6/11/2026 – Svitlana Demchenko explores the fascinating concept of attacking a king castled on the same side, using a brilliant classic game by former world champion Alexander Alekhine as the main example. She explains how strong attacks do not always require reckless pawn storms, but can instead be built slowly through piece improvement, central control, and restricting the opponent’s counterplay before striking at exactly the right moment. The episode culminates in a stunning tactical finish beginning with a central breakthrough and ending in a beautiful double check mating pattern, while also teaching important attacking concepts such as identifying hooks near the king, preparing attacks patiently, and coordinating pieces before launching the final assault.

6/11/2026 – Vaishali Rameshbabu remains on the fast track: after gaining the right to challenge Ju Wenjun in a match for the World Championship title, the young Indian grandmaster won the rapid chess event of the WR Women's Chess Tour in Tokyo. The blitz tournament was won by the experienced Kateryna Lagno. Both earned 15 points towards the tour standings. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

6/11/2026 – Two decisive games in round four of the UzChess Cup left Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Arjun Erigaisi and Shamsiddin Vokhidov tied for first place on 2½/4. Vokhidov joined the leaders after scoring his second win in a row, defeating Nikolas Theodorou. Nodirbek Yakubboev also won, beating early leader Mukhiddin Madaminov with the black pieces to return to a fifty-percent score. | Photo: Official website

6/11/2026 – The UzChess Cup is a fantastic event in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The third edition has a fantastic line-up and shows an enormous amount of fighting chess and decisive results. It's classical chess, the time control is normal, and chess fans around the world get what they the hope for. After four rounds, Abdusattorov, Erigaisi and Vokhidov are in the lead. Our Game of the Week is the surprising and entertaining win by Mukhiddin Madaminov against Ian Nepomniachtchi. Merijn's show is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.

6/10/2026 – In the comments on Part 5 of the series, readers pointed out that this was not a “master game” (as stated on the Guinness page), since Arsović had an initial rating of 2200 (which by today’s standards may correspond to a rating of 1400), while Nikolić’s rating was only 15 points higher. Now in Part 7 the author examines the remaining “competitors” to the Gorkov–Golubenko game for the title of the longest game by number of moves.

6/10/2026 – In this volume of Adrian Mikhalchishin’s Master Your Technique series, the focus is on developing tactical awareness and practical attacking instincts, especially through concepts like checks, double attacks, exposed pieces, and sensing hidden attacking opportunities before they fully appear on the board. Mikhalchishin explains how modern chess is driven by constant pressure and activity, showing that strong players often succeed not by immediately winning material, but by building dynamic threats that eventually overwhelm the opponent. Through instructive examples from grandmaster and student games alike, the course teaches how tactical alertness, active piece play, sacrifices for initiative, heavy piece coordination, and precise endgame technique all combine into a complete practical chess understanding.

6/9/2026 – At just 15 year of age, Anastasiia Hnatyshyn became the surprise winner of the Women's European Championship. However, looking at the Ukrainian's career so far, her success is not quite so surprising. She began playing competitive chess at the age of seven and has already played in over 200 tournaments. A portrait. | Pictured: Sabrina Vega, Anastasiia Hnatyshyn and Olga Badelka | Photo: European Chess Union

6/9/2026 – Round three of the UzChess Cup was quieter than the first two days, with four of the five games ending in draws. The only decisive result came in the all-Uzbek encounter between Shamsiddin Vokhidov and Mukhiddin Madaminov, as Vokhidov converted a favourable queen endgame. Madaminov's defeat left him tied for first place with Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Arjun Erigaisi on 2/3. | Photo: Official website

6/9/2026 – Arohi Thatte became a part of the chess ecosystem when she played the role of a host at the Global Chess League 2025. Recently, she got an opportunity to visit Norway Chess 2026. Arohi was in Oslo for the first during six days of the event. During her stay, she managed to get a deep feel of what it was like to witness one of the most well-organized tournaments in the world of chess. Below, she gives her account.

6/9/2026 – Backwards is the way forward: In an endgame the king usually should be activated: White to move and win.

6/9/2026 – The UzChess Cup saw all five games end decisively in Monday's second round, leaving Mukhiddin Madaminov (pictured, left) as the sole leader on 2/2. The lowest-rated player in the field followed his upset win over Ian Nepomniachtchi by beating Nikolas Theodorou. Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Arjun Erigaisi also scored wins, while Nepomniachtchi and Hans Niemann recovered from their opening-round defeats. | Photo: Official website

6/8/2026 – Schackcykeln (The Chess Bike) will launch in Trelleborg on 15 June as a free mobile chess initiative for summer 2026. Run by volunteers from Söderslätt Schacksällskap and funded by the Swedish Postcode Foundation, the project will bring chess sets, tables and chairs to public spaces across the city. With live GPS tracking and a custom app, organisers aim to make casual chess easier to find and more accessible. | Photo: Agnes Orre