Open letter by GMs Bareev and Svidler

10/5/2006 – With the crisis of the World Championship in full bloom, two friends, colleagues and former seconds of Vladimir Kramnik flew down to Elista to provide moral support. Grandmasters Evgeny Bareev and Peter Svidler spent two days with Kramnik, trying to get his spirits up. Now, back home again, they call for consequences – and sackings.

Elista Express: Topalov wins game eight with black

10/5/2006 – The eighth game between Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov, a Semi-Slav Meran, ended after four and a half hours and 52 moves with the first over-the-board victory for FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov in this match. The official score is now 4:4, with four games to go. Full report with commentary by Mihail Marin and a remarkable Kramnik interview after game seven.

Silvio Danailov accuses Kramnik of using Fritz 9

10/4/2006 – "After very detailed analysis of all games of the match," the manager of Veselin Topalov writes this morning (15 minutes before the start of game seven), "we would like to present to your attention coincidence statistics of the moves of GM Kramnik with recommendations of chess program Fritz 9." What's going on?

Elista 2006: Game seven drawn, Kramnik leads 4:3

10/4/2006 – Topalov could not get any significant advantage from his third white gamein a row, a Queen's Gambit Accepted. He sacrificed two pawns in order to get some activity, but his initiative was just sufficient to maintain the balance even. The game ended after 60 move in a draw by repetition. Full report.

Hensel: 'They may try to plant a device in Kramnik's room'

10/4/2006 – After game seven we received a letter written by Kramnik' manager Carsten Hensel to the head of the World Championship Committee (the correct addressee!) expressing concern that a member of the Topalov team might try to place an electronic device in Kramnik's room to provoke a new scandal. The Elista War continues.

A Layman's Guide to Match Officials

10/4/2006 – The crisis in Elista was sparked off by a protest by Topalov, a decision of the Appeals Committee, its rejection by Kramnik and the subsequent forfeit of game five. But was the Appeals Committee empowered to decide on the matter, or take receipt of the protest in the first place? An experienced grandmaster explains the situation comprehensively in this important document.

Elista 2006: the latest before game seven

10/4/2006 – Everything in Elista is set for game seven. Well, almost everything. A number of issues are still festering, and it is certainly not smooth sailing after the difficult compromise achieved by FIDE President Ilyumzhinov on October 1st. Game seven preview.

Andrew Martin – a full programme

10/3/2006 – Yakovich-Shabalov from the Isle of Man; Christiansen at his most aggressive; A. Rodriguez fearless in the fantasy Variation of the Caro Kann; four new books from Everyman; the obligatory prize puzzle. Naturally this week's Radio Show by Playchess lecturer Andrew Martin contains the thematic toilet story.

FIDE Ratings October 2006 – Topalov leads

10/3/2006 – Both Topalov and Anand did not play any rated games in the last three months – their ratings and rankings remain the same. Kramnik and Svidler now share 3–4, followed by Morozevich and Ivanchuk. Aronian lost points and rankings, Leko won three points but dropped two places. Full lists.

Kasparov on Elista in the Wall Street Journal

10/3/2006 – Garry Kasparov is the last man to hold the title of unified world chess champion. A contributing editor to the Wall Street Journal, his latest editorial comments on the world championship scandal in Elista and the events leading up to it. Was the meltdown after game four inevitable? After the article we bring you an exclusive interview.

GMs support Vladimir Kramnik

10/3/2006 – During the turmoil surrounding the World Championship in Elista we have been receiving record numbers of letters – over 300 from our readers yesterday alone. These are being edited and formatted, but in the meantime we bring you a few expressing support for their colleague, written by well-known grandmasters.

Elista 2006: Game six drawn in three hours

10/3/2006 – The good news: Topalov and Kramnik shook hands before the game! Topalov, determined to get his first over-the-board win in this match, played very aggressively once again, but Kramnik cold-bloodly held. We bring you a video link in Dutch TV, the revised shedule of the match and analysis by GM Mihail Marin.

