Grandmaster Maurice Ashley in D.C. to promote chess for children

A good chess match can be hard to find for an international grandmaster, so Maurice Ashley has spent most of his career growing his own competition. Since becoming the first African American to win the elite title in 1999 according to the U.S. Chess Federation, the Jamaican-born New Yorker has traveled the country to promote the game of kings as a game for children.

Indonesia Open Chess Championship in Jakarta

MANILA—The Philippines’ top teenage chess player, Grandmaster Wesley So (2655), took off to a roaring start in the Indonesia Open Chess Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The 18-year-old genius from Bacoor, Cavite defeated International Master (IM) Muhammad Ivan Situru (ELO 2314) of Indonesia using the white pieces.

Garry Kasparov Will Play Tournament Against Amateur Chess Players in Bratislava

The Bratislava trip of the legendary chess player, Garry Kasparov, is scheduled on 13th and 14th October 2011. Kasparov is slated to speak at the Big Ideas for CEE conference. This chess player, exemplary strategist and political activist will share his views on leadership, logical and strategic thinking, as well as Russian politics.

Bilbao 2011: Carlsen’s Grand Slam interview

WATCH FOR FINAL TRIVIA WEB ADDRESS. WIN 1-YEAR of ICC! After a playoff win over Vassily Ivanchuk, world number one Magnus Carlsen sat down once more for a chat with Santiago González de la Torre.

Magnus Carlsen Wins Chess Masters Final with a Blitz Game

By Lubomir Kavalek

They flew from Europe to Brazil, played five rounds in Sao Paulo, crossed the equator again on the way to Bilbao, Spain, where they played another five rounds. After the world’s best chess grandmasters have done all this traveling and playing, the outcome of the Chess Masters Final was still up in the air. It came down to a tiebreaking blitz game in which Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top-rated player, defeated Ukraine’s Vassily Ivanchuk, at 42, the oldest participant.Ivanchuk had a blistering start with one draw and three wins in the first four games, but things changed in a hurry. He lost to Carlsen in the next round and suddenly the Norwegian GM had a chance to catch up.

Carlsen Grand Slams Chucky

Vassily Ivanachuk may have been the Samba King in the first leg of the Grand Slam Final in Sao Paulo, but it was World No.1 Magnus Carlsen who single handedly stopped the Ukrainian from one of his best tournament performances ever, as he dominated the second leg in Bilbao to snatch the title from the Ukrainian after an exciting playoff between the two.

FIDE May ratings: Top players inactive, Anand leads

Nothing much has changed at the top of the May rating list released by FIDE today. This is understandable since eight high-ranking players have been preparing for the Candidates matches which begin on Thursday. The World Champion, Vishy Anand, who is now a proud father, remains on top, two points ahead of the Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen.