David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
British cultural council in Moscow closing after 59 years
The Russian branch of the British Council, the U.K. institution promoting British language and culture in more than 100 countries around the world, is the latest casualty of the clash sparked by the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy who was living in England. Published March 22, 2018
Stumbling start could doom Levon Aronian’s chess title hopes — again
Levon Aronian is one of the most accomplished players of his generation, a national hero after leading tiny Armenia to gold in three Chess Olympiad gold between 2006 and 2012. He's respected by all his peers, has no real weaknesses in his game, and came into 2018 as one of the hottest players on the international circuit. Published March 20, 2018
Tillerson out, conservative think tank targets Trump security aide and ‘enabler’ H.R. McMaster
With Secretary of State Rex Tillerson fired and leaving at the end of the month, a leading conservative national security think tank is saying President Trump's next move should be to show National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster the door as well. Published March 14, 2018
Stephen Goldstein, Rex Tillerson’s spokesman, also canned after statement on State Department firing
The purge at the State Department isn't stopping with Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson. Published March 13, 2018
John Campbell remembered: The Arlington Chess Club’s genial guiding light
John T. Campbell, 91 and one of the game's good guys, was laid to rest with military honors Monday at Quantico National Cemetery, beside his beloved wife and partner, Frances. Published March 13, 2018
Mike Pompeo’s move to State Department likely bad news for Iran deal
President Trump, who cited his differences Tuesday with Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson over the Iranian nuclear deal as one reason he was fired, is set to get a much tougher voice on Tehran with Mike Pompeo, Mr. Tillerson's replacement. Published March 13, 2018
China state media says Trump-Kim meeting vindicates Beijing diplomacy
The state-controlled news website Global Times is urging Chinese citizens to take the stunning news of a meeting between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in stride, saying there is no chance the U.S. will be able to "turn" Pyongyang away from its longtime patron. Published March 9, 2018
Navarro: Trump White House like the New England Patriots
Peter Navarro, President Trump's increasingly influential economic adviser, compared the Trump White House to the NFL's New England Patriots, saying both have managed to have success despite an unusually high rate of employee turnover. Published March 7, 2018
Anatoly Lein, Soviet great-turned-U.S. star, dies at 86
Anatoly Lein, the Leningrad-born grandmaster who was one of the last living members of the wave of Soviet refugees who transformed the U.S. chess landscape in the 1970s and 1980s, died March 1 at the age of 86 at his home outside Cleveland. Published March 7, 2018
Russia says soccer fans can bring medical marijuana to 2018 World Cup
The grass won't be just on the pitch when soccer's World Cup kicks off in Russia later this year. Published February 28, 2018
Bill Goichberg organizes his way to U.S. Chess Hall of Fame
The 2018 class of inductees into the St. Louis-based World and U.S. Chess Hall of Fame contains some worthy if not particularly unexpected choices. Published February 27, 2018
Failing Chess 101 can be a royal pain for the king
When it comes to chess openings, there are a few basic must-dos that even the rankest beginner understands: Develop the pieces. Control the center. Protect the king. But sometimes, it seems, even the very best players forget -- with predictably dire consequences. Published February 20, 2018
For Mardi Gras, a celebration of Paul Morphy, New Orleans’ finest
It's Mardi Gras, and we're taking a little mental vacation down to the Big Easy to check out the chess scene. Published February 13, 2018
On Gibraltar, Hikaru Nakamura is a Rock star
He may never have trashed a hotel room or shredded his way through a 35-minute guitar solo (as far as we know), but make no mistake -- GM Hikaru Nakamura is a Rock star. Published February 6, 2018
O Canada! ‘Sons’ edited out as bill to make anthem gender-neutral moves closer to passage
A bill to make Canada's familiar national anthem less sexist is one step closer to passage. Published February 1, 2018
Jeffery Xiong shines in the shadow of Magnus Carlsen’s brilliance at Tata Steel event
In newspaper terms, the sidebars may have been more compelling than the main story at the 80th running of the powerful Tata Steel Chess Tournament in the chess-obsessed Dutch city of Wijk aan Zee. Despite a game challenge from local star GM Anish Giri, Norwegian world champion Magnus Carlsen prevailed in a blitz playoff for his record sixth Tata title Sunday. Published January 31, 2018
Russia shrugs as U.S. vows new sanctions — eventually
Treasury Secretary Stephen T. Mnuchin insisted Tuesday that the Trump administration is still weighing sanctions related to Russian election meddling even after the State Department let the deadline pass without imposing any further penalties. Published January 30, 2018
Canada first: U.S. trade panel unexpectedly rejects Boeing trade complaint
A U.S. trade panel has unexpectedly rejected a claim from aerospace giant Boeing Inc. against Montreal-based Bombardier Inc., in one of the most high-profile corporate trade battles to date of the Trump administration. Published January 26, 2018
South Korean President Moon Jae-in takes hit in polls with North Korea overture
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has taken a significant hit to his popularity in the wake of his diplomatic overture promising warmer ties with North Korea, a new poll shows. Published January 26, 2018
When the player matters more than the pieces on the chessboard
The Wise Old Master was shown a particularly complex middle-game position, and his students inquired: Who stands better, White or Black? Published January 23, 2018
