R Vaishali vs Divya Deshmukh (Photo by Niki Rega) New Delhi: In the zero-sum world of elite chess, friendships between compatriots often have to be sidelined across the board. This was evident at the Cape St Georges Hotel and Resort on Wednesday as India’s two sensations, R Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh, faced off in a…
World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura questions FIDE’s safety protocols (Photo by Michal Walusza) New Delhi: The year was 2015. At the age of 55, veteran grandmaster (GM) Praveen Thipse had not won a chess tournament in four years. He arrived at the inaugural Dr. Hegdewar Open in Delhi hoping to break the streak, but by…
Ukraine’s Anna Mozychyk does not shake hands after defeating Russia’s Kateryna Ligno (screen grab) NEW DELHI: The cold war of chess reached a freezing point in Round 4 of Women Candidates 2026, as Ukraine’s Anna Mozychak and Russia’s Kateryna Ligno defied the traditional decorum of the game. There was no handshake at the start, no…
USA GM Hikaru Nakamura blasts FIDE. New Delhi: World No. 2 American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has criticized the world chess body FIDE for what he sees as excessive anti-cheating measures at the 2026 Candidates Tournament in Cyprus. Kicking off his fourth qualifier with a loss to fellow American Fabiano Caruana, Nakamura took to his YouTube…
New Delhi: Chess fans and players are worried about the upcoming Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, mainly due to security concerns and basic amenities like electricity. The island’s proximity to tensions in West Asia and recent attacks on nearby military bases have raised concerns about whether it is the right place to host such a large…
Koneru Humpy (photo by Lennart Ootes/FIDE). New Delhi: In a move that has sent shockwaves through the international chess community, India’s veteran Grandmaster (GM) and World No. 5 Conero Hampi has now officially withdrawn from the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament in Cyprus. Citing a “level 3” travel advisory and rising tensions in the Middle East,…