1/11/2018 – There are a lot of firsts happening at the 16th edition of the Delhi International Grandmaster Open 2018. This year, for the first time, the tournament (all categories combined) has a total prize fund of 7,777,777 Indian Rupees (great number, which is equivalent at current rates to USD $122111!) It is also for the first time that a 2700+ player is competing in an Indian grandmaster event — Arkadij Naiditsch (2701). Also a record: nearly 2300 players from all over the world are competing at the Indira Gandhi Stadium. After four rounds, 43-year-old Bangladeshi GM Ziaur Rahman was the only player with a perfect 4 / 4 score, but he was caught in the double-round action on Friday and is now tied with Naiditsch and Murali Karthikeyan with 5½ / 6.

1/8/2018 – The seventh round of Eka by IIFLIM International Chess tournament 2017-18 saw a very interesting event: an exciting blindfold simul starring GM Timur Gareyev! The Blindfold King was challenged by 12 young chess players, some of whom gave a very tough fight. Avathanshu Bhat, who was also in the simul, reported on the event. Timur not only played the simul scoring 10½ / 12 (with 3 draws), he also won his classical game against a 2300+ opponent and then came to the commentary studio to explain his win in a 25 minute masterclass! At the end of the day all we can think is, where does the man get all this energy from?! | Photo: Amruta Mokal

11/2/2017 – The World Youth Olympiad (under-16) will be held in India in the city of Ahmedabad from the 10th to 19th of December 2017. Already 17 teams have registered for the event. India is fielding their strongest team which includes GM Aryan Chopra and two of the biggest talents R. Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin. Will there be any team to stop the hosts? In this article you get all the information about the event and also get to know why from a tourist point of view, Gujarat is one of the most scenic destinations in the country. Thumbnail image: Lennart Ootes

10/15/2017 – We look back at IoM one more time, focusing on the many Indian players who performed admirably, first and foremost, Vishy Anand for his second place finish, scoring 7.0 / 9. The second was Vidit Gujrathi, who had a very solid +4 performance. However, his biggest achievement of the event was surely holding Magnus Carlsen to a draw. And the third, rather lesser known, was GM Swapnil Dhopade, with a rating of 2532, but who performed at an Elo of 2768. We got in touch with all the three high performers and try to understand the secrets of their success. Photos: | Alina l'Ami (Anand), Chess.com/Maria Emelianova (Vidit and Swapnil)

9/25/2017 – Feel like escaping to a warm climate this winter? Why not India? From December 2017 to January 2018 we'll see events in Bhopal, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. Her are all the details about the forthcoming Indian Winter Circuit tournaments along with a few tips on what one can expect from each of the tournament destinations as a tourist.

8/26/2017 – The country's first grandmaster was Vishy Anand, back in 1988. The number slowly increased, and in recent years has surged: currently there are 49 GM in India, making it number eight on this count in the world (Russia has 240, the US 94, Germany 91 and Ukraine 89). The million Rupee question now is: who will be India's 50th GM? We give you the candidates for the golden jubilee grandmaster!

8/13/2017 – On 10th of August, R. Praggnanandhaa turned 12 years old, and crossed 2500 FIDE Elo. He has an opportunity to go after Sergey Karjakin's record as the youngest grandmaster ever. In Vlissingen, in the Zeeland province of southwest Netherlands last week, he dominated a simultaneous exhibition, scoring 20-0, then played the annual HZ Tournament there, narrowly missing a GM-norm. | Photo: hztoernooi.nl

5/20/2017 – In a country as vast as India, peppered with villages all over, economic prosperity is often the difference between folding in on itself or survival. Many villages suffered from rampant illicit gambling and alcoholism. Marottichal was one such, until one day, a man opened a teashop and began teaching everyone chess, and now chess is seen everywhere. BBC reports.

4/26/2017 – During the last weeks you were comprehensively briefed on Nihal Sarin, twelve years old and on his way to the GM title. Nihal is playing at the Reykjavik Open, where a compatriot is stunning the crowd. Pragga, as he is known to friends, is making life tense for experienced grandmasters, in fact beating the winner of the recent Dubai Open, GM Gawain Jones, rated 2671. And: a fifteen-year-old girl has joined the ranks of young GM killers: Vaishali, who is Pragga's sister.

4/16/2017 – Nihal Sarin has announced his arrival and how! It is true that he had already started making a name for himself as a dangerous 12-year-old boy who could crush you if you give him one small opportunity. But the TV2 Fagernes GM International saw the 12-year-old genius score his first GM norm, stay undefeated, smash a 2600 GM on the way, tie for second (take fourth place on the tiebreak), and play breathtaking chess. We have a report with grandmaster analysis of Nihal's games.

