Last week, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) held a charity event in London in aid of the Kids and Art of Ukraine initiative. Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant played a match against FM Miguel Senlle Caride and then gave a simul. | Photo: GM Ketevan starting the simultaneous against the oldest opponent in the room | Photos: EBRD
Pia Cramling, the Grande Dame of Chess is celebrating her 60th Anniversary today. Heartfelt congratulations! Looking back and forward, our author, who was a spectator at the tournament where she made her final GM norm to obtain the Grandmaster title as fifth woman on earth, presents fantastic facts and funny figures from an unparalleled biography. | Photo: Carolina Byrmo via hemtrevligt.se
No major upsets were seen in round 2 of the European Club Cup in Mayrhofen, with the favourite teams mostly securing comfortable wins. Superbet’s Vishy Anand was rested, while Offerspill’s Magnus Carlsen played and beat Solingen’s Alexander Naumann. In the women’s event, the top two teams, Monte-Carlo (pictured) and Superbet, scored wins. Both teams will face difficult challenges in round 3, as they will play Pamhagen (third seeds) and Odlar Yurdu (fourth seeds) respectively. | Photos: European Chess Union
The 44th Chess Olympiad is about to start in Chennai. The main focus will be undoubtedly on the team results, as every match is a joint effort to earn a match victory. However, individual achievements are also highlighted at Chess Olympiads. Let us recall some of the most remarkable individual results at the Chess Olympiads in the 21st century. | Photo: Niklesh Jain (from the 2018 Batumi Olympiad)
In an exciting twist, Fabiano Caruana beat former sole leader Alireza Firouzja in the open section of the FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss to set up a thrilling final weekend in Riga. Now Caruana and Firouzja are sharing the lead with David Howell, while no fewer than ten players are standing only a half point back the fight for the two spots in the next edition of the Candidates has heated up considerably! Meanwhile, Lei all but secured tournament victory in the women’s section, as she incredibly collected a fourth win in a row by beating Alexandra Kosteniuk with the black pieces. | Photo: Anna Shtourman