12/10/2025 – Dorian Rogozenco demonstrates how ChessBase 26’s Monte-Carlo analysis can rapidly generate thousands of short engine games to obtain a statistically reliable evaluation of an opening line. In the example, it becomes clear that a previously promising surprise weapon for Black performs objectively much worse, providing a second, more realistic perspective to decide whether the line is practically worth playing.

12/10/2025 – For a long time, Praggnanandhaa led the 2025 FIDE Circuit rankings, but in theory, other players could still have overtaken him to qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. However, his strong performance in the London Chess Classic Open, where he tied for first place with 7 out of 9, secured his victory in the FIDE Circuit and his place in the Candidates Tournament. | Photo: Yury Krylov / London Chess Classic

12/10/2025 – The second day of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals in South Africa marked the start of the knockout phase, with four quarterfinal matches played under a 30+15 time control. Two encounters were settled in the first pair of games, while the other two required blitz tiebreaks. Magnus Carlsen, Javokhir Sindarov, Vincent Keymer and Levon Aronian advanced to the semifinals, while the defeated players moved to the lower bracket to compete for fifth to eighth place. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes

12/9/2025 – Diego Flores claimed his eighth national title at the 2025 Argentine Championship, matching Miguel Najdorf's long-standing record in the event's centenary edition. The 12-player round-robin, held at Buenos Aires City Hall, saw Flores finish unbeaten with 8½/11, securing victory after a final-round draw against Federico Pérez Ponsa. Strong performances by Diego Valerga, Leonardo Tristán and 12-year-old IM Faustino Oro added further significance to this historic edition. | Photo: Argentine Chess Federation (FADA)

12/9/2025 – The King’s Indian Defence has been one of the most dynamic and popular responses to 1.d4 for decades. Legends such as Garry Kasparov, Bobby Fischer, and Hikaru Nakamura have employed it at the highest level – and it continues to fascinate today, as it offers Black not only solidity but also rich attacking and counterattacking opportunities. Its special advantage: the King’s Indian is a universal system, equally effective against 1.d4, 1.c4, and 1.Nf3. Grandmaster Felix Blohberger, multiple Austrian Champion and experienced second, presents a complete two-part repertoire for Black. His approach: practical, clear, and flexible – instead of endless theory, you’ll get straightforward concepts and strategies that are easy to learn and apply.

12/9/2025 – Out of the clear blue sky: Mating attacks do happen in endgames: Black to move and win.