8/12/2020 – Vladislav Tarasiuk is known as an immunologist in medical circles in Kharkov, Ukraine. However, the chess world knows him as a composer. Recently Tarasiuk authored an endgame study, Noah’s Ark, and aptly dedicated it to the Health workers and medical professionals combating the pandemic all over the world. In an interview with Tarasiuk, our columnist Prof. Nagesh Havanur lets the composer speak for himself.

8/12/2020 – Hikaru Nakamura needed only three sets to knock out Daniil Dubov in their best-of-5 semifinal match. ‘Naka’ will get two rest days before the final, where he will face either Ding Liren or Carlsen, with the latter now the favourite to advance after scoring a second consecutive 2½:½ victory over his Chinese colleague. | Photo: Justin Kellar

8/11/2020 – In round 7 of the Polish Women's Championship tournament leader Klaudia Kulon lost with Black against Patrycja Waszczuk. It was Kulon's first loss but she still has good chances to win the Championship. With two rounds to go Kulon leads with 5½/7 and is one full point ahead of Karina Cyfka who is sole second with 4½/7. | Photos: Szymon Pieczewski (Polish Chess Federation)

8/11/2020 – Anna Muzychuk is not only one of the best chess players in the world, she is also very charming. A short time before the outbreak of the Corona pandemic she visited the ChessBase office in Hamburg with Elisabeth Pähtz to record a video about the Taimanov Variation but also found time for a short interview about her career and her life as a chess professional.

8/11/2020 – The friendly six-round match on the Playchess server between Turkey and Azerbaijan to prepare for the Online Olympiad ended yesterday, August 10. In the Online Olympiad Azerbaijan is seeded in the "Top Division", while Turkey will start in "Division 2", and in the match the Azerbaijanis also had the better of it: they won 26:10. | Photo: Turkish Chess Federation

8/11/2020 – Due to the colour blindness of the bishop there are often fortresses in pure endgames. In the following case White can either reach the saving corner h1 or Ponziani's old fortress.

8/7/2020 – In the diagram position Black played 26...Rc6!? and then both the white rook and the black rook invaded enemy territory: White played 27.Ra8, Black countered with 27...Rc1. But which of the two rooks is more dangerous for the opponent?

8/7/2020 – Known for their team camaraderie, Armenia obtained back-to-back gold medals at the 2006 and 2008 Chess Olympiads, played in Turin and Dresden respectively. Levon Aronian, Vladimir Akopian, Gabriel Sargissian and Arthases Minasian played in both events, with Akopian and Sargissian getting undefeated scores on both occasions — and individual gold medals in 2008.

8/7/2020 – Like to try your luck in a three-minute blitz game against a 14-year-old? Against a boy who became a grandmaster at the age of twelve? Here's your chance to take up the challenge, on the Playchess server, on Friday at 12:30 p.m.. The young GM will analyse each game after it was played. You need to be a premium member to challenge Gukesh, but just an ofdinary member to follow the games. You can also watch the action on Youtube.

8/6/2020 – In the mid-1970s Helmut Pfleger, who today, August 6, celebrates his 77th birthday, was one of the top 50 players of the world. But he was a doctor by profession and despite all his successes in chess he always remained an amateur. So he often had a hard time against the professionals when it came to opening theory. Nevertheless, in a theoretical duel against one of the greatest opening experts of the time, he won one of the most important games in the history of the Chess Olympiads. | Photo: Helmut Pfleger | Photo: Hartmut Metz

8/6/2020 – "Black Is King" is a new film - or "visual album" - by pop star Beyoncé that is based on Disney's animated film "The Lion King" from 1994, which has inspired not only the third-longest-running musical in Broadway history but also a 2019 remake. Rapper Jay-Z, chess fan and husband of Beyoncé, plays a prominent role in "Black Is King" and added some chess flavour to the movie. Which is entertaining to watch but not always in line with the rules and customs of chess. In the online magazine "Slate" Nitish Pahwa took a closer look at the film and its chess scenes. | Photo: Screenshot of Jay-Z in "Black Is King" (Disney+)

8/5/2020 – Bobby Fischer was the star of the show at the 1970 Interzonal Tournament in Palma de Mallorca, before starting an amazing run that led him to challenge Boris Spassky for the World Championship title in Reykjavík 1972. But was he always winning in the endgame he played against Vlastimil Hort? Or could have Hort defended? We asked our readers to help settle the historical debate. And they helped endgame expert GM Karsten Müller to settle the question! | Drawing of V. Hort: Otakar Masek