Young Stars of the World

5/23/2005 – Is Russia still the greatest chess power in the world? It doubtlessly was, but recent events have raised doubts on whether it will last for long. Now all eyes are on the younger boys, and the chess federation is gathering the most talented juniors for training and tournaments. The latest is a Young Stars tournament in Kirishi.

Topping off Mtel – the early Topalov

5/22/2005 – He has just won Linares and Sofia, but Veselin Topalov showed the same kind of brilliance – not to mention the savage attacking style – ten years ago. In his Monday night Radio ChessBase lecture on Playchess.com Dennis Monokroussos discusses a razor-sharp game from 1996.

Mtel R10: Topalov wins Mtel by a full point

5/22/2005 – Local hero Veselin Topalov won the Mtel Super GM after Vladimir Kramnik blundered incredibly in their last-round game. Since Vishy Anand drew against Judit Polgar, Topalov is a full point ahead of the field. The Bulgarian GM will probably top the next FIDE rating list. Full illustrated report.

Finding variations on training disks - part 2

5/22/2005 – In the second and final installment of a short ChessBase Workshop series, we take a look at two additional ways to isolate specific variations from a ChessBase opening CD using ChessBase 9. Workshop...

Spassky and living chess in Frascati

5/21/2005 – A beautiful historical town south-east of Rome is hosting a Chess Week, which includes a GM tournament beginning on Sunday. To kick things off ex world champion Boris Spassky attended the inaugural ceremony and reconstructed a game he had played against Italian GM Sergio Mariotti in 1976 on a live chess board.

Mtel R9: Topalov on the top of the world

5/21/2005 – With a third win in four games (this time over Ruslan Ponomariov) Bulgarian star Veselin Topalov quite appropriately took the sole lead in the Super GM tournament in Sofia. Vishy Anand won his black game against Michael Adams to take second place, with one round to go. Here's our updated Illustrated report.

Mtel R8: All games drawn in Sofia

5/20/2005 – After two very exciting rounds, with only one drawn game, today the players in Sofia had a more peaceful day. But of course bare results can be deceptive: Topalov vs Judit Polgar was a bitter 68-move struggle. We bring you an (updated) full report with lots of beautiful pictures by Valery Zahov.

Mtel R7: Anand beats Kramnik, Topalov wins with black

5/19/2005 – Round seven of the Super-GM tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, has ended with two decided games: Vishy Anand defeated Vladimir Kramnik in just 20 moves, Veselin Topalov beat Michael Adams with the black pieces. Here's a full report with great pictures and an ananlysis of Kramnik's loss.

Mtel R6: Three wins in Sofia – what a day!

5/18/2005 – Well, well, well. The Mtel Masters is turning into a slugfest after all. Topalov and Kramnik both sacrificed a knight, on moves 14 and 15 respectively. Topalov beat Anand in a wild, exiciting game, Kramnik lost to young Ponomariov. And Judit Polgar beat Mickey Adams. We bring you a heavily illustrated report.

Finding variations on training disks - part 1

5/18/2005 – One of the beauties of ChessBase 9 is that it provides you with multiple ways to tackle your learning tasks. In Part One of a two- part ChessBase Workshop series, we examine two ways to find a specific variation on a ChessBase opening training CD. Workshop...

No draws in Glasgow 3rd Floor Chess Radio

5/17/2005 – Our Wednesday night Playchess.com lecuture, presented by IMs Jacob Aagaard and John Shaw, will take a look at the on-going Mtel tournament. As in Sofia, the two gentlemen has no intentions of taking prisoners. The (air)wave energy talk begins at 20.30 CET.

Kasim vs the Accoona Toolbar

5/17/2005 – Reigning FIDE world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov is scheduled to play an interesting man vs machine match on June 21. The opponent is the "AI Accoona ToolBar". The event is being staged by search engine company Accoona, known for a number of chess spectaculars in the past and with big chess plans for the future. The venue? It's in the middle of Times Square in New York, the Crossroads of the World.

