3/14/2026 – The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 is set to begin on 29 March, when eight elite grandmasters will start their fourteen-round quest to earn the right to challenge reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju. The lineup combines seasoned contenders such as Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura with rising stars including Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Javokhir Sindarov. | Image: FIDE

3/11/2026 – The FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 will take place from 28 March to 16 April in Cap St. Georges Hotel & Resort, Cyprus, where eight leading players will compete in a double round-robin to decide the challenger to the reigning champion, Ju Wenjun. The field combines experienced Candidates participants such as Humpy Koneru and Tan Zhongyi with younger contenders including Zhu Jiner and Divya Deshmukh. | Image: FIDE

3/11/2026 – Ashwin Subramanian is a technology evangelist: a software engineering manager at Intel, but also a brilliant photographer, who fortunately for us is very enthusiastic about chess. Ashwin uses his free time visiting major tournaments and sends us marvellous pictures that capture the atmosphere at the events. We will share them with you...

2/20/2026 – Are the Candidates and World Championship time controls stuck in the past? Players are still facing brutal time scrambles that hurt the quality of chess we love to watch. Why does the increment start at move 41 for some, but from move one in others? Is tradition really helping, or just stressing players unnecessarily? Ravi Abhyankar dives into why FIDE’s current system feels arbitrary and offers a smarter, simpler solution. If you are interested in how time controls shape elite chess, this article offers a thoughtful perspective. | Photo: Wikipedia

1/6/2026 – The seventh edition of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament will take place in Kolkata on 7-11 January, featuring separate rapid and blitz tournaments in both the Open and Women's sections. The event is highlighted by the return of five-time world champion and Indian chess icon Viswanathan Anand, alongside a strong mix of domestic and international players. | Image: Official site

12/22/2025 – As the World Rapid and Blitz Championships approach, Doha will host the leading figures of women's chess alongside the wider elite. From established world champions to Grand Prix winners and fast-time-control specialists, the women's field reflects both depth and continuity at the top of the game. This article outlines the key contenders arriving in Qatar, tracing recent results, rivalries and form, and setting the context for how women's chess has developed ahead of one of the season's flagship events. | All photos: FIDE

11/21/2025 – The World Cup began on 30 October in Goa, India. Two hundred and six players entered the tournament; three weeks later, only four remain and will now meet in the semifinals. China’s Wei Yi faces the Russian GM Andrey Esipenko, while Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan takes on his compatriot Nodirbek Yakubboev. The top three finishers qualify for the Candidates Tournament. The winner earns 120,000 USD, the fourth-placed player 50,000. But who has the best chances of winning the event — and securing a spot in the Candidates? | Photos: Michal Walusza

11/6/2025 – The first major upsets of the 2025 FIDE World Cup occurred on Wednesday in Goa, as three players rated over 2700 were eliminated from the competition. Wesley So, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Aravindh Chithambaram were all knocked out by lower-seeded opponents - Titas Stremavicius, Diptayan Ghosh and Karthik Venkataraman, respectively. With 37 matches already decided, the remaining 27 will be settled in Thursday’s tiebreaks, promising a tense conclusion to round two. | Photo: Michal Walusza

7/21/2025 – Radoslaw (Radek) Wojtaszek came out on top in the separate Accentus Chess 960 Masters at the 58th International Biel/Bienne Chess Festival 2025. Our author Eduard Frey, who lives in Biel, met the proficient player from Poland during the tournament. | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust, Organiser

5/19/2025 – The TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament returns to Malmö this May, bringing together a carefully selected mix of seasoned grandmasters and emerging talents, this year including the likes of Richard Rapport, Vasyl Ivanchuk, Nils Grandelius (pictured) and Turkish rising star Yagiz Erdogmus. Known for its thoughtful organisation and competitive format, the event continues its recent focus on promoting top female players, with Tan Zhongyi joining the 2025 edition. | Photo: Mikael Svensson

5/18/2025 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books on chess training and strategy. In episode 230 of his "Understanding before Moving" show Herman looks at the many achievements of Anish Giri. | Photo: Pascal Simon

4/27/2025 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books on chess training and strategy. In episode 227 of his "Understanding before Moving" show Herman looks at the career of Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi. | Photo: Pascal Simon

3/30/2025 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books on chess training and strategy. In episode 223 of his "Understanding before Moving" show Herman looks at the career of Hikaru Nakamura. | Photo: Pascal Simon

