In this video, Swedish International Master Thomas Engqvist explores one of the most remarkable chess tournaments ever held — Nottingham 1936, played at the University of Nottingham from 10th to 28th August 1936. The tournament book was written and annotated by Alexander Alekhine and republished by Dover in 1962. What makes Nottingham 1936 truly unique is its extraordinary field: the reigning World Champion Euwe, three former champions — Lasker, Capablanca and Alekhine himself — and the future champion Botvinnik, all competing for first prize and the prestige of being crowned the world’s strongest player. IM Engqvist examines Alekhine’s annotations and compares them with modern computer analysis — a fascinating glimpse into how human chess understanding has evolved over nearly a century. And then there is the mystery that has never been fully resolved: why did the British master William Winter, a known Stalinist, accept a draw against Botvinnik in the final round when he had a clearly winning position? Was it a gift to Stalin? Was it political loyalty — or something else entirely? Whether you are passionate about classical chess literature, legendary tournaments, or the human drama behind the moves, this video has something for you.
Schacksnack har en ny omröstning längst upp i högerspalten. Frågan gäller huvuvida Gideon Ståhlberg, Ulf Andersson eller Nils Grandelius är att betraktas som Sveriges genom tiderna starkaste schackspelare. Det finns ju lite olika måttstockar att beräkna detta genom till exempel ratingprestationer, hårt motstånd över tid eller hur vederbörande har bidraget till schackets utveckling. Beroende på perspektiv och hur insatt man är i denna komplexa fråga kan svaren skifta. Vad säger Schacksnacks läsare?
Sverigemästarklassen och övriga grupper arrangeras i Uppsala 27 juni - 6 juli. Tio spelare kämpar om Sverigemästartiteln och dessa är i ratingordning: GM Platon Galperin, IM Isak Storme, IM Jung Min Seo, GM Erik Blomqvist, IM Martin Lokander, GM Tiger Hillarp Persson., IM Milton Pantzar, IM Hampus Sörensen GM Jonny Hector och IM Axel Falkevall. SM-gruppen är i år stark och öppen så nästan vem helst kan ta hem segern men det skulle inte vara osannolikt om GM Jonny Hector avgår med segern. I SM-sammanhang brukar gedigen erfarenhet väga mycket tyngre än tillfälliga ratingtoppar. Mästar-Elit: IM Michael Wiedenkeller, IM Ludvig Carlsson, IM William Olsson, FM Eric Thörn, IM Tommy Andersson, IM Bengt Lindberg, FM Joar Östlund, FM Alexander Ström-Engdahl, Andreas Landgren och Harald Ljung. Mitt stalltips är att FM Joar Östlund som är en starkt utvecklande spelare kommer att avancera till Sverigemästarklassen.
History of Chess is a series that we began with GM Emil Sutovsky at the FIDE Grand Swiss 2023. The first episode was about Morphy and Steinitz, then the 2nd episode moved to Lasker, the 3rd one was Capablanca and now at the FIDE Candidates 2026, we recorded the 4th episode on Alexander Alekhine. Usually the episodes are an hour long, but this one is twice the length. We assure you, that if you are a chess lover, a chess history lover, or just inquisitive about the great masters of the past, you will enjoy this episode a lot. A big shoutout to Emil’s knowledge and his willingness to share all of this with the chess loving audience! We hope you enjoy it as much as we did while listening to it and editing it.
Swedish IM Thomas Engqvist shares his impressions from the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus (28 March–16 April 2026) and discusses the most exciting contenders in elite chess.
One player stands out: the rapidly rising Uzbek star Javokhir Sindarov. Could he realistically win a World Championship match against Gukesh later this year?
This video also explores the work of Sindarov’s coach, Roman Vidonyak, and his revolutionary chess training system built around 17 key skills — including perseverance, defence, decision-making, calculation, and practical fighting spirit.
We also compare these modern methods with the legendary training philosophy of Mark Dvoretsky, whose influence still shapes top-level preparation today.
This video is for all chess players who want inspiration and who wish to follow Sindarov’s development under a true super-coach.
♟️ Candidates insights
♟️ World Championship prospects
♟️ Modern vs classical training methods
♟️ Inspiration for ambitious chess players
Coaches are an integral part of chess player’s growth story. Javokhir Sindarov was a strong player when 2025 began, but in the last 15 months, he has absolutely changed the way the chess world looks at him as a player. From a super GM, he is now become an absolute elite with chess world deeply respecting his skills. What changed? Well, it turns out Javokhir began working with IM Roman Vidonyak in January 2025. And this collaboration has been absolutely life changing for the youngster. How did this happen and who exactly is Roman – check out this interview to find out.
In this 45-minute video, Thomas Engqvist presents and explains the classic chess book How to Play Chess Endings by Eugene Znosko-Borovsky.
First published in English in 1940, this timeless work explains the fundamental principles of the endgame in a clear yet advanced way that remains highly relevant for modern players of all levels.
Znosko-Borovsky lived a remarkable life: he experienced the Russo-Japanese War, the First World War and the Russian Revolution before settling in Paris in the 1920s. Writing in Russian and French, he later became one of the most influential chess authors in the English-speaking world.
In this lecture you will learn:
• Essential endgame principles every chess player should know
• Practical examples from the book
• Why these ideas still matter today
• Games played against Alexander Alekhine
Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, these endgame ideas will deepen your understanding and improve your practical play.
In today’s video we follow the game Wei Yi vs Bluebaum, played in Round 8 of the FIDE Candidates Tournament in Cyprus.
The aim of this video is not just to analyse the moves, but to help you improve your thinking process as a chess player.
IM Thomas Engqvist places himself in the players’ shoes and verbalises his thoughts move by move, before comparing them with the choices made at the board. This approach allows you to train the most important chess skill of all: how to think during a game.
There is no better way to follow top-level chess than by observing world-class players up close and in real time.
If you enjoy learning chess by thinking along with the players, this video is for you.
International Master Thomas Engqvist takes a deep dive into the classic beginner’s book Reshevsky Teaches Chess (Arco, 19773) by Samuel Reshevsky.
In this 21-minute video, we explore how this overlooked gem compares with two other legendary beginner classics: • Chess the Easy Way by Reuben Fine • Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess by Bobby Fischer
You’ll learn:
Why Reshevsky’s book works brilliantly for absolute beginners
How descriptive chess notation really works (ranks, files, pieces, and board sectors)
How these three legendary players approached teaching chess
The recommended reading order for studying the beginner classics Which book suits which stage of improvement
This video is aimed at almost every chess player who wants a structured and enjoyable start in chess study. If you love chess books, chess history, and improving your study method, this video is for you.
E.Sveshnikov memorial, 2026 Jurmala
In this video, International Master Thomas Engqvist explores the classic chess book How Chess Games Are Won by Samuel Reshevsky.
Based on a series of articles originally written for Chess Life, this book presents 60 instructive games from 1951–1960, carefully organised into seven thematic chapters. Each game is introduced with clear ideas and practical lessons, making the book especially valuable for players interested in study methods, chess improvement, and classic chess literature. In this 30-minute video, IM Thomas Engqvist highlights the key themes of the book, explains why it remains relevant today, and shows how you can use it to improve your own training and understanding of chess.
If you enjoy chess books, annotated games, and effective study techniques, this video is for you.
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