Download your Free GigaKing Database Update with 115K new Chess Games for Chess King Software

Good news! All users of the GigaKing Chess Games Database, which is included for free in Chess King and Chess King Pro Software, can download for free, in either CA or PGN format, an update that includes the world’s main tournaments from October 2011 to the end of June 2012. That’s over 115,000 fresh new chess games that you need to have to be at he cutting edge of chess analysis.

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World Chess Blitz - Grischuk Leads after Day 1 in Astana

Blitz chess is always crazy thanks to the time control. There are always blunders or wins that would have technically gone the other way with such strong grandmasters. The first day of the World Blitz Chess Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan witnessed several such mad games. After 15 rounds that were played on Day one, it was Alexander Grischuk who pulled away for a one-point lead from the rest of the pack. Grischuk leads with 10.5/15 and has one point more than Dmitry Andreikin, Vassily Ivanchuk and Sergey Karjakin. Magnus Carlsen, who started with a loss, is in fifth place with 8.5/15. 

The World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships are being held in Astana, Kazakhstan from July 1-11, 2012. Russia's Sergey Karjakin won the World Rapid Chess Championship yesterday. 

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New Chess Fiction Review: Queen Sacrifice by Tony Riches

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Chess Fiction Review by Zainab Raza Undulusi

Fierce loyalty, treachery, love and palace intrigue woven into 10th Century Welsh history with a chess thread make 'Queen Sacrifice' the hot new chess fiction of the season. 

Tony Riches is a full-time author and chess player from Pembrokeshire, one of the most unspoilt areas of the United Kingdom. Best known for his non-fiction books, Tony told Chess Magazine B&W that he was exploring the early history of Wales. Suddenly he realised how the battles between rival kings reminded him of chess. There were bishops and early knights supporting both sides with ‘bondsmen’ as the pawns in their civil wars.

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Carlsen 'Chuks' It; Karjakin is World Rapid Chess Champion 2012

World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen going into the third day at the Astana World Rapid Chess Championship 2012 'chuk'ed his title win with back-to-back losses to Vassily Ivanchuk and Alexander Grischuk in the 12th and 13th rounds. In fact, he came close to losing the last round as well against Veselin Topalov.

The three winners: Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria (third), Sergey Karjakin of Russia (World Champion) and Magnus Carlsen (second).

Russia's Sergey Karjakin - with only one loss to Magnus Carlsen - steady performance and quality chess is the new World Rapid Chess Champion. Karjakin quickly got over his Carlsen debacle to post four wins on the final day!  

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Magnus Carlsen Unstoppable at World Rapid Chess Championship in Astana

World No. 1 Norway's Magnus Carlsen is going to run away with the World Rapid Chess Championship currently on in Astana, Kazakhstan. Magnus Carlsen is leading with a massive 1.5-point lead with 8.5/10. Five games had been played on Day. Karjakin and Carlsen were in joint lead at the beginning of second day's play. By the end of the day, Karjakin had lost two games against Mamedyarov and Carlsen. Carlsen, earlier in the day, drew with Gelfand and Dreev, but beat Mamedyarov and Tkachiev as well.

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Saturday Chess Puzzles - White Checkmates in Two

Making a habit of solving chess puzzles is one of the best things you could do to improve your chess. Chess magazine B&W presents weekend edition of two chess puzzles. Have fun.

1. White to play and checkmate in two.

Check your answer with Chess King.

2. White to play and checkmate in two.

Check your answer with Chess King.

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