match between Anand and Kramnik. The Challenger was three points behind, with four games to go, and desperately needed to initiate a last-minute comeback with a win. And he came very close to making it, with the black pieces. Watch the drama unfold and the game turn to virtually end the match. Commentary by IM Malcolm Pein.

WCC R10: Kramnik draws blood, score now 6:4

10/27/2008 – The tenth game of the World Championship in Bonn ended with a first victory for the challenger Vladimir Kramnik. World Champion Vishy Anand mishandled a surprise Nimzo, found his pieces uncoordinated and himself in time pressure. He resigned the game on move 29. A miracle comeback for Kramnik? He needs to win both the final games. Big pictorial report.

The Rybka 3 book – looking for something new?

10/26/2008 – The chess program Rybka, which easily tops all computer rating lists, owes part of its success to the use of one of the finest openings books available today. It is not just great for Rybka's playing strength but is also a secret source of inspiration for tournament players of all categories. We bring you ten more examples of the kind of ideas you can find in this treasure trove of an openings book.

Times of India: Will Viswanathan Anand win it in style?

10/26/2008 – For the first time in this 12-game tussle, Anand and Kramnik have played two successive draws. What will happen in game nine? Is Anand thinking of clinching the title by winning a game, or by playing cautiously for two draws in the final four games? "Go for a win, Vishy!" says Amit Karmarkar of the Times of India. In his article Amit has compiled some interesting facts and statistics.

WCC R09: Narrow escape for Anand, score now 6:3

10/26/2008 – With four games left and three points down Vladimir Kramnik came out to the ninth game fighting. And the Russian ex World Champion got a very promising position. "At one stage I thought I was lost," confessed Vishy Anand. But his defence held and after 45 moves a distraught Kramnik offered a draw. Anand now needs just one draw to keep his title. Big pictorial report.

WCC R07: Draw in 37, Anand leads by 5:2

10/24/2008 – Playing with the white pieces (at half-time they switch colours) Vishy Anand played 1.d4 for the fourth time in this match, got a Slav and a clear advantage, but agreed to a draw when a pawn up, since Vladimir Kramnik had set up a fortress that the white king could not penetrate. Anand leads by three points and requires 1.5 points for victory. Illustrated report with game commentary.

Ural Sverdlovskaya wins European Club Cup

10/24/2008 – The level of participation was a new record for the ECC history: 64 teams in the men’s and 18 in the women's section, for a total number of 600 participants. The winners fielded Radjabov Shirov, Kamsky and Grischuk, the runners up OSG Baden-Baden had Svidler, Bacrot, Nisipeanu and Naiditsch. The women's section was won by the Cercle d’Echecs Monte Carlo. Giant pictorial report.

WCC R08: Draw in 39, Anand one point from victory

10/24/2008 – For the first time in this match, Kramnik said, he had a tangible advantage. Not enough, though, for a much-needed win. "The game will be a draw," said his friend GM Evgeny Bareev in the press room. How did he know? By the colour of Anand's sweater. Anand now has 5.5 points and needs just one more from the remaining four games to retain his title. Pictorial report with analysis.

WCC R06: Analysis of game six, Vaile in Bonn

10/23/2008 – Did you miss the commentary of game six by IM Malcolm Pein? He was on his way back from Bonn to London and could only send us the notes today. Together with them we bring you a pictorial report of some of the many interesting personalities we keep running into at the World Championship, including a wealthy grandmaster, an actor-singer and a quantum physicist. Enjoy.

ChessBase 10's Reference tab - part 1

10/23/2008 – Our ChessBase Workshop look at ChessBase 10 continues with a new column which begins a series on the improved Reference tab functions. In this column, the preparatory steps of selecting a default opening book and reference database are discussed; find out more in the new ChessBase Workshop.

Viswanathan Anand: how does he do it?

10/22/2008 – Our weekly Playchess lecture again looks at the World Championship in Bonn, where Vishy Anand is riding at the highest point of his professional chess career. What is he doing right? Learn all about the key games, as well as the pronounciation of the word "loci" from Dennis Monokroussos. Nine p.m. ET.

WCC R06: Anand wins again, score now 4.5:1.5

10/21/2008 – "This is a major tragedy in the making," said one of the official commentators, Dr. Helmut Pfleger, to the audience. After yesterday's loss with the white pieces Vladimir Kramnik was confronted again with a new idea by Anand. In spite of imaginative defence he found himself in an endgame where Anand could successfully press for victory. Illustrated report with Aronian's take.

WCC R05: Anand wins with black in 35 moves

10/20/2008 – "Anand the Brave!" writes Levon Aronian in his assessment of game five of the World Championship. "Not many people would repeat the same risky line against Kramnik, but he did just that." Another sharp game ensued, and Anand gained the advantage. Kramnik faltered in a tough position and the World Champion had won a second valuable point. Full report with pictures and commentary.

The Black and White Board in Art

10/19/2008 – The debate about what chess is, has been going on for as long as the game has existed. No matter what you personally decide that chess is for you – a sport, a passion, a science, a waste of time with sleepless nights or a magnificent pastime of unfathomable complexity – one cannot deny that it has been an inspiration for countless works of art. Part one of an essay by Kiril Penušliski.

WCC Bonn: Aronian's take and impressions

10/19/2008 – Sunday, a free day at the World Championship in Bonn, Germany – and our chess expert, Levon Aronian, was stuck without Internet access at the European Club Cup in Kallithea, Greece. Today, in an heroic effort, he managed to send us his assessments of games three and four as SMS messages. We bring you the Super GM's take on the game, Europe Echecs videos and new pictures from Bonn.

WCC R04: Draw in 29 moves

10/18/2008 – Vladimir Kramnik solved all opening problems posed by Anand in this Queen's Gambit Declined, and then, with his position basically safe, undertook some tentative attacking attempts. But Anand's position was also secure and so the players agreed that there was nothing left in the position to play for. The draw came after 29 moves. Full report with pictures and video.

Edward Winter’s Chess Explorations (10)

10/18/2008 – Our picture quiz proved extremely popular around the world, and the Editor of Chess Notes now gives the answers and, on the basis of a draw performed in Bonn by Yasser Seirawan, announces the winners. Most of the entries were of a very high standard, but whose name is being inscribed by Anand, Kramnik and Forster in Amos Burn A Chess Biography? Find out now.

The Rybka Book – a treasure trove for tournament players

10/18/2008 – The chess program Rybka, which just won the Computer Chess World Championship, is the strongest in the world. Part of its success comes from using one of the finest openings books available. This is great for Rybka's playing strength, but it is also a secret source of inspiration for tournament players of all categories. A treasure trove. Can you afford to ignore it?