In September 2020, Sivanandan Velayutham was helping to clear out a friends garage when he uncovered a dusty magnetic chess set. He packed the folding brown and cream board into a bag, along with a collection of old books, brought it home and thought little about it. That is, until his five-year-old daughter, Bodhana, discovered a peculiar figurine lying loose inside. I want the horsey, she said.

Sivanandan named the pieces one by one, before showing Bodhana a YouTube video explaining the games rules. She was curious and wanted to know more, he says simply. Three years later, Bodhana would set the world of chess ablaze.

On Saturday, December 14, she was crowned best female player at the European Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship in Zagreb, Croatia, and achieved what many are already calling the best-ever result by an under-10 girl. Totalling a remarkable 8.5/13 against an elite 555-person field, including 48 grandmasters and 50 international masters, the primary school pupil came 73rd overall, defeating her first International Master, the England womens coach Lorin DCosta.

By drawing with two-time Romanian champion grandmaster Vladislav Nevednichy in the final round, Bodhana became the youngest player to avoid defeat against a grandmaster in a competitive game six days younger than when future grandmaster David Howell beat grandmaster John Nunn at the 1999 Mind Sports Olympiad.

Irina Bulmaga, 30, the Romanian international master and woman grandmaster who was also at the competition, said it was an unbelievable result and described Bodhana as a phenomenon. Lawrence Trent, the chess commentator and international master, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that she is one of the greatest talents Ive witnessed in recent memory, adding: I have no doubt she will be Englands greatest player and most likely one of the greatest the game has ever seen.

So, what does her father make of her astonishing achievement? Im not yet celebrating, he says, with a wry smile on his face. Im happy, but the road is very long. If I jump for joy now, I think it might be an end point I have to keep calm. He is speaking over Zoom from his home office in Harrow, north-west London. Perched on a shelf in the background are the folding chessboard, the Hillingdon District Chess League Under 18 trophy which Bodhana took home this year for being the best player in the competition, aged just eight and a keyboard.

This last item comes as a surprise. Midway through last year, with Bodhana having already won international tournaments for her age group, she decided, in capricious seven-year-old fashion, that she wanted to give up chess to play piano instead. I bought a keyboard; it all went well for four days, but after that she said shes not keen on keyboard and she went back to chess, her father explains, pragmatically. All I said was: You need to know what youre doing. Whatever you do, I can support. But if you are mixing too many things, I may not be able to support you.

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The secrets of raising an eight-year-old chess prodigy - The Telegraph

Beating the d4-Berlin

After losing the first set of the match for the title, Wesley So needed to win two sets in a row to become the winner of the Champions Chess Tour.

On Saturday, the U.S. grandmaster opened with 1.b3 and lost the first game of the second set. He bounced back immediately, and then drew game 3. But Magnus Carlsen put an end to the tournament at once, as his win in game 4 granted him a third consecutive title in the series.

My Secret Weapon: 1.b3

Meanwhile, 1.b3 has also found its way into the practice of today's world elite, and now finally a modern top ten player has taken on the subject for ChessBase: none other than Grandmaster Wesley So!

In the post-match interview, Carlsen showed his well-known encyclopaedic chess knowledge by pointing out a notable fact:

It sort of comes full circle. When we had the first Champions Chess Tour event in 2020 [...] and I lost to Wesley in the Final, thats exactly when this line in the Queens Gambit that Wesley played today made it just difficult to play d4 at all its the Berlin versus d4.

Carlsen was visibly excited when he mentioned the aforementioned coincidence, as he also praised his opponents play and the format used in the final tournament of the cycle.

A worthy opponent Wesley So| Photo: chess.com / Thomas Tischio

Game 4 was a Semi-Tarrasch variation out of a Queens Gambit Declined, in which So thought for over 3 minutes (these were 15-minute games) before deciding to give up the bishop pair on move 14.

White was clearly in the drivers seat after 17...Bc518.Nxc5 Rxc5, but it was only four moves later that So committed a mistake that left him in a clearly inferior position.

22...Rb5 allowed the simple 23.Bc5, and the rook has nowhere to go (on the previous turn, Black needed to place the rook on d7 or d8 to avoid this line).

