FIDE Grand Prix: Marie Sebag in the lead

10/8/2009 – After the comet-like start of Georgian GM Nana Dzagnidze a new star has risen in the Nanjing Women's Grand Prix. With a win over former Women's World Champion Zhu Chen it is now French GM Marie Sebag who is in the sole lead. She is followed by Dzagnidze and Chinese GM Xu Yuhua. Pictorial report with commentary by FM Geoffrey Borg.

CNN: Kasparov on chess and politics

10/7/2009 – When he is not watching his charge, chess prodigy Magnus Carlsen, on Playchess, Garry Kasparov is talking to the media giants. CNN's Becky Anderson discussed chess, computers and Russian politics with him. "I started from a totally lost position," says Kasparov on the last subject, "but the Russian opposition still exists." Four and a half minute interview.

The passed pawn on the seventh rank

10/6/2009 – Whenever an opposing passed pawn reaches the seventh rank, the highest level of alarm is appropriate. But if it is possible to neutralise all possible dangers, such a passed pawn can even turn out to be a decisive weakness. In the fourth round of the Pearl Spring Tournament in Nanjing precisely this subject was up for discussion in the game between Jakovenko and Carlsen. (Diagram, White to move). Thanks to some inaccuracies on the part of his opponent, Magnus Carlsen was able to gather in both the opposing passed pawn and the full point. GM Karsten Müller has analysed the endgame Jakovenko-Carlsen for CBM Online.

FIDE Grand Prix: Shen Yang beats Dzagnidze, Marie Sebag catches up

10/6/2009 – GM Nana Dzagnidze was dragged back down to earth, by local player WGM Shen Yang, who beat her with the black pieces. That brought the Georgian's performance down to 2576. Meanwhile French GM Marie Sebag beat Betul Yildiz, also with the black pieces, to catch Dzagnidze at the top of the table. Two Chinese GMs follow half a point behind. Big illustrated report and commentary.

Nanjing: Carlsen, Topalov, Jakovenko win

10/6/2009 – Both had dodgy positions out of the opening, both showed great fighting spirit and worked their way back into the game, ultimately to take the full point. Veselin Topalov beat Peter Leko with the black pieces, and Magnus Carlsen won his fifth game in this event, against Wang Yue. Jakovenko beat Radjabov in 72 moves. Round eight report with commentary by IM Oliver Reeh.

FIDE Grand Prix: Dzagnidze restarts with win over Xu Yuhua

10/5/2009 – She won the first four games, then lost game five. After a splendid rest day, consisting of a visit to the visited the Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace and a ride along the river canals of Nanjing, GM Nana Dzagnidze took up her winning ways with a victory over former Women's World Champion Xu Yuhua. She leads by a full point, ahead of Marie Sebag. Pictorial report with commentary.

Nanjing: All games drawn, Carlsen leads by two points

10/5/2009 – The most anticipated game of the day was Veselin Topalov vs Magnus Carlsen. The ensuing Sveshnikov saw a well-prepared Carlsen hold the world's number one ranked player to a relatively effortless draw in just over an hour. Wang Yue-Jakovenko was an interesting Gruenfeld that was drawn in 42 moves. Radjabov-Leko was a less interesting 34-move draw. Illustrated report.

FIDE Grand Prix: Dzagnidze stopped by Marie Sebag

10/4/2009 – French GM Marie Sebag stopped the winning streak of GM Nana Dzagnidze with a fine black win. As expected, in the last round before a free day the players came out fighting, and again there were four wins and two draws. This brings the total results so far to 19 wins out of 30 games and 11 draws, a 63% wins ratio which is extraordinary. Big report with pictures and annotated games.

Nanjing: Carlsen draws, Topalov beats Jakovenko

10/4/2009 – Dmitry Jakovenko had the world's rating leader Veselin Topalov struggling in a very dangerous position. But then the Russian GM started to lose the thread, and on move 25 blundered badly and actually lost the game in just four more moves. Peter Leko pressured Magnus Carlsen's Gruenfeld, but the Norwegian sacrificed an exchange and held the game. Round six report.

Play it like Bologan

10/4/2009 – Are you a Caro-Kann player or toying with the idea of building it into your repertoire? Then you should not miss this 2688 ELO rated GM revealing his own Caro-Kann repertoire. In over four hours of video lessons Viktor Bologan explains the lines in easy to grasp terms that makes the DVD extremely valuable for players of every level. Buy his Caro-Kann DVD now or read this review with sampler.

Nanjing: Carlsen wins again, leads with 4.5/5 points

10/3/2009 – Words fail us: Magnus Carlsen has won again, beating Teimour Radjabov in a ferocious 25-move slugout. At halftime at the Pearl Spring tournament the Norwegian leads by two full points and displays an Elo performance of 3143. The other games were drawn. We have an interesting historical assessment of Carlsen's performance by chess statistician Jeff Sonas in our illustrated report.

FIDE Grand Prix: Dzagnidze leads with 4.0/4 and 3191 performance

10/2/2009 – Magnus Carlsen is not the only stratospheric player in Nanjing. In the Women's Grand Prix GM Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia, rated 2535, is blazing a trail through her opponents. With four wins in her first four games she has displayed a 3191 performance. Former Women's World Champion GM Xu Yuhua remains half a point behind. Big report with portrait pictures and annotated games.

No financial guarantees for Anand-Topalov World Championship

10/2/2009 – Bids for the World Championship match between Vishy Anand and Veselin Topalov, planned for April next year, were opened on October 1st. FIDE informs us that three bids were submitted, from Bulgaria, Singapore and Turkey. They should have been accompanied by financial guarantees, but none was provided. FIDE has extended the procedure until October 15th. Press release.

Two unprotected pieces...

10/2/2009 – ... in his own camp White had allowed by playing 33.Nxc4 (diagram position), intending to parry the double attack on Nc4/Rf7 after 33...Qd1+ and ...Qd5 with 34.Ne5. How would you assess the situation?
A) Black still wins material; 
B) White has the advantage; 
C) the position is balanced.

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

Nanjing: Carlsen strikes again, third win in four games

10/1/2009 – The rampage continues: in round four of Pearl Spring 18-year-old Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen showed grit and determination to win his third game, against Russian GM Dmitry Jakovenko, with the black pieces. Magnus now has a performance of over 3100. Radjabov had Topalov on the ropes, but could not score a first victory. Wang Yue-Leko was a draw in 29 moves. Illustrated report.

Nanjing: Dzagnidze leads FIDE Women Grand Prix

9/30/2009 – Third round and things are heating up. Whilst in the men's tournament Magnus Carlsen narrowly failed to win, in the FIDE Women's Grand Prix GM Nana Dzagnidze was the sole player to remain on 100% with 3/3. She is followed by former Women's World Champion GM Xu Yuhua and the untitled Ju Wenjun, both from China. Report with gorgeous pictures and annotated games.

Wednesday night: The Battle of the Great 'K's

9/30/2009 – Bulgarian FIDE master Valeri Lilov, rated 2411, starts a weekly show on Playchess. On Wednesday at 20:00h CEST (7 p.m. London, 2 p.m. NY), he will be discussing the most interesting games from the great players. This time he will focus on the most interesting duel in the history – the matches between Kasparov and Karpov. Take a look, it's free.

Alexander Morozevich: most imaginative player of our time

9/30/2009 – Not only can the Russian GM, who has been enthralling chess fans for over a decade now, defeat anyone – he can do it playing practically anything: the Chigorin, the Albin, 3...Be7 in the French, the King's Gambit, the Evans Gambit... In his Wednesday night Playchess lecture Dennis Monokroussos shows us a game in which Vladimir Kramnik fell victim to "Moro's" brutal attacking play.

Nanjing: Dzagnidze leads FIDE Women Grand Prix

9/30/2009 – The gloves came off in the second round of the women's event that is taking place parallel to the Pearl Spring tournament. After three wins in the first round we saw four decisive games in the second. Even the draws went the full length and all possibilities were exhausted before they were accepted by the Chief Arbiter Ignatius Leong. Report by FM Geoffrey Borg.

Henrik Carlsen on the Nanjing Tournament

9/30/2009 – It took them 22 hours to get there – door to door. But after a quick acclimatizing the two, father and son, have settled down in the splendid hotel and are thinking chess, table tennis and Chinese food. Magnus won his first two games in the Pearl Spring Tournament, with his father Henrik watches, as usual, anxiously from the sidelines. Here's a first installment of his Nanjing blog.

Nanjing: Wang Yue stops Carlsen rampage

9/30/2009 – For a long time in round three it looked like Magnus Carlsen was going to pick up his third victory. The Norwegian had an extra pawn and great attacking opportunities. But he had used too much time and on his last move before the time control spoilt it to a draw. Peter Leko struggled with black against Veselin Topalov, but held; while Radjabov-Jakovenko was a less exciting draw. Illustrated report.

Kasparov: 'Something is dead wrong in chess'

9/30/2009 – The recent match between Kasparov and Karpov in Valencia, Spain, was a tremendous success. That is tragic, says Garry Kasparov – when two old guys, one retired, the other no longer a real force in the game, still are the greatest show in the world of chess. In his interview with GM Robert Fontaine for the French magazine Europe-Echecs Kasparov vents his feelings on this and other subjects. Part two.

A match decided in an endgame

9/30/2009 – In the Short-Efimenko match, which finished last Saturday in 
Mukachevo, the young Ukrainian player went straight into the lead in round one, but saw Short catch up immediately in the next round. The match was finally decided in round five - in a rook ending, in which the experienced English player demonstrated his faultless technique to secure the win. In the position in the diagram Short (White) was on the move and held on to his advantage with an accurate manoeuvre. Can you work out his 38th move? Our ChessBase Magazine endgame expert GM Karsten Müller has analysed the decisive phase of this game.

Nanjing: Opening ceremony, Women's Grand Prix

9/29/2009 – The Second Nanjing Pearl Spring Chess Tournament started off with a traditionally colourful pageant, with Chinese mimes, dancers, singers and acrobats – a visual feast. On Monday, in addition to the Men's Tournament the Nanjing Fide Women Grand Prix got under way, a category eight tournament with an Elo average of 2447. Here's a giant pictorial report with analysis of all games.