ChessBase

1. Ivan Sokolov shows his class in Salzgitter-Bad!

   On 12 September, the sixth edition of the popular simultaneous chess series "Grandmaster Meets Amateurs" took place in the café of the Salzgitter-Bad Grammar School – featuring a world-class player: GM Ivan Sokolov. The Dutch-Bosnian grandmaster faced 31 opponents and showed an impressive form, scoring 30½–½. Only Jannes Haverlandt managed to withstand the pressure and secure a draw – surely an admirable achievement.

2. Yagiz Erdogmus: The youngest Top 100 in 36 years

   It happened almost without notice, because it is so rare. Yagiz Erdogmus came swooping in and took the record for the second youngest player ever to enter the Top 100. We are conditioned to seek the youngest grandmaster or the youngest 2600 (he's that too), but actually entering the Top 100 before the age of 15 is a feat accomplished by only three players, and Erdogmus is one. | Photo: Michal Walusza/FIDE

3. Giri outright winner at FIDE Grand Swiss, Bluebaum grabs second Candidates spot

   Anish Giri captured clear first place at the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss, scoring 8/11 and sealing victory with a final-round win over Hans Niemann to book his third appearance at the Candidates. Matthias Bluebaum's undefeated run, which included wins over Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Arjun Erigaisi, earned him second place on tiebreaks and Germany's first Candidates spot since Robert Hübner. Vincent Keymer narrowly missed converting a winning chance in the penultimate round and failed to make the most of an advantageous position against Arjun on Monday. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

4. Vaishali wins Women's Grand Swiss for a second time in a row, Lagno reaches Candidates

   Vaishali Rameshbabu won her second consecutive Women's Grand Swiss, scoring 8/11 and edging Kateryna Lagno on tiebreaks to take first place. Both players secured qualification to the 2026 Women's Candidates Tournament. In the final round, Vaishali held Tan Zhongyi to a draw with black, while Lagno drew safely against Ulviyya Fataliyeva. Bibisara Assaubayeva missed a chance to join them in a three-way tie for first, settling for third place despite an undefeated run in Samarkand. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

5. Leonard Barden, going strong at 96

   Seventy years ago, on September 8, 1955, a column appeared in the Manchester Guardian, about a Russian teenager, Boris Spassky. It was written by a budding young chess master from Croydon. Leonard Barden went on to become one of Britain's strongest chess players – and a columnist who has set a Guinness World Record. | Photo John Saunders

6. Grand Swiss - Live!

   The FIDE Grand Swiss is taking place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 4-15 September. An open event and a women's event are being played concurrently. Both tournaments are 11-round Swiss opens with classical time controls. Each tournament grants two spots in the next edition of the Candidates. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 12.00 CEST (6.00 ET, 15.30 IST)

7. Jacob Murey in Paris - A personal recollection

   For many, the passing of Jacob Murey will elicit a passing nod, or barely that as a name that brings no recognition. This is fair, but for the chess community located in Paris, France, he was a deeply respected character and fixture who left an indelible mark.

8. ChessBase 18 – Tips for Beginners, part 31: Endgame expert with the "LiveBook"

   How do you train endgames? To be honest, the question might be better phrased as: Do you even train endgames at all? After all, the magical richness of the final phase of a game is something not everyone appreciates. This makes it all the more important that training is enjoyable and not bogged down by unnecessarily long searches for the right solution. In this regard, the LiveBook feature of ChessBase 18 may not be familiar to everyone. All the more reason, then, to introduce this highly practical tool in this tutorial.

9. Solution: Botvinnik–Boleslavsky 1943

   Some time ago, we invited our readers to help us unravel a long-standing mystery in the famous game Botvinnik–Boleslavsky, played in 1943 (during World War II!). The response was overwhelming, and in a relatively short time, we reached a conclusion: Boleslavsky could have held the balance – a draw was within reach – despite Botvinnik’s claim in his (usually precise!) commentary that his position was winning.

10. Sinquefield Cup Playoffs - Live!

    The Sinquefield Cup, the only event to feature in every Grand Chess Tour since 2015, returns to Saint Louis from 18 to 27 August. As the concluding leg before the revived Finals in São Paulo, it will play a decisive role in determining the four qualifiers, with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave currently leading the standings and strong challengers close behind. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 19.00 CEST (13.00 ET, 22.30 IST)