Entertaining, playful, timeless - The "New in Chess Magazine" #3/2025

by Johannes Fischer
6/10/2025 – "Enjoy the best game. Ever." That’s the slogan of the "New in Chess Magazine" – and the current issue lives up to that promise. It explores the question of whether Boris Spassky would have preferred to be buried next to Bobby Fischer, features in-depth interviews with Hikaru Nakamura and Aravindh Chithambaram, and includes the magazine’s regular columns offering training advice and entertaining insights from the world of chess. Informative and engaging.
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

The internet has profoundly transformed the traditional magazine landscape. While print magazines were among the most important sources of information for decades, they have lost reach and influence in the digital age. At the same time, digital platforms are rapidly gaining users. Online platforms, news websites, and social media have become established information channels – and the world of chess is no exception. Yet New in Chess Magazine defies this trend.

Published eight times a year, each issue impresses with a mix of reports on current tournaments and timeless content from the chess world. The cover of Issue #3/2025 features a beaming and clearly cheerful Hikaru Nakamura, winner of the prestigious 2025 American Cup. Kostya Kavutskiy reports on the tournament and explores how Nakamura manages to balance life as both a successful tournament player and a popular streamer.

Another major article, titled Grave Matters, takes a reflective look at former World Champion Boris Spassky. Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam examines whether Spassky, who passed away in Moscow on February 27, 2025, and was buried there, might have preferred to be laid to rest in Iceland beside Bobby Fischer. This question serves as a starting point for a broader reflection on Spassky’s life, career, and personality.

Jan Timman also pays tribute to Spassky, noting: "He should be remembered for much more than his loss to Bobby Fischer in Reykjavik in 1972. He had a long and illustrious career, and from 1968 to 1971, he was the strongest chess player in the world."

Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam also conducted a long interview with Aravindh Chithambaram, winner of the 2025 Prague Chess Festival. Aravindh first made headlines in 2013 when, at just 14 years old and seeded 53rd, he won the strong Chennai Open. After a long period of stagnation, he now seems to have found a way to unlock his tremendous potential. With a live rating of 2757.8, he currently ranks 9th in the world. In conversation with ten Geuzendam, Aravindh talks about his development, his aversion to publicity, and his passion for motorcycles.

A particular strength of New in Chess Magazine lies in its many columns, which share fascinating stories about chess players and offer valuable training suggestions. In Fair & Square, readers learn what Magnus Carlsen currently thinks of Hans Niemann; the Celeb 64 column explores Albert Einstein’s relationship with chess; and in Just Checking, German grandmaster Frederik Svane talks about his love for art and music. Matthew Sadler shares book recommendations, and columns like How to Improve, The Model Game, and The Killer Blow offer targeted training content.

A fine and entertaining mix – and if you believe that chess is indeed "The Best Game Ever," the New in Chess Magazine offers plenty of material to support that claim.

New in Chess, 03/2025, USA $18.99, Europe €17.99

New in Chess...

<< The Luftloch
The whole chess world is yours! >>
Topics: Aravindh Chithambaram, Boris Spassky, New in Chess, Reviews
Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
Discussion and Feedback Submit your feedback to the editors

See also

Indians continue ascent: Aravindh climbs to world number 11 in April FIDE rankings

4/1/2025 – India’s presence in elite chess continues to strengthen, with Aravindh Chithambaram reaching world number 11 in the latest FIDE rankings. The 25-year-old grandmaster from Madurai recently won the Prague Masters and delivered a flawless performance in the German Bundesliga, gaining 17.5 rating points. His rise places him among India's top players, alongside Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu. With strong tournament results, Aravindh is now a serious contender for a place in the next Candidates Tournament. | Photo: Amruta Mokal
More...
 2

See also

Looking back at Spassky

3/3/2025 – Boris Spassky died last Thursday, 27 February 2025. An exceptionally fine obituary by Leonard Barden appeared in the Guardian the following day. At 95, Barden continues to write chess columns for The Guardian and Financial Times, demonstrating his enduring passion and expertise in the field. Chess historian Edward Winter likewise presents some excellent material on Spassky.
More...
 10

Video

60m English A practical repertoire against the scotch

For a long time the Scotch opening was considered harmless and rarely played. This changed in 1990 when Garry Kasparov successfully employed the Scotch opening in his World Championship match against Anatoly Karpov. But that was 25 years ago. Now, there is no need to panic if you want to play 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 and need a line against the Scotch. On this 60 Minutes renowned and successful coach Adrian Mikhalchishin gives simple practical tips how to neutralize and counter the Scotch.