1/9/2021 – The chess boom in the US, despite the halt of the pandemic, has kept surging thanks to several benefactors in different locations in the US. One of these benefactors (a non-profit organization) whose activities have grown substantially in 2020 is the Pacific Northwest Chess Center (PNWCC). | Pictured: Wildflowers around Mount Rainier in Washington State

5/29/2020 – With a rating of 2676 Parham Maghsoodloo is currently number 61 on the FIDE world ranking list and number one in Iran as Alireza Firouzja now plays under the FIDE flag. But at the moment Maghsoodloo can only improve his online rating. Which he likes to do in the Unity chess event, a regular online tournament that is also a favourite of Elshan Moradiabadi. | Photo: Parham Maghsoodloo | Photo: Amruta Mokal

8/25/2019 – The 2019 edition of the massive US Open took place from August 3rd to 11th in Orlando, Florida. GM ELSHAN MORIADABADI was there and chose the gruelling six-day schedule, much like eventual champion Illya Nyzhnyk. Elshan sent us a behind-the-scenes report, which naturally includes the lead-up to the Armageddon match-up that decided which American player will participate in next year's US Championship. Can you guess who qualified? | Photos: John Hartmann

11/17/2018 – Chess is booming in the USA now with the help of the current challenger for the highest honour in chess, Fabiano Caruana, who was born in Miami, grew up in Brooklyn, NY and lives in St. Louis. Currently, he is in a 3-3 tie with the incumbent, World Champion Magnus Carlsen, after a week of intense play. GM ELSHAN MORADIABADI — seen here either practising his 70s disco skills or calling on one of the kids — reports on his recent travels in South Carolina. | Photos: David Grimaud

10/24/2018 – The St. Louis Fall Chess Classic has become a regular fixture on the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis calendar. Grandmaster ELSHAN MORADIABADI reports on both Groups A and B which had record-breaking average Elo fields fighting for USD $36,000 in prize money in the US "chess capital". Alexei Dreev (pictured left) and Hovannes Gabuzyan emerged victorious after nine rounds of play. | Photos: Austin Fuller

12/16/2017 – Both the open and women's Russian Superfinals in St. Petersburg 2017 could not have been more exciting! In the open event, the two St. Petersburgers Peter Svidler and Nikita Vitiugov were in first place with 7 points each after 11 rounds and had to decide the title in rapid chess (two games 15 minutes + 10 seconds). Svidler took his record eighth title, winning both tiebreak games. The same thing happened in the women's tournament: Alexandra Goryachkina and Natalia Pogonina were tied after eleven rounds also on 7 points each and also followed by an exciting rapid playoff, won by the 19-year-old Goryachkina. | Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

9/1/2017 – Twenty-four grandmasters turned out for the US Masters 2017, which took place from 23rd to 28th of August in Greensboro, North Carolina. This 6th edition was a very strong — one might say, “super Swiss” open — a gathering of titled players almost unheard of for a nine-round open tournament in the USA. Vladimir Belous took top honours winning a last round game that GM Elshan Moradiabadi calls, "just like Morphy!" | Photos: Davide Nastasio

7/26/2017 – The second edition of the Stars Cup recently took place, pitting once more a team of Iranian talents against experienced strong international players, to allow the Iranians a chance to learn and grow. This year, the international team included the likes of Shirov, Jobava, Bruzon Batista, and more, and Iran's lineup saw Maghsoodloo, who finished with a 2700+ performance, Firouzja, and more. Reporting on it, with a look into Iranian chess, is GM Elshan Moradiabadi. | Photos: chessstarscup.ir

7/24/2017 – The Russian Higher League concluded in a celebration of youth, with as much drama and excitement for the five qualifiers in each event as for the ones who failed to make the cut. The open section was won by Daniil Dubov and Sanan Sjugirov, with classy performances, and the women’s section was won by Marina Nechaeva, while 13-year-old Bibisara Assaubayeva just barely missed out after a fantastic tournament. Report and analysis by GM Elshan Moradiabadi.

7/16/2017 – Wei Yi is having a stellar performance in the super-GM tournament in Danzhou, China. With an impressive +4 score, he looks unstoppable, as he rockets up the FIDE rating list to crack the Top 15 for the first time. GM Elshan Moradiabadi looks at two of Wei's key wins.

7/7/2017 – It should come as no surprise that the mere qualification process to the world's strongest national championship is one that would fit well as the 11th of Hercules' trials. The Russian Higher League is that qualifying tournament, and brings in players rated 2700, and names such as Maxim Matlakov, the reigning European Champion, and Alexander Morozevich. The Women's section sees junior WIM Polina Shulova leading. Report and analysis by GM Elshan Moradiabadi.

6/20/2017 – While a strong start is always desirable, it is how you finish that matters in a tournament. Ask Georgian GM Baadur Jobava who started with 2 losses, but finished second after seven straight wins, or Russian talent Vladimir Fedoseev who stumbled midway but came in third. Still, it was the class act by Maxim Matlakov, who was steady as she goes all the way, and ended a deserved 2017 European Individual Champion. Final report with GM analyses.

6/8/2017 – Round eight of the European Championship finally brought the first sole leader of the event: English GM David Howell. One might have expected a cagey draw between the two leaders of round seven, but the two players battled it out, and Spanish GM Anton Guijarro fell. Now tied for second and third are Bulgarian GM Cheparinov and Russian GM Demchenko. Report and analysis by GM Elshan Moradiabadi.

6/7/2017 – Rounds six and seven saw an important development: the number of co-leaders has been drastically reduced to two, as two young Spanish and British GMs scored back-to-back victories to take sole lead with six out of a possible seven points. Both GM David Anton Guijarro and David Howell are now the sole leaders, but being an 11-round event, anything goes still. Also note 13-year-old WFM Bibisara (2244 FIDE) who has a 2558 performance so far, all against GMs and IMs!

6/4/2017 – The 4th and 5th rounds of the European championship saw expected, yet exciting developments. After five rounds, four players stand at the top with 4.5/5: Cheparinov, Melkumyan, Kuzubov, and Fridman. All got there in slightly different ways, but all playing strong gritty chess. They are trailed by a huge pack of 27 players with 4.0/5, but with six rounds to go, the tournament is barely at the midway point. Report and analysis by GM Elshan Moradiabadi.

6/2/2017 – In an open tournament, the earlier rounds play as crucial role as the last rounds. Although, one can argue that every game has a point and one should remain focused and try to make the best of every round, we should accept that in a ‘giant swiss’, luck and turn of events play an important role in one’s result. The question becomes one of either giving a little to gain a lot, or trying to sprint ahead. Report and analysis by GM Elshan Moradiabadi.

5/31/2017 – It is all one could hope for in such a mega event as the European Individual Championship. Held in Minsk, Belarus, it is a field that is so strong that even the no. 50 in the starting list (GM Romain Edouard) is rated 2640. The top seeds are David Navara and Dmitry Andreikin, but incredibly both suffered a reversal in the opening round, and they were not the only ones! Illustrated report with plenty of analysis by GM Elshan Moradiabadi.

4/23/2017 – It was a thrilling end to a great tournament. In spite of the four draws that might suggest less than exhilarating chess, one game stood out far more than the others: Caruana vs Aronian. Any dreams he had of being the spoilsport, Caruana was forced to set aside as he found himself fighting for his life, a piece down in the endgame. There wouldn't be much to say if he didn't actually pull it off. See all, read all, in this final report with analysis by GM Moradiabadi.