Garry Kasparov

Garry KasparovGarry Kasparov (1963-), was born in Baku, Ajerbaijan URSS. Russian chess Grandmaster and former Word Chess Champion, writer and political activist, he is considered by many analysts to be the greatest chess player of all time. His peak rating was 2851.

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 🡢

Accusations by World Chess Champions Bobby Fischer and Vladimir Kramnik

Fischer was convinced that some chess players were prearranging games. For example, the ninth game of the 1984/1985 Karpov versus Kasparov World Chess Championship match included a knight retreat in a knight and six pawns versus bishop and six pawns endgame. More 🡢

Ian Nepomniachtchi

Greatest World Chess Champion of All Time?

How to judge which world chess champion is the greatest of all time? One might look at the number of years that the champion held the title, inflation-adjusted peak rating, dominance over peers, or abilities as a chess ambassador. Another criterion, adopted by this article, is how many different challengers has each world chess champion faced. More 🡢

Fabiano Caruana

FIDE Candidates Tournament and a new Norway Chess sweater

At the opening ceremony for the FIDE Candidates Tournament is June 16, Chilean singer Juga will perform her new chess-themed song, Open Files. Oddsmakers favor China’s Ding Liren and Fabiano Caruana of the United States to be the top finishers at the eight-player FIDE Candidates Tournament. The Candidates winner will face World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen for the title. More 🡢

The Puzzler

The $10,000 Puzzler Hunt, Chess, and Thank You Notes

Can you solve mind-bending puzzles? Then you might win $10,000 from a contest, still active at the time I am writing this, that began May 3, 2022. The contest introduces a book which contains, among other puzzles, several chess puzzles. That book’s author, along with another author, deserve thank-you notes from me. More 🡢

The Queen's Gambit

The Queen’s Gambit and Critical Thinking

I first read The Queen’s Gambit when I was a teenage chess expert, a lesser prodigy than the book’s main character, Beth Harmon. I noticed that what happened to Beth had happened to me too. Like Beth, I had been told that “Girls don’t play chess.” More 🡢

world chess champions

Infographic: All World Chess Champions

We all know that Magnus Carlsen is the World Chess Champion, but who was the first one? And when? Even less is known about women champions. You probably have heard about Susan Polgar, but who is the current woman chess champion? More 🡢

Chess Players in 2019

Infographic: Chess Players Titles and Ratings in 2019

Have you ever wondered just how many chess players are in the world? How many of them are women? And what’s with all the titles like chess master and international master? Who is the top chess player ever? More 🡢