11/24/2025 – Russia, competing as the FIDE team, claimed gold at the World Women's Team Championship in Linares, capping an unbeaten run that carried them through both the pool stage and knockout rounds without requiring a single tiebreak. Azerbaijan finished second after an impressive campaign, while China secured bronze by defeating Kazakhstan. The event featured a standout individual performance from Polina Shuvalova, who scored an exceptional 9½/10 on board three for the champions. | Photo: Pavel Dvorkovich

11/24/2025 – Two players secured their places in the 2026 Candidates Tournament after Sunday's semifinal tiebreaks at the FIDE World Cup in Goa. Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov (pictured) both prevailed by a 2½–1½ score in their matches against Andrey Esipenko and Nodirbek Yakubboev, respectively. Wei's victory came after Esipenko unexpectedly blundered his rook, while Sindarov kept things under control throughout against his compatriot. | Photo: Michal Walusza

11/23/2025 – Ivan Sokolov’s new course examines colour-reversed King’s Indian and Pirc structures, showing how extra tempi influence typical plans and why these positions feel uncomfortable for humans but not for engines. He analyses key model games from Kramnik, Botvinnik, and Fischer, demonstrating that White usually gets a pleasant setup without a guaranteed advantage, leading to sharp, dynamic battles decided by understanding rather than theory. The course equips practical players, both with white and black, with clear ideas, typical patterns, and concrete plans for navigating these complex reversed-colour systems.

11/23/2025 – Jacobus de Cessolis' "Book of the Customs of Men", written in the early fourteenth century, stands as one of the most influential works in the cultural history of chess. Far from treating the game as entertainment, Cessolis interpreted the board as a moral and social microcosm, using each piece to illustrate the duties of medieval society. His widely circulated treatise shaped ethical, political and pedagogical readings of chess for centuries. | Image (AI): Uvencio Blanco Hernández

11/23/2025 – The World Women's Team Championship took place in Linares, Spain, from 18 to 23 November. The knockout stage saw Russia beating China in the semifinals, while Azerbaijan got the better of Kazakhstan. In the final, Russia (FIDE team) defeated Azerbaijan convincingly, while China grabbed third place. | Follow the games live starting at 13.30 CET (8.30 ET, 18.00 IST)

11/23/2025 – ChessBase’s October releases cover everything from chess history to opening repertoire and calculation training. In episode 19 of the Master Class series, the expert team of Dorian Rogozenco, Karsten Müller, Mihail Marin and Oliver Reeh presents the first World Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz. Robert Ris’ new opening course also reaches back to that era, as the opening he examines in depth is named after two classical masters: the Colle & Zukertort System. And who doesn’t enjoy looking into the thought processes of grandmasters and world-class trainers? Discover calculation techniques at the highest level — Surya Ganguly’s “Calculation Step by Step” is sure to climb the ChessBase bestseller list quickly. | All photos: ChessBase

11/20/2025 – From the diagram position, Black hunted down the exposed white king by force. And you are now welcome to imitate this, with complete pre-calculation or simply step by step - have fun!

11/19/2025 – Today would have been the 120th birthday of the American chess grandmaster, Isaac Kashdan. In the 1930s, he was widely regarded as one of the world's best players, almost on a par with Alekhine and Capablanca. He later made a name for himself as an author, referee and organiser. | Photo: Alexander Alekhine (left) and Isaac Kashdan playing blitz chess. José Araiza, Arthur Dake, Reuben Fine and Sammy Reshevsky in Pasadena in 1932.

11/19/2025 – The paings of the semifinals at the FIDE World Cup in Goa were set on Wednesday after a tense day of rapid and blitz tiebreaks. Wei Yi, Andrey Esipenko and Javokhir Sindarov joined early qualifier Nodirbek Yakubboev in the final four, with all three earning their spots through hard-fought matches. A couple of comebacks, missed chances and dramatic momentum shifts shaped the day, leaving four players still in the race for three coveted places in the 2026 Candidates Tournament. | Photo: Michal Walusza

11/19/2025 – How often do chess players train their minds the way they train openings? Every chess player has faced moments of doubt, nerves, or overthinking that cost them crucial games. This is where psychology enters the picture. In this article, Saloni Sapale, a WIM and sports psychology consultant, shares her journey from being a competitive player to working with athletes on the mental side of performance. If you have ever wondered why your preparation doesn’t always translate into results, or how to play with clarity under pressure, this piece will resonate deeply. Know how training your mind can transform the way you play! | Photos: Saloni Sapale

11/19/2025 – Greco claimed the 2025 FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship title on the final day in Goa after beating Morgan Stanley in the final match. The event moved from a demanding round-robin phase into high-stakes knockout matches, with Greco and Morgan Stanley proving the strongest of the field. After an evenly balanced opening round in the final, Greco dominated the second to secure the championship and conclude this year's corporate competition. | Photos: Michal Walusza and Eteri Kublashvili / FIDE

11/19/2025 – The Women's World Team Championship opened in Linares with two rounds played across a busy first day, as the twelve teams began their round-robin campaigns in the event's group stage. Early leaders emerged in both pools, with the FIDE team (Russia) taking a clear advantage in Pool A, while China and Georgia set the pace in Pool B. A number of key results, including India's unexpected win over Ukraine, shaped the early standings. | Pictured: Georgia's Bela Khotenashvili | Photo: Pavel Dvorkovich