So tried 23...Na4, but after 24.Be2 Rxc5 25.bxc5 Nc3 White can untangle his pieces and maintain his material advantage starting with 26.Bh5+

Black tried to escape tactically, but it turns out that White also counts with tactical means to consolidate his advantage there followed 26...g6 27.Rd3 (attacking the knight) Bc4 28.Rd7+, gaining yet another tempo with a check.

28...Ke6 29.Rd6+ Kf7 30.Rc1 White continues to harass his opponents army.

Middlegame Secrets Vol.1 + Vol.2

Let us learn together how to find the best spot for the queen in the early middlegame, how to navigate this piece around the board, how to time the queen attack, how to decide whether to exchange it or not, and much more!

Now 30...Ne4 fails to 31.Rd4, and So threw in the towel. A classy final sequence by a classy, well-deserved champion!

Select an entry from the list to switch between games

Calculation Training for 1400-1600 players

Mastering these tactical motifs is essential to deepen your understanding of the game and become a better player. After all, you neither want to overlook the given chances by your opponent, nor blunder yourself!

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Magnus Carlsen wins third consecutive Champions Chess Tour title - ChessBase

After almost a decade, the chess24 website and mobile apps will be closed on January 31, 2024.

Dear chess24 community,

We've had a fantastic journey over the last decade, striving to create the best possible site to watch and learn chess. We're deeply grateful for your support, and how we managed to have a lot of fun together in the process.

As most of you probably know, we joined forces with Chess.com at the end of last year. It's been an exciting collaboration, and we've been working closely with the Chess.com team. We haven't been actively updating the chess24 website and mobile apps because we believe Chess.com is the future, offering a more robust platform for events, content, play, and community tools.

We realize chess24 is still a go-to site for many, especially to watch chess tournaments, but regrettably we will close down the chess24 website and mobile apps on January 31. This decision was not taken lightly, but due to limited resources, significant maintenance costs, and the aging technology of chess24, it was felt better to focus efforts on Chess.com, which has more potential for growth and innovation.

Despite the site closure, our commitment to delivering top-notch chess content remains unwavering. You can now find reports from our team at Chess.com/news, and you can keep up with events at Chess.com/events. Our top-notch coverage of elite chess remains at twitter.com/chess24com, and our amazing commentators and broadcast team are covering live events across both Chess.com and chess24 channels on YouTube, Twitch, and more. Finally, you will find our most popular chess24 premium series at Chess.com/lessons.

If you have any specific features from the chess24 site that you'd like to see on Chess.com, please share your feedback with us at support@chess24.com.

Thank you for being a part of the chess24 journey. We appreciate your support and are excited about the future; our love for chess is as strong as ever, and we're dedicated to creating an even better experience for you now on Chess.com.

Warm regards, The chess24 team

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Chess24 to close on January 31 - chess24 wall

Everyones idea of what the best chess sets look like is a little different. Some are after practicality, affordability, or tournament legality. Others want a memorable showpiece to display at home. Whatever your perfect chess set looks like, weve got some recommendations to suit all of which are (reasonably) affordable, easy to use, and high-quality.

Whether youre a pro or just learning how to play chess for the first time, a great chess set is a clever investment. We can also recommend chess tables and gaming tables to host your game at, as well as other classic board games to explore. Were all about the best board games, modern and traditional.

These are the best chess sets to check out:

Ambassador handmade chess set

If you want a chess set with a premium feel (but not a premium price), we recommend the Ambassador handmade chess set. This glossy wooden chess set is made from sycamore and birch wood with green felt bottoms, and the board doubles up as a container for your chess pieces. The pieces and board have elegant decorations that make them stand out from your run-of-the-mill chess set.

It isnt exactly cheap, but it feels very budget-friendly when you think of the thousands some spend on high-end chess sets. The Ambassador is a well-made, beautiful chess set that offers great value for money.

Isle of Lewis chess set

Its the Isle of Lewis chess sets rich history that makes it one of the coolest chess sets. This set recreates the Lewis Chessmen, the 12th-century chess pieces that were discovered in Scotland in 1831. These are some of the most iconic and valuable chess pieces in history and you can easily find high-quality replicas for your home.

We recommend this Isle of Lewis chess set from The Regency Chess Company. For $200 (167) you get accurate, highly-detailed recreations of the Lewis chessmen. The stunning pieces are a luxury item that let you own a piece of art and history you will need to supply your own chess board, though.