Karpov: I wouldn't have continued the match

10/2/2006 – The twelfth world champion and five-time opponent of Garry Kasparov has great experience in world championship matches. And in Appeals Committees. In the Russian chess magazine "64" Anatoly Karpov commented on the situation on the Kramnik-Topalov match. Interview.

Botvinnik's brilliancy against Riumen's Worrall

10/2/2006 – Get that? You will at the end of Dennis Monokroussos' Monday night Playchess lecture, which is devoted to the young Botvinnik, who in 1935 tied for first in the Moscow tournament, ahead of Lasker and Capablanca. His most brilliant game was against Nikolay Riumin, which Dennis will discuss. Be there and enjoy.

Letters from Vice President Gelfer, the ACP

10/2/2006 – In these turbulent days the letters are pouring in – more than two hundred from our readers yesterday. They will have to wait for editing and publication. For now we need to get two out, one from the Honorary Vice President of FIDE Israel Gelfer and one from the Association of Chess Professionals (ACP). Appeal and criticism.

Jacob Aagaard: Queen's Indian – the Easy Way

10/2/2006 – Can one become a strong player without the drudgery involved in cramming volumes of openings theory. One can. Jacob Aagaard shows us how to minimise the theoretical burden and still get excellent results. Buy it now! or read this review by IM Hedinn Steingrimsson.

Elista Express: Game six to start shortly (we are told)

10/2/2006 – After two days of strife and intense negotiations FIDE has now announced that game six will begin at 15:00h Elista time, at a score of 3:2 for Kramnik (i.e. the defaulted fifth game will be counted). The press release makes it clear that agreement was reached – with the Topalov camp. We wait with bated breath to see if the game will be played. Express report.

Elista 2006: Kramnik agrees to play (under protest)

10/2/2006 – Just half an hour before the scheduled start of game six Vladimir Kramnik has issued a statement saying he will in fact play the game, but under protest and conditional to a later clarification of the status of game five. "I had to assess between personal interests and those of the entire chess world," Kramnik said. Statement and support from colleagues.

Elista 2006: Match to continue with game six

10/1/2006 – FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has announced that the World Championship match will continue on Monday, October 2nd, at 15:00h, after the toilet situation has been settled, and the Appeals Committee replaced. The match will proceed from a 3:2 score for Kramnik, i.e. Topalov retains the default point he got in game five. Full crisis blog.

Bessel Kok on the World Championship crisis

10/1/2006 – The Dutch businessman ran for the FIDE presidency against Kirsan Ilyumzhinov in June this year. The latter won, but he has now proposed that the world chess federation adopt large parts of Kok's agenda and make him the head of a professional organisation to run top-level events. We asked Bessel Kok for his opinion on the current situation.

World Championship Crisis – what our readers think

9/30/2006 – While the tumultuous events of the last two days unfolded, letters have been pouring in from all over the world, some very emotional, many imaginative, witty, or constructive. We would like to share them with our readers, and with the officials in Elista, who should get a feeling for the ground swell in the chess world. Take some time, it is a long but interesting read.

David Shenk on the History of Chess

9/30/2006 – David Shenk's book on "The Immortal Game", which traces out "How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science and the Human Brain", is a run-away success. After an interview in ABC News, last week Shenk spoke about chess at Book Passage. Take time off and watch this interesting lecture.

Elista 2006: Match delayed, next game tomorrow

9/30/2006 – We have just received word from Elista that there will be no World Championship game today. President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov issued a brief statement stating that the next game would be tomorrow, Sunday, October 1st. No details were given as to whether it would be game five or six. We will keep you briefed.

John Nunn: 'It's about imposing your will on the opponent'

9/30/2006 – After Yasser Seirawan another highly repected grandmaster has written to us, presenting his opinion on the current crisis in the World Championship match in Elista. John Nunn, who worked in the GMA and has vast experience in the mechanics of such events, says once again chess has shot itself in the foot.