chess

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After US Grandmaster's Death, Chess Champs Blame Russian

World chess body is investigating Kramnik's campaign to accuse Naroditsky of cheating

(Newser) - The international chess federation, FIDE, is investigating former world champion Vladimir Kramnik after his public accusations of cheating against US grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, whose unexpected death at age 29 has outraged other chess champions. The cause of Naroditsky's death has not been disclosed. FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky tells Reuters...

Chess Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky Dies at Age 29

Chess champion, author, and educator remembered for global impact

(Newser) - Daniel Naroditsky, a celebrated chess grandmaster and prominent figure in the chess world, has died at the age of 29, according to a statement from the Charlotte Chess Center. The center, speaking on behalf of Naroditsky's family, described his death as "unexpected" and asked for privacy as they...

10-Year-Old Chess Prodigy Keeps Making History

UK's Bodhana Sivanandan is youngest female to defeat a grandmaster, claim master title

(Newser) - A 10-year-old girl from London has stunned the chess world by becoming the youngest to earn the woman international master title—just months after making history as the youngest-ever female to defeat a grandmaster. Bodhana Sivanandan's chess journey began during the pandemic lockdown, when she discovered a chessboard...

After a Chess Stunner, Magnus Carlsen Bangs Table

Top-ranked player vents after being upset by a rising teen player from India

(Newser) - Magnus Carlsen surprised the chess world by losing a one-on-one match on Monday, and he surprised spectators even more by slamming his fist on the table loudly in frustration, reports NBC News . Watch the moment here . Carlsen, 34, lost a match in the Norway Chess 2025 tournament to 19-year-old Gukesh...

A Stunning Result in 'Magnus Carlsen vs. the World'

5-time chess world champion forced to a draw against 143K global opponents

(Newser) - It was an unprecedented showdown: Magnus Carlsen, chess' reigning titan, versus a global team of over 143,000 online players, who ought to be patting themselves on the back. "Magnus Carlsen vs. the World," an online match hosted by Chess.com, ultimately ended in a dramatic draw,...

Taliban Bans Chess
Taliban Bans Chess
May 12, 2025 6:55 PM CDT

Taliban Bans Chess

It's 'considered a means of gambling,' officials say

(Newser) - Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have found something new to ban. Officials announced Sunday that chess has been suspended indefinitely, the BBC reports. The game is "considered a means of gambling" and will be banned while authorities try to determine whether it is compatible with Islamic law, officials said. Authorities...

'True Gentleman' of Chess Was Half of Cold War Showdown

Soviet Boris Spassky lost to American Bobby Fischer in 1972

(Newser) - Boris Spassky, the Soviet chess grandmaster who lost a highly politicized showdown—the "Match of the Century"—with American champion Bobby Fischer at the peak of the Cold War, has died. The International Chess Federation announced that Spassky died Thursday in Moscow at age 88. The cause of...

Blue Jeans Breach Resolved, Chess Champion Returns

Magnus Carlsen originally left New York competition rather than change clothes

(Newser) - The chess world's strange standoff is over: The International Chess Federation said Sunday it will allow the World Blitz Championship to loosen its dress code a bit so that chess champ Magnus Carlsen can participate, which he says he will when it starts Monday, the AP reports. Carlsen's...

He Just Became the Youngest Chess World Champion

Gukesh Dommaraju of India is 18

(Newser) - Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest chess world champion Thursday after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China in the final match of their series in Singapore. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 for his Chinese rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russia'...

Magnus Carlsen Is Trying to Make Chess Cool

Norwegian champion launches his Take Take Take app to explain matches in a more accessible way

(Newser) - Few chess players enjoy Magnus Carlsen's celebrity status. A grand master at 13, refusing to play an American dogged by allegations of cheating, and venturing into the world of online chess gaming all made Norway's Carlsen a household name. Plus, only legends like Russia's Garry Kasparov and...

Chess Grandmaster's Toilet Behavior Raised Suspicions

Kirill Shevchenko expelled after allegedly using mobile phone in bathroom to cheat

(Newser) - The man who is currently considered to be the 69th best chess player in the world has been booted from the Spanish Team Championship after accusations of cheating involving a mobile phone. The drama:
  • Excessive bathroom trips: Chess.com reports the 22-year-old Kirill Shevchenko's prolonged breaks during round two
...

