British Chess Magazine : August 2008

Cover photo: Vasyl Ivanchuk wins the MTel Masters in Sofia

Aerosvit Foros - BCM’s man in Ukraine, Mikhail Golubev, was on the spot to see Magnus Carlsen’s spectacular tournament success at the super-tournament in Foros.
Games Department - three times British champion Jonathan Rowson is this month’s guest annotator, with a superb game from his recent tournament victory in Sardinia.
Dortmund - Vladimir Kramnik usually wins in Dortmund but the former world champion came horribly unstuck this year. Peter Doggers reveals what happened.
Read the August 2008 new book reviews

• Speelman on the Endgame • South Wales International (by Jack Rudd) • Karen Asrian Memorial Rapidplay • FIDE Rating List, July 2008 • Chess Questions Answered (with Gary Lane) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : July 2008

Cover photo: Vasyl Ivanchuk wins the MTel Masters in Sofia

MTel Masters - Vasyl Ivanchuk came to Sofia and showed he had not read the script by depriving Veselin Topalov of his fourth successive triumph. Ian Rogers annotates Ivanchuk's games.
Bosna Sarajevo - Morozevich worked his magic at the traditional tournament in Bosnia, leaving a strong field gasping in his wake. Some superb attacking chess...
Boris Spassky - BCM’s editor John Saunders went to Wales to hear the chess legend talk about life, chess and Fischer – and ask what he thought of our venerable mag. All is revealed!
Read the July 2008 new book reviews

• Speelman on the Endgame • The Kavalek File (with Lubosh Kavalek) • Letter to the Editor • King’s Tournament, Bazna • Bronstein: Genius of Attack (by Efstratios Grivas) • Games Department (by Danny Gormally) • Coulsdon Easter Tournament • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : June 2008

Cover photo: Harriet Hunt at the 4NCL

4NCL Final Weekend - no surprises at the British Team League’s season finale: Guildford-A&DC teams finished first and second. But there were some excellent games played.
Heroes Day - Grandmaster Keith Arkell has returned to active duty after a break from tournament chess. Recently he had the chance to sample chess in the Caribbean. Lucky man...
Stockholm Ladies - England women’s no.1 Harriet Hunt recounts her experience when she was invited to take part in a well-funded women-only event in Stockholm.
Swindle in Durham - Danny Gormally pulls off a wicked swindle against his friend David Eggleston at the recent Durham Congress. With friends like that...
Read the June 2008 new book reviews

• Speelman on the Endgame • European Individual Championship • FIDE Grand Prix, Baku • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : May 2008

Cover photo: Michael Adams, winner of the Ruy Lopez tournament in Merida

Ruy López, Mérida - Michael Adams put his reputation on the line when he played in a tournament commemorating Ruy López in the Spanish province of Extremadura, but he came through with flying colours. And the old Spanish opening was prominent in the play.
The Kavalek File - Lubosh Kavalek presents a selection of recent brevities from around the world, featuring important theoretical developments.
Congress Round-Up - chess is alive and well and being played all over the UK. John Saunders takes us on a whistle-stop tour of the Easter congresses and other recent events.
Read the May 2008 new book reviews

• Speelman on the Endgame • Russian Team Championship • FIDE Ratings, April 2008 • Melody Amber Tournament • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : April 2008

Cover photo: Vishy Anand, winner of the Morelia/Linares tournament

Morelia/Linares - Vishy Anand did most of the hard work in Mexico and took things easy on the tournament’s transfer to Spain. Ian Rogers reports from the ringside and also comments on fifteen ways to lose a chess game.
Speelman on the Endgame - Jonathan Speelman also focuses on Morelia/Linares, in the shape of a fascinating struggle between Peter Leko and Vishy Anand.
Fischer Reflections - a whole host of British chess personalities pay tribute to the late champion and his influence on their chess careers.
Read the April 2008 new book reviews

• Corus Wijk aan Zee ‘B’ Section • 4NCL, January and March 2008 • Chess Questions Answered (with Gary Lane) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : March 2008

