On patterns and formations in chess

6/27/2007 – Are there certain formations that always work in chess? Like the Yugoslav Attack against the Sicilian Dragon? Or the Grand Prix against the Najdorf? And do they work in principle or only against weaker players? In his Thursday night lecture our Playchess trainer Dennis Monokroussos shows us what happens when the you try them against the greatest player of all time.

ChessBase Light 2007 - part 6

6/27/2007 – In Part Six of our series describing the new 2007 version of ChessBase Light we examine the variation board and "show threat" features of the engine analysis pane. Discover these useful tools and new tricks in the latest edition of ChessBase Workshop.

Dr. Susan Polgar, Texas Tech's new Chess Star

6/26/2007 – Susan Polgar, former women's world champion and holder of a number of world championship and Olympiad titles, will serve as director of new institute and coach of the Knight Raiders chess team of Texas Tech University. At the inauguration Susan received an honorary doctoral degree and addressed the 2007 graduating class in a remarkable speech which you can watch in HQ video.

17-year-old Sergey leads Aerosvit Super-GM

6/26/2007 – Magnus the Magnificent has been in the news recently, but remember Sergey Karjakin? The child prodigy, youngest grandmaster in history (at twelve!)? He has been quitely doing his thing in the Second Aerosvit Super-GM, where he leads after seven rounds, ahead of Ivanchuk, Shirov and Svidler, with a 2856 performance.

Dortmund R3: all games drawn

6/26/2007 – The two favourites, Anand and Kramnik, played unmemorable 21-move draws, both with the black pieces. Leko got nothing out of Naiditsch's rare Nimzowitsch Variation – the game was drawn in 38 moves. Carlsen tried a long squeeze against Alekseev in an anti-Queen's Indian line, but the Russian's defences held. A fairly calm day in Dortmund.

Veselin Topalov and the new FIDE world championship cycle

6/24/2007 – At the Presidential Board meeting, which is currently being held in Tallinn, Estonia, FIDE has introduced a new Grand Prix series and a new world championship cycle. With a high-ranking Bulgarian delegation presenting a case for Veselin Topalov to enter the world championship FIDE made some special rules to govern the 2007-2009 stage. We have tried to decipher the new system.

Dortmund R2: Kramnik and Alekseev win

6/24/2007 – Dortmund newbie Evgeny Alekseev (picture), rated 2679, systematically outplayed first round winner Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, rated 2757 and score his first full point. Vladimir Kramnik ground down the stubbornly defending Boris Gelfand to join Alekseev in the lead with 1.5/2 points. The other games – Anand vs Leko and Naiditsch vs Carlsen – were both drawn. Full report with games and pictures.

ChessBase Light 2007 - part 5

6/23/2007 – Part Five in our ongoing series about ChessBase Light 2007 continues the discussion of the engine analysis pane. Learn how to display multiple variations as well as lock the engine on a specific position in the new ChessBase Workshop.

Dortmund starts today – with Vladimir Kramnik

6/23/2007 – You can uncross your fingers: world champion Vladimir Kramnik has recovered sufficiently to play in the Super-GM tournament in Dortmund. This is a Category 20 event which includes the world's top ranked player, Viswanathan Anand, and other stars like Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Peter Leko, Boris Gelfand and 16-year-old Magnus Carlsen. Details.

Dortmund R1: Shak Mamedyarov beats Naditsch

6/23/2007 – Top Azerbaijani GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, rated 2757 and number six in the world, defeated to German GM Arkadij Naiditsch, 2654, in a tense 44-move battle. Kramnik-Anand was a Slav which Anand held comfortably in 35 moves. Gelfand-Alekseev, a Symmetrical English was drawn in 23. Carlsen-Leko was an Anti-Marshall that ended in a 29-move draw. Report , games and pictures.

The Kings of Chess come to Romania

6/22/2007 – The country of Romania is celebrating its first top class international tournament for over 50 years. The so-called Kings Tournament, running from 15-27 June, brings together a field of players, most of whom were world class names in the 1970s and 80s. The list includes Andersson, Timman, Portisch, Vaganian, Beliavsky, Chiburdanidze and the legendary Brazilian GM Henrique Mecking.

Mihael Roiz wins Gorenje 2007, Karpov third

6/22/2007 – The chess legend did not quite make it: with three wins and a loss the 12th world champion Anatoly Karpov scored 5.5/9 points and only came third in the Gorenje tournament in Valjevo, Serbia. Israeli GM Michael Roiz and GM Suat Atalik of Turkey both scored a full point more, with the former winning on tiebreak.

