The classical format of our beloved game is under attack.
People are complaining about boring games that lead to an abundance of draws in super-GM tournaments. They are trying to change everything: the scoring system (three points for a win, one point for a draw), the time control and even the traditional tournament format.
One of the latest attempts was made in the recent Norway Chess super-tournament in Stavanger. To put it mildly, the result failed to impress.
Not only were there a lot of draws;...
Coming back from a four-point deficit hadn't been seen in the history of speed chess matches on Chess.com until Valentina Gunina defeated Alexandra Kosteniuk 16.5-14.5 in Sunday's Women's Speed Chess Championship semifinal.
Gunina will now face Elina Danielian in the final on June 27.
A former world champion in classical chess, Kosteniuk is also known as a strong blitz player. She was perhaps the slight favorite in this match and was leading by a margin of four points after 10 games—and...
What is pawn structure?
From my online glossary, I define it as "the positioning of the whole pawn mass. Also referred to as the pawn skeleton. This positioning of the pawns is what usually dictates the types of plans available in a given position due to open files, space, pawn weaknesses, etc."
It’s normal to develop pieces, put a rook on an open file and make threats. Normal stuff, but not very exciting. Others get a few pieces out and go for an attack. That’s probably more...
Now that GM Simon Williams has taught you many techniques to improve your Puzzle Rush score, he is ready to put his knowledge to the test with a run through the game itself. Watch GM Williams tackle Puzzle Rush as he explains his thinking along the way.
My blog output this year has been a bit of a patchwork quilt. Whilst away for the week I took Hans Renette's magnificent book on Paulsen with me. My friend @kamalakanta recently described it as being a book that is almost a religious experience to read, and I know where he is coming from on that. ( it's always a good idea to take a book with you when you are on holiday in 'Sunny England'!)
Reading Steinitz's fascinating obituary of Paulsen, who influenced him greatly, reminded me that...
Group B of the PRO Chess League Summer Series kicked off with major upsets in both Live Club Matches. Barcelona announced their return to the PRO Chess League by burying Baden Baden in their match, which was followed by a strong showing in the Knockout Battles. In the biggest surprise of the day, the Reykjavik Puffins proved they belonged in the competition by throttling the Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers after a 471-day PRO Chess League absence.
Determined to make an opening-week statement, GM...
I learned the phrase "a horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse" in school when I studied Richard III by William Shakespeare. These days, people use this expression when they want to underline the importance of something.
There is a story about a man who was about to sign a document that would finalize his very painful divorce. Eager to leave the nightmare behind, the guy exclaims: "a pen, a pen, my kingdom for a pen!"
Sometimes we have a similar situation in chess when a knight ("chess horse")...
The second semifinal of the Chess.com Women's Speed Chess Championship will be played today between GM Alexandra Kosteniuk and GM Valentina Gunina, both from Russia.
The winner of the Women's Speed Chess Championship will qualify for the general 2019 Chess.com Speed Chess Championship and also for the FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss in October in Isle of Man.
Today we'll find out the opponent for Elina Danielian in the big final of this first Women's Speed Chess Championship to be played on June...
Do you find that you sometimes miss opportunities to punish your opponent when leading in development?
This week we are proud to release our new Mastery course, Using Time In Chess by GM Simon Williams.
GM Williams shows you how to smell opportunity knocking and take the pawn by the horns. Learn how to speed up the game and punish your opponents for their incautious play!
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Course Outline
This course features four lessons dissecting different aspects of tempo it...
