2/27/2026 – After four rounds of the Saint Louis Masters, three players share the lead on 3½/4, with Fabiano Caruana joined by Vasif Durarbayli (pictured) and Lorenzo Lodici at the top of the standings. Caruana is set to take a half-point bye in round five, while Lodici will have the white pieces against Durarbayli in the clash of co-leaders. Nine players stand just half a point behind the leading pack. | Photo: Crystal Fuller

2/26/2026 – Mahammad Muradli and Ulviyya Fataliyeva have been crowned champions at the Azerbaijan Chess Championships, held in Baku from 6 to 22 February. Muradli secured his third national title by defeating Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in the open final, while Ulviyya Fataliyeva claimed her first women's crown after a tiebreak victory over Ayan Allahverdiyeva. | Photo: Azerbaijani Chess Federation

2/26/2026 – FIDE has introduced a revised championship cycle for the Under-8, Under-10 and Under-12 categories, clarifying the pathway in global youth chess. The newly named FIDE World Cadets Cup U8-U12 will act as the qualifying stage, with world titles decided later at the World Cadets Championships, in which only 48 contenders will participate. The inaugural Cup will be held in Batumi from 15 to 28 June 2026.

2/26/2026 – Vincent Keymer had a rough start at the Prague Chess Festival, losing with black to Jorden van Foreest. After a botched opening, he missed a hidden counterblow that could have turned the game around. This game was only one of many interesting battles at the opening round in the Prague Masters, as all five games featured hard-fought struggles. Four games ended decisively, with only world champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Hans Niemann signing a draw. That draw, however, was the longest game of the round. | Photo: Petr Vrabec / Prague Chess Festival

2/26/2026 – The Saint Louis Masters opened with a high proportion of decisive results across the first two rounds. Six players, including Fabiano Caruana, moved into an early share of the lead on a perfect score, while several lower-seeded competitors recorded notable results. A large chasing group sits close behind on 1½ points, which includes Rose Atwell and Jennifer Yu, who obtained two of the most notable upset wins of the day. | Photo: Crystal Fuller

2/25/2026 – From 21 to 29 September 2026, a group tour to Uzbekistan will combine cultural exploration with top-level chess. The journey includes visits to Samarkand, Bukhara and Tashkent, coinciding with the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. Alongside attending the Olympiad, participants will take part in special chess events and training sessions, while discovering the architectural and historical legacy of the Silk Road. | Photo: Mosque Bibi-Khanum in Samarkand, via Wikimedia Commons

2/25/2026 – The eighth edition of the Prague International Chess Festival was officially opened at the Don Giovanni Hotel in Prague, launching the Masters, Challengers and Futures tournaments. The event features the reigning World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, who played a symbolic opening duel with Czech beach volleyball world champion Ondřej Perušič. The game was part of the festival's ceremonial start ahead of play through 6 March. | Photo: Petr Vrabec

2/25/2026 – Welcome to The Initiative – a show dedicated to the relentless battle for momentum in chess! In every game, players fight to seize control, dictate the pace, and keep their opponent on the back foot. But what does it really mean to have the initiative? How do the world’s best players maintain pressure and transform small advantages into crushing attacks?

2/25/2026 – Netflix has announced "Untold: Chess Mates", a new documentary examining the controversy surrounding Hans Niemann's victory over Magnus Carlsen at the 2022 Sinquefield Cup. The film revisits Carlsen's withdrawal, the subsequent allegations of cheating and the intense public reaction that followed. It also places the dispute within the broader context of modern chess, including the growth of online play and the challenges it has created for trust and governance at the elite level. | Photo: Netflix

2/24/2026 – The Saint Louis Masters will take place from 25 February to 1 March as a nine-round Swiss invitational, bringing together a competitive international field. The event features a $100,000 prize fund and classical time controls, with 69 players taking part. World number three Fabiano Caruana is set to participate, ahead of a demanding schedule in March, which includes the American Cup and the Candidates Tournament. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

2/24/2026 – IM Nico Zwirs presents the Reversed Sicilian as a dynamic and practical weapon for White, especially suited to players who already use the Sicilian with Black and want to build on their existing understanding. Instead of a rigid, move-by-move repertoire, the course offers a flexible framework that helps you choose structures matching your style while learning how to deviate into less familiar setups when needed. Covering major Sicilian systems such as the Closed Sicilian, Najdorf, and Dragon, it explains how the extra tempo for White reshapes typical plans, strengthens attacking chances, and creates new strategic opportunities.

2/24/2026 – Dutch chess legend Jan Timman passed away earlier this week at the age of 74. In this week's show I'd like to pay tribute to his amazing chess career and share my personal experiences with Jan. I have a look at his spectacular victory in Hilversum, 1985 against the Garry Kasparov. It was Kasparov's first loss as a World Champion, and although it was perhaps not Jan's best game one could see the creative and adventurous attitude which were characteristic for him and brought him so many successes.