Vertical chess set

If youre looking for a unique chess set, try playing chess on a wall. Vertical chess sets can be hung like a picture, and they use magnets to keep the chess pieces in place. Display it as an interesting decor piece that shows your love for chess, or plan some unorthodox, standing games.

We recommend picking up the Bundaloo magnetic chess set, a $47 (37) set with a minimalist design and classic black-and-white colors. Both are nice and neutral for any kind of home decor.

Tournament Chess Vinyl set

If you want to play chess competitively, youll need to own a tournament chess set that meets the standards of the regulatory body in charge of the events. Not just any set will do your set needs to meet certain size, color, and material requirements to be considered legal.

We think its best to go straight to the source with pro chess sets. The US Chess Federation offers a Tournament Chess Vinyl set for a measly $34.95 (28.17). This set isnt just for professionals, though. Its vinyl board makes it a great lightweight option for playing on the go, and its one of our favorite sets for players on a tight budget.

Jurassic Park chess set

Plenty of major franchises have their own themed chess sets. Fantasy lovers might go for a Lord of the Rings chess set or a Harry Potter chess set, and theres even a Star Trek chess set for sci-fi lovers who dont mind using an unusual board. But when it comes to the best themed chess set, we think Jurassic Park has everybody else trumped all the chess pieces are dinosaurs.

Theres something joyful about bunny-hopping a velociraptor across a chess board (dinosaur sounds optional). And for $49 (44.27), the Jurassic Park chess set offers decent value for money. The pieces are high quality, unique, and surprisingly practical, with clear labeling helping you remember which dino is your rook or queen.

For more chess sets, check out this novelty MTG cards chess set, made by a major fan of trading card games. Or, for more iconic tabletop games, why not learn the top Scrabble strategies or how to win Monopoly every time?

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Best chess sets to buy in 2023 - Wargamer

With Svitlana Demchenko and Arne Kaehler

Svitlana Demchenko is an 18-year-old, Canadian WIMand chess coach. Here and now, she will teach us plenty of smart moves on the board, ranging from tactics, strategies, openings, and anything else chess related. In the process, I'm happy to be available as a student at club player level, and pester the Women's International Master with questions. Anyone who wants to strengthen their chess skills is welcome to watch, and actively replay the positions from the video, on our chessboard.

(If necessary, press the blue arrow on the right side)

If you like Svitlana's Smart moves, you will certainly enjoy her video lectures about "Surprising your opponents with the Lazy Sicilian", her first Fritztrainer "Understanding Material Imbalances", and her brand new Fritztrainer "The Scotch Game". Her newest Entry is the "Leningrad Dutch Defence"!

The Scotch Game

Besides in-depth theory and exciting tactical exercises in the Scotch Game, this video course also includes a bonus section on the Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Bc4), a lively variation often leading to very dynamic positions.

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Svitlana's Smart Moves - Two Dutch play the French - ChessBase

Indian Head, MD Young chess enthusiasts across Charles County are set to gather at Henry E. Lackey High School for the much-anticipated annual winter chess tournament. The event, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 10, will run from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., bringing together kindergarten through Grade 12 students.

This tournament, open to all students within the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) system, is a test of skill and strategy and a celebration of the intellectual game that has captivated minds for centuries. The event is also open to spectators, allowing family, friends, and chess aficionados to witness the young talents in action.

Advance registration is mandatory for participants. Details and the registration form are available on the CCPS website. Prospective players must complete their registration by Wednesday, Feb. 7, as the event does not accommodate walk-in registrations.

The tournament will kick off with player sign-in at 8:15 a.m. The first round of play begins at 9 a.m., with all participants required to check in by 8:45 a.m. to be paired for the first round. Its important to note that transportation to the venue, located at 3000 Chicamuxen Road in Indian Head, is not provided by the school system. Parents and guardians are responsible for dropping off and picking up their children.

Competitive spirit will be high as the tournament adopts a Swiss-style format for Grades 6-12. This format will feature four rounds of intense gameplay, each with a time limit of 15 minutes per game. Chess clocks will add an extra layer of challenge and excitement, testing the players skills under time pressure.

The event will culminate in an awards ceremony following the fourth-round match. Participants can look forward to trophies, medals, and certificates, recognizing their hard work and achievements. Participation in the tournament is free of charge for all Charles County students from kindergarten to 12th grade, emphasizing the school systems commitment to accessible educational and extracurricular activities.

