no. 520
White to play. This position is from Nakamura-Mamedyarov, St Louis 2018. Unfortunately for Mamedyarov, he has just blundered in a…
Luke’s gospel
Perhaps the outstanding clash of the recently concluded British championship in Hull, supported by Capital Developments Waterloo Ltd, was the…
No. 519
White to play. This position is from Fernandez-Pritchett, Hull 2018. White found an extraordinary, problem-like move to finish the game.…
Royal shame
Nine-year-old Shreyas Royal, widely regarded as the UK’s best hope to become a future world chess champion, is being deported…
no. 518
Black to play. This is from Howell-McShane, British Championship, Hull 2018. This was the conclusion of the game that enabled…
Rice gambit
The recent successful revival of the musical Chess, by Sir Tim Rice and the men of Abba, featured some genuine extracts…
no. 517
Black to play. This position is from the classic game Réti-Alekhine, Baden Baden 1925. What was Black’s next move? It…
Fiend from Hull
This year’s British Championship commences today in Hull. Among a powerful field, which includes Michael Adams and defending champion Gawain…
no. 516
Black to play. This position is from Brown-Adams, British Championship, Bournemouth 2016. Black has various ways to force mate but…
Mental sport
Sporting commentators frequently resort to chess metaphors to convey the flavour of a particular contest. In the case of football, chess tends…
no. 515
Black to play. This is from Carlsen-Polgar, Mexico 2012. Judit had been struggling in this game but when Carlsen slipped…
Leningrad Lip
This description of Viktor Korchnoi was coined (an oblique reference to Muhammad Ali’s nickname of Louisville Lip) by Ian Ward…
no. 514
Black to play. This is from Karpov-Korchnoi, Dortmund 1994. In this unusual position Karpov has two queens but Korchnoi’s forces…
We still have Paris
The second leg of this year’s Grand Tour was contested in Paris, almost immediately after Leuven. For Paris, Anish Giri…
no. 513
White to play. This is from Nakamura-Kramnik, Paris Blitz 2018. The third victim of Nakamura’s hypnotism was Vladimir Kramnik who,…
The Caruana conundrum
Over the course of this year Fabiano Caruana has scored splendidly in tournaments with classical time limits, notching up first…
no. 512
White to play. This position is from Anand-Caruana, Leuven Blitz 2018. How did Anand achieve a winning material advantage? Answers…
Altibox
Fabiano Caruana has won the elite Altibox tournament ahead of world champion Magnus Carlsen. This result might appear to give…
Puzzle no. 511
White to play. This position is a variation from So-Carlsen, Norway Chess 2018. The world champion suffered a reverse in…
Viktor the Terrible
Viktor Korchnoi is the subject of a poignant new book from the distinguished pen of the Dutch grandmaster and former Soviet…
no. 510
Black to play. This position is from Korchnoi–-Karpov, World Championship game 17, Baguio 1978. Can you spot Karpov’s dramatic finish?…
Title background
Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana will be contesting their World Championship match in London in November. As I mentioned last…
no. 509
Black to play. This is from Pillsbury-Lasker, St Petersburg 1895/96. Black has sacrificed two rooks for a bishop to drive the…
Sherpa
My Great Predecessors is an indispensable guide to the achievements, style and best games of the former world chess champions.…
no. 508
Black to play. This is from Paulsen-Morphy, New York 1857. Having sacrificed his queen to expose the white king, Morphy continued…
Most Popular
- Read
- Read
Editor’s Choice
Cartoons
