Luke Mcshane

Black to play. A. Ledger – S. Williams, British Championships 2026. Black played 29…a6, missing a winning sequence on the kingside. What is the first move?

Played on computer screens at a fast pace, chess is a natural fit for the Esports World Cup. For the second year running, it took its place alongside dozens of major computer games, and Magnus Carlsen, who won last year’s event in Riyadh, was back to defend his title in Paris earlier this month. The

White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Georges Emile Barbier, the Westminster Papers , 1875. Email answers (first move only) to [email protected] by Monday 24 August.

White to play. Wojtaszek-Shankland, Rubinstein Memorial, Polanica Zdroj, 2026. Wojtaszek’s next move prompted Shankland to resign. What did he play? Email answers to [email protected] by Monday 31 August. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six

For the third time in his career, Wesley So has won the elite Sinquefield Cup tournament in St Louis, the fifth and final leg of the Grand Chess Tour. He got off to a strong start, with an early win against Jorden Van Foreest who botched a drawn rook endgame, and followed that by beating

Black to play. Shogdhziev-Chauhan, Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival, 2026. In a wild game between two exceptional young talents, Chauhan’s next move prompted resignation. What did he play? Email answers to [email protected] by Monday 7 September. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa continued his formidable run of form by taking first place, and a $200,000 first prize, at the Grand Chess Tour Finals, held in St Louis in late August.

Elon Musk enjoys winding up chess players. In 2022, he posted on X that chess is ‘too simple to be useful in real life’, noting ‘a mere 8 by 8 grid, no fog of war, no technology tree, no random map or spawn position, only 2 players, both sides exact same pieces, etc. Polytopia addresses

White to play and win. Composed by Henri Rinck, Basler Nachrichten, 1922. Email answers (first move only) to [email protected] by…

Elon Musk enjoys winding up chess players. In 2022, he posted on X that chess is ‘too simple to be useful in real life', noting ‘a mere 8 by 8