Putting fire into the Petroff

2/15/2007 – Many players look on the Petroff or Russian Defence with the suspicion that it is a drawish and often boring opening. Who could be better suited for countering this view than Alexei Shirov? On his Petroff DVD he reveals the depths of this opening in no less than five hours of entertaining, instructive lessons. Buy it now or read more.

How Short defused the Advance Variation

2/14/2007 – Of the Caro-Kann, that is, which was considered an attacking system. But in the early 1990s British GM and 1993 World Championship finalist Nigel Short devised a system that starts off quietly. The fireworks come later, with quiet moves following unexpected violent ones. Let our Playchess lecturer Dennis Monokroussos show you the key game.

The Cables of Elista

2/14/2007 – Some time ago pictures surfaced, purporting to show computer cables hidden in the ceiling of a toilet used by Vladimir Kramnik during the world championship match in Elista last October. They were, we were told, reported to the authorities, who were keen to hush things up. In fact the Topalov team was put under considerable pressure (Silvio Danailov: "I was in fear for my life"). Pictures and story.

The Cables of Elista

2/14/2007 – Some time ago pictures surfaced, purporting to show cables in the ceiling of a toilet used by Kramnik during the WCh match in Elista. They were, we were told, reported to the authorities, who were keen to hush things up. In fact the Topalov team was put under considerable pressure (Silvio Danailov: "I was in fear for my life"). Pictures and story.

Edward Winter presents: Unsolved Chess Mysteries

2/14/2007 – Since Chess Notes began, over 25 years ago, hundreds of mysteries and puzzles have been discussed, with many of them being settled satisfactorily, often thanks to readers. Some matters, though, have remained stubbornly unsolvable – at least so far – and a selection of these is presented here. Readers are invited to join in the hunt for clues.

Andrew Martin – The Chess Clinic

2/13/2007 – Next week our Radio ChessBase Show on Playchess.com will pause while showmaster IM Andrew Martin travels to the United States to open a "Chess Clinic". This Wednesday he shows us that Black is more than OK, if our featured games are anything to go by. See you on the server.

The truly universal simultaneous master

2/12/2007 – Got a minute to spare? Here's a tiny but highly enjoyable video clip of a simultaneous master with a difference. Actually there have been players who could give simuls in different games, even blindfold, for instance Harry Nelson Pillsbury, who could play chess, checkers and whist at the same time. But this master takes it to a new level.

Dreev triumphs at Parsvnath International Open

2/11/2007 – Players came in heavy woolen clothing, braving "freezing temperatures" that went down to +10° Celsius. In the end it was seasoned Russian GM Alexey Dreev who took clean first in a field that included 345 players including 13 grandmasters. We bring you results, as many games as could be scratched up, and lots of pictures in this illustrated report.

ACP Survey: What do you think about draws?

2/11/2007 – Short, unfought draws are the bane of chess fans. That at least is the public perception. The Association of Chess Professionals (ACP), which has 227 members, has launched a questionnaire to find a remedy.

Kommersant: new cheating accusations against Topalov

2/11/2007 – It just won't go away. On Friday the Russian newspaper Kommersant published a lead story on what it claims is new evidence for assistance given to the world's top-rated player Veselin Topalov during his games. A three-minute video by a Dutch fan is presented as evidence. The ACP and FIDE have vowed to investigate. Report and video footage.

Morokhovsky: 'We will surprise the world of chess'

2/10/2007 – Vadim Morokhovsky is the Chairman of a large Ukrainian bank. He is also the man of the recent ACP World Rapid Cup in Odessa. And possibly one of the hottest chess sponsors around. Looking into the future Morokhovsky will be supporting the professional player's organisation ACP, big time. Interview with Misha Savinov.

The King's Indian reloaded

2/9/2007 – When Kasparov dropped the King's Indian nearly ten years ago it became a rare guest on the top level. Now, at last with Radjabov's spectacular score in Wijk the situation has changed. On his new DVD ex-FIDE world champion Kasimdhzanov gives you many good reasons why to return to the King's Indian. Buy it now or read more.

