Chess News

General chess-related articles and information about SparkChess development; this section is for everyone interested in chess.

GM Hans Niemann

To be determined: Chess in London, Paris, and Budapest

After winning his August 7–11 match against GM Anish Giri in the Netherlands, GM Hans Niemann plays against GM Nikita Vitiugov August 14–18 in London. The matches are part of “GM Hans Niemann against the World” series. The third and final match in the series is in Paris, August 20–24, against Étienne Bacrot. GM Hans Niemann against the World has a total prize pool of $100,000. More 🡢
World Senior Team Chess Championships

USA takes Gold, Silver, and Bronze at FIDE World Senior Team Chess Championships

USA federation chess players competed on five teams at the FIDE World Senior Team Chess Championships, held in Krakow, Poland, July 1–12. US Chess financially supported three of the USA teams. Its 50+ team took the gold medal in the open category. For the women’s medals, the USA 50+ women’s team took silver, and the USA 65+ women’s team took bronze. More 🡢
Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield and GM Irina Krush

Cairns Chess Queens Award: $100,000 for new U.S. Grandmasters

Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield announced the Cairns Chess Queens Award, a $100,000 award for up to five American women who achieve the title of grandmaster (GM) within the next five years. More 🡢
Magnus Carlsen

Dead Position and Stalemates at Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland

The 2024 Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland ended May 12, with Magnus Carlsen, the number one player in the world, winning first place and $40,000. The total prize fund was $175,000. Over five days, 10 competitors played nine rounds of rapid games followed by eighteen rounds of blitz, for a total of 135 games. The rapid time control was game in 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment. The blitz time control was game in 5 minutes plus a 2-second increment. More 🡢
Rodney Malpert

Celebrate Nebraska Chess from May 31–June 2, 2024

Nebraska native Rodney Malpert is the principal financial backer of the Nebraska Hall of Fame Chess Celebration on June 1st and 2nd. The prize fund for the tournament is $13,650. On May 31, the Nebraska Chess Hall of Fame inducts US Chess Senior Master Malpert, Woman International Master Alexey (Rudolph) Root, Kent Nelson, and International Master Keaton Kiewra. Five decades ago, Nebraska’s capital city of Lincoln hosted two U.S. Opens, the flagship tournament of US Chess. More 🡢
Jennifer Shahade

US Chess Safe Play: Real-life Examples

When WGM Jennifer Shahade posted “Time’s up.” on X (formerly Twitter) on February 15, 2023, she was the Women’s Program Director for US Chess. Less than a month later, an article in The Wall Street Journal stated, “former U.S. women’s chess champion Jennifer Shahade alleged on social media last month that she had been sexually assaulted by a prominent grandmaster named Alejandro Ramirez.” On April 5, 2024, US Chess published a Safe Play example that had some of the same elements found in allegations against Ramirez. More 🡢
Norman Tweed Whitaker

Al Capone, Norman Tweed Whitaker, Chess, and Taxes

Part of Al Capone’s sentence was served on Alcatraz Island, where chess master Norman Tweed Whitaker was a fellow inmate. Willie Harris, a journalist living in Denton, Texas, investigated this chess and crime connection. More 🡢
Maurice Ashley

The Saint Louis Chess Conference: Grandmaster Maurice Ashley

The Saint Louis Chess Conference will be October 24–26. If you are interested in presenting, the proposal submission deadline is April 5. Early bird pricing ends on April 30. Keynote speakers are Grandmasters Maurice Ashley and Judit Polgár and former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov. More 🡢