Cover photo: Magnus Carlsen, joint winner of the 2008 Corus Wijk A tournament

Corus Wijk aan Zee - the younger generation displaced their elders this year, but not by much. Magnus Carlsen was front runner for the first half but was then pegged back by Leko and Anand. But he still fought back to share first with Levon Aronian. Ian Rogers reports.
R.I.P. Bobby Fischer - the American genius had a bigger influence on chess worldwide than any other player in history. But he means different things to different people. We present a tribute to the former world champion as seen by contemporaries such as Lubosh Kavalek, Lajos Portisch and Peter Lee, plus comments from some of the countless players that he inspired.
Read the March 2008 new book reviews

• Gibtelecom Masters • Speelman on the Endgame • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : February 2008

Cover photo: Bobby Fischer (1943-2009)

Hastings - not a vintage year as regards the battle for first place (more of a pillow fight, actually) but there is much entertainment to be had from games up and down the field. John Saunders summarises the action, while Steve Giddins takes us through the games.
FIDE World Cup - so in the end it was ‘Kome-Back Kid’ Kamsky who won. All the action from the semi-finals and finals is wrapped up by Ian Rogers.
Russian Super-Final - the super-champion of all the Russias is ‘Super-Moro’ – Alexander Morozevich started unconvincingly but then went on a ‘Fischer streak’ the like of which has not been seen for years. We put his games under the microscope.
Read the February 2008 new book reviews

• Speelman on the Endgame • Mihail Marin on Portisch (Part 2) • Chess Questions Answered (with Gary Lane) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : January 2008

Cover photo: Gata Kamsky and Alexei Shirov contest the final of the FIDE World Cup

FIDE World Cup - 128 players (and a few camp followers) trekked to Siberia in the middle of winter to play a knock-out chess tournament. They must be completely mad. Ian Rogers helps to make sense of the chess while Gulag survivor Tara MacGowran (i.e. Michael Adams' wife) shows us the pictures. Brrr!
Portisch 3, Marin 0 - the first of three articles by Romanian grandmaster Mihail Marin on his three games against the great Hungarian, Lajos Portisch. Inspiring!
Tal Memorial - dethroned champion Vladimir Kramnik was back to his absolute best form in Moscow as he utterly dominated a field of fellow 2700+ rated players. Steve Giddins puts the tournament under the microscope.
Read the January 2008 new book reviews

• Speelman on the Endgame • 4NCL, November Weekend • British Rapidplay Championship • Games Department - (with Sam Collins) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : December 2007

Cover photo: Peter Svidler, in superb form in the European Team Championship.

European Team Championship - it was just like old times in Crete as Russia won both open and women’s events. Mark Lyell travelled with the England team and annotates some of the best games, while Lubosh Kavalek analyses two trenchant encounters.
Speelman on the Endgame - the super-grandmaster’s chess microscope is placed over a rook endgame from the World Championship tournament in Mexico.
The Poisoned Pawn - Lubosh Kavalek tells us how he analysed Qxb2 in the Sicilian Najdorf with Bobby Fischer under a dim Tunisian street light.
Read the December 2007 new book reviews

• Essent Hoogeveen • Chess Questions Answered • The Kavalek File • Half a Century Ago: 1957 • European Club Cup • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : November 2007

Cover photo: Vishy Anand wins the world championship tournament in Mexico City

World Championship - Ian and Cathy Rogers were in Mexico to see the title tournament unfold. All the action, results, photos in a comprehensive extended report, plus an interview with the dethroned Vladimir Kramnik and some background on the new champion.
Speelman on the Endgame - our genial columnist found it tough-going at the Monarch Assurance event in the Isle of Man, but his analysis is tremendous.
Read the November 2007 new book reviews

• 4NCL, September weekend • Monarch Assurance Isle of Man International • FIDE Rating List, October 2007 • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : October 2007

Cover photo: Gawain Jones at the Staunton Memorial

UK vs China - Liverpool hosted a prestigious match between representatives of UK and China at St George’s Concert Hall in the city centre. BCM’s editor John Saunders reports on the match and the open tournament while Steve Giddins annotates the match games.
Staunton Memorial - the Simpsons-based grandmaster tournament goes from strength to strength. Steve Giddins was at the ringside to see a British victory in the individual tournament, but a Dutch success when the team scores were totted up.
Montreal Women's Grand Prix Final - British Women's Champion Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant reports on the MonRoi Grand Prix final and annotates the best games.
Speelman on the Endgame - the endgame is the area of chess where experience counts most ... or does it? Jonathan Speelman has a look at the endgame play at the 'Rising Stars vs Experience' match in Amsterdam and draws some surprising conclusions.

