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?

Moscow: Jakovenko, Svidler, Alekseev share first

10/17/2008 – After the penultimate round Evgeny Alekseev was leading by half a point, ahead of Vitiugov and Jakovenko, and a point ahead of Peter Svidler, whom he played with white in the final round. Svidler pulled it off and won, jumping into the trio of players sharing first. The playoff will be on October 28. Final round report.

WCC R03: Anand wins with black

10/17/2008 – First blood. World Champion Vishy Anand played a daring new idea in the Slav, put pressure on his opponent, and wound down to an endgames where he had a tremendous attack in return for two pawns. Both players were down to minutes on their clocks, but made the time control, after which Vladimir Kramnik resigned. Full report with analysis and photos.

WCC R01: Draw in 32 moves

10/15/2008 – The World Championship in Bonn started with an Exchange Slav in which Challenger Vladimir Kramnik was a pawn up, but the World Champion Viswanathan Anand had plenty of counterplay and held the draw in what seemed to be a fairly effortless first game. We bring you opinions, express game analysis and extensive visual impressions of the first game.

Monokroussos on the Match

10/15/2008 – The World Championship has started, and our weekly Playchess lecture is scheduled for the night after game two. From now until the end of the match Dennis Monokroussos plans to go were the action is and do recaps of the games. If you missed them – or even if you didn't – be there and watch. Nine p.m. ET.

WCC R02: Anand plays 1.d4, game drawn after 32 fighting moves

10/15/2008 – Vishy Anand surprised his opponent Vladimir Kramnik – and the world – with the move 1.d4 in his first white game of the World Championship in Bonn. The position became complicated and Anand started pressing for a win. However in time trouble the Indian GM decided to accept his Russian opponent's draw offer. Full illustrated report with comments by Levon Aronian and Malcolm Pein.

Moscow: Svidler loses, Alekseev, Timofeev lead

10/14/2008 – After leading the event alone for eight rounds Peter Svidler lost his ninth-round game against Artyom Timofeev, who took over the lead together with Evgeny Alekseev, who beat Konstantin Maslak in the same round. Top seed Alexander Morozevich lost in round eight to Evgeny Tomashevsky but beat Alexander Riazantse in the next round to take sixth place. Games and results.

WCC R01: Golden Book, drawing of colours

10/14/2008 – Before the start of a World Championship there are certain social and technical matters to attend to. Like the entry in the Golden Book of the host city, a reception with the Lady Mayor, welcome speeches and the drawing of colours. And violin recitals. All this took place on Monday, twenty hours before the start of the first game. Photo report and video.

World Championship in Bonn – checking the playing venue

10/13/2008 – Just two more days to the start of the World Championship match between Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik. On Saturday the two players, who have taken up quarter in the former German capital, inspected the playing site and the technical facilities. After checking the lights, testing the chairs and picking the chess set they even sat down for an informal game. We have the moves.

WCC Bonn: Press conference before the event

10/13/2008 – On Sunday, just two days before the start of the World Championship, the two players attended a press conference and answered questions from journalists who had already arrived at the playing site. World Champion Vishy Anand and Challenger Vladimir Kramnik were in a relaxed mood and their responses were often in a light-hearted vein. Highlights and photographs.

The Great Burn (1848-1925)

10/11/2008 – With Amos Burn currently the subject of much interest, we look at two of his spectacular wins from Richard Forster’s volume published by McFarland: a neglected miniature, played at odds, which James Mason described as one of the most brilliant breakdowns on record, and a fine sustained attack against Ossip Bernstein. From over a century ago, enjoy some highly entertaining chess.

Moscow: All games drawn, then three white wins

10/10/2008 – After a round with four decisive games, round six produced six fighting games but all ending in draws. In round seven there were three white victories. Peter Svidler still leads the Russian Championship Super Final by half a point, ahead of Alekseev, Timofeev and Vitiugov, followed by Morozevich and Jakovenko. Draw average in this event: 57%. Report after round seven.

Nigel Short wins Commonwealth Championship 2008

10/10/2008 – This event took place in Nagpur, a 2.5 million city smack in the middle of the Indian sub-continent. There were almost three hundred players, with eleven rounds of play in nine days. Top seed Nigel Short started off badly, but then went on to win his last six games and take the title. Afterwards the Commonwealth Champion spoke to us and gave us some interesting insights.

The beauty of Daniel King's 'Power Play' DVDs

10/9/2008 – We all know the feeling of being lost in a sea of information. That is why we often need guidance from experts and that is why there is that famous "Power Play" series by GM King. "That's my kind of DVD", says Steve Goldberg in his review of vol. 6 at chesscafe.com.  Once again Daniel King has managed to limit the scope and deepen his coverage of the subject. Buy it now or read more.

Four games decided in Russian Super Final

10/9/2008 – After a round in which all six games were drawn, and then a rest day, the participants in the Russian Championship Super Final in Moscow returned to the boards in fighting spirit. Only two (fighting) draws, but four decisive games, one a black victory by the mercurial Alexander Morozevich. Peter Svidler still leads the field by half a point. Round five report.

A quick pre-match interview with Vladimir Kramnik

10/9/2008 – Next Tuesday is the day, the first move in the World Championship match between Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik will be executed in the State Art Gallery in Bonn, Germany. This week the players have arrived and taken up quarters with their teams. We took the opportunity to do a phone interview, in which the Challenger reveals some but not all of his secrets.

Edward Winter's Chess Explorations (10)

10/8/2008 – Our quiz invites readers to identify ten chess figures, and the good news for entrants is that all the pictures can be found in Chess Notes. The main prize is a copy of Richard Forster’s monumental book Amos Burn. In Bonn next week, it will be personally inscribed to the winner by both Anand and Kramnik, as well as Forster himself. An unmissable opportunity for all readers.

ChessBase 10 trees - part 2

10/8/2008 – In our last ChessBase Workshop column we had a "refresher" on the basics of viewing opening books/trees (the terms are interchangeable) in the ChessBase program. In the second Workshop we look at the new tree features to be found in ChessBase 10, and some tweaks you may find very useful. Learn more in the latest Workshop.