We Did Something Strange. We Made Our board… NormalWorld Chess is introducing a new default board — brighter, more familiar, and designed to test how players respond. Some will welcome the change, others may resist it, but everyone will notice. Here’s why we made the switch, and what it means for your next game.August 29, 2025·2 min read
A Final Worth Watching (and Remembering): The Women's World Cup Hits Peak Drama in BatumiThe World Cup is one of the most important events on the women’s calendar. It’s not just about the €50,000 prize fund (though that helps). It’s about one thing: the road to the Women’s Candidates Tournament. The two finalists already punched their ticket. The bronze match? That’s for the last open seat at the Candidates table.July 26, 2025·4 min read
The BBC Made a Chess Reality Show. Somehow It Was Both Too Dumb and Too Smart.It happened. The BBC finally aired Chess Masters: The Endgame, a highly produced, slightly deranged attempt to turn chess into a hybrid of The Great British Bake Off, Survivor, and The Queen’s Gambit — minus the pills and wigs.May 2, 2025·3 min read
Did We Just Ignore a Chess Miracle Because He’s Not Streaming?Over the past few weeks, 56-year-old Grandmaster Vasyl Ivanchuk quietly went 27 games without a loss across three international events — Reykjavik, San Vicente, and Menorca. That’s three tournaments, three time zones, and zero defeats. He beat 2600-rated players. He drew teenage prodigies. He gained enough ELO to return to the FIDE Top 100 for the first time in years. And almost no one noticed.May 2, 2025·3 min read
So, Uh, Wasn’t Christopher Yoo Banned for Assault?A teenage grandmaster hit a videographer. He got suspended in the U.S., but now he’s playing again — abroad. Here’s what we got wrong (and right).April 30, 2025·4 min read
Magnus Carlsen Went 9–0 in Freestyle Chess. Which Was the One Thing That Wasn’t Supposed to Happen.The whole point was chaos. Magnus made it feel scripted.April 21, 2025·2 min read
The Villain Is on 5.5/8. You Still Care.Hans Niemann keeps winning just enough to stay in your head.April 21, 2025·2 min read
Magnus Carlsen Stepped Away From Classical Chess. He’s Now Speedrunning Its Replacement.Fischer Random was supposed to flatten the field. Carlsen flattened it anyway.April 21, 2025·3 min read
Who Asked For The Women’s Grand Prix To Feel Like A Spreadsheet?The games are good. The coverage is tranquilized. Someone please call marketingApril 20, 2025·4 min read
Chess Twitter Logs On, Immediately Regrets ItA light Twitter exchange about a Magnus Carlsen stat turns into a lecture on propaganda, trust, and the soul of modern chess.April 20, 2025·3 min read
FIDE Seeks Legal Opinion Over Russian Championships After Donetsk RowChess Politics·Oct 20·8 min read
Term of the dayChess ForkOne move, two threats: a fork attacks two pieces at once, and only one can be saved.
Game of the dayHow much chess do you actually know?Think you know chess? Eight questions, from easy to unfair. Your score becomes a rating, and we'll tell you how many people you're ahead of.