Read the October 2007 new book reviews

• The Kavalek File (with Lubosh Kavalek) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : September 2007

Cover photo: Jacob Aagaard and Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant - 2007 British Champions

British Championship - Danish-born, Scottish-registered Jacob Aagaard did well to win the British Championship at his first attempt despite reverses at the hands of young English IMs, one of whom, Stephen Gordon, has annotated some games for our delectation.
Canadian Chess Summer - Canada hosted two major tournaments in Ottawa and Montreal in which Nigel Short took part. Steve Giddins looks at both tournaments, each of which featured some entertaining chess.
Speelman on the Endgame - Jonathan Speelman looks at some endgame positions that arose during the Montreal International.

Read the September 2007 new book reviews

• Biel • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Chess Questions Answered (with Gary Lane) • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : August 2007

Cover photo: Kramnik wins in Dortmund, Ivanchuk wins in Foros

Dortmund - Vladimir Kramnik likes Dortmund so much he is even thinking of living there. Once again he won the annual summer tournament there. Next stop Mexico. Peter Doggers was on the spot and covers the action in the main section and the veteran’s match.
Chess Round Britain - the reader is taken on a whistle-stop chess tour of Britain, as tournaments take place simultaneously in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Speelman on the Endgame - an auspicious debut column from Jonathan Speelman, looking at what might have happened in his recent Dutch League match.
Foros Aerosvit & Pivdenny Cup - Mikhail Golubev was on the spot at two major events in the Ukraine. The unstoppable Vasyl Ivanchuk won them both.

Read the August 2007 new book reviews

• Dutch Championship • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • FIDE Ratings, July 2007 • King's Tournament, Bazna • Games department (with IM Sam Collins) • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : July 2007

Cover photo: Qualifiers for the World Championship Final: Aronian, Gelfand, Grischuk and Leko

Candidates Matches - FIDE successfully turned the clock back when they put on old-style World Championship Candidates’ matches, in Chess City (Elista, Kalmykia). Mikhail Golubev was on the spot for BCM during the first round of matches, while Ian Rogers covers the four final round encounters.
MTel Masters - once again Sofia hosted a super-tournament. Former FIDE champion Veselin Topalov won, but he did it the hard way.
Bosna Sarajevo - Morozevich was hot favourite to win the traditional Bosnian event, and Nigel Short second favourite. But it did not go to expectations.

Read the July 2007 new book reviews

• News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Women's World Team Championship • The Kavalek File (with Lubosh Kavalek) • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : June 2007

Cover photo: Gawain Jones qualifies as a grandmaster

4NCL - Guildford-ADC are champions (of course) and runners-up. It was never really in doubt, but there was still plenty to enjoy, plus promotion/relegation excitement, at the final weekend of the season. Steve Giddins reports on the action at Wokefield Park.
A Century of Chess - Stephen Moss interviews 100-year-old Alec Holden, who could be Britain’s oldest active chessplayer. But was he wise to challenge the centenarian to a game? All is revealed in this chastening tale.

Read the June 2007 new book reviews
• Dresden (further coverage) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Gausdal • Sigeman • The Kavalek File (with Lubosh Kavalek) • Welsh Championship • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : May 2007

Cover photo: Tatiana Kosintseva wins the European Women's Championship

Dresden - the European Individual Championships were held in Dresden. Many middle-ranking grandmasters made the pilgrimage in pursuit of qualifying places at next year’s FIDE World Cup, plus a goodly squad of titled English players. It had a bit of everything (good and bad).
Melody Amber - partly a rest cure on the French Riviera – and partly a chance for the super-grandmasters to show that they can play dazzling chess with their eyes shut. This year’s tournament was one of the best of the series to date.
Easter Congresses - one UK chess tradition that has survived the test of time is that there is no better opportunity to play chess in the UK than the Easter weekend. We follow the action from Southend, Coulsdon and the West of England.

