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MTel R9: Bu beats Topalov, Ivanchuk leads
17.05.2008 – Bulgaria's top grandmaster Veselin Topalov, rated 2767, had won three of his last four games; Chinese GM Bu Xiangzhi, 2708, had lost three of his last four encounters and was languishing at the bottom of the table. Today they met head-on, and Bu won the game! With a round to go Vassily Ivanchuk is a full point ahead. Express report.
 

Edward Winter's Chess Explorations (2) – now a prize quiz
17.05.2008 – The positions presented by the Editor of Chess Notes have proved so intriguing that the feature is now transformed into a prize quiz, with two positions added. The sender of the best solutions will receive a copy of Vishy Anand’s book My Best Games of Chess, personally inscribed to the winner by the world champion. There are signed consolation prizes too. Let battle begin.
 

MTel R8: Topalov and Radjabov win
17.05.2008 – Veselin Topalov had little difficulty beating his second Ivan Cheparinov, while Levon Aronian blundered one move before the time controls (see his round seven interview) to throw away the full point against Teimour Radjabov. Meanwhile Vassily Ivanchuk was lucky to survive against tail-ender Bu Xiangzhi. Full report with a simultaneous exhibition and interview with Boris Spassky.
 

Najer leads in the President's Cup in Baku
16.05.2008 – 180 players, GMs as far as the eye can see. Korchnoi, Timman, Short and Beliavsky. In the lead is Evgeniy Najer, GM from Russia, who has won all of his first five games. The Third President's Cup is under way in the capital of Azerbaijan, with the stars playing in the Open and separate groups for children and seniors. We bring you standings, games and pictures by Farid Khayrulin.
 

Topalov vs Kamsky – and the remarkable Mr Chernenko
15.05.2008 – Russian chess journalist Yuri Vasiliev has now confirmed that the semifinal Candidates Match between Veselin Topalov and Gata Kamsky will take place in Lvov, Ukraine, for a prize fund of US $750,000. On the web site ChessPro Vasiliev tells of a lengthy conversation he had with the initiator, Gata Kamsky's manager (and diamond trader) Alexander Chernenko. Must-read interview.
 

Vladmir Kramnik dominates CEZ match against Navara
15.05.2008 – Their rating difference is just 116 points. But former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik is dominating the rapid chess match against top Czech GM David Navara. Kramnik won the first three of eight games, drawing the fourth for a halftime stand of 3.5:0.5. A big gala event kicked off the CEZ Chess Trophy, with blindfold chess and (you believe it) hacky sack displays. Illustrated report.
 

MTel R7: Ivanchuk and Topalov draw, Bu loses to Radjabov
15.05.2008 – The summit match between top seed Veselin Topalov and tournament uberplayer Vassily Ivanchuk ended in a hard-fought 49-move draw. Ivanchuk continues to lead Topalov by a full point, while the Bulgarian is a point and a half ahead of the next-best players. Teimour Radjabov beat the luckless Bu Xiangzhi, who has 1.0/7 and a performance of 2427. Full report.
 

'Hao shi duo mo!' – Wang Yue on the Grand Prix in Baku
15.05.2008 – This is something new: a blog report by a top Chinese GM, describing the course of a Super-GM tournament. Wang Yue talks about the circumstances surrounding the First FIDE Grand Prix, which he won last week in Baku (together with Gashimov and Carlsen). Of course in Chinese, but thankfully translated by one of our readers. Thanks also to "Big Sister", who forced him to write it.
 

MTel R6: Topalov and Cheparinov win, Ivanchuk draws
15.05.2008 – The shocker of round six: Vassily Ivanchuk only drew his game against Teimour Radjabov, the first time he has dropped half a point in this tournament. His performance has dropped to a dismal 3155. Both Bulgarians, Cheparinov and Topalov, won their games and are in second and third place. A prominent visitor was Boris Spassky, who commentated for the spectators. Full pictorial report.
 

GM Nigel's Radio Revs – here to answer you questions
14.05.2008 – Once a week grandmaster Nigel Davies gives live online training on the Playchess server, from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. UK time. That means it starts at midnight CEST, 6 p.m. New York or 08:00 a.m. Sydney. This week the subject is how to neutralise tricky opening lines and gambits. Send in your questions.
 

Thrilling courses
14.05.2008 – Former world-champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov has proven a highly entertaining author in the Fritz trainer format. He recorded several DVDs and regularly contributes to ChessBase Magazine. John Elburg, chess reviewer for more than ten years now, watched his DVDs on 'Anti-Moscow Gambit' and 'Strategy'. Conclusion: Simply thrilling! Buy them now or read this review with samplers.
 

Karpov as an attacking player
14.05.2008 – He is known foremost as a positional player and endgame specialist, but hardly as a master of attack. Yet 12th World Champion Anatoly Karpov was (and is) capable of beautiful attacking play. In Wednesday night's Playchess show Dennis Monokroussos shows us a particularly impressive example against Hungarian GM Gyula Sax in Linares 1983. See you on the server.