Reader mail

3/14/2006 – The e-mails from readers continue to pour in to our ChessBase Workshop mailbox. In the latest edition, our columnist responds to a few of them, including an interesting pair of missives about IM Alexander Bangiev's controversial series of Squares Strategy CDs. Workshop...

Kramnik on health, plans – and computers

3/13/2006 – He had a terrible year, with bad health and skipped tournaments. Now Vladimir Kramnik is on the rebound. In September he is due to play a reunification match against FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov, in November he does a man-vs-machine spectacular. We spoke to the classical chess world champion and bring you this candid, indepth interview.

Alexander Onischuk, Anna Zatonskih US Championships

3/13/2006 – In the final game in Group A he narrowly avoided defeat at the hands of the 2005 US Champions, 18-year-old Hikaru Nakamura. In the Championship match Ukraine-born Alexander Onischuk, 30, defeated Group B winner Yury Shulman to take the title. In the women's section the title went to Anna Zatonskih. Illustrated report.

Favourites go through, while stars tumble

3/13/2006 – The first round of the 64-player Women's World Championship that is being staged by FIDE in Ekaterinburg, Russia, saw the top rated players going through in their mini-matches, while thee stars, Almira Skripchenko, Elisabeth Pähtz and Kateryna Lahno, were knocked out before they could really get started. Big illustrated report.

Fire in Hamburg – Shirov visits ChessBase

3/13/2006 – Alexei Shirov, born in Riga, Latvia, 36 years after Tal, seems to have inherited all of the uncompromising fighting spirit of that legendary chess genius. His books, Fire on Board I and II, document his remarkable career. Now Shirov has turned to the new media and has started to record training sessions in the ChessBase DVD format. Something to look forward to.

Linares R14: Levon Aronian wins Morelia/Linares Super-GM

3/11/2006 – This prestigious event was won not by FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov, nor by the other favourites Svidler and Leko, but by 23-year-old Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian, who after all is number five in the world rankings. Aronian achieved this by beating Peter Leko with the black pieces in the final round. Full report with pictures, video and commentary.

Women's World Championship in Ekaterinburg

3/10/2006 – Sixty-four of the strongest female players in the world have arrived in Ekaterinburg, 1500 km east of Moscow, to play for the FIDE Women's World Championship. One participant is Elisabeth Pähtz, the reigning Junior World Champion from Germany. Elli and her team documented their trip and their arrival in Ekaterinburg. Here's the pictorial report.

Linares R13: The incredible Topalov comeback

3/10/2006 – Remember two weeks ago in Morelia? After the first half of the Super-GM FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov was at the bottom of the table, with 2.5/7. Now, one round before the end, he is at the top, sharing the lead with three other players. This he achieved with a win over the leader Peter Leko today. Full report with pictures, videos and commentary.

Chess Moves: Cruise to the Caribbean

3/10/2006 – Chess is simple to learn but hard to be very good at. Therefore, in order to be a better player, one must work. But to many sitting down alone reading chess books can be quite boring. Apart from that: who is there to teach you? Well, why not do it on a dream cruise? Chess doesn't get any better.

The Day Kasparov Quit

3/10/2006 – Exactly one year ago, on the evening of March 10th 2005, Garry Kasparov shocked the world by announcing his retirement from competitive chess. "The Day Kasparov Quit" is the name of a book by the Dutch editor of New in Chess Magazine, Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, which contains the farewell interview – together with 25 others. If you guess five quotes from this book you can win a free copy.

Turkish Championship in historical Pendik

3/9/2006 – The town has remanents of dwellings from 5,000 BC. There are ancient Macedonian and Roman settlements. It was taken over by Turkey 1080 and the name changed from Pantikapeum to Pendik. Today this coastal Anatolian suburb of Istanbul is paying host to the Turkish Championship. Watch it live.

How to play the Najdorf, Mr. Kasparov?

3/9/2006 – When the greatest player of all time offers to teach you chess, you sit up and listen. When he shows you his favourite opening, the one for which he became famous, this is even more compelling. But when he does it in high quality video, moving the pieces on a graphic chessboard as he speaks, it is positively breath-taking. Garry Kasparov's latest DVD is out.

