Mark's Chess Blog November 2005 Archive

'How can I improve at chess?' is a question that all chess players ask constantly. What if you could take a test supervised by a world class chess player and ... Read More

In Name the Players, an old puzzle is finally solved. That's one Hollywood actor that really knew how to play chess!

The 128 players competing at the FIDE World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, (for more about the event, see Elsewhere on the Web 2005 FIDE World Cup - Introduction, 19 November 2005) qualified in many different ways. ... Read More

One of the best moves to meet the Nimzo Indian Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4) is 4.e3. Many authorities call this the 'Rubinstein Variation'. Unlike other moves, 4.e3 ... Read More

In Titles for life?, we copied an email message from a correspondent who asks, 'Should GM (IM, IA, etc.) titles stay for life?' Your Chess Guide expands on the topic and asks, 'Aren't ... Read More

The 2005-2007 cycle of the FIDE World Chess Championship kicks off 26 November in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, with the FIDE World Cup opening ceremony. A total of 128 players have qualified to ... Read More

The chess terms 'problem', 'puzzle', and 'study' are sometimes used interchangeably. Although they all have something to do with finding the best move in a given position, they have different ... Read More

Participate in our new poll : Who will win a Topalov - Kramnik unification match? • What happens if the match ends with a tied score? Will it even be held?

Most chess players can only dream about sitting at the board with a former World Champion challenger and learning the secrets of chess. The Guardian's Stephen Moss has been doing ... Read More

Our annual list of holiday gift ideas concentrates on chess sets. It starts with two sets designed to teach newcomers how to play the game, then moves on to lots ... Read More

In Google Print, your Chess Guide says, 'I hate to use the word awesome, but this is awesome'. Here are hundreds, maybe thousands, of complete books about chess. Online! • The publishing houses are ... Read More

Women's chess is back in the spotlight. The publication of 'Chess Bitch : Women In The Ultimate Intellectual Sport' by Jennifer Shahade (Compare Prices) is getting attention from chess and non-chess quarters ... Read More