All news

• The Arab Championship in Tunis

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  Various events have been taking place in Tunis including the Arab Individual Championships. The most surprising fact was that red hot first seed Al-Modiakhi didn't win the event and had to settle for second place behind Egyptian El Ghindy.Videos

• Happy New Year!

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  After a quiet period over Christmas, we are back aiming to bring you lots of great chess information throughout 2010.
  To start things off, there is another new video today and, in the coming week, there will be plenty of analysis of games that took place in the most recent tournaments.
  

• Russian Championship

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  Of all the national championships from 2009, strongest was the Russian one that has just taken place in Moscow.
  A ten player round robin with an average rating of 2691 takes some beating!
  
  Alexander Grischuk becomes champion for the first time and Alisa Galliamova win's the women's championship with a 2709 performance.

• Forever young!?

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  The World's two strongest players (in the over-seventies category!) battled it out over eight games in Kalmykia.
  With a combined age of 150 and with their main achievements some decades old, the match is perhaps most of interest for the nostalgic observer!
  It does show however that the chess is not just a young man's sport!

• Merry Christmas!

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  There will be some strong events coming up in the new year especially the annual Corus event with Carlsen and Anand etc. Maybe in the spring we'll have a World Championship match to report on, all being well... At the moment a match between living legends Victor Korchnoi and Boris Spassky is taking place in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia in Russia.

• The Final Countdown

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  The last round was again another exciting one and all the players should be congratulated on their fighting spirit.
  Carlsen even took risks in an attempt to win, but the complicated queen ending eventually led to a draw.
  See the latest [Video] and read below for more information.

• London!

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  Kramnik surprised Nigel Short with a rare sideline against the Ragozin system. His win retains the suspense as to the eventual tournament winner, as Carlsen only drew.
  See what he had to say about the game in the latest video report.
  [Videos]

• Gelfand Blitzes Ponomariov

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  It was noticeable how Ponomariov was by the far the quicker player in the rapids.
  However it was Gelfand's 'slower but surer' approach that seemed to be paying off, until Ponomariov engineered some complications in the final game. Then having extra time in reserve certainly helped him get back in the match, only to go down in the Blitz play-off.

• No quarter given or expected in London

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  Great value for the numerous spectators today as all four games were fascinating tussles. Carlsen and McShane were the winners, both with Black.
  Five players, despite the best will in the world, still haven't managed to win a game whereas Carlsen (with three victories) is now racing ahead. [Videos]

• It's not over yet!

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  A final day of quicker time limits will be required to decide the 2009 champion.
  Gelfand kept the tension and tried to exploit his slight space advantage by opening the kingside, but then realised it was going to be risky and proposed a draw.
  The play-off, starting with a series of rapidplay games, will decide the champion tomorrow.
  

• Streets of London

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  You don't see frolicking beef-eaters that often on the streets of London, but if you wait long enough a red bus may come your way!
  In the tournament several players are trying their best but are still having to be patient as they just can't seem to get their first win under their belt. Maybe tomorrow will be their day.
  Four hard fought games but no wins today.

• Third steady draw in World Cup final

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  Another uninspiring draw as Ponomariov's opening pull was negated by a timely king walk into the fray.
  Tomorrow Gelfand has White in the last classical game, so is slight favourite to decide the tie in his favour.

• Rest day in London

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  With the players taking a well-earned break in the English Capital, this gives us time to reflect on yesterday's games. Kramnik dominated McShane to take second place and Carlsen missed a win against Howell, but still leads.

• All-square in cautious final

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  Only twenty moves were played today as the players agreed to a draw at the point where Ponomariov playing Black made the thematic liberating break. So neither player has demonstrated anything exceptional so far in the final.

• Carlsen Chess Classic

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  Is Carlsen going to dominate in London or can his remaining opponents give him a hard time? So far victories over Kramnik and McShane put him into the lead. Even today's draw was only a whisker away from a third consecutive victory.

• Boris or Ruslan?

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  Either Boris Gelfand or Ruslan Ponomariov will emerge victorious from this year's World Cup Campaign in a few days. First of all they have to finish ahead in a four-game classical chess match.
  In the first game today Gelfand managed to gradually equalize with Black.

• London in the rain

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  Although rain is forecast in London this evening, it won't stop play in the London Chess Classic.
  Carlsen played the other first round victor Luke McShane in the battle for the lead. He kept pressing and eventually broke the young English player's resistance.
  Carlsen is now already well ahead of his rivals.

• No place like London

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  The opening day and already the top two go head-to-head!
  The atmosphere in these top London extravaganzas is always electric and one can't help thinking back to other great events organized in the capital involving the leading players of the world.

• Ponomariov turns the tables

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  One of these two had to lose. In fact Ponomariov perhaps thought it was going to be himself after losing the first of the rapid games with White. However three confident wins in a row settled the issue in his favour.

• The final beckons

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  Gelfand dominates both games to earn his ticket for the final showdown. He will have to wait for the result of the play-off between Ponomariov and Malakhov to know his opponent.