Yuri Averbakh turns 85

2/8/2007 – He is one of the great chess legends. Born in 1922 of Russian-Jewish extraction, Averbakh became a top-ten player in the world, achieving positive scores against the likes of Petrosian and Polugaevsky. He was the president of the Soviet Chess Federation, editor of major chess periodicals and author of major endgame books. Health and happiness, Juri Lvovich!

Antalya – an Invitation to Chess

2/8/2007 – Turkey is fast becoming a hotbed of chess. From January 28 to February 3rd the Turkish Youth Championship with 1300 participants was held in Antalya, the same time and place the FIDE Presidential Board met. It all took place in a beautiful hotel resort on the Mediterranean coast. We bring you part one of our illustrated report.

DVD instruction

2/8/2007 – ChessBase has been developing and releasing video-based training DVDs like a house a-fire in the past few months. In this week's ChessBase Workshop we preview seven of these disks by Alexi Shirov, Jacob Aagaard, Andrew Martin, and more. Workshop...

Andrew Martin – The Inside Guide to Chess Cheating

2/7/2007 – It seems that the modern tournament player cannot get by without having at least a working knowledge of the ways one can extract the maximum out of a chess game. In this week's Radio ChessBase Show on Playchess.com Andrew Martin covers the basics of cheating. Miss it at your own cost.

Illya Nyzhnyk wins Group B in Moscow Open

2/7/2007 – Group A was won by Grandmasters Evgeniy Najer and Vasily Yemelin with 7.5/9 points and 2803/2767 performances. Group B was won alone by Illya Nyzhnyk of Ukraine, rated 2217, with 8.5/9 points and a 2633 performance. Why is this second item infinitely more interesting than the first? Well, Illya is a teddybear-toting ten-year-old. Results and video.

Jobava challenges computer analysis

2/7/2007 – If you start with the e-pawn and are tired of the Caro-Kann you will in the inspired game our Playchess lecturer Dennis Monokroussos analyzes this week. In it Baadur Jobava, facing Super-GM Evgeny Bareev in the 2003 European Club Cup, played an idea that computers will never find. Take heart.

Photos from Vladimir Kramnik's wedding

2/6/2007 – On December 31, 2006, world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik and French journalist Marie-Laure Germon wed in a civil ceremony. On Sunday, February 4th, the religious rites were conducted in the Orthodox Church of St-Alexandre-Nevsky in Paris. It was a private ceremony with family and good friends. No journalists. But we have pictures.

Chess in the City

2/5/2007 – What do taxi drivers in New York do at night? Forget Travis "You talkin' to me?" Bickel stalking a senator or defending the 12-year-old Iris. Today's cabbies go for mind games and intellectual battles. Like Jimmy, Thomas and Big Simal, who slug it out at three-minute chess in Dunkin' Donuts. David Pambianchi watched.

Magnus Carlsen wins blindfold chess event

2/5/2007 – Four strong players in a round robin tournament on the beautiful Danish island of Funen. The twist: they played without view of the board, entering and receiving their moves on a computer that only showed an empty chessboard. The winner was the top seed, 16-year-old Magnus Carlsen from Norway. Illustrated report.

Five ChessBase disks

2/5/2007 – Potential purchasers of ChessBase products are always curious about what lies "beneath the shrink wrap"; what will they actually find on the disk inside the package. In the latest Workshop we demystify another batch of ChessBase CDs, including Junior10, Correspondence 2006, ABCs of Tactics, White Repertoire 1.e4, and Test, Evaluate, and Improve Your Chess. Workshop...

Akopian wins GibTel Masters in Gibraltar

2/4/2007 – The Fifth GibTelecom Chess Festival took place in Gibraltar from January 23rd to February 1st 2007. The Masters Section was a nine-round Swiss and was won with 7½/9 by Vladimir Akopian of Armenia, ahead of Areshchenko, Nakamura and Sutovsky. Report.

Campomanes hospitalized after car accident

2/3/2007 – The long-time president (1982-1995) and current honorary president of FIDE, Florencio Campomanes, was badly injured in a car accident on his way to the airport after the FIDE Presidential Board meeting in Antalya, Turkey. After a 7½ hour operation Campomanes was said to be in stable condition. Details.