"If a chess statistician were to try and satisfy his curiosity over which stage of the game proved decisive in the majority of cases, he would certainly come to the conclusion that it is the middlegame that provides the most decisive stage."

🔸 Alexander Kotov

@UnityChess

Most visual records show the world's top chess players as ruthless solitary figures toiling away alone at the board, with their kinder side obscured. This 1967 photograph taken by the renowned Soviet photojournalist Yuriy Abramochkin shows Tigran Petrosian and his family at home.

@UnityChess

Best Checkmate Combinations Ever - 7

Move of the Day!!

Rh6!!

Teimour Radjabov equalizes the score in FIDE World Cup Final. Yu Yangyi and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave made the third draw.

Teimour Radjabov beats Ding Liren to level the score in the final - all 128 players in the #FIDEWorldCup have now tasted defeat!

Radjabov, Teimour - Ding, Liren

1-0

FIDE World Cup 2019 round 7-3

Teimour Radjabov: "I was hoping that if he [Ding Liren] doesn't know about 22...c5!, then it becomes a little bit tricky for him." The Chinese spent 29 minutes on 22...Bf8, then drifted into a difficult position and eventually lost.

🔸St Louis Winter A 2018
🔸Round 2
⚪️Shimanov,A (2620)
⚫️Xiong,Jeffery (2675)
🔸0-1

20.Nxh7? [In this position, the black king's position is weak and so White tries to obtain an advantage by the tactical means but opening the h-file is just Black's favor. Instead, White should have played another tactical blow:]

[20.Nxe6! Kxe6™ (20...Bxe5? 21.Nxd4 △Nc6 21...Qa7 22.Bxh6 Qxd4+ 23.Be3 Qd6 24.Qc4 Qe6 25.Qh4++– △Q×h7; 20...fxe6?? 21.Bg5+!+–) 21.Bxh6! △Qc4 21...Bxh6 22.Qc4+ Ke7 23.Rxf7+ Kd8 24.e6!‚ △Qd5 24...Ra7™ 25.exd7 Be3+ 26.Kh1 Rxd7 27.Ne4!± △R×d7]

20...Rh8 21.Nd5+™ exd5 22.Bg5+ Ke6 23.Bxh6 Rxh7 24.Qg4+ Ke7 25.Qg5+? [A miscalculation. The following continuation would be correct:]

[25.Bxg7! d3 (25...Rxg7? 26.Qh4+ g5 27.Qh6°) 26.Qg5+ Ke8 27.Rae1! △e6 27...Qb6+ 28.Kh1 Qe6²]

25...Ke8 26.Bxg7 Rxg7 27.Rae1 Rh7!–+

Teimour Radjabov on his win vs Ding Liren | FIDE World Cup 2019 | Final. Game 3 |

Interview with Ding Liren | FIDE World Cup 2019 | Final. Game 3 |

Three games are drawn in the match for the third place of #FIDEWorldCup between Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Yu Yangyi.

Yu had a good chance yesterday with White but was not precise. "I underestimated how dangerous my position was, especially after 21. Re2," said Vachier-Lagrave.

Interview with Vachier-Lagrave and Yu | FIDE World Cup 2019 | Match for the 3rd place. Game 3 |