For any inquiries or further information, interested parties can contact Alicia Briscoe at abriscoe@ccboe.com, Kristen Modes at kmodes@ccboe.com, or Crissy Trest at ctrest@ccboe.com. This event promises to be a showcase of strategic thinking and sportsmanship, highlighting the talents of Charles Countys young chess players.

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Charles County Students Gear Up for Annual Chess Tournament - The Southern Maryland Chronicle

GMs Pentala Harikrishna and Pavel Eljanov started with wins over GMs Arjun Erigaisi and Parham Maghsoodloo respectively in two high-pressure, error-prone games to share the lead with a point apiece after the first round of the Chennai Grand Masters 2023. Both players kept their nerves under check in a quicker time control which seemed to be the deciding factor of the day.

The other two encounters of the day between GMs Levon Aronian and Gukesh Dommaraju, and GMs Alexandr Predke and Sanan Sjugirov ended in almost uneventful draws.

The Chennai Grand Masters continues with round two on Saturday, December 16, at 4:45 a.m. ET/10:45 CET/3:15 p.m. IST.

Chennai Grand Masters Round 1 Results

The drawing of lots ceremony was held at the tournament venueThe Leela Palace Hotel, situated in the heart of Chennai but admirably away from the usual bustle, right at the mouth of the Adyar River, facing the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal.

Such a location offers breathtaking views of the sea, the estuary, and the beach, even under the downcast sky of unseasonal rain, all making it an unusual venue for the tournament.

As is common in India, the tournament started with the lighting of the traditional lamp, in the presence of the organizers and officials of the provincial state government of Tamil Nadu, which has contributed the entire cost of the tournament.

When approached with the proposal to conduct the tournament, the minister of sports of the government of Tamil Nadu approved the event in about half an hour, and sanctioned an amount of Rs.1,77,00,000 (US $213,146 approximately). GM Srinath Narayanan one of the main organizers, gave us details about the birth of the event.

The organization brought in an unusual touch for the drawing of lots too, as the players got to choose between eight paintings done by the budding young artist Akhil Anand, son of former world champion Vishy Anand. The paintings were based on the theme of "Poikkal Kuthirai," (translated as "false-legged horse"), a folk dance of the state of Tamil Nadu.

The most entertaining part of the evening was when Aronian came up to pick his number, and Akhil ventured to help him.

One of the inevitable narratives of the tournament is the qualification targets for the FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament 2024 for Gukesh and Arjun (through the FIDE Circuit) and Maghsoodloo (through rating). It is anyone's guess whether this applies considerable pressure to them, and allows the others in the tournament to play with a more relaxed mindset.

Another major factor is the time control being followed, which is not very standard for a tournament of this stature: the entire game is played with 90 minutes for each player on the clock, with an increment of 30 seconds per move from the beginning. Appearing on the live commentary, GM Anish Giri called it "unusual" and proclaimed, "I have never played with this time control in my life!"

The arguments can be easily understood when we look at a couple of critical moments from both games.

After defending a difficult ending for a long time, Maghsoodloo had to find 51.Rb1! to salvage a draw here, which was probably made difficult by less time on the clock. He blundered with 51.Re3?? and Eljanov went on to win the game.

When asked about the lack of pressure on him to play for a specific target, Eljanov answered pretty straight-forwardly: "Yes, I was very relaxed. I didn't prepare much before the game. I slept very wellhelped me get over jet lag." It showed on the board too, as Eljanov looked to be steady throughout the game with no outward show of emotions.

Harikrishna confessed to not having prepared the specific simplistic opening variation of the day against Arjun, but was rewarded with a critical error from his opponent early in the game.

Here, a simple scheme like 15...Kf7 with further development of his pieces would have preserved equality, but Arjun erred with 15...Bxc3? overlooking the prosaic16.Rc1!, which gave Harikrishna an everlasting initiative in one of his favorite parts of the game, the endgame.

From his young days, Harikrishna's forte was his endgame ability. Hence, when an endgame with rooks and opposite-colored bishops came up on the board, it was expected that Hari would be able to convert his advantage. But with both players having under a minute on the clock, and both looking outwardly tense at the board, it was Hari's turn to overlook a simple tactic.

