Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i British Chess Magazine

Chess is often associated with high intelligence. Many non-chess players assume that those who play must be exceptionally intelligent. A YouGov survey in the U.S. in June last year found that 50% of Americans think that chess players are more intelligent than the average person. A third (36%) think there is no difference between the two in intelligence. There have been studies which have examined the correlation between chess skills and broader life success. A 2016 analysis published in the Journal of Educational Research found that playing chess had modest but statistically significant effects on student performance, particularly in mathematics and reading. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology (2017) confirmed that chess training improved children’s working memory, concentration, and fluid intelligence, particularly among younger participants. But – does this all…

Chess has returned to British television screens after an absence of over four decades, with BBC Two's latest offering, "Chess Masters: The Endgame." Premiering on Monday, 10 March, this new eight-part series follows twelve amateur players drawn from the UK’s chess scene as they compete for the title of Chess Champion. The programme aims not only to entertain but also to delve into the intricate psychology and universal appeal behind the ancient game. Hosted by Sue Perkins, renowned for her quick wit and engaging television presence, the show positions chess as both cerebral and accessible. “It’s been over 30 years since chess was on our TV screens,” said Perkins. “A lot has changed in that time. It’s gone from being a beloved board game to an online phenomenon. It’s also…

The first Cheadle Open was won by Keith Arkell with 6/6 with Mike Surtees second with 5/6, followed by five players in shared third. Susan Caldwell played her first tournament since the 1980s and started well with 3/3. Organized by the Cheshire and North Wales Chess Association, the six-round event took place in the Altitude Suite at the 4-star Cheadle Village Hotel. The tournament was administered by the International Arbiter Matthew Carr. Commenting on the English Chess Forum, Keith Arkell had this to say after his success: “I think it’s fair to say that things are now moving in a good direction. Huge thanks to Sarah Longson for the generous invitation, and to the kind hearted Gareth Ellis for further support. It was a lovely tournament, smashingly organised and ticking…

Max Lange (1832-1899 ) was a strong German player active in the third quarter of the 19th century who gave his name to two openings, both known as the Max Lange Attack. The first: 1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♙c4 ♘f6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 ♙c5 6.e5 will be familiar to modern players. The second is a related line 1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♙c4 ♙c5 4.0-0 ♘f6 5.d4!? which can transpose into the first line, but black also has the option of 5...♙xd4 which leads to the other Max Lange Attack after 6.♘xd4 ♘xd4 7.f4. Max Lange - Heinemann Halle, 1853 1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♙c4 ♘f6 4.0-0 ♙c5 5.d4 ♙xd4 6.♘xd4 ♘xd4 7.f4 ♘e6? This is not good. 7...d6 is correct. 8.fxe5 ♘g8 I presume black originally intended 8...♘xe4 but then…

In an era where elite super-tournaments dominate the chess calendar and open events leave little room for structured progression, the Djerba Masters 2025 stood out as a rare gem—a closed, Category 15 event that blended rising stars with seasoned grandmasters. In the 90s, Category 15 tournaments were quite popular. Not everybody could afford or wanted to have a Linares where only the top 10 players played. These tournaments gave ample opportunities to players from the lower tier to play closed events, leading to an improvement of their level of play. Let’s take the tournament in Madrid in 1994. Judit Polgar, aged 18 and rated 2630 at the time, won convincingly with 7/9, a point and a half ahead of players like Ivan Sokolov (2650), who came second, Gata Kamsky (2695),…

Boris Spassky was known as a universal player, one who could play equally well any type of position. He could win games with a direct attack, maneuvering, or from an equal endgame. And he could do this against the best players in the world. Another important aspect of Spassky’s game was his ability to sense and change the character of the game. When asked, he said that at his prime, he was best at sensing the critical point in the game. The selected games show Spassky attack, bluff, build up an attack, counterattack and execute combinations. They are one of his most famous games, played against World Champions, future World Champions and one of the best players in the world at the time. One peculiarity noticeable in his games is…

The 98th Caplin Hastings International Chess Congress took place from December 28, 2024, to January 5, 2025, at the Horntye Park Sports Complex in Hastings, England. As always, the event catered to players of all levels, with the Hastings Masters serving as the main attraction. The 9-round Swiss tournament drew a mix of seasoned professionals and rising talents, but it was 16-year-old Xue Haowen of China who stole the spotlight. Xue delivered a dominant performance, finishing unbeaten with 7/9 and becoming the youngest winner in the tournament’s history—surpassing Judit Polgar’s previous record. Remarkably, he entered the event without any FIDE titles but secured his final Grandmaster norm with this victory. The Congress was again sponsored by Caplin Systems and the tournament Director was Stuart Conquest. Caplin Systems was founded in…

1 G. Costeff EG, 2024 BLACK TO PLAY, WHITE WINS 2 A. Manvelyan Kasparyan MT 1996 WIN 3 R. Becker Magyar Sakkvilag 2004 WIN 4 J. Timman The Art of the Endgame 2011 DRAW FIDE celebrated its centenary in 2024. To mark this, a book about studies was published, containing studies from all of the years 1924 to 2024. The author is Gady Costeff, one of the leading study composers of recent years. Costeff has chosen one study per year, out of roughly one thousand published each year, and each is a pleasure to solve or you can just admire their artistry. Three of the studies this month are from the book. First, however, another 2024 achievement by Costeff. It is the first full Babson Task in a study. You probably…