Russian Chess Player Accused of Poisoning Rival

Surveillance video allegedly catches Amina Abakarova in the act

(Newser) - The world of chess has had some bizarro controversies of late. This one tops them all. A 40-year-old Russian player has been accused of poisoning a rival by smearing mercury on her chess board, reports NBC News . Surveillance video purports to show Amina Abakarova wandering into a mostly empty room...

Chess Can't Shake Its Dark Side as Popularity Rises

Business Insider piece says sexism, cheating, abuse remain factors

(Newser) - Chess has been exploding in popularity of late, and Rob Price takes a deep dive into the culture for Business Insider . What he paints is not a pretty picture. Chess "is uniquely positioned to act as an accelerant for the internet's worst impulses: sexism , abuse, cheating, elitism, and...

Champ Hits 60 Hours in Attempt at Chess Marathon Record

Tunde Onakoya raises money for education of poor African children

(Newser) - Tunde Onakoya broke the world record for the longest chess marathon—56 hours, 9 minutes, 37 seconds of nonstop play—and kept going. The Nigerian chess champion reached his goal of 58 hours early Saturday in New York's Time Square, putting him comfortably past the mark set by Hallvard...

He's the Youngest Ever to Beat a Chess Grandmaster

'I feel very proud of myself,' says 8-year-old Ashwath Kaushik

(Newser) - On Feb. 12, Leonid Ivanovic of Serbia became the youngest chess player to beat a grandmaster in a classical game at 8 years, 11 months, and 7 days. His record stood only six days until Sunday, when an even younger chess prodigy stole the title. Ashwath Kaushik—aged 8 years,...

Teen's Viral Post Calls Out Sexism in Chess

Divya Deshmukh says she's 'disappointed' at what people are focusing on

(Newser) - A rising chess star took to social media to express her dismay at the sexist treatment she's received in the male-dominated sport. Per the BBC , Divya Deshmukh is an 18-year-old International Master from India who recently competed in the Netherlands-based Tata Steel Chess Tournament. Despite a successful event—she...

Chess Player Fined Over Her 'Sports Shoes'
Chess Player
Fined Over Her
'Sports Shoes'
in case you missed it
Dec 31, 2023 10:38 AM CST

Chess Player Fined Over Her 'Sports Shoes'

Dutch player Anna-Maja Kazarian was forced to change them, despite ambiguous dress code

(Newser) - It's been a year of weird , even gross , controversies in the world of chess . And now comes one last one for the books: The International Chess Federation fined a player 100 euros ($111) for wearing "sports shoes" during a tournament in Uzbekistan and made her change them before...

Chinese Chess Champ Loses Crown Over Pooping Incident

Yan Chenglong, accused of cheating with anal beads, defecated in hotel tub

(Newser) - There's playing dirty, and then there's celebrating dirty, and allegations of both have gotten the newly crowned king of Chinese chess unceremoniously dethroned. As AFP reports, Yan Chenglong on Dec. 17 won the national title of "Xiangqi King," or king of Chinese chess, a hugely popular...

Girl, 8, Beats 39-Year-Old Chess Master at Tournament

Bodhana Sivanandan was named best female player at the blitz tournament

(Newser) - Bodhana Sivanandan won the title of best female player at the European blitz chess championships over the weekend—at age 8. In the penultimate round, the British girl beat her first international master, 39-year-old Lorin D'Costa, a chess coach. In the final round, she drew with grandmaster Vladislav Nevednichy,...

YouTube Is the New Chess Club
YouTube
Is the New
Chess Club
Dec 16, 2023 5:30 AM CST

YouTube Is the New Chess Club

Influencers like Levy Rozman are becoming the new face of the game

(Newser) - Levy Rozman ranks 6,689th in the international chess world, but on YouTube, he's No. 1. His GothamChess channel has accrued over a billion views, ranking first on YouTube in chess, according to the New York Times . Rozman's status eclipses the world's No. 4 ranked player (American...

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