World-class chess explained in video: Dorian Rogozenco shows two win by Magnus Carlsen from the World Cup 2023 – From a surprise weapon to a fashionable variation: Luis Engel shows why 6.Rg1 is being used by more and more top players against the Najdorf Variation (video) – Analyses of Nijat Abasov, Anish Giri, Vidit Gujrathi, Ferenc Berkes, Jan Krzysztof Duda, Andrey Esipenko, Nils Grandelius, Anna and Mariya Muzychuk, Praggnanandhaa, Peter Svidler et al. from the World Cup 2023 – “Special” on Hou Yifan: exclusive collection of 22 encounters with detailed commentary from the period from 2008 to 2020 – "Crushing the Benoni": Petra Papp recommends the attack with 6.e4 g6 7.f4! – Carlsbad 1923: Mihail Marin surprises us with how modern the old masters already laid out the game 100 years ago, incl. two interactive videos – "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" Part #6: Karsten Mueller reveals tips and tricks in the endgame with more than two pawns on one wing
Some 164 top players are competing now in the FIDE Grand Swiss and the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss tournaments on the Isle of Man. The prize for the two top qualifying players in both 11-round events: a slot in the 2024 open and women's eight-player Candidates Tournaments that will identify the next challengers for the world chess titles.
After two rounds, seven players still have perfect scores in the open section of the FIDE Grand Swiss. Joining elite players Fabiano Caruana (pictured) and Arjun Erigaisi in the lead, among others, is IM Ramazan Zhalmakhanov from Kazakhstan, who stunned Bassem Amin on Thursday. In the women’s section, five players are sharing first place on 2/2. Tan Zhongyi and Anna Muzychuk are the highest-rated in this group, while, similarly to the open, a Kazakh representative gave the biggest surprise, as Meruert Kamalidenova beat Valentina Gunina to enter round 3 as one of the co-leaders. | Photo: Anna Shtourman
As expected, hard-fought, exciting games were the norm on the opening day at the Grand Swiss tournaments on the Isle of Man. In the open, 32 players started with wins, including top seed Fabiano Caruana, Richard Rapport (pictured) and Levon Aronian. In the women’s event, meanwhile, 15 participants scored full points, with none of the top three seeds getting more than a draw. | Photo: Anna Shtourman
The Candidates Tournament and the Women’s Candidates Tournament will be played simultaneously next year in Toronto. Four spots are still up for grabs in the open event, while three participants remain to be decided among the women. In both cases, two spots will be decided in the upcoming Grand Swiss tournaments. Let us recap who already qualified, and who are the frontrunners to get the remaining spots. | Pictured: Elite grandmasters apparently discussing a position during the Grand Swiss opening ceremony. | Photo: Anna Shtourman