FIDE Elections 2006: Presidential tickets announced

3/8/2006 – The race for the leadership of the World Chess Federation has officially begun. On the one side, seeking a third term after eleven years in office, is the incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov; on the other is Dutch tycoon Bessel Kok with his Right Move campaign. Announcement.

Linares R12: All games drawn, Leko remains in the lead

3/8/2006 – Four draws in round twelve, one unfought, left Hungarian GM Peter Leko in the lead, but with the toughest battles ahead: on Friday with black against FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov, and on Saturday in the last round with white against his nearest rival Levon Aronian. Full report with instructive commentary by GM Mihail Marin

Coming soon: Exhibition match Curaçao vs Malta

3/8/2006 – The two islands are 8,600 km apart, and normally a match between eight-board national selections from both places would be exorbitantly expensive to arrange. Unless of course you use the Internet – specifically the Playchess server and webcams – to stage the event. If you want to see it happen, Saturday's the day.

Linares R11: Aronian defeats Vallejo

3/7/2006 – Armenian GM Levon Aronian was the only player to draw blood in round eleven, doing it to the local boy Francisco Vallejo. The other games were drawn, all more or less well fought out. Peter Leko remains in the lead, followed by Aronian, the rejuvenated Topalov and Azeri Radjabov. Updated full report with annotated games.

He's Got You Cornered

3/7/2006 – "The game of chess is actually easy enough to learn, but the finer aspects can take years to master," writes Newsweek in the Tip Sheet of its latest issue. "While there are no shortcuts to playing a better game, here are some high-tech chessboards that will help you sharpen your skills." Sound advice.

Nakamura slumps at US Championship

3/6/2006 – Last year's bright young US champion has made a terrible start to defending his title in the 2006 US Championship in San Diego. Hikaru Nakamura lost to 19-year-old Josh Friedel and, oh dear oh dear, to WGM Camilla Baginskaite. Of course after just three rounds everything is still open. Illustrated report and links.

No draw today, Sonny!

3/5/2006 – What can one do when the opponent plays nakedly for a draw from the very first moves? Well, you just have to grit your teeth and keep going, says our Wednesday night Playchess lecturer Andrew Martin. Or more simply: Believe in your technique!

Linares R9: Topalov's great comeback

3/5/2006 – After dismal results in Morelia – he ended up with minus two – Veselin Topalov seems to have found back to old form in Spanish Linares. He won his second game in a row, with black against Bacrot, narrowing the gap to the leading Peter Leko to 1.5 points. Updated report with commentary by GM Mihail Marin.

Fischer vs Spassky – the gripping 13th game

3/5/2006 – The Match of the Century took place thirty-four years ago. After losing and forfeiting the first two games Fischer obliterated Spassky 6.5-1.5 in the next eight, only to be stopped in his tracks in game 11, when Spassky crushed his Poisoned Pawn. The critical encounter was game 13, which our Playchess lectureer Dennis Monokroussos will discuss in his Monday night lecture.

Linares R10: Topalov marches on

3/5/2006 – Veselin Topalov appears unstoppable in Linares. The second half of the Super-GM has brought him three wins in three games so far. Today it was an endgame victory over Levon Aronian. Vassily Ivanchuk is in the dumps with a second loss in three games, this time to Radjabov. Now updated with pictures and very instructive commentary by GM Mihail Marin.

Vladimir Tukmakov turns sixty

3/5/2006 – Today Ukrainian Grandmaster Vladimir Tukmakov celebrates his 60th birthday. He was three times second in the USSR Championship and in recent years became the trainer of the Ukrainian national team. In 2004 he led this team to a Gold medal at the Olympiad in Calvià. Together with our colleagues at Chess Today we wish Vladimir a happy anniversary!

Linares: Topalov on the rebound?

3/3/2006 – He left Morelia in Mexico with a shocking minus two score. In the first round of the Linares (Spain) half of this Super-GM Veselin Topalov scored a fine victory over second seed Peter Svidler. Is this the start of a big comeback? Etienne Bacrot beat Vassily Ivanchuk with black. Now with pictures and full annotation.