New In Chess 2025/6

6 Man Ray & Chess
An artist’s lifelong passion for chess.

8 NIC’s Café
Whiskey, music and Star Trek.

12 Opinion
Carlsen is not the first world champion who thinks that something has to be changed.

14 Vincent Keymer cracks top 10
Buoyed by his recent Freestyle successes, Vincent Keymer was in a class of his own in Chennai. Confident and inspired, the German star finished two points ahead of the pack, crossing 2750 for the first time. Adhiban Baskaran reports from his home city.

19 Celeb64
The French film star Alain Delon was a fearsome chess player.

30 Fair & Square
Bryan Mbeumo & Jorge Luis Borges.

40 Carlsen Claims Esports Trophy
At the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Magnus Carlsen showed that he is still the man to beat. He enjoyed the show and hopes Esports will be a big part of the future of chess.

46 The Amateur Grandmaster
Can a talented and dedicated amateur chess player become a grandmaster? Arthur Pijpers proved it is possible, achieving his aim at the age of 31 after ten years of trying. He explains the requirements and how to deal with them.

56 Eat Your Way To Victory Part 2
Every move at the board starts in the brain – and the brain needs fuel. Jack Rodgers has written about the benefits of a healthy chess diet and has put that theory into practice with surprisingly good results.

61 The Killer Blow
Puzzles selected by Jacob Aagaard.

64 Tournament Roundup
Victories by Divya Deshmukh (19) in Batumi, Michael Adams (53) in Liverpool and Alex Fishbein (57) in St. Louis.

74 How to Improve
To keep making progress, you have to get organized. The best study plan is one you will actually be able to execute – taking into account priorities such as family and work.

78 The Model Game
The typical Carlsbad pawn structure provides clear plans for both sides. White launches a minority attack, but Black defends and looks for kingside counterplay.

82 The Scoresheet
Nine years after losing the world title to Alekhine, Capablanca enjoyed a moment of sweet revenge.

84 Sadler on Books
A competitive sport tends to have one key element in which a professional is expected to demonstrate his class. In chess, the endgame is that element.

90 Jan Timman
So far it’s been Pragg’s year. In the first five tournaments that Praggnanandhaa competed in in 2025, he collected 38 rating points, rose to 4th place in the world rankings and became India’s number one rated player.

98 Just Checking
What is Alex Fishbein’s greatest fear?