I hope everyone has had a good week! This will be the second to last article in this endgame series. This week, we’re going to look at a situation in which beginners often find themselves in regarding the endgame, trading pieces for pawns. This is one of those situations that requires a knowledge of basic … Continue reading "Preparing for the Endgame Ten" The post Preparing for the...

World champion Magnus Carlsen will once again be one of the participants when the Tata Steel Chess Tournament starts in January 2021. It is the first over the board tournament in which Carlsen will participate since reaching the age of 30. And it is only the second international classical chess tournament to be held since [...]

I was thinking today about a tournament I played in Protvino in 1988 and several people who attended that are no longer with us. It was a special event played in a small town outside Moscow in which David Bronstein (1924-2006) attended as an arbiter, which was probably an excuse to invite him. I also … Continue reading "Protvino Recollections" The post Protvino Recollections appeared first...

“A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement” Bo Bennett (businessman) This variation is often seen in junior tournaments when white is not very familiar with how to play against the French Defence. What I have discovered is that most of the time White is not happy the diagonal a2-g8 is … Continue reading "Need Sure Points? French Defence, Advance...

The directors of Tata Steel have announced that the 83rd edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament will take place in January. The COVID-19 crisis has led to the cancellation of many events, also in the world of chess. After thorough consultation with the Dutch Chess Association, NOC*NSF (Dutch Olympic Committee – Dutch Sports Federation) [...]

I’m pleased to report that the second draft version of Chess Puzzles for Heroes is now available for download here if anyone wants to proofread or test drive it. The Chess Heroes project is designed to provide fully structured coaching materials covering all aspects of the game for players who know the basics and want … Continue reading "Chess Puzzles for Heroes Chapter 1: 2nd...

I had every intention of doing another endgame piece this week, continuing with my ongoing series of articles. However, I’ve spent the last few weeks fielding questions regarding the Netflix movie, The Queen’s Gambit. Really, it comes down to two questions I’ve been asked: One, did I see the movie and two, what did I … Continue reading "Yes, I’ve Seen the...