Read the May 2007 new book reviews
• Bangkok Open (by Ian Rogers) • British Problem-Solving Championship (by Steve Giddins) • FIDE Ratings, April 2007 • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Karpov Poikovsky Tournament • Chess Questions Answered (by Gary Lane) • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : April 2007

Cover photo: Magnus Carlsen at Morelia/Linares

Morelia/Linares - Ian Rogers saw some exciting chess in Mexico, with Carlsen leading the way. Morozevich shone brightly in Linares, but the overall master was Vishy Anand.
New Books - book reviews have expanded to six pages this month with a bumper crop of new titles. They include two books from Garry Kasparov and an excellent work by Jeremy Silman.

Read the April 2007 new book reviews
• 4NCL, March Weekend • Corus B and C • Varsity Match, Oxford vs Cambridge • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : March 2007

Cover photo: Teimour Radjabov tied for first at Corus Wijk aan Zee

Corus Wijk aan Zee - Ian Rogers was BCM’s man at the ringside as the Kramnik-Topalov feud simmered and the tournament itself faced up to an uncertain future as regards sponsorship. But lots of excellent chess got played as well...
Gibraltar - ... the Australian Flying Grandmaster sped from Wijk to a Mediterranean rock where there was no off-board monkey business... well, actually there was... in a good way.

Read the March 2007 new book reviews
• 4NCL, January Weekend (by Steve Giddins) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Chess Questions Answered (with Gary Lane) • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : February 2007

Cover photo: David Howell becomes a GM at 16

Hastings - the traditional Christmas/New Year tournament has been shorn of its stars but there is still an enjoyable winter chess holiday to be had on the South coast. Ambitious young Brits took some impressive scalps, but at the end the East European scooped the main prizes. Steve Giddins was on the spot to witness the action (as well as some last-round inaction).
Russian Superfinal - the names may get less familiar (and longer) but the quality of the chess remains stratospheric. Alekseev took the title on a tie-break from Jakovenko – but look out for Nepomniashchy’s knight that cannot be captured...
Matters Arising - in the last issue, we celebrated the life of David Bronstein. This time, prompted by a comment from Luke McShane, we look back at Bronstein’s part in the rise – and rise – of the King’s Indian Defence.

Read the February 2007 new book reviews
• FIDE Ratings, January 2007 • David Howell: Grandmaster (interview by Stephen Moss, annotation by Leonard Barden) • ACP Rapidplay (by Mikhail Golubev) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • William Winter (Part 3, by Steve Giddins) • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : January 2007

Cover photo: Kramnik's big blunder against Deep Fritz 10

Kramnik v Deep Fritz - the end for professional chess as we know it? Or a new beginning for human chess? All the moves of the Man versus Machine match in Bonn, with annotations by Lubosh Kavalek, plus some grandmaster opinions on matches against computers.
David Bronstein - the former world championship finalist died in early December and he will be much missed. This is not an obituary so much as a celebration of his remarkable life, with an appreciation by Bernard Cafferty, and tributes from a whole host of other admirers.
Read the January 2007 new book reviews
• Tal Memorial, Moscow • 4NCL, November weekend • Chess Questions Answered (with Gary Lane) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : Bound Volume, 2006