Harikrishna had to find 49.f5!, sacrificing the pawn, to facilitate the push of his h-pawn here, but he blundered with 49.Ra7??.After the further50.f5, Arjun seemed to have a simple tactic to secure the draw:

Arjun had to find 50...Rh1+ 51.Kd2 Rxh5 to level the game here, as the loss of White's h-pawn cannot be avoided. However, he blundered in turn with 50...Rxf5?? allowing51.a6and Harikrishna went on to win the game.

This fascinating encounter is our Game of the Day, analyzed by GM Rafael Leitao below.

The other two games ended in draws after short fights. The Aronian-Gukesh encounter was billed as the game of the day, but it never rose to high levels of excitement. Aronian confessed after the game that he was still not over jetlag and still missing his sleep.

How to watch the Chennai Grand Masters 2023

You can keep up with all the games and results of the tournament on our live events platform by following this link.

The Chennai Grand Masters 2023 is an 8-player all-play-all tournament in Chennai, India running December 15-21. The strongest classical invitational tournament ever held in India, it gives Gukesh, Arjun, and Maghsoodloo a chance to qualify for the 2024 Candidates tournament. The prize fund is $60,000, with $18,000 for first place.

Previous Coverage

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Chennai Grand Masters Round 1: Harikrishna, Eljanov Start With Wins - Chess.com

Teimour Radjabov: A Chess Grandmasters Tale of Triumph and Tenacity

In the cerebral realm of chess, where grandmasters plot and parry with an almost clairvoyant foresight, Teimour Radjabov stands out as a tactician par excellence. From the historic city of Baku, Azerbaijan, Radjabov has carved his name into the annals of chess with a style reminiscent of the tactical dynamism of Garry Kasparov, another legend from the same streets. Yet, there was a time when Radjabov, weighing his prospects, contemplated a shift from the 64 squares to the fluctuating charts of oil, gas, and cryptocurrency trading. This chess savants journey from potential deserter to a renewed icon is a narrative of resilience and rediscovery.

Teimour Radjabovs chess acumen was evident early on, with a victory that shook the chess world: defeating Garry Kasparov at the tender age of 15 during the Linares tournament of 2003. The echoes of that triumph reverberated through his subsequent victories over other titans such as Viswanathan Anand at the Sparkassen tournament in Dortmund and the FIDE World champion Ruslan Ponomariov. These wins were not mere flukes but a testament to Radjabovs strategic brilliance and his penchant for piece sacrifices that often left opponents reeling.

Radjabovs chess career, however, was not immune to the ebbs and flows that accompany any pursuit of excellence. Amidst contemplations of a career pivot, the 2019 Chess World Cup emerged as the beacon that rekindled his passion for the game. It was a tournament marked by Radjabovs formidable play, where he outwitted the likes of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Jeffery Xiong. The crescendo of this chess odyssey was his victory over Ding Liren, a player who would later ascend to become the World champion. This triumph was not just a win but a pivotal moment that affirmed Radjabovs place in the grand tapestry of chess history.

Radjabovs insights extend beyond his personal experiences, acknowledging the surging tide of India in the international chess scene. He attributes this rise to the robust support from the Indian government and corporate sponsorship, which has fostered a new generation of formidable young Indian chess players. Radjabovs admiration for this growth is palpable, as he witnesses the emergence of a significant force in the chess world that mirrors his own journeymarked by determination and the pursuit of mastery.

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Teimour Radjabov: A Chess Grandmaster's Tale of Triumph and Tenacity - BNN Breaking

The robust turnout for a kids chess tournament in northeast Colorado Springs has event officials feeling optimistic about the growing popularity of the game.

Nearly 80 young competitors spent their Saturday at St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church to play in the Scholastic Chess Tournament, an informal, unrated competition designed to help players from kindergarten through eighth grade sharpen their skills. Tournament organizers also want to nurture a chess culture in the Colorado Springs area.

People have been playing chess, which was invented in India, for more than 1,500 years. But in 2020, two events contributed to a surge in the games popularity in the U.S. and abroad.

Pikes Peak Library District patrons are borrowing electronic materials in steadily increasing numbers and have reached a major usage milestone

The COVID-19 pandemic forced school closures, made people go out in public with their lower faces covered like Wild West stagecoach bandits, and altered everyday life for at least two years. But it also brought an increase in online chess participation, according to Chess.com.

