How Many Hours Of Chess Study Does It Take To Be A Grandmaster?‎ ★

12,480 hours is the final estimate on the number of hours it takes to reach the grandmaster title for players who start under age 10. This is a huge time commitment, but the assumptions seem fairly reasonable based on all of the data I’ve looked at for chess improvement. The best things you can do for your own chess improvement involve having an efficient study plan, working hard, and staying dedicated year after year without getting burnt out.

At the end of the day, you’ll ask yourself: “Does getting good at chess pay well?”

FIDE Chess Olympiad 2020 ★

The biennial team event by FIDE appears will be held online this year. It’s scheduled to happen July 22 to August 30, 2020.

I wonder how will the organizers prevent cheating in this big and online event?

Firouzja Fights Back, Rejoins the Lead at the End of Round 5

After losing his Round 4 game against Wesley So, Alireza Firouzja beats Anish Giri in Round 5 of Tata Steel Masters 2020, to rejoin So in the lead by the end of the round.

Tata Steel Masters 2020 Round 5 Results

WhiteBlackResults
Anand, ViswanathanXiong, Jeffery1-0
Carlsen, MagnusDubov, Daniil½-½
Caruana, FabianoVan Foreest, Jorden½-½
Duda, Jan-KrzysztofArtemiev, Vladislav½-½
Firouzja, AlirezaGiri, Anish1-0
Kovalev, VladislavSo, Wesley½-½
Vitiugov, NikitaYu, Yangyi½-½

Tata Steel Masters 2020 Ranking after Round 5

#NamePtsSB
1So, Wesley3.59.00
Firouzja, Alireza3.57.25
3Caruana, Fabiano3.07.00
Van Foreest, Jorden3.06.75
Artemiev, Vladislav3.05.50
6Xiong, Jeffery2.57.00
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof2.56.00
Anand, Viswanathan2.55.75
Carlsen, Magnus2.55.75
Dubov, Daniil2.54.75
11Giri, Anish2.05.00
Vitiugov, Nikita2.04.75
13Yu, Yangyi1.53.50
14Kovalev, Vladislav1.03.00

Wesley So beats Alireza Firouzja in Round 4 to Take the Solo Lead in Tata Steel Masters 2020

Wesley So took the lead in the tournament by beating Alireza Firouzja in a quiet Queen’s Gambit Accepted where he steadily outplayed the youngster as white.

Tata Steel Masters 2020 Round 4 Results

WhiteBlackResults
Artemiev, VladislavKovalev, Vladislav1-0
Dubov, DaniilDuda, Jan-Krzysztof½-½
Giri, AnishVitiugov, Nikita½-½
So, WesleyFirouzja, Alireza1-0
Van Foreest, JordenCarlsen, Magnus½-½
Xiong, JefferyCaruana, Fabiano½-½
Yu, YangyiAnand, Viswanathan½-½

Tata Steel Masters 2020 Rankings after Round 4

#NamePtsSB
1So, Wesley3.06.00
2Xiong, Jeffery2.55.75
Caruana, Fabiano2.54.75
Firouzja, Alireza2.54.00
Van Foreest, Jorden2.54.00
Artemiev, Vladislav2.52.75
7Carlsen, Magnus2.04.00
Giri, Anish2.03.75
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof2.03.25
Dubov, Daniil2.02.75
11Vitiugov, Nikita1.53.50
Anand, Viswanathan1.52.75
13Yu, Yangyi1.01.75
14Kovalev, Vladislav0.51.00

Round 2 Tata Steel 2020 Results and Standings

Seven games in the second round of Tata Steel 2020, and 4 were won by white. The rest were draws:

Tata Steel 2020 Round 2 Results

WhiteBlackResults
Artemiev, VladislavVitiugov, Nikita1-0
Dubov, DaniilKovalev, Vladislav1-0
Duda, Jan-KrzysztofFirouzja, Alireza½-½
Giri, AnishCaruana, Fabiano½-½
So, WesleyAnand, Viswanathan1-0
Xiong, JefferyVan Foreest, Jorden1-0
Yu, YangyiCarlsen, Magnus½-½

Tata Steel 2020 Ranking after Round 2

#NamePtsSB
1Xiong, Jeffery1.51.75
So, Wesley1.51
Artemiev, Vladislav1.50.75
Dubov, Daniil1.50.75
Firouzja, Alireza1.50.5
6Caruana, Fabiano11.25
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof11
Giri, Anish11
Carlsen, Magnus10.75
Van Foreest, Jorden10.5
11Anand, Viswanathan0.50.75
Vitiugov, Nikita0.50.5
Yu, Yangyi0.50.5
14Kovalev, Vladislav00

Download PGN games.

FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in Monaco

The 2nd leg of FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019-2020 is underway in Monaco. Number one woman player Hou Yifan is missing this edition of the Grand Prix due to her studies at Oxford University.

The FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2019-2020 is a series of four tournaments: Skolkovo finished in September where Humpy Koneru won first place, Monaco this month, Lausanne (Switzerland) in March and Sardinia (Italy) in May next year.

India’s Humpy Koneru and Russian Aleksandra Goryachkina are SBD’s favorites to finish top-two in Monaco. Kosteniuk held Humpy to a draw after missing a half chance in the opening. While Koneru’s Elo trails Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia, the 32-year-old Indian claimed first-place in Skolkovo and has a considerably higher peak Elo than Goryachkina (2623 vs 2575). Yes, that peak Elo came ten years ago, but her recent performance in Russia shows that she is getting back to her best since returning to competition in September of last year.

In Round 7 in Monaco, Koneru defeated Zhao Hue to share the lead with Goryachkina heading to the last 4 rounds:

Standings after Round 7, Monaco 2019