David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
Ju’s winning streak leaves rival reeling in women’s world chess title clash
Chinese women's world champion GM Ju Wenjun is just a draw away from retaining the title she has held since 2018, using a four-game midmatch winning streak to pull away from compatriot and longtime rival GM Tan Zhongyi in their scheduled 12-game clash in Shanghai and Chongqing. Published April 15, 2025
Even the chess greats falter when endgame pressure mounts
There's no hindsight in chess like endgame hindsight. Published April 8, 2025
April Fools’ gold: Chess deceit and deception in the spirit of the day
With all the pieces visible to both players and all the rules much pretty set in concrete, it's hard to think of a good April Fools' Day joke to play over the board in tournament play that doesn't run the risk of getting you forfeited. Published April 1, 2025
Nakamura tops archrival Caruana to claim American Cup
GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana met again at the just-concluded 2025 American Cup, extending what is likely the most intense and balanced rivalry in the history of American chess. Published March 25, 2025
The greatest match that never was — when Fischer and Karpov didn’t meet
The history of chess is riddled with missed opportunities. Published March 18, 2025
India’s Pranav fits the mold as new world junior chess champ
In a rare double unlikely to be replicated, the new world chess champion is an 18-year-old grandmaster from the Indian city of Chennai, and the new world junior champion is, yep, an 18-year-old grandmaster from the Indian city of Chennai. Published March 11, 2025
All-around great: Spassky was defined by far more than that match with Fischer
Boris Spassky was far too great a chessplayer -- and human being -- to be defined and remembered by the one memorable match he lost. Published March 4, 2025
European leaders offer support for Ukraine, Zelenskyy after contentious White House visit
A number of top European leaders took to social media Friday to offer some backup for beleaguered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his tense, televised clash with President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance over the war with Russia and the road ahead. Published March 1, 2025
Putin to U.S.: We have mineral resources too for sale, development
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is willing to make his country's significant rare earth and critical mineral resources available to U.S. buyers and investors, responding to President Trump's push for a similar deal with Ukraine. Published February 25, 2025
Champ’s blue jean blues latest move in the long clash between chess and fashion
Modern chessplayers -- to put it mildly -- are not exactly known for their sartorial sophistication. Now comes news that the most famous pair of blue jeans in chess history is up for sale -- the pair worn by former world champion Magnus Carlsen that earned him a rebuke from organizers at the World Rapid Championships in New York late last year for violating the event's dress code. Published February 25, 2025
Merz on track to win German election, but far-right party a clear second
Germany's center-right parties are on course to return to power after four years in opposition, while a far-right party that has garnered praise from top Trump administration figures doubled its vote for an unprecedented second-place finish in Sunday's national elections, according to the first exit polls from Berlin. Published February 23, 2025
Kremlin applauds Trump’s characterization of Zelenskyy; allies reaffirm support for Ukraine
President Trump's new comments that Ukraine started the war with Russia and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is an unpopular "dictator" who refuses to hold elections generated a sharp pushback Wednesday from top European leaders -- and a ringing endorsement from Russia's foreign minister. Published February 19, 2025
Trump blasts Zelenskyy as ‘dictator’ who duped U.S. into sending aid
President Trump unleashed a blistering rebuke of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, calling him a "dictator without elections" who tricked the U.S. into spending billions to help his country. Published February 19, 2025
Freestyling in style, Keymer captures Chess960 inaugural event
German GM Martin Keymer was Freestyling in style, successively defeating the world's two highest-rated players to capture the inaugural event of the new Freestyle Grand Slam in Wangels, Germany, last week. Published February 18, 2025
The mating game: Chess couples in love soar up the Cupid Index
GM Magnus Carlsen pulled off an unexpected pre-Valentine's Day combination, as the Norwegian great took himself off the market as the most eligible former world chess champion. Published February 11, 2025
Pragg nips Gukesh in tournament debut as champ
It seems the only way to beat a superstar Indian teenage chess phenom these days is with another superstar Indian teenage chess phenom. Published February 4, 2025
Kremlin verifies famed Russian figure skating pair were aboard downed U.S. jet
The Kremlin Thursday confirmed that two well-known Russian-born figure skaters were aboard the D.C.-bound plane that collided with an Army helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River Wednesday evening. Published January 30, 2025
Barnes bicentennial: British master ranks as Morphy’s toughest chess foe
He didn't exactly have Paul Morphy's number, but largely unheralded 19th century English master Thomas Barnes -- born 200 years ago this month -- did manage to win more chess games off the brilliant young American than any other player of the day. Published January 28, 2025
Trump doubles down on Greenland buy as Denmark balks
Dismissed as a pipe dream during his first term in office, President Trump's determination to wrest control of Greenland is very much alive at the start of his second term. Published January 26, 2025
Marked man: New champ Gukesh back at the chessboard in strong Tata tournament
It's something of a rite of passage in chess -- the new champ is a marked man when he first returns to the board. Indian teenager Dommaraju Gukesh, who became the youngest world champion ever when he dethroned Chinese GM Deng Liren in their December title match, is testing himself in his first classical tournament since then -- the always-strong Tata Steel Masters Tournament in the storied Dutch seaside town of Wijk aan Zee. Published January 21, 2025
