Rookreview · Chess news, lifestyle and commentary

Magnus Carlsen and Chess.com Prepare Mysterious Announcement

Chess.com and Magnus Carlsen (2837) have launched a countdown page for an announcement scheduled for 19:00 CET 24.04.2025. Landing page features Carlsen's signature and the provocative title "Beating someone once is not revenge."

Firouzja wins, Prag is second - Predictions on the 2025 Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland

GM Alireza Firouzja (C:2757 R:2754 B:2857) is the betting favorite to dominate the upcoming Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland, with young Indian star Praggnanandhaa (C:2758 R:2684 B:2717) projected for second place despite his recent surge i...

How Polgar and Fischer created Freestyle chess

Susan Polgar (2555) revealed the development process of Fischer Random Chess, which began when Bobby Fischer moved to Budapest in 1993. They called it "shuffle chess", experimenting with random piece placement without restrictions. Their...

Kramnik: "30 players can potentially become champion"

Former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik shared his thoughts on Hans Niemann's championship aspirations in a recent interview to ChessBaseIndia. When asked if Niemann possesses the qualities needed to become world champion, Kramnik e...

Tunde Onakoya Completes Historic 70-Hour Chess Marathon for Guinness World Record

Nigerian chess master Tunde Onakoya (2165) has successfully completed a 70-hour chess marathon in New York's Times Square, setting a new Guinness World Record while raising awareness for chess education in underserved communities.

Aronian Joins Hexamind Chess Team for World Rapid & Blitz Championships

Levon Aronian (2747) has announced that he will represent Hexamind Chess Team at the upcoming FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championship. The prestigious event takes place June 10-16 in London.

Draw at Game 1 between Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi at FIDE Women's World Championship

The 2025 FIDE Women's World Championship match commenced today in Shanghai, China, with defending champion GM Ju Wenjun (2560) and challenger GM Tan Zhongyi (2538) battling to a draw in Game 1. The opening contest featured careful strate...

The 2025 FIDE Women's World Chess Championship Match began

SHANGHAI, CHINA (April 3, 2025) — The 2025 FIDE Women's World Chess Championship Match began today in Shanghai as reigning champion Ju Wenjun faces challenger Tan Zhongyi in a highly anticipated rematch of their 2017 championship encou...

GM Le Quang Liem Triumphs in April's First Titled Tuesday

Vietnamese Grandmaster Le Quang Liem (Blitz 3160 chess.com/2662 FIDE) secured victory in today's Early Titled Tuesday Blitz tournament, outpacing a star-studded field of 675 titled players. Le finished with an impressive 10/11 points, ed...

GM Anish Giri Arrives for Vidit Gujrathi's Wedding

GM Anish Giri (2760) and WGM Sopiko Guramishvili have traveled from the Netherlands to India to attend the wedding of GM Vidit Gujrathi. The couple arrived at Mumbai International Airport in the early hours of March 30th, taking time to ...

Lagno Withdraws From Women's Grand Prix Over Beauty Prize Dispute

GM Kateryna Lagno (2515) has withdrawn from the upcoming FIDE Women's Grand Prix in India, citing disagreement with a beauty prize decision at the Monaco stage of the series. In an open letter to FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, Lagno e...

GM Aronian: "it's really not about the position anymore"

Grandmaster Levon Aronian (2830) recently discussed the psychological aspects of elite chess competition in the recent videos of "The Most Googled Questions!". The 42-year-old Armenian-born player, known for his creative playing style an...

Giri Outmaneuvers Blohberger in Sicilian Endgame Battle

GM Anish Giri (2728) secured a victory against GM Felix Blohberger (2532) in Round 10 of the Bundesliga match between Düsseldorfer SK and FC Bayern München. The Dutch grandmaster demonstrated precise endgame technique in a hard-fought ...

Sutovsky: "Elimination of women-only events would lead to a situation that women would not get a support "

FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky (GM) has reaffirmed the federation's commitment to promoting women's chess through expanded tournament opportunities and continued support for women-specific titles. Speaking at a women's tournament event in Nicosi...

WGM Nemo disguised as Model played strangers in Singapore Changi Airport

WGM and content-creator Nemo hosted quick matches at Singapore's Changi Airport this week, offering $100 to anyone who could win. For the event, Nemo wore a Mark de Gaulle outfit paired with Lainte Raval shoes and a Swarovski necklace. T...