Three out of four quarter-finals favoured the lower-rated contender in Division I of the Chessable Masters. Denis Lazavik beat Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Jose Martinez beat Ian Nepomniachtchi and Vladimir Fedoseev beat Alireza Firouzja. The one match that ended with the rating favourite remaining in the winners’ bracket was Magnus Carlsen v. Wesley So, as Carlsen obtained a 2½-1½ victory. | Photo: chess.com / Thomas Tischio
What role do traps play in chess? And what is important for successful trapping? In the current ChessBase Magazine #217, Jan Markos deals with the topic of "traps" in his series "Practical Tips for the Tournament Player" and works out four rules that you should definitely observe in your own games. We invite you: this week you can download Jan Markos' article - consisting of a video and a small collection of exercises - as a free sample. Directly via your web browser in the new ChessBase Books format. This is because CBM #217 is the first issue to also include full mobile access. So you can read it directly via your web browser on your iPad, tablet or Mac. Have fun!
FIDE has introduced a series of changes to the qualification paths that will be in effect for the Candidates Tournament in 2026. Most notably, the runner-up from the World Championship match no longer automatically qualifies for the Candidates. The alterations are aimed at enhancing the competitive landscape, encouraging player participation, and ensuring a fair representation of the top contenders.