PlunderChess – adding a new twist

12/8/2003 – Imagine what would happen if your chessmen could acquire additional moving capabilities as they played? What if your queen could move as a queen or a knight and your pawn could move as a pawn or a bishop? How about escaping check by letting your king move as a rook? All this is part of a new variant of the game of chess. Introducing: PlunderChess

Wedding beauties and chess in Samarkand

12/7/2003 – The game beween the Uzbek champion Saidali Yuldashev and the TV audience + ChessBase.com is entering a critical phase. The GM said that he had not expected such precise play from his opponent. Meanwhile young Khourshid from Samarkand has taken his bride, and our trusty reporter Jamshid Begmatov sent us pictures of the festive event.

You thought we were making it up?

12/5/2003 – "Is it April 1st?", a number of readers asked. Chess boxing? Putting players in a boxing ring for chess and boxing? The crowd screaming for blood and piece sacrifices? Our recent report described the setup, now the organisers have sent us a report and pictures to prove that they are really serious about this new discipline.

Alejandro Ramirez, 15, grandmaster

12/5/2003 – The Dominican Republic Open Tournament ended today with nine players sharing first – amongst them Milov, Nisipeanu and Moiseenko. And also Alejandro Ramirez, who completed his third GM norm to become the first-ever grandmaster in central America. Did we mention that Alejandro is 15 years old and the second-youngest GM in the world?

How to improve your chess life

12/5/2003 – Everyone will promise it to you, but is there really a sure-fire way to improve your chess? To make you understand the game better? Indeed there is, as one law-student in England discovered. Mind you it may cost him his degree – but what are a few missed lectures for a chess junkie going for the 2200? Here is Aryan's testimony.

Garry Kasparov's Great Predecessors: Follow-up #2

12/4/2003 – Garry Kasparov's book My Great Predecessors continues to be scrutinized by analysts all over the world. A focus point is our special web site on the book, where the author discusses a famous game between Chigorin and Steinitz. Reader feedback is welcome in this second installment by Garry Kasparov...

Positional sacrifices for everone

12/3/2003 – In his Playchess.com lecutre on Thursday our GM trainer Dorian Rogozenko will provide you with new ideas on positional, i.e. non-forcing sacrifices. Here's how you can attend his lecture.

Chess live on Nordic TV

12/3/2003 – Is this chess thing catching on? On Thursday and Friday Viasat Sport, the biggest Nordic sports channel (serving Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden), will air a rapid chess duel between GM Evgenij Agrest and two-time Nordic Tusenmannaschacket champion Pontus Carlson. Here are the details.

Not the last word on hash tables

12/3/2003 – A few weeks ago, ChessBase Workshop presented "The New Word on Hash Tables". But was it the *last* word on hash tables? Some of our e-mail correspondents beg to differ, as you'll see in this week's installment of ChessBase Workshop.

Chess boxing: Kramnik vs Klitschko?

12/2/2003 – Is chess too boring for you? Those crafty Dutchies have found a way to finally resolve the impasse in the chess world. Put the players in a boxing ring, let them play for four minutes and then duke 'em up for a round with the gloves. Hmmm, Vladimir Kramnik loses badly to Vitaly Klitchko in the FIDE classical world chess boxing championship final? We are not joking.

Nigel Short on the virtues of slavery

12/2/2003 – When the 19th century abolitionists put an end to forced labour did they consider how one can produce monumental architecture or play great games of chess if one has also to do the shopping? Sunday Telegraph columnist Nigel Short has found a solution to the problem. He also talks about the deadly dangers of chess travel and the latest Tony Miles hagiography. The word is explained here...

Fritz and Shredder win Computer Chess Championship

11/30/2003 – Once again, in the final two rounds, the four leading programs won all their games. Fritz and Shredder tied for first and will take part in a playoff on Sunday morning (9 a.m. CET). There was a big commotion in the final round when Shredder repeated positions but the opponent did not want to take the draw. More...

