ChessBase Magazine Online

Only technical and bureaucratic details
01.06.2002 – ...remain between Koneru Humpy breaking a decade-old record. Although the 14-year-old now has three GM norms and an Elo rating of over 2500, the latter will not be calculated until July. Our chess correspondent V. Krishnaswamy elucidates and gives a full overview of Humpy's chess career in his India Chess Diary.
 

Humpy beats Judit Polgar by three months
31.05.2002 – Koneru Humpy, whom we introduced in our India Chess Diary recently, has become the youngest female player in the history of chess to achieve a male grandmaster title. Humpy (that's her first name) achieved her final norm at the Elekes Memorial GM tournament at the age of 15 years, one month and 27 days, breaking Judit Polgar's previous record by three months. More
 

Now it's back to work – with new tactics problems
29.05.2002 – In our tactics section we have posted sixteen new combinations, ranging from easy – the kind that you actually encounter in your own games – to medium and even hard. All are taken from games from the last couple of weeks, and full solutions are provided. Check them out here.
 

Let's Go to the Movies!
28.05.2002 – After all the politics, Mig brings us the lighter side of the Eurotel Trophy in Prague and the unification meeting that followed. Why read Topalov and Anand on the Najdorf Sicilian when you can hear them talk about "Blackhawk Down" and "Gladiator"? Plus, a guessing game and the much-awaited (?) John Henderson Tram Tour of Prague. Here.
 

Room for rent on our chess server
28.05.2002 – Want a separate room for your federation or chess club on the Playchess (Fritz) server? You can have one, free of charge, a place to meet your friends and club mates, play tournaments or simply hang out. Information and contact...
 

Not so many stars over Moscow
28.05.2002 – With the FIDE Grand Prix starting on June 1st the highest-ranking participants are Kasparov and Ponomariov. Conspicuously missing are top GMs like Kramnik, Anand, Topalov and Leko. 21 of the 30 participants are from the former Russian Republics, two are from France, one from India and one from Iran. More
 

GMs demand professional committee
28.05.2002 – Expressing their concern that the Prague reunification plan could violate sports principles, a number of top players have called for a "Grandmasters' Committee" to represent their interests. The open letter to FIDE was signed by the likes of Anand, Morozevich, Bareev, Shirov, Svidler, Leko, Girschuk, Lautier and fourteen others. More
 

Anand and Kramnik to play for the title
28.05.2002 – The organisers call it "the most prestigious Chess Spectacle in Spain," the winner will get the "undisputable title of Master of Masters." Huh? Well, it will be for Advanced Chess, where both players are allowed to use computers during the game. All necessary information is available on our special coverage page.
 

War and Peace – a history of chess unity
27.05.2002 – Yasser Seirawan has delivered the final installment of his trilogy on the Prague reunification agreement. It is almost as long as Tolstoi's book – and just as gripping. Take half an hour off to read this momentous description of the chess world in turmoil. And if you want to know even more (for a doctoral thesis, maybe?), there is an extensive list of links to be found at the top of Yasser's article From a Fresh Start to a New Dawn part 3.
 

When the boys come out to play...
26.05.2002 – ...Koneru Humpy will gladly take them on. But the 14-year-old, India's highest-rated female player, refuses to participate in women's tournaments. After all she already has two men’s GM norms, and looks set to break Judit Polgar’s record as youngest female GM in history. Read all about her and a 12-year-old prodigy in V. Krishnaswamy's India Chess Diary.
 

Fritz still on top of the computer world
25.05.2002 – For years it has been the same. With a few brief breaks our flagship program Fritz has topped the international computer lists. Of the top ten eight are – Ahem! – distributed by ChessBase (including the top five). You will find a list of the first 50 programs here.
 

A History of Chess Unity – Part deux
25.05.2002 – The momentous Prague reunification is currently the central theme of discussion in the chess world. The spiritus rector of the agreement was American grandmaster Yasser Seirawan, who proposed the plan in February this year, and has devoted his life to its implementation ever since. Yasser has sent us part two of his gripping blow-by-blow narrative of how it all came together.