As you know from my previous article, in 1992 Vladimir Kramnik transformed from a FIDE master into one of the world's leading players. The year 1993 made it official: Kramnik became a candidate for the world title. Again we played in the ...
On Friday, GM Hikaru Nakamura won his second-straight Speed Chess Championship title, defeating GM Wesley So by the score of 19.5-14.5. So came back from a four-game deficit early in the match and at one point was even leading the defending c...
What do these things have in common? Cream cheese and bagels Danny Rensch and Robert Hess PRO Chess League (PCL) and Computer Aggregated Precision Score (CAPS) The answer: some of the most exciting combinations of all time....
I have been lucky to play in tournaments with chess players who later became super grandmasters or even world champions. The transformation of talented juniors into the best players in the world was usually a gradual process. With Vladimir&...
All titled players are invited to battle with some of the world's best on Tuesday, August 6 at 1 p.m. PDT for a spot in the 2019 Speed Chess Championship. In addition to the prize money normally on offer for Chess.com's Titled Tuesday, t...
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave tells David Cox about his chess origins, the state of elite chess and his world championship ambitions. 2019 is all about unfinished business for Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Known for his sharp, tactical style, the Frenc...
The old time brilliancy prize games are fun to watch, but for some people they are even more fun if you can solve them in puzzles. Then, when you get little bios for the players too (winners and losers)…well, it’s a good time for all....
Think you have played some long chess games? Check out the games in this article and see if your marathon games match up! Warning! All but one of these games is over 200 moves! Here are the top-four longest-rated chess games ever played: Iva...
Vladimir Kramnik's decision to quit professional chess shook the chess world. Many people even sense deja vu. Indeed, there is an uncanny resemblance to 14 years ago when Garry Kasparov quit chess. Oddly enough, both great players lost thei...
The Austrian chess master Heinrich Wolf (1875-1943) is not exactly a household name for most chess players these days. Yet he is father to one of the most profound concepts in modern opening theory. If people have heard of Wolf at all, it is usu...
The recently concluded Tata Steel chess tournament was very memorable for the U.S. grandmaster Sam Shankland. From now on he will be forever remembered as a chess player who the beat the former world champion Vladimir Kramnik in his last profess...
Tags allow us to label each puzzle in Tactics Trainer with one or more tactical motifs (types of tactics) commonly encountered in chess. Understanding these motifs will help you recognize tactical patterns - both in Trainer, and in your actual gam...
Chess notation is a convenient way to keep track of games, so that you can replay them to study tactics, understand mistakes, or impress your friends. Try out chess notation in your next game - you'll find that nothing is more satisfying than that...
The first few moves of a chess game can be some of the most important moves you make. In those moves, you will establish your early plans and fight for your place on the board. Most beginners don’t need to memorize exact opening moves and sh...
In a continuation from the last article, Is Classical Chess Dead From Draws, we will be comparing different time controls in the Grand Chess Tour (GCT). Mike Klein just wrote a recent piece highlighting the new 2019 format and the players on...
Yes, I did another “Little Things” article (highlighting IM Cyrus Lakdawala again). Why another? Because I think it’s very instructive. See (and understand) a ton of these and your chess IQ should skyrocket. Once again, I am...
A couple of months ago, I wrote an article about Puzzle Rush. Even though I could see its educational value right away, to me at that time it was mostly a new and very addictive toy. These days it is a must-have training tool for all my stude...
David Cox speaks to GM Hikaru Nakamura as he begins a year he hopes will land him a place in the 2020 Candidates' tournament. Sometimes outspoken, and certainly never conventional, the American super-GM Hikaru Nakamura has always been an in...
★★★★★ - Chess.com has more than 35 million members and has received hundreds of thousands of customer reviews. Every day more than 50,000 new chess players join Chess.com, and more than 5 million games are played each day. Recent Customer ...
If you have a chess set and want to start a game, the first thing you need to do is get the board set up correctly. Lay out the light square in the bottom-right corner Set up the pawns on the second rank Put your rooks in the corners Place ...
In my experience teaching, playing, and hanging out at the local chess club, I have come across many players who succeed in reaching a level in the 1600-2000 range but get stuck, often for life, trying to get beyond that and become an expert or ma...
Last year, I wrote an article intended for players rated below 1000 on Chess.com. Judging by your response, the article was helpful for people just starting at chess. Of course there were many comments that can be summarized like this: "I am rat...
In our last “Little Things” article, I made use of specific moments in IM Cyrus Lakdawala’s games to teach you how to deal with common, instructive situations. I am giving you another five rich puzzles. But please understand th...
Of all the death notices for Paul Morphy, the following transcription from the New Orleans Times-Democrat, Sunday, July 13th, 1884, written by Charles de Maurian and graciously supplied by WilhelmThe2nd, is by far the best. &n...