3/29/2025 – Pentala Harikrishna, one of India's finest chess grandmasters, has built a life in Prague, blending his passion for chess with a deep connection to the city. In an insightful interview with Sagar Shah, Harikrishna shares his journey - from his rise in the global chess rankings to his experiences working with world champions Gukesh and Ju Wenjun. As they explore Prague's landmarks, he reflects on the challenges of professional chess, the evolving landscape of Indian chess and the importance of unwavering support from family. | Photo: Amruta Mokal

2/21/2025 – The Djerba Chess Festival's Masters section brings together top grandmasters from around the world for a highly competitive tournament on the island of Djerba, a.k.a. the Island of Dreams. Vetted GMs such as Vasyl Ivanchuk, David Navara and Parham Maghsoodloo compete alongside rising talents like Volodar Murzin and current tournament leader Marc'Andria Maurizzi. The event, enriched by Tunisian culture and hospitality, also welcomed the country's Minister for Tourism. | All photos: Diana Mihajlova

2/16/2025 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books on chess training and strategy. In episode 217 of his "Understanding before Moving" show Herman looks at the career of Fabiano Caruana. | Photo: Pascal Simon

1/27/2025 – Wei Yi and Fabiano Caruana scored victories in round 8 of the Tata Steel Masters, with Wei beating Max Warmerdam and Caruana getting the better of Vincent Keymer. The two winners of the day stand a full point behind co-leaders Gukesh Dommaraju, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Meanwhile, Thai Dai Van Nguyen defeated Lu Miaoyi to become the sole leader in the Challengers section. Monday marks the penultimate rest day for the players. | Photo: Tata Steel Chess / Jurriaan Hoefsmit

11/19/2024 – The 2024 FIDE World Championship match, sponsored by Google, will unfold in Singapore from November 23 to December 13, pitting reigning champion Ding Liren against 18-year-old prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh. The duo will battle across 14 classical games for the lion's share of a $2.5 million prize fund. Ding, a seasoned champion, faces Gukesh, the youngest-ever challenger and a rising star in chess. With high stakes, expert analysis and unpredictable outcomes, this clash promises to captivate chess enthusiasts worldwide.

11/12/2024 – Tata Steel, sponsor of the traditional chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee, has also been organising a top-level tournament in India every year since 2018, a rapid and blitz event. It starts again on Wednesday, with Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer, among others.

11/3/2024 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books on chess training and strategy. In the 202nd episode of his ChessBase show "Understanding before moving" Herman continues his series "Chess history in a nutshell" and continues to look at the career of Magnus Carlsen. | Photo: Pascal Simon

10/25/2024 – Ding Liren's journey to becoming the first Chinese World Chess Champion is a testament to resilience. Rising from modest beginnings, he became the youngest Chinese national champion at 16, leading to a series of historic achievements, including two Olympiad golds and a record-breaking 100-game unbeaten streak. However, his road was far from smooth; he faced challenges and even took a hiatus in 2024 for mental health. Ding’s recent comeback showcases his determination to maintain his status among the chess elite | Photo: FIDE / Stev Bonhage

9/16/2024 – Round 5 of the Chess Olympiad saw four teams scoring wins on the top boards to end the day tied for the lead with a 10/10 match points, including pre-tournament favourites India, China, and Hungary. The surprise co-leader is Vietnam, the only team outside the top-10 seeds to keep pace with the elite. Among the standout individual performances, India's Dommaraju Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi continue to shine, each maintaining a perfect score so far. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

7/23/2024 – Pictorial portraits of ten chess players from many different countries, engaged in various sections (GMT Masters Triathlon, GMT Challengers Triathlon, Masters Open, and Amateur Open) at the 57th edition of the Biel Chess Festival. An unparalleled mix of chess activities! Our author, who lives in Biel, presents both known and unknown faces from the Festival | Photos: Organiser (Simon Bohnenblust, Peter A. Steffen)

4/24/2024 – Records were shattered and history was made at the 2024 FIDE Candidates. Two events — open and women’s — took place simultaneously for the first time at the same hall. We saw the first brother-sister duo, R Praggnanandhaa and R Vaishali, participating. In the end, D Gukesh broke a number of records: he was the youngest ever to win the Candidates Tournament and thus become the youngest ever challenger to the World Championship. Gukesh was interviewed by Sagar Shah in what turned out to be a conversation lasting close to two hours. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza