Daniel King

Daniel King (born 1963) is a Grandmaster, has been a professional chess player for more than 20 years and has represented his country in numerous competitions, amongst others in the historic win by the English over the Soviet Union in 1990 in Reykjavik. King is the author of more than 15 chess books and has wealth of experience as a trainer, assisting many of England’s leading players. He is also well known for his broadcasting on TV, radio and the internet, commentating major chess events. To the delight of chess fans worldwide, he hosts his monthly "Powerplay" show on the world's largest chess server, Playchess.com. He contributes to ChessBase Magazine, with the popular column "Move by Move". King has also produced the highly praised PowerPlay DVD series for ChessBase. King lives in London.

Recent news

Daniel King’s Power Play Show: Frank Marshall's Octopus Knight

1/15/2021 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look at game by Frank Marshall (1877-1944), U.S. Champion from 1909 to 1936, and a legendary attacking player. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.

Daniel King’s Power Play Show: An exemplary endgame by Wei Yi

1/8/2021 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look at an exemplary endgame by Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi. A game that should be added to the long list of textbook positional performances. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.

Daniel King’s Power Play Show: A strategic masterpiece by Daniil Dubov

12/28/2020 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look at Daniil Dubov's play at the Russian Championship in December. Dubov is known for his creative tactical style but he is also able to play strategic masterpieces.

Daniel King’s Power Play Show: Deadly Nepo

12/18/2020 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look at a powerful victory by Ian Nepomniachtchi, who recently won the Russian Championship in Moscow. Daniel also sets up another mate-in-two for you to solve, this time by André Chéron, a three-time French champion who was also an endgame theorist. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Daniel King's Power Play Show: Wesley So destroys the King's Indian

12/11/2020 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look how Wesley So - successfully - plays against the King's Indian. And there will be another problem by Odette Vollenweider, the most prominent female composer of the modern era. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Champions Chess Tour | Archive

Daniel King's Power Play Show: Wesley So mangles the London System

12/4/2020 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look what Wesley So - the man of the hour - tried against the London System. And there will be a problem by Odette Vollenweider, the most prominent female composer of the modern era. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Champions Chess Tour | Archive

Daniel King's Power Play Show: Giri vs Carlsen

11/27/2020 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look at a game from the Skilling Open, in which Magnus Carlsen defeated his old rival Anish Giri in a positional masterpiece. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Champions Chess Tour | Archive

Daniel King’s Power Play Show: The tactics of Hou Yifan

11/20/2020 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look at the play of Hou Yifan, currently the world's best women player. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Hou Yifan after winning the Chess Festival Biel 2017 | Photo: Pascal Simon

Daniel King’s Power Play Show: The artistry of Judit Polgar

11/13/2020 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King takes a look at the artistry of Judit Polgar, the best women player in the history of chess. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Global Chess Festival

Daniel King’s Power Play Show: The Vera Menchik club

11/6/2020 – In this Power Play Show, GM Daniel King features Vera Menchik, the first Women’s World Champion. King analyses the game in which Menchik defeated Albert Becker, the founder of the “Vera Menchik Club” — Becker ridiculed her entry to the Carlsbad 1929 tournament by proposing that any player whom Menchik defeated in tournament play should be granted membership into the “club”. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Menchik (centre) at a simul at the Bury and West Suffolk Chess Club in 1936 | suffolkchess.org.uk

Daniel King's Power Play Show: Structural thinking

10/30/2020 – In this Power Play Show Grandmaster Daniel King presents a nice chess problem, takes a look at an endgame, and explains the pros and cons of an important structure that arises in many openings. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UTC (18:00 CET, 13:00 ET). All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.

Daniel King's Power Play Show: Attack while getting attacked

10/23/2020 – In this Power Play Show Grandmaster Daniel King looks at a nice chess problem, shows why it is indeed good advice to look for hidden resources, and shows an extraordinary game between Levon Aronian and Fabiano Caruana from the Altibox Norway Chess Tournament, where both sides conducted a kingside attack - simultaneously. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UK (18:00 CEST, 11:00 EST) on playchess.com. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Daniel King's Power Play Show: Caruana surprises Carlsen

10/16/2020 – In this Power Play Show Grandmaster Daniel King looks at the game Fabiano Caruana and Magnus Carlsen played in round 7 of the Altibox Norway Chess tournament. Caruana came up with a strong novelty in the Rossolimo Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5) that put Carlsen under pressure. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UK (18:00 CEST, 11:00 EST) on playchess.com. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Daniel King's Power Play Show: A bold and provocative king

9/25/2020 – In this Power Play Show Grandmaster Daniel King looks at a provocative, dangerous and entertaining line of the King's Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nc3!? Qh4+ 4.Ke2 which Steinitz, Keres (pictured) and King himself used to play. The march of the king looks crazy but the whole line is surprisingly powerful and dangerous. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UK (18:00 CEST, 11:00 EST) on playchess.com. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Valter Heuer (Archive)

Daniel King's Power Play Show: Strategic foresight

9/21/2020 – In this Power Play Show Grandmaster Daniel King looks at a tense strategic battle from the recent Bundesliga Championship, Michael Adams (pictured) vs Vincent Keymer, that culminated in an explosion of tactics. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UK (18:00 CEST, 11:00 EST) on playchess.com. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Ray Morris-Hill

Daniel King's Power Play Show: A brilliancy by Jan Timman

9/11/2020 – In this Power Play Show Grandmaster Daniel King looks at a brilliancy prize win from Jan Timman that he featured in his latest book 'Timman's Triumphs - My 100 Best Games'. | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UK (18:00 CEST, 11:00 EST) on playchess.com. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Frans Peeters

Power Play Show: Kalashnikov octopodes

9/4/2020 – In this Power Play Show, Grandmaster Daniel King looks at a couple of games by former junior world champion Parham Maghsoodloo. Both of the analyzed games were played in the Kalashnikov Variation of the Sicilian Defence and featured an octopus knight deep in the heart of White’s position! | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UK (18:00 CEST, 11:00 EST) on playchess.com. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer. | Photo: Amruta Mokal

Power Play Show: King’s Gambit tactics!

8/28/2020 – In this Power Play Show, Grandmaster Daniel King looks at a couple of recent online games that feature typical King's Gambit tactics — the kind that are both instructive and beautiful! | Power Play is on air most Fridays at 17:00 UK (18:00 CEST, 11:00 EST) on playchess.com. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.
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