Chess Base

• Nakamura v. Liang - Live!

  Hikaru Nakamura is playing a training match against Awonder Liang in Saint Louis as he fine-tunes his form ahead of the Candidates Tournament, which begins in two weeks' time. The three-day encounter, running from 13 to 15 March, combines classical, rapid and blitz games. Liang, ranked 25th in the world, provides strong opposition in a match broadcast live on Nakamura's Kick channel. | Follow the games live starting at 18.00 CET (13.00 ET, 22.30 IST)

• Andrew Martin: The Vienna Game - Dynamic, Flexible and Deeply Underestimated

  IM Andrew Martin makes a compelling case for the Vienna Game as a versatile and dangerous weapon, offering rich attacking chances with far less theory than mainstream alternatives like the Ruy Lopez or Italian. His course covers three distinct approaches - aggressive f2–f4 systems, solid early Bc4 lines, and positional g3 setups - giving you a complete, hard-to-prepare-for repertoire with real practical punch.

• Candidates Tournament 2026: Eight contenders, one dream

  The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 is set to begin on 29 March, when eight elite grandmasters will start their fourteen-round quest to earn the right to challenge reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju. The lineup combines seasoned contenders such as Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura with rising stars including Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Javokhir Sindarov. | Image: FIDE