Annual Survey 2008: a year in videos

2008 was not just another year. It was the year in which Bobby Fischer passed away, it was the end of the Kramnik era, and we saw the birth of both the Grand Prix and the Grand Slam. Like we did on December 31 last year and the year before, here’s our (by now traditional) annual survey, with our best videos of 2008. Read more

Topalov tops January rating list at 2796

He won 5 points in Dresden and although he’s still waiting for his 13 points gained at the Pearl Spring tournament in Nanjing, Veselin Topalov tops the January 2009 FIDE rating list at 2796. In October in Bonn, World Champion Anand won 8 rating points to climb back to 2nd, while Kramnik dropped to 8th place. Behind Ivanchuk (3rd) and Carlsen (4th) there’s Morozevich on 5th (dropping from 2nd), followed by Radjabov and Jakovenko on 6th and 7th place. Read more

Sasikiran wins 18th Ciudad de Pamplona

In a tournament chuck full of great chess games, Indian grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran won the 8th Ciudad de Pamplona with 5/7 ahead of Malakhov and Vallejo. The Indian’s expected rating change is +17 which will make him a 2711 player in a few days, and in Pamplona he won another 10 points! Read more

Another strong start for Almasi in Reggio Emilia

He’s defending his title and he started this year’s Torneo di Capodanno with three wins. Zoltan Almasi leads in Reggio Emilia, ahead of Ni Hua, Dreev and Gustafsson. Read more

Jakovenko, Grischuk and Radjabov share first prize in Elista

All would be decided in the final round, but in the top of the standings nothing changed: Jakovenko (who drew with Alekseev) and Grischuk & Radjabov (who drew with each other) finished shared first at the 3rd Grand Prix in Elista. In the last round Eljanov scored the only win, against Inarkiev. Read more

Kasimdzhanov again only winner in Elista

Even quicker than yesterday the score in Elista saw six draws, and again Kasimdzhanov was the only winner, this time against Cheparinov. Jakovenko, Grischuk and Radjabov still lead going into the final, decisive round. Read more

50th anniversary Europe-Echecs

Not many chess magazines can boast about such a longstanding history as the French monthly Europe Echecs. The January 2009 issue celebrates half a century of chess news and stories in the French language, with 100 pages of looking back. Read more

Weekly Endgame Study (101)

Every Saturday an endgame study is published at ChessVibes, selected by IM Yochanan Afek: player, trainer, endgame study composer and writer. A week later the solution is published. Good luck with the instructional occupation of solving a study! Read more

Kasimdzhanov scores only win in 11th round Grand Prix

After so much excitement on Thursday, the 11th round of the Elista Grand Prix could be described as the round of missed chances. Many favourable endings were not won and in the end it was only Kasimdzhanov who scored a win, with Black against Inarkiev. Jakovenko, Grischuk and Radjabov still lead with just two rounds to go. Read more

Great win brings Caruana next to Vallejo

Francisco Vallejo Pons and Fabiano Caruana are leading with 2/3 in a strong round-robin that’s currently taking place in Pamplona, Spain. In the third round Caruana beat Vallejo - a great game that deserves a separate post here. Read more

Radjabov and Jakovenko join Grischuk

On a rare occasion of top level chess on Christmas day there was more fighting spirit than ever which resulted in the best round so far in Elista. Radjabov defeated Alekseev to join Grischuk in the lead. So did Jakovenko, who won against Inarkiev. Gashimov dropped to 4th place after losing to Leko, Cheparinov beat Akopian and Mamedyarov defeated Eljanov.
Read more

Christmas Chess

Christmas is a time for trees, presents, families, holidays, old men in red suits, snow, reindeer, and… chess. For anybody who wants to focus on that last one, here’s an overview of all tournaments that are taking place this period. Read more

ACP: “Players’ rights have been neglected”

In a new press release the Association of Chess Professionals calls for an “even higher standard of management” and recommends tournament organizers to “act carefully when announcing events which are not completely guaranteed yet.” They argue that by kicking Al Modiahki and Pelletier out of the Grand Prix, “players’ rights have been neglected”.
Read more

Elista R9: Gashimov rejoins Grischuk

After co-winning the first Grand Prix as the nominated player in Baku, Vuigar Gashimov is also a serious candidate for winning the third, in Elista. Today he trapped Mamedyarov’s queen and rejoined Grischuk in the lead, with 6.0/9. Overall leader Wang Yue beat Cheparinov while Kasimdzhanov lost again, to Jakovenko. Read more

True Combat Chess

IM Timothy Taylor, who is rapidly gaining a reputation as an excellent chess writer, has now dealt with the practical aspects of improving your chess in True Combat Chess.

This book bears resemblance with Nunn’s famous Secrets of Practical Chess, and deals with practical matters like ‘the endgame and the clock’, ‘winning the won game’, ‘the critical move’ etc.

Almost all examples come from games played by Timothy Taylor himself and he knows how to teach and entertain at the same time!

True Combat Chess is brand new and you can find it here.

On behalf of the whole New In Chess Team I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2009 with plenty of good chess!

Who’s Britney’s manager?

Do you know who Britney Spears’ manager is? Do you care? Okay, I admit having read a news item about the breakup between Britney Spears and her previous manager, but, of course, that was not because of the news itself, but because it involved Britney. And I have absolutely no idea who her new manager is.
Read more

Grischuk wins again, now clear first

Alexander Grischuk beat Wang Yue today to score his third victory in a row in Elista. The Russian leads the 3rd Grand Prix with 5.5/8. Cheparinov sacrificed his queen to force Alekseev’s resignation and Kasimdzhanov got his first win, against Akopian. Read more

Review: The Black Lion

It’s clear that the New in Chess publishers are experimenting. In the past, they have mostly published high-quality opening books for the serious chess student, written by famous grandmasters such as Morozevich and Bologan. With The Black Lion, written by Dutch amateur club players Jerry van Rekom and Leo Jansen, they’re obviously sticking out their necks. Admittedly, the book already was a huge success in The Netherlands, precisely because it appealed greatly to fellow amateur club players, and the new edition also seems to sell very well indeed. Read more

Radjabov loses to Inarkiev, Grischuk takes his place

In round 7 of the Grand Prix in Elista, Inarkiev escaped from a totally lost position and even beat one of the tournament leaders, Radjabov. Eljanov won against Cheparinov and Grischuk beat Alekseev, to share the lead with Gashimov. Read more

Ivanchuk wins in last round Pearl Spring

Using the rare Vienna Opening, Vassily Ivanchuk defeated Bu brilliantly to score his first win in Nanjing. The Ukrainian finished shared 5th with Movsesian, who drew with tournament winner Topalov. Aronian finished in clear second place after drawing with Svidler. Read more

Next Page »