2/11/2019 – Chefchaouen, a small city in the North-West Morocco, has its houses, doors, pavements and streets partially washed in shades of blue. It is popularly known as the ‘blue city’, or the ‘blue pearl’ of Morocco. DIANA MIHAJLOVA brings you a photo diary of the annual chess activities in this colourful town, with the 18th edition of its chess tournament scheduled for July. All photos: D.M.

1/4/2019 – Fahim Mohammad is an aspiring chess player originally from Bangladesh who immigrated to France. His life story is the subject of an upcoming film 'Fahim' starring Gerard Depardieu. DIANA MIHAJLOVA got to know the boy ten years ago in Budapest and recounts his unlikely rise to prominence in his adopted country. | Photo: Diana Mihajlova

11/30/2018 – The World Championship has naturally dominated the headlines over the past three weeks, but let us not forget that chess is played by millions of amateurs worldwide. That's the focus of a new tournament in Serbia from January 3rd-11th, 2019. DIANA MIHAJLOVA explains. | Pictured: The Amateur Chess International Tournaments are accompanied by an ever-present mascot: a stylized chess piece with a head of a panther, called "Archibald". | Photos: Tournament archive

10/13/2018 – Have you ever been in the right place at the right time? That is precisely what happened to DIANA MIHAJLOVA, who reported from the Paris Championship in the midst of a citywide bash: France had just won the FIFA World Cup! The longstanding tournament organised in the ‘City of Light’ was won by the talented youngster Jules Moussard. Let’s dive into the pictorial report filled with anecdotes, places and faces. | All photos: Diana Mihajlova

9/12/2018 – The Serbian capital, Belgrade, is recovering from 20th century conflict, and DIANA MIHAJLOVA takes us on a brief photo tour, following the chess tournament (part 1). | Pictured: Saint Sava Temple with a statue of Karadjorgje, the founder of modern Serbia. He led the First Serbian Uprising of 1804–1813 fighting for independence from the Ottoman Empire. Saint Sava and Karadjorgje (Karađorđe) epitomize the Serbian national identity. | Photos: Diana Mihajlova

9/10/2018 – Aside from celebrating the tennis victories of Novak Djokovic, Serbia is steadily reviving the country’s old chess glory, etched in chess history by the likes of Gligorić, Ljubojević, Matanović, Matulović and Ivkov, to name a few. Now, three grandmaster friends and colleagues, having shared many years of happiness and tribulations as chess professionals, are creating a platform for chess promotion in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, and further afield in the country. DIANA MIHAJLOVA takes a look in this extensive photo report. | Pictured: Among the winners, IM Umut Atakisi and WIM Sandra Djukic | Photos: Diana Mihajlova

7/5/2018 – Chess life continues in Morocco, reports DIANA MIHAJLOVA, who sends this photo report looking back at the El Ksiba Open won by Spanish GM David Larino Nieto in May, and previews the upcoming Chefchaouen Open. | Pictured: The famous Moroccan mint tea was always at hand | Photo: cosmopolitana.blog

4/13/2018 – The 2018 Karpos Open was won by IM Radoslav Dimitrov ahead of GM Sinisa Drazic on tiebreak. Both players scored 7½ / 9 points. Diana Mihajlova sends photos and a brief report from the Macedonian capital, Skopje. | Pictured: Drazic and Dimitrov

3/3/2018 – Chess has been presented in various art forms throughout the centuries. The chess surreal, mysterious quality has been embraced in the visual arts, literature, music and particularly the fashion. Our own chess queens (and sometimes kings, cavalry and soldiers), often make fashion statements with chess-themed garments and accessories. Diana Mihajlova explores the Spring-Summer collections and their chess inspiration. | Pictured: The interior stage, with chess patterns and hanging body parts, accentuated House of Dior's chosen theme: surrealism

12/17/2017 – In 2005, a Moroccan online chess magazine was created: ‘Maroc–Echecs’. It grew into a very popular chess news site in French and Arabic, and a platform where everybody could express their opinion about matters related to chess with a Moroccan focus. But its very existence imperilled the livelihood of Moroccan players who criticised their federation's management. Part one looked at some of the allegations of corruption and mismanagement. In part two we focus on the testimony of some of those, in the Moroccan chess community, who suffered the consequences. | Pictured (L to R): Mohamed Tissir, Ismael Karim, Ali Sebbar, Abdelaziz Onkoud | Photo: maroc-echecs.com

12/9/2017 – The Royal Morocco Chess Federation has been in discord since members of its governing body raised the alarm over impropriety on the part of its leadership, including the disappearance of the equivalent of $200,000 US Dollars. Diana Mihajlova reports on a host of allegations which have beset the federation's president Mustapha Amazzal. Part one of a two-part chronicle. | Photo: Members of the Moroccan team at the chess Olympiad in Baku (from right to left): Khalid Becham, FA Amina Bamous, IA Akkour Abdel Fattah, Hind Bahji, Mehdi Ait, Hmidou, Ferdaous Idrissi, Adil Choukri, Firdaouss Myar Idrissi (seated), the Moroccan Women’s Champion | Mouhcine Bennadi's Facebook page

3/29/2016 – In this second part of the profile of Wang Hao, the 26-year-old player shares his dire predictions of the future of classical chess, and his opinion of Magnus Carlsen's play. He also goes into detail on his passion for Manga, and his recommendations, as well as eclectic reading tastes from modern fantasy such as The Witcher to literary giants like Yukio Mishima.

3/28/2016 – Every prodigy has their story, how they started, what took them to chess, and more. In this profile and interview, the elite Chinese player Wang Hao is revealed to the readers, from his first steps as a youngster in a country where western chess is a distant third to Go or Chinese Chess, to his fantastic leaps as he became a grandmaster almost overnight. | Photo: Wang Hao's personal archive

12/7/2015 – There's one question every chess player has to answer: what to play in the opening position? Experienced players and grandmasters might know what to do but if you are less experienced or do not have time to study the opening you might find it difficult to find an answer. Andrew Martin helps you to take the "First Steps in Opening Play". Review...

10/13/2015 – Malcolm Pein is the organiser of the London Chess Classic but in his holidays he decided to switch sides and to play a tournament. He picked the open in Gabicce at the Italian Riviera in Gabicce - a tournament that had a lot to offer. Right after Gabicce players had a chance to play more chess at the Riviera - in Fano. Diana Mihajlova reports.

8/21/2015 – It is pleasant to have a high rating but that is no need to forget the nice sides of playing chess tournaments: traveling, taking a holiday, enjoying the sun and relaxing on the beach to be well prepared for some serious thinking. The Erice Open in Sicily offers a good opportunity to combine holidays with a chess tournament. As Diana Mihajlova can confirm.

8/5/2015 – Sometimes life makes it easy by making it clear to a person where their biggest talent lies, and sometimes it does not. Imagine being gifted with skills to compete in artistic gymnastics meets, musical talent to aspire to be an artist, or chess, and no doubt others that were never explored. Here is a portrait of the lovely multi-talented prodigy from Kazakhstan.

7/9/2015 – How do you fight social inequality as well as prejudice with chess? Meet Kevin Cripe, a chess coach who has done precisely that for the last decades in an impoverished community of the US, using chess to teach children to fight against apathy, and the evils of prejudice. Read his tale, plus the help received from Anne Frank's childhood friend, and donate to a worthy cause.