The FIDE Candidates Tournaments serve as the crucial final qualifying stage for the prestigious FIDE World Championship cycle. These demanding events feature eight of the world's strongest chess players, competing in a rigorous fourteen-round double round-robin format of classical chess. As

Anna Muzychuk continues to lead the Women's Candidates Tournament, reaching the halfway stage with 4.5 points out of 7. Her top position was secured after a relatively quiet draw against Bibisara Assaubayeva in the seventh round. The day's only decisive outcome came from Vaishali Rameshbabu, wh

Valery Golubenko recently participated in a chess game that could rank among the longest ever recorded, particularly given the constraints of contemporary competitive play. The epic encounter reached its climax at move 88, featuring a tense endgame of queen and b-pawn versus a lone queen. Golub

Established in 1905, Lyon Olympique Échecs stands as one of France's most prominent chess institutions. This historic club is set to host the prestigious Henri Rinck International Chess Championships from April 8th to 19th, 2026. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to immerse th

Vincent Keymer has established a significant lead at the GRENKE Freestyle Open A, achieving an impressive 6½ points from 7 rounds. His strong performance included a decisive victory against Hans Niemann and a tense, well-fought draw with chess legend Magnus Carlsen. A formidable group of ch

This column by Jon Speelman offers an in-depth analytical look at a pivotal game from a previous Candidates tournament: Hikaru Nakamura's compelling win against Alireza Firouzja. The meticulous examination culminates in a complex, study-like endgame that will test chess enthusiasts. The specifi

The Candidates Tournaments serve as the decisive qualifying stage for the FIDE World Championship cycle. These prestigious tournaments bring together eight of the world's elite chess players, who compete in a demanding fourteen-round double round-robin format using classical chess rules. In

Anna Muzychuk has taken the sole lead in the Women's Candidates tournament following her victory over Zhu Jiner playing with the black pieces, thereby creating a one-point gap at the top of the standings. In other decisive outcomes from the round, Bibisara Assaubayeva experienced her second con

Javokhir Sindarov's astonishing performance continued unabated in the sixth round of the Candidates Tournament held in Cyprus. The young talent secured another crucial victory, this time by defeating Wei Yi playing with the black pieces, bringing his remarkable score to 5½ out of 6 points. This

At the grenke Freestyle Chess Open in Karlsruhe, Vincent Keymer and Hans Niemann have maintained perfect scores after five rounds, positioning them for a head-to-head match to determine the outright leader. Following a draw in round four, Magnus Carlsen is now half a point adrift, joined by fiv

In the early 1970s, John Lennon envisioned a world free from conflict. His partner, Yoko Ono, strikingly illustrated the futility of war and confrontation by presenting a chessboard where every piece was white. Drawing inspiration from this powerful imagery, and coinciding with the recent Speed