How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Chess?The honest answer is: longer than the apps promise, shorter than you fear, and almost entirely up to you.January 11, 2026·4 min read
World Chess Weekly: War And Peace, Plus Two New Championships For 2026The new year has got off to a flyer in the world of chess news. Headlines aplenty, albeit not about the game actually being played.January 9, 2026·4 min read
What Happens When Chess Goes to CourtFive federations just sued FIDE at something called "CAS." Here's what that means, what it costs, and whether anyone wears a wig.January 9, 2026·6 min read
Chess World Title Splinters Again: FIDE Announces Yet Another Version, The FreestyleThe world governing body of chess has sanctioned two new world titles in two months. It also appears to have buried the hatchet with Freestyle Chess after their very public row.January 8, 2026·7 min read
Chess At War: Rebel Federations Take FIDE's Russia Decision To CASUkraine, England, Norway, Estonia and Germany have submitted a complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIDE. This is a battle which is far from ending.January 6, 2026·4 min read
FIDE Sends RSVP As New Magnus-friendly Total World Championship Takes ShapeA stellar list of 16 invitees, including GMs Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, are being asked to take part. Let's hope they all accept.January 6, 2026·5 min read
Where Is Ding Liren? Ex-Champ Has Played So Few Classical Games He's Now Officially InactiveThe symbolism is huge: a World Champion fading from the rankings without ever saying goodbye.January 5, 2026·4 min read
Who Are Your 2026 National Chess Champs? Kings and Queens You Didn’t See ComingThe final month of 2025 saw a flurry of national champions being crowned. But they're not always the country's top player. Here we round up who is holding those titles.January 4, 2026·6 min read
Is Chess a Workout for Your Brain?The brain-training industry collapsed under its own hype. Chess might actually hold up.January 4, 2026·5 min read
What's the Best Age to Start Learning Chess?The prodigy industrial complex has an answer. The research says something else entirely.January 4, 2026·10 min read
Mr Dodgy Nearly Took Over FIDE. Eighty-Five Federations Thought That Was a Good Idea.Chess Politics·Sep 29·6 min read
Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, Becomes WGM And Scores Second IM Norm At Chess OlympiadTop players · Chess Olympiad 2026·Sep 27·4 min read
Turlov Backs Russia Suspension—As Former Russian Sports Minister Joins FIDE LeadershipChess Politics·Sep 27·5 min read
Term of the dayChess SkewerThe reverse of a pin: the valuable piece is hit first and the one behind it falls.