The 2006 bound volume has coverage of all major events, plus articles, letters, problems, studies, quotes and queries, book reviews, history, colour photos and much more. Featured articles: Russia pips China for the World Team Championship • Shakriyar Mamedyarov wins the world junior championship • Jonathan Levitt reviews Chess for Zebras by Jonathan Rowson • Aronian wins FIDE World Cup • Chess as a feminist issue: Cathy Forbes reviews Jennifer Shahade's book Chess Bitch • Sergey Rublevsky wins the Russian Championship • Anand and Topalov share the honours at Corus Wijk • Chandler wins the Queenstown Classic, Georgiev wins in Gibraltar • Aronian wins Morelia/Linares • Peter Leko interviewed by Ian Rogers • John Watson on the US Championship, won by Alexander Onischuk • Kholmov: Steve Giddins pays homage • Armenia win the Turin Olympiad, Ukraine win the Woemn's Olympiad • Topalov wins the Mtel Masters • Figurine Notation? No thanks, says John Roycroft • Mikhail Golubev on the Foros Supertournament • Jonathan Rowson wins his third straight British Championship • Kramnik and Svidler share first in Dortmund • Ivan Sokolov wins the Staunton Memorial • Short wins the EU Championship • Controversy and excitement at the World Championship reunification match in Elista • Judit Polgar crushes Veselin Topalov in Hoogeveen • Mikhail Tal and William Winter remembered • .. and much, much more. Contributors and annotators include Ian Rogers, Lubosh Kavalek, John Watson, Mikhail Golubev, Sam Collins, Chris Ravilious, Steve Giddins, John Roycroft, Gary Lane, Cathy Forbes, Bernard Cafferty and many others. All bound in an attractive maroon cloth-bound hard cover and fully indexed. Your bookshelf would be incomplete without it! • 672 pages, hardcover (note: the image shown above is not the front cover of the book, which is bound in plain maroon hard covers, with 'British Chess Magazine 2006' gold blocked on the spine)

Click here for other bound volumes

British Chess Magazine : December 2006

Cover photo: Judit Polgar ties for first at Hoogeveen

Essent Hoogeveen - seven days after the end of the world championship match, Veselin Topalov was back in action in the Netherlands. But Judit Polgar and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov shared the honours. Steve Giddins and Ian Rogers were both on the spot.
Mind over Matter - Mikhail Tal would have been 70 had he still been with us. Bernard Cafferty tells us more about the life of the Magician of Riga as related in a recent book by Tal’s first wife, Sally Landau, and also recalls his own meetings with the great man.
Read the December 2006 new book reviews
• Half a Century Back: 1956 • The Kavalek File • British Rapidplay Championship • Monarch Assurance Isle of Man • William Winter (Part 2) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : November 2006

Cover photo: Undisputed world champion Vladimir Kramnik

World Championship - ALL THE GAMES and action from the thrilling Kramnik-Topalov match in Elista, with annotations by Ian Rogers, Lubosh Kavalek and John Saunders, plus ringside accounts of all the controversy. 29 pages of chess at its best (and worst!).
4NCL - Steve Giddins reports on the opening weekend of the 4NCL season. There has been a palace revolution, with champions Wood Green now propping up the table.
Read the November 2006 new book reviews
• News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • FIDE Ratings, October 2006 • World Junior Championship • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : October 2006

Cover photo: Jan Timman playing at the Staunton Memorial Tournament

Staunton Memorial - super-grandmasters from the Netherlands and the UK crossed swords in this strong event in London. We have an on-the-spot report from Steve Giddins.
EU Championship - Nigel Short returned to his native county for this Swiss event which featured encouraging performances from young English players.
Hereford - the delightful West of England market town played host to an international event which produced some IM norms for young players.
Read the October 2006 new book reviews
• Mainz Chess Classi • Rising Stars vs Experience • The Kavalek File (with Lubosh Kavalek) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Chess Questions Answered (with Gary Lane) • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : September 2006

Cover photo: Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant finishes second at the British Championship

Dortmund - Five games, five draws – Vladimir Kramnik seemed to be sleepwalking through the tournament. But then the Russian giant woke up.
British Championship - Swansea was the venue for the last British Championship to be sponsored by Smith & Williamson. Jonathan Rowson’s bid for the triple crown hit the buffers in round six – but could he fight his way back into contention?
Biel - Morozevich was at his brutal best in Switzerland, except when facing an annoying teenager who beat him twice. It shouldn’t happen to a Russian super-grandmaster.
Read the September 2006 new book reviews
• Games Department (with Sam Collins) • ACT Amsterdam Open • William Winter: Chess Maverick • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : August 2006

