Features: · Interview

  • Andrii Baryshpolets went from Ukraine to Texas on a chess scholarship in 2015. After graduating with a PhD in economics last year, the 31-year-old grandmaster has joined PwC in Los Angeles as a Senior Associate.

    “No more political sponsorship and sportswashing” – 30 May 2022

    The Ukrainian grandmaster Andrii Baryshpolets explains why he is running to replace FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich in the 7 August election.

  • Eetu Tiiva is the new President of the Finnish Chess Federation.

    “The numbers are rather grim, but the worst is over” – 27 Jan 2022

    The Finnish Chess Federation was hit hard by the pandemic. Online chess, hybrid chess and new funding sources are all part of the plan of the young new leader Eetu Tiiva.

  • In 1986 physics student Matthias Wüllenweber traveled to Basel to demonstrate his database of chess games to Garry Kasparov. The world champion loved it. The next year, Chessbase was founded and published its first version.

    A social experience – 19 Dec 2020

    ChessBase strives to make online play more friendly. Co-founder Matthias Wüllenweber spoke with Conrad Schormann.

  • The video of the interview can also be seen on [FIDE’s homepage][1]. [1]: https://www.fide.com

    “I am not used to discussing politics” – 17 Oct 2020

    During his frank interview with Daniil Dubov FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich gave a lot of insight in his proactive way of thinking and leading. He explained how the new FIDE management functions and why it needs more sponsors outside of Russia. This is the second and final part of excerpts by Stefan Löffler.

  • Arkady Dvorkovich, left, was interviewed by Daniil Dubov.

    FIDE’s next steps – 14 Oct 2020

    In an interview in Russia, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich talked about possible changes in the world championship cycle and competitive chess at large: Players may be restricted to compete in only one national league. Team events may no longer be rated. The world championships for teams and children are under review. Stefan Löffler has excerpted the essentials in two parts. The first one focuses on competitive chess.

  • During the Magnus Carlsen Invitational the Millennium brand appeared in an online chess context for the first time.

    “An access tool for online play” – 31 May 2020

    Millennium 2000 was not a household name in online chess. Then the Munich-based company made a grand entry by cosponsoring the Magnus Carlsen Invitational, the first online chess world class tournament. COO Thomas Karkosch is eager to turn online chess into a haptic game: “Our devices are predestined to become an access tool for online play,” says Karkosch, interviewed by Conrad Schormann.

  • Matthew Sadler and Natasha Regan presented Game Changer at the London Chess Conference 2019

    “Leela offers us a second opinion” – 26 Apr 2020

    Matthew Sadler is the leading authority on what chess players can learn from artificial intelligence and neuronal network based programmes. After Leela beat the strongest traditional chess engine Stockfish in the final of the 17th TCEC chess computer super league season, he shared his conclusions with Conrad Schormann. Even though the neural networks now seem in the lead, the clash is far from over and is promising to produce more fresh chess ideas.

  • Sebastian Kuhnert

    “We must not let Corona shrink the chess economy” – 17 Apr 2020

    The Magnus Carlsen Invitational starting this Saturday on chess24 will almost certainly be the most watched and widest reported online chess event until now. And it is a most welcome boost to the elite chess world in these hard times. Stefan Löffler spoke with chess24 CEO Sebastian Kuhnert about the motives behind this notable event and what else is brewing in the Play Magnus Group, to which chess24 belongs since the merger a year ago.