My last post for 2013 concludes the exploration of my book Move Two!, a book I wrote in the 1990s for children who have learnt the basics and are ambitious to move into competitive chess. The book comprises 16 chapters, one for every piece you start with, alternating openings, tactics and endings. Most chapters also […]

And so Notre Dame finishes a somewhat disappointing year on a good note, winning their bowl game and winding up 9-4 for the season. Next year they have good prospects to be a top-10 team; we'll see. Meanwhile, for the last time this year and for this football season, a musical coda:

Η Σταυρούλα Τσολακίδου έγινε η δεύτερη ελληνίδα που κατακτάει παγκόσμιο τίτλο σε νεανικά πρωταθλήματα. Είχε προηγηθεί η Maria Kouvatsou το 1999 στην κατηγορία έως 20 ετών.

Το 2013 μου έδωσε χαρές με διεθνείς διακρίσεις, όπως και σε αρκετούς Έλληνες συνθέτες και γι' αυτούς χαίρομαι περισσότερο όταν φέρνουν καλύτερα αποτελέσματα από μένα!Υπήρξαν επίσης και κάποιες συνεργασίες που δεν είναι...

The Al Ain Chess Classic was held on 19-28th December at the UAE University in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. The tournament was played concurrently with the World Youth Chess Championships 2013 and in two sections – Open A and Open B (U2000). The Open A had 99 participants from 31 countries, including 38 Grandmasters [...]

It isn't the bowl game Notre Dame hoped for, but you take what you get. The Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium is underway, and Notre Dame is expected to crush Rutgers, and not just by tongue-in-cheek super-fans like this blogger. The massacre is underway, and can be viewed on ESPN.

Live games with analyisis

Silicon Valley Bank, Innovation Norway and Churchill Club are organizing an open forum “Meet the Mozart of Chess” on 16th January at the Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA 94043. Speaker: Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Champion Moderator: Peter Thiel, Technology entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist; President, Clarium Capital Magnus Carlsen took the world by storm as [...]

One of the chess related jobs I am most proud of is my program that teaches chess to incarcerated teenagers in the juvenile correctional system. In my youth, I was a bit of a juvenile delinquent but was able to change my life in a positive way. Many kids locked up in juvenile facilities today […]

I've already mentioned the match between Anatoly Karpov and Jan Timman (game 2 was also drawn) in Groningen; it's concurrent with three open events that started before Christmas. Here in the States, in "fabulous" Las Vegas, another traditional annual event is underway, the North American Open. They're not super-tournaments, but if you want a chess fix and half a little free time over the...

What in the world is Viswanathan Anand going to do, when it comes to the Candidates? No one knows (at least no one outside his immediate circle), but speculation is rampant as Anand one day seems to lean one way, only to lean in the opposite direction the day after. If you want a look at the latest round-up, have a look here. (HT: Ross Hytnen)

A drama based on the early lives of the Polgar sisters, here. (HT: Marc)

Τα ατομικά πρωταθλήματα Αττικής μπλιτς και ράπιντ της ΕΣΣΝΑ ενωματωνονται στα Ατομικά Blitz και  Rapid της Σκ. Επικοινωνίας Ηρακλειου μετά απο απόφαση του ΔΣ της ΕΣΣΝΑ: Θα διεξαχθούν το Σάββατο 28 το Blitz(ώρα έναρξης 19.00) και...

Με επιτυχία έγινε εχθές, Πέμπτη 26/12/2013 το φιλικό Χριστουγεννιάτικο τουρνουά Blitz που διοργανώθηκε στο καφενείο "Παννελήνιον". Οι σκακιστές που συμμετείχαν πέρασαν ένα όμορφο απόγευμα, χάρηκαν τις παρτίδες τους και την...

A rest day after the sixth round had changed the entire status of the Bhavarlal Khantabai Jain Multipurpose Foundation 51st Indian Premier Chess Championship, being held at Jain Hills, Jalgoan. With both co-leaders GM Sasikiran Krishnan and GM Lalith Babu (both from Petroleum Sports Board) losing one game each in either eighth or ninth round, [...]