invite you to visit the beautiful city of St. Petersburg for a 10 day programme of chess instruction from only 400€ per person.

Training and a variety of analyses of your games via e-mail has already become a popular service - check it out! On-line instruction and a variety of other services are NOW available at the new GMChess channel within ICC - check it out! more >>>

Nalchik Final: Alexandra Kosteniuk takes game one
15.09.2008 – In the first of the four-game final of the Women's World Championship Russian GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, playing with the black pieces, scored a very convincing victory over her 14-year-old Chinese opponent, who chose a rather dubious opening. Express report.
 

Bilbao R10: Topalov wins Bilbao, leads in live rankings
13.09.2008 – Veselin Topalov won his final game in Bilbao against Vassily Ivanchuk, securing first place by a big margin and advancing to number one in the world in the unofficial live rankings. Teimour Radjabov beat Levon Aronian with the black pieces, putting Magnus Carlsen in second place according to the Bilbao system. Anand was a shocking last. Express report.
 

Edward Winter's Chess Explorations (9)
13.09.2008 – The Editor of Chess Notes recalls some of the longest chess combinations ever played, focussing on the old-timers, including the trio of world champions Lasker, Capablanca and Alekhine. There are instances of the winner seeing 10, 12 or 15 moves ahead, and readers will certainly marvel at these over-the-board exploits.
 

Jeff Querner, knight64moves@yahoo.com,
Hello Champ, Do you plan on returning to play anytime? Your site looks quite fantastic ! Do you care to give any predictions to Anand vs Kramnik, And Topalov vs Kamsky matches ? I would also wish you all the very best ! Maybe you can throw a monkey wrench in everyone's plans and return as a world champion !

Hans Ree

"It's utter howling confusion and the sad part is that chess' upper echelon is mostly responsible for it; they did it to themselves. They had a golden opportunity to take chess to the next level and they blew it, instead knocking chess backward a notch or thirty." Steve Lopez

"Chess doesn't need to be popularized in America - it's already popular." Steve Lopez