Cover photo: Kateryna Lahno and Irina Krush at the Turin Olympiad

Women’s Olympiad - With China sending what was more or less their junior squad, things seemed set fair for the first-ever Russian success at the Turin Women’s Olympiad. However, there was to be many a slip... we feature all the results and action.
Dutch Championship - ten grandmasters and two IMs assembled in Hilversum for this year’s Dutch championship and the result was a tournament packed with exciting chess and decisive games. Steve Giddins reports on the action.
Foros Aerosvit - Ukrainian grandmaster and former BCM guest editor Mikhail Golubev reports on the Crimean super-tournament, won by Sergey Rublevsky.
Read the August 2006 new book reviews
• FIDE Ratings, July 2006 • Sigeman & Co • Chess Questions Answered • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood) • Roycroft on Figurines
 

British Chess Magazine : July 2006

Cover photo: Gabriel Sargissian at the Turin Olympiad

Turin Olympiad - stung by their second place to Ukraine in 2004, Russia beefed up their squad for the 2006 Olympiad. The good news was that they finished ahead of Ukraine this time, but the bad news... read all about the action in Turin (some of it was quite violent).
Mtel Masters - the super-tournament in Sofia seemed set for a major surprise as ‘come-back kid’ Gata Kamsky went into the lead. But Topalov staged a come-back of his own.
Russian Team Championship - Steve Giddins takes a look at the world’s leading national team championship, with some big-name players in action.
Read the July 2006 new book reviews
• Bosna Sarajevo • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : June 2006

Cover photo: Luke McShane at the 4NCL

4NCL Final Weekend - as usual, the 4NCL came to a conclusion with a big match between Wood Green 1 and Guildford-ADC 1. Out came the managers’ cheque-books and two mighty teams did battle. Steve Giddins has a full report on the clash of the titans.
Melody Amber - is the annual tournament in Monaco a rest cure for tired super-grandmasters or a real tournament? Of course it is a bit of both. Some superb games, plus a look back through 15 years of statistics of Joop van Oosterom’s novelty event.
Ratmir Kholmov - Steve Giddins pays tribute to one of the lesser-known Soviet grandmasters, but one who lived a long and eventful life.
Read the June 2006 new book reviews
• The Kavalek File • Blackpool Congress • European Individual Championships • Chess Questions Answered (with Gary Lane) • News in Brief • Easter Congresses • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : May 2006

Cover photo: Xu Yuhua wins the women's world championship

US Championship - once again San Diego, California, was the venue for the US Championship. The format was new, though: two Swiss tournaments with the winners meeting in a rapidplay play-off. John Watson was there to follow the action.
Women’s World Championship - 64 of the world’s top women players did battle in Ekaterinburg. FIDE’s knock-out formula made it harder to pick a winner than figure out the murderer in an Agatha Christie novel. Can you guess Xu dunnit?
Games Department - Sam Collins confesses he is not Alex Baburin and then goes on to show you how to play with 1 d4. Confused? You won’t be. It’s good stuff...
Read the May 2006 new book reviews
• 4NCL, March weekend • FIDE Ratings, April 2006 • Karpov Poikovsky • Linares/Morelia (Part 2) • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : April 2006

Cover photo: Levon Aronian wins in Linares

Linares/Morelia - this year’s Linares started in Morelia, Mexico, before ending in Andalucia. Topalov suffered a fiasco in Mexico, but came storming back in Linares. Ian Rogers reports on the intercontinental supertorneo.
Aeroflot - the world’s strongest open tournament moved home in Moscow but still attracted a monstrous field of grandmasters. Mikhail Golubev was there to savour the scene.
Corus B and C - the Wijk aan Zee ‘B’ tournament looked like being another runaway win for 15-year-old Magnus Carlsen but he didn’t have it all his own way. Steve Giddins kept a close eye on the action in the very strong subsidiary events at Wijk.
Read the April 2006 new book reviews
• Oxford vs Cambridge Match • British Problem Solving Championship • Rough Guide to Levon Aronian • Chess Questions Answered • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood)
 

