5/23/2021 – Today, on 23 May, Anatoly Karpov turns 70! The 12th World Champion is still very active and on 31 May 2021, he will give a simul at the Karpov Children’s Cup, an event supported by FIDE. Which made Alexey Root remember a remarkable Karpov simul in Austin, Texas, back in 1994. | Photo: V. Savostianov, Novosti Press (via D. Griffin)

4/18/2021 – Comparing the average ratings of the U.S. Championships and U.S. Women’s Championships from 1972–2000 shows a 300+ point difference between the former and the latter, as detailed in part one of this two-part series. In this part two, Ashley Yan and Alexey Root offer a possible explanation for this gender-based ratings gap.

4/10/2021 – In this article, part one of a two-part series, Ashley Yan and Alexey Root compare average ratings in the U.S. Championships and the U.S. Women’s Championships held between 1972 and 2000. The United States Chess Federation’s 20th-century ratings and the gender distribution of its membership is also discussed. | Photo: Chess Life Magazine, November 1984 (from the Chess Life and Chess Review Archives)

4/2/2021 – Australia’s Gold Coast metropolitan region is known for sandy beaches and surfing. And a simul. International Master Alex Wohl took on 20 chess players in an outdoor simultaneous exhibition. Woman International Master Alexey Root and Wohl report on chess activity at the Gold Coast’s Burleigh Market. | Photo: Kgbo [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

3/20/2021 – High school student Ashley Yan started a chess nonprofit organization, The Piece Project, where she and her friends teach free chess lessons to children through Zoom. Anyone can get involved, as a student, instructor, or partner. Woman International Master Alexey Root interviews Yan. | Pictured: Ashley Yan

2/18/2021 – The history of the U.S. Women's Chess Championship contains a wealth of information about chess in America and countless fascinating stories about champions from all walks of life. Alexey Root, who is currently writing a book about the history of the U.S. Women's Championship, takes a look at some recent research about women's chess in the U.S. | Photo: Reigning and eight-time U.S. Women's Champion Irina Krush winning the title 2015 | Photo: Lennart Ootes

1/10/2021 – Grandmaster Kirill Alekseenko is the youngest participant in the 2020 Candidates Tournament. National Master Mike Walder prepares a dish that Alekseenko might like and annotates one of Alekseenko’s draws from the Candidates. WIM Alexey Root tells why Kirill Alekseenko is a Grandmaster Chef honoree. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / FIDE

1/1/2021 – When Damion Coppedge was in prison for manslaughter, he played chess, wrote poetry, and practiced Buddhism. From prison, he sent $25 to Ugandan chess player Phiona Mutesi, which enabled her coach to open Mutesi’s first bank account. Free since 2019, Coppedge creates videos about chess, the game that he loves.

12/17/2020 – Wang Hao is ranked second in China, behind Ding Liren. In round 1 of the 2020 Candidates Tournament, Hao defeated Liren, a game that National Master Mike Walder annotates. Walder also creates a recipe for a dish that Hao might like. WIM Alexey Root tells why Wang Hao is a Grandmaster Chef honoree. | Photo: Maria Emelianova / FIDE

12/14/2020 – In the 1993 film “Searching for Bobby Fischer”, disruptive parents are locked out of the playing hall. After the lockout, their children play chess games following fair play guidelines. When children play online, however, maybe parents should be looking over their shoulders. National Master Jeff Ashton and WIM Alexey Root tell why.

12/9/2020 – St. Augustine, Florida, is America’s oldest continuously inhabited, European-established city. At its center is a pavilion, now called the Plaza de la Constitución but historically known as the slave market. Estelle Thibodeau reintroduced chess to that plaza and to a pizzeria, as told to Woman International Master Alexey Root. | Pictured: Estelle Thibodeau | Photo: Jennifer Jordan

12/1/2020 – December 1st is the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere, bringing daytime temperatures in the low 80s (Fahrenheit) to Canberra, the capital city of Australia. FIDE Master and International Arbiter Shaun Press provides photos and a history of outdoor chess in Canberra, with additional text by WIM Alexey Root.

11/29/2020 – Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi is Russia’s number one player and the fourth highest-rated player in the world. National Master Mike Walder prepares a recipe inspired by an Instagram post and annotates Giri-Nepomniachtchi from the 2020 Candidates, a tournament where Nepomniachtchi is currently one of the co-leaders. WIM Alexey Root tells why Ian Nepomniachtchi is a Grandmaster Chef honoree, using four-letter words as headers. | Photo: Alina l’Ami

11/24/2020 – In Montevideo, Uruguay, chess is part of the city’s cultural heritage. 18 de Julio Avenue, the city’s most significant street, was the site of its most famous outdoor chess game. Gonzalo Muniz, a FIDE-rated chess player from Uruguay, and WIM Alexey Root tell about chess in Uruguay’s capital. | Photo: Gonzalo Taborda

11/18/2020 – This article is the first in a series about outdoor chess. After a brief discussion of its advantages and disadvantages, a blitz tournament in an Algerian forest is described. Photos and the tournament report are by International Arbiter Nasreddine Announ; additional text by WIM Alexey Root. | Pictured: Achour Anis, winner of the outdoor tournament at the Sidi Slimane forest

11/14/2020 – China’s top-ranked player, and number 3 in the world, Grandmaster Ding Liren has twice been a Candidate, first in 2018 and again in 2020. National Master Mike Walder annotates Liren-Caruana from the 2020 Candidates Tournament and presents a recipe for a dish that Liren might enjoy. WIM Alexey Root tells why Liren is a Grandmaster Chef honoree. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Altibox Norway Chess

10/31/2020 – To honor Grandmaster Alexander Grischuk on his 37th birthday, October 31, National Master Mike Walder shares a recipe for a dish that Grischuk might enjoy. Walder also annotates one of Grischuk’s favorite wins, over Grandmaster Vugar Gashimov. WIM Alexey Root tells why Grischuk is a Grandmaster Chef honoree. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

10/21/2020 – Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, often referred to by his initials MVL, is the top-ranked chess player in France. To show appreciation for MVL on his 30th birthday, National Master Mike Walder presents a recipe for a dish MVL likes and annotates one of MVL’s wins from the 2020 Candidates Tournament. WIM Alexey Root tells why MVL is a Grandmaster Chef honoree. | Pictured: MVL and fans at the 2019 GCT Finals in London | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour