Founding Father

Wim Andriessen (1938-2017).

The Diplomatic Chess Board

How good is Putin’s chess?

NIC’s Café

Kevin Spacey meets Magnus Carlsen, while ‘Ljubo’ tries to broker peace between Kramnik and Topalov.

Your Move

In search of the oldest chess club in the world.

Fighting Father Time

Are the best players getting younger and younger?

Fair & Square

How did Eric Sykes know he was having lunch with a chess champion?

Cautious Manoeuvres

In Moscow the second leg of the FIDE Grand Prix turned into another draw fest as there seemed to be a ban on taking risks. Ding Liren was one of the exceptions and deservedly finished clear first.

Maximize Your Tactics

A puzzle a day…

Mamedyarov on the Move

The Azeri is having a great year. He won the Gashimov Memorial and rated 2800 he is now #5 in the world rankings. 

Play like Your Opponent

Studying decisive moments in World Championship matches, Mihail Marin noticed a fascinating pattern.

Short Stories

Nigel Short has come to the conclusion that Mikhail Botvinnik deserves a reappraisal.

Wesley So, Who Else?

Continuing to impress, the world’s #2 won the US Championship.

Better Sleeper, Better Player

How to improve your chess with your eyes benignly shut.

Aronian Ends Drought

The Armenian showed he is still a force to be reckoned with at the Grenke Classic.

Chess Pattern Recognition

Watch two pieces successfully battle a queen.

Secrets of Opening Surprises

6.h4 against the Najdorf (really).

Nakamura’s Hat-Trick

As he won the Zurich Chess Challenge for the third time, ‘Naka’ begins to see the merits of the new classical time-control.

Judit Polgar’s Column

The role of the team captain observed from both sides of the fence.

Short but Swedish

A fine tradition was revived in Malmö, Sweden.

Sadler on Books

DVD’s on positional themes. And some books, of course.

Reykjavik Open

Anish Giri had a ball and claimed outright first.

Escape into Chess

Reading a moving memoir Hans Ree realized how much he had not known about a man he believed to know so well.

Just Checking

Which work of art moves Harika Dronavalli?