Kasparov manhandled by police at Moscow protest

5/16/2005 – You probably know from the news headlines that the Russian oil billionaire and regime opponent Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been found guilty of fraud, tax evasion and embezzlement by a Moscow court. On the streets protesters gathered in support of the former Yukos CEO, amongst them Garry Kasparov, who again found himself under physical attack.

Selamat Datang ke Malaysia

5/16/2005 – That's "Welcome to Malaysia" in the Malay language. It is an invitation by our friends to participate in the 2nd Dato Arthur Tan Malaysia Open in the spectacular Mid Valley Megamall in August. The prize fund is US $15,000. If you contemplate attending you will want to read Edwin Lam's extensive illustrated invitation report.

FIDE: World Championship, India, ratings

5/16/2005 – The world chess federation has reported back from its Presidential Board meeting in Doha, Qatar, announcing the eight participants of the world championship in San Luis (with a woman particpating!); the formal recognition of the new Indian Chess Federation; and a stern warning to rating scammers. Here are the details.

Mtel R5: Kramnik and Ponomariov win

5/16/2005 – In spite of an innovative anti-draw rule the results in Sofia were far from encouraging. In the first four rounds 83% pf the games were undecided. Today, in round five, the world champions Vladimir Kramnik and Ruslan Ponomariov drew blood, bringing the average down to 73%. Flash report.

The Garry Kasparov Interview, Part 3

5/16/2005 – He has left chess behind, and so does this final installment of Mig's interview with Garry Kasparov. This segment provides details of Kasparov's political ambitions and opinions. What is the future of democracy in Russia, and what are Bush and other western leaders doing? Read about Kasparov's toughest fight yet.

Mtel R4: All games drawn

5/15/2005 – Judit Polgar had the world's top-rated active player on the run today, but he quickly turned the tables. Anand had an extra bishop, but couldn't hold on to his pawns. Adams-Ponomariov ended in a quick perpetual check. Kramnik got a small endgame plus against Topalov but not enough to win. Read more about the tablebase tournament.

Rashid Gibiatovich Nezhmetdinov, a name to remember

5/15/2005 – Ask most players to name an exemplar of wild, sacrificial chess, and they'll most likely come up with Alexei Shirov or Mikhail Tal. Both great choices, but tame by comparison with the star of this week's Playchess.com show, Rashid Nezhmetdinov (1912-1974). Watch a spectacular example on our Monday night Radio ChessBase lecture.

Stellwagen win second Complete Chess match

5/14/2005 – Let us rephrase that: Daniël Stellwagen, the 18-year-old Dutch chess talent, currently rated at 2532, beat his compatriot Loek van Wely, 2687, in a form of chess in which both players were allowed to use a computer and ChessBase software during the games. A possible motto to this kind of event: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Mtel R3: Adams beats Kramnik to take lead

5/14/2005 – There's a new leader in Sofia, and it's England's Mickey Adams, who seems to have some voodoo against Vladimir Kramnik. He defeated Kramnik in a thrilling battle today, his third straight win over the classical world champ. The other two games were interesting draws, leaving Adams alone atop the crosstable. Games, analysis and pictures.

Mtel R1: Kramnik beats Ponomariov

5/13/2005 – 150 years ago it was common for the world's best players to give pawn odds and still win. Today former FIDE champ Ponomariov learned you can't do that to Vladimir Kramnik. The classical chess world champion smoothly converted the endgame to take the early lead. Meanwhile Anand and Topalov gave the Bulgarian public a sharp adrenalin boost.

Mtel R2: Bad luck strikes

5/13/2005 – You might not be superstitious, but it was bad luck for fans and organizers when all three games were drawn today, Friday the 13th. Kramnik-Anand was a drowsy Petroff. Ponomariov and Polgar drew a rook endgame. We also saw the first GM draw, a quick repetition between Topalov and Adams. Games, results and tables.

Super-GM tournament in Sofia starts

5/12/2005 – On Thursday, May 12th the strongest tournament of the year, the M-Tel Masters in Sofia, begins. It is a category 20 with an Elo average of 2744, brought to the Bulgarian capital by the likes of Anand, Topalov, Kramnik, Adams, Judit Polgar, Ponomariov. A special rule is in place: no draw offers! Info and links.