4/6/2017 – Yesterday, we reported on the cheating scandal that took place at the Dubai Open 2017 where and Indian chessplayer Jeel Shah was caught cheating red-handed by the arbiters. Today, we have a detailed report narrating the entire story from Dubai, along with comments by various victims of the cheater, including titled players. Also, you will be shocked to know Jeel Shah's profession. Report.

4/5/2017 – In an unfortunate event that occurred a few minutes back at the Dubai Open 2017, Surat-based Indian player Jeel Shah, rated 1764, was suspended from the tournament for cheating during the game. Find out what happened.

1/29/2017 – B. Adhiban has shown absolutely no respect for the current status of opening theory at the Tata Steel Masters 2017. The viability of this approach is seen by his +1 score after twelve rounds against the world's best. In order to give a tribute to this wonderful performance by the Indian grandmaster, ChessBase India will organize an online Chess960 blitz event that will take place at 6 p.m. IST on 29th of January. Some exciting prizes to be won from the comfort of your home!

9/29/2016 – Many foreigners wait for a chance to visit India. Filled with diverse landscapes, historic and cultural background, various cuisines and landmark structures – a trip to India can be a life transforming experience. If you are a chess player, here's some good news for you: you not only get to play in three back to back strong tournaments with a hefty prize fund, but you get to see the country. And if you are an IM or a GM you get some excellent conditions.

9/15/2016 – Recently Susan Ninan met Vishy Anand at his home in Chennai to do an interview for ESPN India. The thing which separates this interview from many others we have read in the past is the detail and candour with which Vishy answers the questions related to age and aging, tackling younger opponents, fatherhood, staying relevant in an evolving sport – and, inevitably, to retirement. We reproduce this interview along with some very interesting historical pictures.

7/14/2016 – Now into its ninth edition, this annual event is held in a city teeming with furious energy, one that never sleeps. The first three places in the ratings tournament were occupied by Indian player, the "best foreigner" was Russian GM Boris, 2639, in place four. Makes you wonder: which is the great super-power in chess these days? Priyadarshan Banjan's richly illustrated report contains a deadly dangerous song and some devastating advertising puns. Utterly butterly.

6/21/2016 – Imagine you are playing an important blitz tiebreak game, and an Armageddon no less. Your team's progress depends on it. You have a winning position and plenty of time. You move your queen to capture a pawn. You press the clock, but while you are doing so the queen falls over. Are you allowed to replace it – on your opponent's time? Here, from an Indian chess league, is a forensic analysis of the situation and the rules involved.

5/27/2016 – "One of the prettiest studies I have seen in recent times!" wrote Indian GM Abhijeet Gupta when he posted it on Twitter. Sagar Shah tried his hand at solving the position and gave it to a number of his students. The reaction was the same – everyone who was able to find the solution had a feeling of unadulterated joy. Here’s the study with a detailed explanation, including why King Leonidas is on the thumbnail!

5/25/2016 – The total prize fund of the Delhi Chess Association Below 1600 FIDE Rated Chess Tournament 2016 was a cool one million Rupees (about US $15,000). Many participants feared that such a colossal sum – by Indian standards – was bound to attract cheaters. But the arbiters were ready for that. When one player finished with 8.5/9 points he was searched and found to be using machine assistance – in a fairly clever way.

2/15/2016 – Tania Sachdev is a woman of many talents. She is an International Master, a successful tournament player, a fine chess teacher, and a popular commentator. She has also worked as a model and now made it to the cover of a popular Indian magazine. A picture of Tania Sachdev embellishes the cover of the 100th issue of "The Man magazine, India".

12/28/2015 – The 2016 edition of the Delhi International Open will take place from January 9-16, 2016, and will have a prizefund of roughly 48 thousand Euros, a record in India! The event will bring opportunities for players of all levels, with norm opportunities for strong players, to incredibly rich prizes even for lower rated categories. Read on how to inscribe.

12/3/2015 – In the second part of her in-depth interview Dronavalli Harika, India's number two women player, who recently became the first Women World Champion in Online-Blitz, talks about her repertoire, her love of chess books, psychology in chess, how she would pay tribute to her coach, and her ambition to become number one on the women's ranking list.

11/28/2015 – With a rating of 2513 Dronavalli Harika is India’s number two woman player. The 24-year-old is well on her way to the top, and has climbed the ranking ladder steadily over the past couple of years and recently won the World Women's Online Blitz. She discusses her performance at the 2015 Women’s World Championship, where she won bronze, how she prepares for games and tournaments in this in-depth interview.

11/27/2015 – Louis Philippe, a premier Indian men’s apparel brand, has a show hosted by an Indian tennis legend, Vijay Amritraj. In it famous personalities discuss their journey to reach the top of their profession. Last week we brought you part one of a very profound interview Vijay conducted with former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand. Today you can enjoy the second part.