David R. Sands

Raised in Northern Virginia, David R. Sands received an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He worked as a reporter for several Washington-area business publications before joining The Washington Times.

At The Times, Mr. Sands has covered numerous beats, including international trade, banking, politics and Capitol Hill, and spent eight years on the foreign desk as senior diplomatic correspondent. He is currently the deputy editor for politics. In addition, he has reviewed books and written feature stories for the newspaper and authored The Times' weekly chess column since 1993. He is also senior writer for Washington GolfStyles, a monthly publication covering the Mid-Atlantic golf scene.

Articles by David R. Sands

No questions, please: Putin nixes traditional year-end press conference

The Kremlin said Monday that President Vladimir Putin would not hold his traditional late December marathon press briefing. Published December 12, 2022

Kremlin: Zelenskyy pick as Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ is Russophobic

The Kremlin has a bone to pick with the editors of Time magazine, contending Thursday that the choice of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as their 2022 "Person of the Year" was an exercise in Russophobia. Published December 8, 2022

Young or old, chess is a game for the ages

You're only as old as you play. The prime playing years for chess players are said to be one's 20s and 30s, but one great thing about our game is that it can be enjoyed and played skillfully by anyone at any age who can push a pawn, punch a clock and record the moves. Published December 6, 2022

Putin: Ukraine’s ‘aggression’ led to infrastructure attacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered a new justification Friday for a campaign of bombing strikes on Ukrainian power lines and other civilian infrastructure that threatens to leave the country without power or heat as the winter comes on: Ukraine started it. Published December 2, 2022

A rich history of 125 years of holiday chess at Hastings

The annual Christmas holiday tournament held in the Sussex town of Hastings, England, may have peaked a little early, but it's still been a reliable producer of top-flight chess in the 125 years since its unforgettable opening act. Published November 29, 2022

Analyze this: Chess rational and irrational

For many of us, chess over the board can be a dizzying roller coaster of fates, with the advantage often swinging wildly between the players like a badminton shuttlecock as the mistakes and misjudgments pile up. Published November 22, 2022

Panda gifted at time of China-Taiwan warming dies in Taipei

Tuan Tuan, a panda given by communist China to democratic Taiwan more than a decade ago as a symbol of improving ties, died Saturday at the Taipei Zoo at the age of 18, officials said. Published November 20, 2022

U.N. watchdog warns Ukraine, Russia ‘playing with fire’ in fresh clashes near giant nuclear plant

The U.N.'s chief nuclear watchdog warned Sunday morning that combatants are "playing with fire" amid new reports of shelling near Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been occupied by invading Russian troops since March. Published November 20, 2022

Despite scolding, politics finds its way into World Cup kickoff

World soccer's most powerful figure is handing out red cards to anyone who dares to question FIFA's decision to make Qatar the first Middle Eastern nation to hold the quadrennial World Cup. Published November 20, 2022

Former Sen. Chris Dodd tapped as Biden’s special envoy to the Americas

Former Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut will be President Biden's new point man on relations with countries of North and South America, the State Department announced Friday. Published November 18, 2022

Great ride: Kavalek’s chess memoir ‘Life at Play’ tracks a rich, varied career

'May you live in interesting times." The Chinese consider it a curse, but for a memoirist, it's a godsend. Published November 15, 2022

Comeback kid Netanyahu formally tapped to head Israel’s new government

Capping a remarkable political comeback even as he battles personal legal problems, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is poised to reclaim his old job, as President Isaac Herzog Friday said he will invite him to form the country's next government. Published November 11, 2022

Basman, Curdo: Honoring two of the game’s true originals

Chess is a game of just a handful of pieces -- king, queen, bishop, knight, rook and pawn -- but an infinite number of characters. Published November 8, 2022

Israel’s Netanyahu on verge of electoral comeback

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared on the verge of a remarkable comeback as exit polls suggested he and his political allies had won enough seats to form a government. Published November 1, 2022

Breathtaking battles: Taking a walk on the lighter side of chess

We "work at" our chess a little too much sometimes, and every so often it's useful (and instructional, I might add) to be reminded of the great struggles and amazing moves that got us hooked on the game in the first place. Published November 1, 2022

Caruana, Yu shine at the chessboard; Niemann fight heads to the courts

They took very different paths to get there, but GM Fabiano Caruana and Northern Virginia's own WGM Jennifer Yu both claimed their second national titles at the U.S. Championship and U.S. Women's Championship tournaments that wrapped up last week at the St. Louis Chess Club. Published October 25, 2022

Expensive gambit: U.S. chess master Hans Moke Niemann sues world champ over cheating charges

U.S. chess grandmaster Hans Moke Niemann, the target of cheating allegations at the highest level of the game, has made a counter-move against his accusers, filing a $100 million-plus lawsuit accusing world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway, top U.S. grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura and one of the biggest online chess-playing services of "colluding to blacklist" him from competing. Published October 20, 2022