British Chess Magazine : March 2006

Cover photo: Michael Adams at Wijk aan Zee

Corus Wijk aan Zee - Michael Adams became the first player to down the new world champion, but Veselin Topalov soon raced into the lead. In the end, Topalov shared the honours with Vishy Anand. Steve Giddins was there to sample the unique Wijk atmosphere.
Queenstown Classic - he planned it, he guaranteed the prize fund, he found the venue – and then he turned up and won the tournament. Murray Chandler came, saw and conquered. And Bob Wade made the long trip home to New Zealand to be hailed as a national hero after 56 years away. Ian Rogers tells of two nostalgic homecomings.
Gibtelecom Gibraltar - BCM’s editor John Saunders visited the Rock and witnessed another Bulgarian triumph, as well as some Spanish chess magic. And this time it wasn’t even Shirov providing the fireworks.
Read the March 2006 new book reviews
• January 4NCL Weekend • News in Brief • Spot The Continuation • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley)
 

British Chess Magazine : February 2006

Cover photo: Levon Aronian, world no.5 and FIDE World Cup winner

Hastings - With the Premier now a distant memory and the knock-out experiment abandoned, the main event at this year’s Hastings was a conventional swiss – but with a high-tec solution when it came to the recording of the games. Steve Giddins tells all in his ringside report.
Chess as a Feminist Issue - Cathy Forbes reviews Jennifer Shahade’s challenging book Chess Bitch and shares her uncompromising views on women in chess [read online]
FIDE World Cup - the massive knock-out event in Siberia produced ten candidates for the next world championship – one of whom has only just turned 15.
Read the February 2006 new book reviews
News in Brief • Russian Championship • FIDE Rating List, January 2006 • Games Department: Sam Collins • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Problem World (with David Friedgood) • Letters to the Editor
 

British Chess Magazine : January 2006

Cover photo: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, world junior champion

World Team Championship - One of the most exciting team tournaments for years went right down to the wire in Israel in November. The Chinese men’s team were not expected to finish in the medals but nearly snatched gold from the Russians. Full report and games.
4NCL - though the old order was re-established at the top of the table (Wood Green followed by Guildford-ADC), nothing can be taken granted. Steve Giddins reports.
World Junior Championship - the 2005 championship was completely dominated by Azeri grandmaster Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Steve Giddins has a look at his play.
Read the January 2006 new book reviews
News in Brief • How Good is Your Zebra? • British Rapidplay Championship • Games Department: Sam Collins • Quotes and Queries (with Chris Ravilious) • Endgame Studies (with John Beasley) • BCM Photo Competition
 

British Chess Magazine : Bound Volume, 2005

There is no better way of keeping abreast of competitive chess than by collecting bound volumes of British Chess Magazine. The 2005 bound volume has coverage of all major events, plus articles, letters, problems, studies, quotes and queries, book reviews, history, colour photos and much more. Featured articles: Kasparov wins the Russian Championship, Women's Olympiad, Hastings, Hikaru Nakamura wins the US Championship, Leko wins Corus Wijk aan Zee, Kasparov wins Linares and then retires, exclusive post-retirement interview with Kasparov , Bermuda, Melody Amber, 50 Years of Quotes and Queries, 4NCL, Special Ukrainian edition (July, edited by Ukrainian GM Mikhail Golubev), Topalov wins in Sofia, interview with Sergey Karyakin, Adams vs Hydra Computer, Naiditsch wins in Dortmund, Rowson retains British Championship, Topalov wins FIDE World Championship ... and much, much more. Contributors and annotators include Ian Rogers, Lubosh Kavalek, Mikhail Golubev, Ruslan Ponomariov, Jonathan Rowson, Valeri Beim, Mikhail Podgaets, Alexander Moiseenko, Alexander Vaisman, John Emms, Chris Ravilious, Steve Giddins, John Roycroft, Colin Crouch, Gary Lane, Bernard Cafferty and many others. All bound in an attractive maroon cloth-bound hard cover and fully indexed. Your bookshelf would be incomplete without it! • 672 pages, hardcover (note: the image shown above is not the front cover of the book, which is bound in plain maroon hard covers, with 'British Chess Magazine 2005' gold blocked on the spine)
 

British Chess Magazine
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