CBM training: Endgames from the US Championships
18.05.2012 – Gata Kamsky is currently in the sole lead, Hikaru Nakamura is trying to catch him. Our ChessBase Magazin author Dr Karsten Müller has been following the games and extracting the ones with interesting and instructive endgames. His analysis and annotations will help you to improve your technique in this vital section of the game and give your Elo rating a boost.
 

World Championship G5 – Sveshnikov drawn in 27 moves
17.05.2012 – In the fifth game Anand and Gelfand played 17 moves of theory, after which White deviated from the previous 2009 game and seemed to get a small advantage. However Anand allowed his Israeli challenger to trade down and after ten more moves there was nothing left to play for. Full report with pictures and videos, as well as double analysis by GM Romain Edouard and IM Malcolm Pein.
 

Sigeman: Caruana wins Sigeman with 2852 performance
16.05.2012 – He is the hottest chess talent – still a junior but number eight in the world. Italian/American GM Fabiano Caruana won his last two games in the Hipp Theater in Malmo, Sweden. His 2852 performance should contribute seven points to his FIDE rating. Hungarian GM Peter Leko celebrated his "comeback" with the second place and a respectable 2792 performance. Big closing report.
 

World Championship: Interviews, reflections, chess sets
16.05.2012 – Is the Championship in Moscow, without a Russian player, an audience success? Can chess ever be that? Yes it can, says chief organiser Ilya Levitov, who has a 21st Century formula to bring chess to a wide audience – and make events pay for themselves. Compelling. We also get a tour of chess sets and pictures in the Tretyakov Museum. Must-watch interview by Europe Echecs.
 

US Championship – Kamsky joins Nakamura in lead
16.05.2012 – One thing must be said about the US championship, on top of the great organization and live coverage open to all, and that is that it is anything but boring. In round five, Nakamura had taken the sole lead, but Kamsky was not about to give up his title that easily, and in round seven caught up as the two lead by a full point. GM Ramirez beat Kaidanov in one of the craziest games of his career.
 

World Championship Rest Day 2 – Daniel King opines on action and lack of
16.05.2012 – Today, GM Daniel King did a private broadcast on the action until now, and more specifically commented on the lack of action many have been grumbling about. To further spice up the show, he read the comments by Steve Giddins on computers and chess, and had something to say about that as well. Still, it is not just a talk show, and he compares Anand to ... Petrosian!
 

World Championship G4 reflections – it's the computers!
16.05.2012 – Two exciting games, two rather dull efforts, and a scoreboard that shows 2-2 with four consecutive draws. Some chess fans are starting to feel disappointed and searching for someone or something to blame. The shortness of the match contributes to the problem, by making the players especially cautious. But the main problem lies elsewhere, as Steve Giddins boldly proposes. Food for thought.
 

Chess and Art in Dnipropetrovsk
16.05.2012 – It is hard to pronounce, but a great place live, study, or go out. And for chess. The industrial metropolis in southern Ukraine has just staged a Week of Chess and Art, initiated by Irina Filatova, the sister of the main sponsor of the World Championship in Moscow. Students of Dnipropetrovsk art schools presented their work on chess at the Historical Museum. WIM Olena Boytsun reports.
 

47th Capablanca Memorial won by Ivanchuk
15.05.2012 – While it was Leinier Domínguez's dream to shine in front of his home crowd, the plan was foiled by a certain Ukrainian who not only seized the lead but never let go of it. To add insult to injury, Vassily Ivanchuk beat him twice in their encounters. Still, while all seemed lost, a heroic last-round win against second-place Ian Nepomniachtchi gave him a tie for second-third. Final report.
 

World Championship G4 – Gelfand unable to dent Anand's Semi-Slav
15.05.2012 – As in game two, the players stuck to their guns, showing the Semi-Slav was here to stay. Despite a slight modification, Gelfand's preparation was insufficient to generate any winning chances and the game remained both tame and balanced throughout. This also means it lacked excitement and though lasting ten more moves than before, the result was never in doubt. Report with GM analysis.
 

Negi wins 11th Asian Continental Chess Championship
15.05.2012 – Parimarjan Negi of India, once the world's youngest grandmaster, has won the very strong Asian Championship. In the women's section Irine Kharisma Sukandar of Indonesia triumphed. The highlight of the championship was the exceptional video reporting by Iranian FIDE official Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh. Take time, watch these reports with the two enchanting Vietnamese anchors.
 

World Championship G3 – Anand tantalizingly close to first win
15.05.2012 – Game three came tantalizing close to a first decisive result, but alas, the audience was left wanting once more. Surprised by Gelfand's Grünfeld in game one, Anand came prepared with an offbeat variation, seeking to just play chess. After a deeply passed pawn on d6 it seemed he would be victorious, but Gelfand saved the game. Daniel King shows us how Anand could probably have won. Update.