Alexander Grischuk, the neglected genius

6/21/2007 – Of all the players slated for the upcoming world championship in Mexico City, the only one our Playchess trainer Dennis Monokroussos hasn’t yet profiled is Alexander Grischuk. The reason it’s odd is that his lively attacking style makes him an ideal candidate for the show. This surprising omission will now be rectified.

Francesca Maria Kosteniuk enters the world

6/21/2007 – She was born 11 weeks before term, weighing only 1.46 kilos (3 lbs. 3 oz.). At two months this preemie, daughter of world's fifth ranked female player, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, and husband Diego Garces, is doing fine. In fact she has her own web site, with extensive picture and text reports on her daily progress.

Youth on top at the Dutch Championship

6/21/2007 – The Dutch Championship is running from 16-28 June in the city of Hilversum. After five rounds, the lead is held by 20-year-old Daniel Stellwagen with 4.0/5 points, ahead of Erwin L'Ami, 22. There is also a women's section, where Peng Zhaoqin leads with 3.0/3, and a championship for the over-90s! Report and games.

Every move counts

6/20/2007 – When we have gained a nice position in the opening, we often sit back, relax and intuitively play a solid move. But intuition can be a bad adviser here. On his Powerplay 4 DVD Daniel King stresses the importance of finding those moves that have the power to change a promising position into an excellent one. You can buy his Powerplay 4 DVD now or take a closer look.

The Rock Star and the Šajin Lama

6/20/2007 – Boris Grebenshchikov is a cult figure in the Russian rock scene, revered by millions (including a super-GM friend from Saint Petersburg). Telo Tulku Rinpoche is a Philadelphia-born Buddhist Lama, the highest religious authority in Kalmykia. On the final day of the FIDE Candidates Finals the former gave a concert and the latter a gala dinner. Big pictorial report.

Third Aerosvit tournament underway in Foros

6/20/2007 – Over the past couple of years, the Aerosvit tournament at Foros, in the Ukraine, has become one of the strongest closed tournaments in the calendar. This year's third edition runs from June 17 – 30, and brings together a category 18 field. After two rounds, it is Alexey Shirov who leads, with a 2/2 start. We bring you photos and games.

Breaking news: will Kramnik miss Dortmund?

6/20/2007 – On the eve of the Dortmund Super-GM tournament, which begins this weekend, we learn that world champion Vladimir Kramnik has fallen ill with a severe respiratory infection, which calls his participation into question. Kramnik's illness made it necessary to cancel a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Whether he can play in Dortmund or not will be decided in the next 48 hours.

Rybka wins the 15th ICGA Computer World Championship

6/19/2007 – Once a year the International Computer Games Association stages a world championship in computer chess (and other board games). This year it was held in Amsterdam and was won by the American program Rybka, ahead of compatriot Zappa. Defending champion Junior did not participate. The German program Shredder won the blitz world championship. Report and games.

Edward Winter presents: Unsolved Chess Mysteries (8)

6/18/2007 – In this further selection from Chess Notes historian Edward Winter examines some unauthenticated quotes, the Breyer Defence to the Ruy López, the origins of the Dragon Variation, the contradictory evidence about a nineteenth century brilliancy, and the alleged 1,000-board exhibition by an unknown player. Can our readers help to solve these new chess puzzles?

Mission Control takes over in Freestyle Tournament

6/17/2007 – "A star is born" is becoming the normal headline for Freestyle tournaments, and the sixth edition of the PAL/CSS event, with 112 participants from 30 countries was no exception. A 32-processor machine playing on its own came first and, together with nine others, will take part in the $16,000 finals on the Playchess server, on June 22nd to 24th. Be there and watch the fun.

Tournaments to watch and look forward to

6/17/2007 – Two are under way, the first in Valjevo, Serbia, with Anatoly Karpov trying a comeback at 56; the second is the Dutch Championship in Hilversum, Holland. Today the Category 18 AeroSvit 2007 tournament begins in Foros, Ukraine. And of course Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting 2007 and the 20th Ciudad de León chess tournament are fast approaching. Full information and links.

'Electric Woman Stars Brainy Beauties'

6/16/2007 – When a national electricity company in a multi-ethnic and predominantly Muslim country like Indonesia sponsors a chess event for women under this name, we can only give it our warmest approval. Great stuff, people! Six talented young ladies played the tournament in Jakarta, and WIM Nastja Karolvich sent us a big, beautifully illustrated and eminently readable report from Indonesia.