David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
Russian lawmakers to weigh new regulations on dueling
Would-be Russian duelists had better be en garde -- the government is watching. Published September 14, 2018
Central control: U.S. Chess Center celebrates new digs in suburban Maryland
With more than 100 area elementary and secondary students on hand and a virtual visit from the former world champion Garry Kasparov, the U.S. Chess Center got off to a rousing start at its new home in downtown Silver Spring Saturday, a location organizers hope will boost the Center's visibility and accessibility for chess players around the Washington region. Published September 11, 2018
Hard labor — a chess champ’s work ethic pays off
It's supposed to be a game, but on this Labor Day week, let's celebrate the hardest-working man in chess -- who just happens to be the world champion. Published September 4, 2018
Ample chess skill, low drama sometimes when the best play the best
The plague of draws that infected the 6th Sinquefield Cup that wraps up this week illustrates that paradox that pairing off the world's greatest players doesn't always produce the world's most scintillating chess. The St. Louis field, with an average rating of 2788, boasted world champion Magnus Carlsen, top-rated American challenger GM Fabiano Caruana and eight more of the planet's very best players. Published August 28, 2018
Trump cancels Pompeo’s North Korea visit: ‘We are not making sufficient progress’
President Trump announced Friday that he instructed Secretary of State Mike Pomepo not to go to North Korea, citing a lack of progress towards denuclearization. Published August 24, 2018
Russia gun legend Kalashnikov takes aim at Tesla with electric car
The most famous name in Russian armaments is taking direct aim at Elon Musk and his Tesla electric car. Published August 24, 2018
A chess queen sacrifice with a double degree of difficulty
Sacrificing the queen is the showiest tactic there is -- except, of course, for when you can sacrifice two queens in the same game. Published August 21, 2018
Timur Gareyev turns back hometown chess hero Awonder Liang to win U.S. Open
It was all set up for the local hero to shine until GM Timur Gareyev spoiled the party. The Uzbek-born California GM on Sunday captured the 119th U.S. Open in Madison, Wisconsin, with a tough last-round victory over Madison-born GM Awonder Liang. Published August 8, 2018
More demolition work at key North Korean missile site: Report
North Korea has reportedly taken more steps to dismantle a key launch facility that is being cited as evidence Pyongyang is moving to fulfill commitments made to President Trump at the June 12 summit in Singapore. Published August 7, 2018
Hassan Rouhani, Iranian president, refuses U.S. talks, calls Trump sanctions move political
Iran's president in a nationally televised address Monday slammed President Trump's decision to restore U.S. economic sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal and accused Mr. Trump of playing politics at home while trying to sow "chaos" in Iran. Published August 6, 2018
Turkish party: Seize Trump’s hotel to protest sanctions
A leading Turkish opposition party wants to make it personal in the increasingly nasty clash between Ankara and Washington, saying Turkey should retaliate for economic sanctions imposed by the Trump administration by seizing the Trump Towers complex that are one of the most prominent features of the Istanbul skyline. Published August 2, 2018
Poll finds warmer feelings for America in Russia after Putin-Trump summit
It inspired another national round of hand-wringing over malign Russia influence and intentions in the U.S., but the recent Helsinki summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has actually boosted America's image in Mr. Putin's Russia. Published August 2, 2018
Memorial chess tournaments are used to honor some of the game’s greats
It's one of the more civilized traditions of the game -- the memorial chess tournament that allows us to recall some of the greats we have lost and gives us an excuse to replay some of their greatest hits. Annual events are held to honor such past stars as Tal, Keres, Menchik and Capablanca. Published July 31, 2018
U.S. juniors, seniors shine in chess battles
The generation-spanning appeal of chess was on full display this month, as rising U.S. stars took their noses out of their iPhones long enough to battle for the national junior championships in St. Louis, while a U.S. men's over-50 squad stopped yelling at people to get off their lawns long enough to snag the gold medal at the sixth World Senior Team Championships in Dresden, Germany. Published July 24, 2018
Jennifer Yu breaks through as Virginia’s first female chess grandmaster
Ashburn, Virginia, is the cradle of champions. Ashburn's true world beater these days is Jennifer Yu, the 14-year-old junior star who just became the first Virginia woman ever to earn the women's grandmaster title. FIDE, the international chess federation, made it official at its most recent board meeting in Bucharest this month. Published July 17, 2018
After Putin meeting, Iranian says Tehran in Syria to stay
A top foreign policy adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei said Friday after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Iranian forces will remain in Syria despite protests from Israel and the Trump administration. Published July 13, 2018
World Cup winners can expect GDP boost to economy
As France and Croatia prepare for the final in soccer's monthlong World Cup extravaganza in Moscow, data suggest that this year's champion will get a nice boost in the pocketbook back home as well. Published July 12, 2018
What the Royal Game can teach the Beautiful Game
With soccer's World Cup down to the frenzied matches as this is being written, let us recount all the things the Royal Game and the Beautiful Game have in common. Published July 11, 2018
Corneille Nangaa, Congo’s election chief, welcomes challenge of December vote
Corneille Nangaa laughs but doesn't exactly disagree when it's suggested he has been handed one of the world's worst jobs. Published July 10, 2018
Birthday boy Benko has left a lasting mark on the game of chess
In the popular imagination, he's perhaps most famous for the tournament in which he didn't play. Pal Benko, the Hungarian-American GM who turns 90 on July 14, willingly gave up his slot in the 1970 Interzonal Tournament to Bobby Fischer, putting Fischer on track to win his epic world title match against Boris Spassky two years later. Published July 3, 2018