Rebecca Graham, a tournament coordinator whose three children competed, said that during the pandemic her son, Caleb, learned the nuances of the game while playing with his grandfather, who has polio.

Saturdays competition was a Swiss tournament, a round-robin series of games where no one is eliminated. The player with the most points at the end is the winner.

Krish Ravi placed first in the K-3 division. Diya Thoutem won all five of her games to garner the First Place trophy in the Grade 4-8 division. Caleb Graham, Rebeccas son, placed second.

My father couldnt run around and play with the grandkids because of his condition, Graham said. But chess was something they could do together.

Also in 2020, Netflix released The Queens Gambit, a hugely popular miniseries that led to a spike in chess set sales and online chess platform registrations.

A typical day for Dacia Loconte begins well before sunrise, while most of her Mesa Ridge High School classmates are still asleep. A competitiv

Most of the kids here are a little young to watch The Queens Gambit, but theres no denying that the show has had an effect on the popularity of the game, said Earle Wikle, president of the Colorado State Chess Association and tournament director.

Because her kids school didnt have a chess club and because Caleb and Katelyn have become too competitive to play against each other Graham decided to start an informal chess group by extending a social media invitation to some local parents. The turnout, she said, was stunning.

It was just a little mom blog on Facebook, she said. We had 40 kids show up!

I think its funny that my wife accidentally started a chess club, just because she wanted to find some kids to play with ours, said Jason Graham, Rebeccas husband.

Library 21c is where Graham met Wikle, a chess instructor and former candidate master-level player.

We kind of ran into each other when I was giving lessons one day, Wikle said. Now, were running tournaments together.

In 1898, William McKinley was president of the United States. Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii had yet to be admitted to the U

Saturdays tournament was split into two divisions kindergarten through third grade, and fourththrough eighth with trophies for the top players in each division and several prizes.

Official tournaments are really structured and a little subdued, and they kind of need to be, Graham said. We wanted something a little more fun and festive.

Chess advocates say that, in addition to being fun, the game helps kids develop valuable skills, including critical thinking, visualization, planning and problem solving. According to tournament organizer George Krasnopolskiy, sportsmanship is also a key component of the game.

It teaches kids that losing is not the end of the world, and it teaches them how to win gracefully, said Krasnopolskiy, who was born in Russia. The kids dont even have to speak the same language as the kids theyre playing against, because chess is a universal language.

According to the National Scholastic Chess Foundation, the game also helps with academic development, particularly in math.

Saturdays competition was a Swiss tournament, a round-robin series of games where no one is eliminated. The player with the most points at the end is the winner.

Krish Ravi placed first in the K-3 division. Diya Thoutem won all five of her games to garner the first-place trophy in the grade 4-8 division. Caleb Graham, Rebeccas son, placed second.

I like that age doesnt matter in chess, Caleb said. You can play someone whos 8, or you can play someone whos 80.

I love that whenever I lose, I get to learn something, a new strategy or tactic, said Thoutem, who was also named the tournaments Queen of Chess. And when I win, I feel happy.

Krasnopolskiy said he hopes the accessibility of chess will continue to draw young people to the game.

When we came to this country, we didnt really have any money, so there were a lot of activities we couldnt participate in, he said. If you wanted to play on a football team, you had to pay for pads. For hockey, you needed skates. For baseball, you needed cleats and a glove. But a standard chess set doesnt cost much. Chess is completely accessible.

Originally posted here:

Chess surge in Colorado Springs? - Colorado Springs Gazette

As per a recommendation from the Ratings Committee earlier this year, US Chess will be changing the bonus factor on Monday, October 30, lowering the threshold from 14 to 12. This is the first change since 2017.

While we encourage you to read the full US Chess rating system explanation, the practical effect of this shift will be that more bonus points are earned for excellent performances.

This change will be retroactive to all tournaments that ended after (or on) February 1, 2023, and we will be doing a rerate of all rated games back to at least January 2023 beginning Tuesday. Some players may see increases in their ratings since February 1, and all updated ratings should begin to appear on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Note that the annual ratings list, which is prepared in mid-November in conjunction with the December ratings list, will incorporate and reflect this lowered bonus threshold.

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Change to US Chess Ratings: Bonus Threshold Lowered - uschess.org