Next generation
Magnus Carlsen’s world title challenge to Vishy Anand commences on Saturday 9 November and continues to the end of this month.…
No. 291
White to play. This position is from Karpov v. Korchnoi, Merano 1981. White’s next destroyed the black position. What did…
Tendonitis
Magnus Carlsen has risen to achieve the highest ever chess rating. He ascended to 2872 on the rankings, which compares…
No. 290
White to play. This position is a variation from Carlsen-Anand, Monaco 2011. White is a piece down here but has…
The 16th?
Magnus Carlsen is seeking to become the 16th world chess champion in a line that includes such giants as Bobby…
No. 289
Black to play. This is a variation from Svidler-Nepomniatchi, Novgorod 2013. Svidler avoided this position, despite the fact that White…
Maecenas
Andrew Paulson, an American who lives in London, has been responsible for a remarkable chess revolution over the past year.…
No. 288
White to play. This position is from Goganov-Motylev, Russian Championship, Novgorod 2013. Black has just captured on d5 with his…
Time for change
Former world champion Garry Kasparov has announced that he will stand for president of Fidé, the World Chess Federation, next…
No. 287
White to play. This is from Euwe-Alekhine, Zurich 1934. It looks as if Alekhine may have won Euwe’s knight due…
Through glasses darkly
Grandmasters Pal Benko and Viktor Korchnoi have worn dark glasses to counter perceived hypnotic influence during games. In the recent…
No. 286
White to play. This position is from Alekhine-Bogolyubov, World Championship (Game 4), Germany 1934. The black king has been driven…
Max Fuller
I am sorry to hear that the Australian master Max Fuller has died in Sydney at the age of 68.…
No. 285
White to play. This position is from Fuller-Sorensen, Copenhagen 1980. The Black king has been driven out into the open.…
World Cup
The recently concluded Fide (World Chess Federation) World Cup held at Tromso in Norway resulted in a triumph for Vladimir…
puzzle no. 284
Black to play. This position is from Riazantsev-Felgaer, Tromso 2013. Black’s forces have invaded the white kingside. Can you spot…
Lord of the flies
It is often said that the great chessboard artist, Polish Grandmaster Akiba Rubinstein, was afflicted during tournament play by an…
No. 283
Black to play. This position is from Rotlewi-Rubinstein, Lodz 1907. This is the conclusion of one of Rubinstein’s most famous…
Anon anon sir
Nowadays it is standard, when publishing a chess game, to give the names of both players. This was not always…
No. 282
White to play. This is from Johnson-Anon, internet game 2013. Black’s problem is that his king is marooned in the…
Hedgehog fund
The Hedgehog is a respected chess formation, usually adopted as Black, where the defender crouches behind a wall of pawns…
Puzzle no. 281
Black to play. This is from Caruana-Adams, Dortmund 2013. Despite play being in an endgame Adams sacrificed a piece. His…
Dortmund
Britain’s top grandmaster Mickey Adams has won clear first prize in the tournament at Dortmund, ahead of former world champion…
No. 280
White to play. This position is from Williams-Brown, British Championship, Torquay 2013. What is the most direct route to victory…
Fawltless
David Howell turned in a sparkling performance in the 100th British Chess Championship in Torquay, which finished last week. In…
