Breaking news: Kramnik to skip Super Final
09.11.2004 The "Super Final" of the 57th Russian Championship begins next week, with Kasparov, Kramnik, Morozevich, Svidler, Bareev, Grischuk, Karpov and six qualifiers from the championships in St. Petersburg and Tomsk. Well, strike Kramnik. We hear that the classical chess world champions won't participate.

Confirmed: Karpov drops out of Super Final
13.11.2004 On Saturday night we reported that Anatoly Karpov had dropped out of the "Super Final" of the Russian Championship due to "other business commitments" . Our information, which came from contacts close to the organisation, was contradicted by chess friends in Moscow. Now the Russian news agency Itar Tass has confirmed: Karpov will not play.

Super Final R1: Kasparov, Svidler and Grischuk victorious
15.11.2004 The first round of the 57th Russian Championship Super Final started with victories by Garry Kasparov, Peter Svidler and Alexander Grischuk, the latter two winning their games with the black pieces. The field now consists of 11 players. We bring you results and games, and a beautifully illustrated report by Dagobert Kohlmeyer.

Super Final R2: Dreev beats Morozevich
16.11.2004 Alexander Morozevich is a player who, on a good day, can beat anyone or anything in the world. But he can also have very bad streaks. In round one he spent seventy moves trying to win with the black pieces against Epishin; today he lost with white against Dreev. The other games were drawn. Here's a report on a memorable press conference...

Super Final R3: Favourites Svidler, Morozevich falter
17.11.2004 Alexander Morozevich is having a bad tournament; after losing with white in round two he lost again today, to 60-year-old Vitaly Tseshkovsky. Peter Svidler, who has won more Russian championships than anyone else, lost with white to 19-year-old Artyom Timofeev. Garry Kasparov had a free day. Here are games, results, and an interview with Anatoly Karpov.

Super Final: Few draws, no tickets
18.11.2004 The final phase of the 2004 Russian Championship is under way, three rounds are over and round four has just begun. Directly from the venue comes a report by someone who walks and talks with the players, hangs out in the pressroom and palavers with the dignitaries. We share with you Misha Savinov's first-hand impressions.

Super Final R4: Kasparov misses win, Grischuk doesn't
18.11.2004 There was plenty of drama on two boards today in the Russian Championship. First 60-year-old Vitaly Tseshkovsky hung on well against super-GM Alexander Grischuk, 39 years his junior, only to spoil it at move 55. And Garry Kasparov overlooked a simple win to draw against rooky Alexander Motylev. Flash report...

Super Final R5: Dreev joins Grischuk at the top
20.11.2004 Alexey Dreev demolished Alexey Korotylev today to join Grischuk at the top of the Table in the Russian Championship. Both have 3.5/5. Bareev beat Vitaly Tseshkovsky in 29 moves with a French Defence. The other games were drawn. So far exactly 30% of the games have ended with decisions, with very few unfought draws. Here is our flash report.

Super Final R6: Kasparov, Motylev win
21.11.2004 In a monumental, filigree endgame, a piece up against three pawns, Garry Kasparov overcame the resistance of Alexey Dreev, replacing him at the top of the table. Vladimir Epishin gave up an exchange with Black and went down to the talented 25-year-old Alexander Motylev. Games and results

Super Final R7: Kasparov, Svidler win
22.11.2004 Two quick draws, one monumental struggle, and two decided games – not bad for round seven of the Russian Championship. Peter Svidler was relentless against Alexey Korotylev, while Garry Kasparov looked as if he was in a spot of trouble against his elderly opponent Vitaly Tseshkovsky. Take a look at how the world's number one turned it around...

Super Final R8: Kasparov defeats Svidler
24.11.2004 Today we saw exciting chess, with two well-fought draws and three decided games. Korotylev beat youngster Timofeev, Motylev sacrificed an exchange to defeat veteran Tseshkovsky. But the most critical encounter was Kasparov vs Svidler, in which the former continued his winning streak to gain a commanding lead in this tournament. Games and results...

Super Final R9: Kasparov wins again, increases lead
25.11.2004 Round nine brought us a single drawn game (in 56 moves), while four were decided in exciting encounters. Peter Svidler was stopped by Alexander Motylev wielding the black pieces; Grischuk won a rare Caro Kann line, and Morozevich defeated Korotylev in a queen ending. Kasparov won his fourth game in a row to take a commanding lead.

Impressions of the Super Final
25.11.2004 The Russian Championship is almost over, the games have been exciting and hard-fought. After initial problems with the organisation things have been running well, with spectators and journalists having a great time. Misha Savinov, who has been observing the players and the games in Moscow, sends us an extensive illustrated report.

Super Final R10: Grischuk loses, Kasparov clinches title
26.11.2004 After ten rounds of the 57th Russian Championship Super Final the winner is already clear: Garry Kasparov leads with 7.0 points from nine games and a performance rating of 2877. His closest rival, Alexander Grischuk, lost his game today and now joins Dreev, who won, at 5.5/9. Games and results...

Super Final R11: Kasparov wins title by 1½ points
27.11.2004 The Super Final of the 57th Russian Championship ended with a very convincing victory by Garry Kasparov, who finished a point and a half ahead of the field with a performance rating of 2855. The last round was well fought on all boards, with three decided games reshuffling the midfield. Here's the final stand, games and some interesting statistics.

Winning back the mammoth's tusks
01.12.2004 Twenty years ago, to the day, he entered the hotel Rossija with a minus five score. Last week Garry Kasparov left it with plus five. In a candid interview with Sport Express the winner of the Russian Championship talks about his form, his play, Kramnik vs Leko, and the situation in world chess.

The Titan speaks his mind
04.12.2004 Garry Kasparov talks the way he plays chess: straight-forward, self-critical, telling it the way it is. In a extensive, in-depth discussion the 2004 Russian Champion touches on his magnificent victory in the Super Final, his upcoming match against Kasimdzhanov, Kramnik, and Fischer Random Chess. Take time off to read this remarkable interview.

Impressions of the Super Final – Part three
10.12.2004 The Russian Championship has been over for some time now. We all know the result and, of course, Garry Kasparov's remarkable +5 victory. "He utilized his pit-stops better than his opponents, he changed his tires early on," writes Misha Savinov, who was in Moscow and sent us this illustrated report.

Impressions of the Super Final – Part four
14.12.2004 In the past weeks Misha Savinov has provided us with a unique insight into the games and players of the Russian Championship. In his final report he takes us through the eleventh round, where contrary to expectations the fighting chess continued. Report with pictures and interviews.