The FIDE Arbiter’s Commission held its 2016 Councilors’ Meeting in Madrid, Spain, in the period 10 to 13 June. The Spanish Chess Federation was superb host for this important event. Spanish Chess Federation representatives included President Javier Ochoa and Secretary Ramon Padulles. FIDE Arbiters’ Commission Chairman Takis Nikolopoulos and the members of the Arbiters’ Commission...

Την Τρίτη 21 Ιουνίου ο Γκάρι Κασπάροβ θα βρίσκεται στην Θεσσαλονίκη. Ο πρώην παγκόσμιος πρωταθλητής θα δώσει έναν αγώνα χάντικαπ απέναντι σε τέσσερις νεαρές σκακίστριες: Την Σταυρούλα Τσολακίδου, την Αναστασία...

The Norwegian Chess Federation has announced today the lineups for the upcoming World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan. World Champion Magnus Carlsen will spearhead the men’s team and use the competition to shape the form before the World Championship Match in New York. Open section: GM Magnus Carlsen GM Jon Ludvig Hammer GM Aryan Tari [...]

In chess, a player is more successful if they are able to use their knowledge optimally rather than a person who might know more. It has more to do with recognizing patterns on board rather than knowing tonnes of them. That doesn’t mean I am against learning more patterns, it’s more a case of applying […]

At 12:00 CEST today!

Continuing my Brexit themed journey down memory lane, here’s the second game from the European Team Championship in Skara 1980. Raymond Keene is playing Black against Harry Schussler and brings off a nice win with the unusual 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Bf5!?. Schussler must have missed Black’s stunning 13th move which basically just wins […]

The solution to last Monday’s problem is that Black can draw with 1… Kc8 2. e7 Bc6 3. Kf7 Kb7 4. e8=Q+ Bxe8, and we reach a blockade situation where White cannot bring his King over to help promote his pawn without putting Black in stalemate. In this week’s problem, White has to try to […]

The 2016 Icelandic Chess Championship was held from 31st May to 11th June at the Tónlistarskóli in Seltjarnarness. Twelve players with the average elo 2403 competed in the round robin tournament. Former World Championship candidate GM Johann Hjartarson finished clear first with 8,5/11 points to claim his 6th title of national champion. Previously he won [...]

SK Teplice is holding its 11th International Chess Tournament from 11-19th June at the House of Culture in Teplice, Czech Republic. 179 players from 30 countries are competing in the 9-round Swiss event. Among them are 17 Grandmasters and 23 International Masters. The total prize fund is 170.000,- CZK. Official website Participants: 1 GM Movsesian [...]

The Serbian Chess Federation has announced the complete lineups for the 42nd FIDE Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan. Men’s team: GM Ivan Ivanišević, GM Robert Markuš, GM Nikola Sedlak, GM Aleksandar Inđić, GM Miroslav Marković. Captain is GM Slavoljub Marjanović. Women’s team: WGM Jovana Vojinović, Adela Velikić, WGM Irina Chelushkina, WIM Ljilja Drljević and WIM [...]

The 42nd FIDE Chess Olympiad starts on September 2nd in Baku, Azerbaijan. The English Chess Federation has announced the teams for Open and Women’s section. The Open team comprises Michael Adams, David Howell, Nigel Short, Luke McShane, and Gawain Jones. The non-playing captain will be Malcolm Pein. The Women’s team comprises Jovanka Houska, Dagne Ciuksyte, [...]

If you click here you’ll hear David Oistrakh, whom you will have heard playing Tchaikovsky a couple of weeks ago, playing Sergei Prokofiev’s second violin concerto. You’ll also find Oistrakh playing the first violin concerto, the two violin sonatas and other works by the same composer on YouTube. Even if you’re not a classical music […]

Aleksei Pridorozhni, Grandmaster from Surgut in Ugra, convincingly won the 38th Nezhmetdinov Cup that was held from May 31st to June 8th at the Central Chess School in Kazan, Russia. Pridorozhni signed 8 points from nine rounds, leaving the nearest followers a full point behind. Full standings below. The tournament with the 10,000 EUR prize [...]

Live games with analysis

The FIDE Commission for the Disabled (DIS) held its first meeting for 2016 in Tallinn, Estonia on 2-3rd June. The main topic was the discussion on new regulations of FIDE DIS events and standardization of all DIS events with FIDE requirements. The final drafts will be submitted for approval during the next FIDE Congress in [...]