Another week has past – can you believe it?! A lot has happened this week so I’m not even going to bore you with the small talk. Let’s jump straight into it, shall we? Chess helps young players develop thinking and social skills As If we didn’t already know this, right? Well check out the story about some middle school players Parag clinches open Int’l chess title Parag beat Mahfuzur Rahman Emon in the ninth and final round to secure eight points to clinch the title. 12-year-old in contention in Ukraine Championship The 2008 Ukraine Championship is missing Ivanchuk, Ponomariov and Karjakin, but is still very strong, with 26 participants, including 17 GMs. The player to watch is IM Illya Nyzhnyk. At twelve he sports a 2444 rating, and after four rounds he has three points (two wins, two draws). ‘Chess’ Just Isn’t Fun Anymore Good ol’ Soviet intrigue just doesn’t entertain like it used to. In “Chess,” two world-class players at the end of the Cold War find themselves caught within an ever-growing game of politics and trickery, a … Continue reading →