CEZ Trophy: Ivanchuk clinches it 5.5-2.5

5/31/2009 – He had at least joint victory after the third day. Ukraine's top GM Vassily Ivanchuk won the first game on day four, with the black pieces in just 28 moves. The second game lasted 56 moves and ended in a draw for the final 5.5-2.5 victory. Ivanchuk's performance was close to 2800, Navara played about 50 points below his nominal rating (for tournament chess). Illustrated report.

Tiger Lilov’s Chess Show: the Power of Initiative

5/30/2009 – Bulgarian chess trainer 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 interesting themes based on games taken from recent super-tournaments. This time he will focus on the initiative, with live audio commentary. Take a look, it’s free!

CEZ Trophy: Ivanchuk strikes again, leads 3:1

5/29/2009 – When did we see something like this before: the Prime Minister of a country attends a chess match and stays to listen to GM commentary? Day two of the rapid match in Prague brought a similar result to day one: David Navara was not able to win his white game and lost with black against Vassily Ivanchuk, who has been playing top events non-stop for months. Big pictorial report.

Trailers: Bobby Fischer Live, Me & Bobby Fischer

5/28/2009 – Two films on the legendary World Champion are out or due for early release. One is a biographical recreation of Fischer's life, the other is dedicated to his friendship with an Icelandic carpenter and policeman. Both are likely to test the nerves of chess fans to their limit. Find out if you will be able to take it by watching the trailers – and an unrelated but equally unsettling video: Fischer on women.

Gelfand, Nakamura and the 6.Bg5 abyss

5/27/2009 – In this week's Playchess lecture Dennis Monokroussos shows us a game between two winners: Hikaru Nakamura, who recently won the US Championship, and Boris Gelfand, who took the ACP World Rapid. They play one of the most complicated and theory-intensive variations in all of chess, a Najdorf with 6.Bg5. Be there to watch at 9 p.m. ET.

Mejnun Vahidov: 27.07.1946 – 30.04.2009

5/27/2009 – He had a degree in technical sciences, taught at the State Oil Academy, wrote books on chess composition – and literary works, scenarios, short humoristic stories and a popular TV comedy show. He published over 200 chess composition, mastering themes like the Azerbaijanian and Bakunian Novotnys. Mejnun Vahidov was killed in a terror attack a month ago. Eulogy by Ilham Aliev.

CEZ Trophy: Ivanchuk goes into the lead

5/27/2009 – An eight-game rapid match between the best Czech grandmaster David Navara and the top Ukrainian Vassily Ivanchuk is taking place from May 27th to 31st 2009 at the Best Western Kampa Hotel in Prague. The first game was drawn, in the second Ivanchuk scored to take the lead. You can watch the games live on the official site, on Playchess.com or our Flash broadcast. Day one report.

Stuart Conquest wins Capo d'Orso Open

5/26/2009 – The Porto Mannu bay, under the shadow of the Homeric Capo d’Orso (Bear Cape) near Palau, is one of the most beautiful locations in Sardinia. The open tournament with 178 players from 21 nations was held in the holiday residence "Porto Mannu", which for two weeks was turned into a "chess village". Pictures by Bettina Trabert and Sergei Tiviakov in this big illustrated report.

Peter Leko: 'I'm not the kind who takes unnecessary risks...'

5/26/2009 – "I believe much more in the logic of our game, rather than gambling on your opponent's nerves." The top Hungarian player, who will take part in an eight-game rapid chess match against World Champion Vishy Anand next week, and then play in the Super-GM in Dortmund a month later, speaks about his career, his goals and the great love of his life. Interview.

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.