Shredder wins the Computer World Championship

11/30/2003 – A win in the second rapid chess playoff game against Fritz brought Shredder the title of Computer Chess World Champion 2003. At the same time the International Computer Games Association is pleased to announce that the next world championship will be held in July 2004 in Israel. Flash report...

Just saying no, and a simul in a pool

11/30/2003 – Last week we got a message from British soldiers, this time from a former drug addict who kicked the habit with chess. The game between the reigning Uzbek champion Saidali Yuldashev and the TV audience is growing in popularity, especially here at ChessBase.com. You will never guess the percentage of Uzbek votes versus Chessbase votes. Find out here...

Topalov wins Benidorm

11/30/2003 – Bulgaria's top GM, Veselin Topalov, took clear first place with 7/10 at the Bali international in Benidorm, with Vishy Anand and Teimour Radjabov finishing second at 6.5/10. The time controls were 15 minutes + 10 seconds/move. Judit Polgar, normally world-class at such events, got just 4/10. Games and results.

Computer World Championship – favourites all win

11/28/2003 – What is there to report? In round nine of the Computer Chess World Championship in Graz all four favourites won their games, leaving no change at the top of the table. Now the only exciting thing that can happen in the last two rounds (on Saturday) is if one of them draws against an amateur. Here are games, results and pictures.

The grandmaster's brain

11/27/2003 – Two rounds were played today at the World Computer Chess Championship in Graz, with Fritz entertaining the public with tactical fireworks. It and the program Shredder are now in the lead. Meanwhile grandmaster Boris Alterman's brain was hooked up to a computer. Was this done to help his program Junior? Our report reveals the whole truth.

All-star chess festival in Benidorm

11/27/2003 – Benidorm is a town located in the Spanish region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. It became famous in 1953 when the mayor convinced General Franco to lift a ban on bikinis. Today a rapid chess tournament starts in Benidorm with Anand, Judit Polgar, Topalov, Karpov, Radjabov, Karjakin, and other stars. More...

Law of diminishing returns

11/27/2003 – Cramming the ChessBase search mask full of search criteria should result in plenty of "hits", right? Not exactly – the more you put in, the less you get out. In this week's ChessBase Workshop, database expert Steve Lopez explains the "law of diminishing returns".

ICGA disqualifies chess program 'List'

11/27/2003 – The International Computer Games Association (ICGA) has disqualified one of the participants at the world computer chess championship in Graz. The program List is suspected to be a clone of the program Crafty. Author Fritz Reul failed to prove otherwise and allowed a final deadline to pass. He is banned from ICGA events until 2006. Here are the details of the disqualification.

Live from Graz – Fritz and Shredder lead

11/27/2003 – Which is the most boring program at the world computer chess championship in Graz? Shredder, says one wag. The German program, written by Stefan Meyer-Kahlen, just goes in there, outplays the opponent and wins in fantastic style. Game after game after game. Shredder and Fritz are in the lead, followed by Junior and Brutus. Here's a full report.

Karpov: 'I don't understand these idiots'

11/27/2003 – Former world champion Anatoly Karpov is out of the Benidorm All-Star tournament. His plane from Brazil was delayed and Karpov claimed he was too exhausted to play his first round game against 16-year-old Teimour Radjabov. When his request to postpone the game was denied he angrily withdrew from the tournament (some sources say he was disqualified). Here's the full story and the results of the first day.

Searching for Bobby Fischer XII

11/26/2003 – Yet another mission to find the reclusive American chess genius, this time conducted by a Sydney Morning Herald reporter in Tokyo, was unsuccessful. In his article Shane Green explains why this was in fact a bit of a relief. Here are the relevant links.

A weapon against the Trompowsky

11/25/2003 – After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Black players often face difficulties. The opponent usually knows more about the "Trompowsky" than they do. On Thursday our GM trainer Dorian Rogozenko will provide you with "anti-Trompowsky" strategies that will stand you well. Here's how you can attend his lecture.