From the CEO
Yesterday morning I spent some time in editing a video - The video showcases a 10-year-old Sharvaanica, one of India's biggest young talents, rated 2041, meeting the legend and five-time World Champion Vishy Anand. It was such a heart-warming video where you could see that Vishy Anand and his better half, Aruna Anand, were taking special efforts to inspire the young talent. They show her Vishy's trophy cabinet and then Vishy sits down to analyze a game in the London with the youngster. I am pretty sure this would be a life changing moment for the youngster. She will definitely draw up on this event for the rest of her chess career.
Vishy Anand with little Sharvaanica!
What Anand and Aruna did here is simply amazing! More than the effort, it was the thought that made this happen! Being a legend of the game, does Vishy Anand have to spend his time doing this? Not really. He can very well prepare for his upcoming tournaments, spend time with his family, work on his role at FIDE, prepare for his upcoming sessions at WACA, think about his latest book launch the lightning kid - his schedule is already filled to the brim. But amidst all of this he found time for the young girl. Sharvaanica is an incredible talent. At just the age of 10 she is already rated 2041 and is the current under-10 world champion. In all likelihood she will become a world class player. But this meet with Anand will give her that extra edge in my opinion.
Sharvaanica after becoming the U-10 Girls World Chess Champion! | Photo: Saji Matthews
What I learn from Vishy and Aruna Anand is that there is always the possibility of doing something special for the people around you. We often are too caught up with our problems and have too many issues concerning ourselves that are working in our head. If we can snap out of it and look at things from a different perspective, we can see that with minimal effort, we can make a huge impact in the life of someone. So my small suggestion right now to you is to take a moment and think of something that you can do for someone around you! :) Here's my small effort.
P.S. Our newly launched Video course on the Caro-Kann, priced at just Rs. 36, has just crossed 2215 sales! Thank you all for the amazing reception, and we really hope it helps you in your chess journey and makes you fall in love with the beautiful opening that is Caro-Kann. If you haven't got the course yet, try it out! - Sagar Shah
Learn Caro-Kann with IM Sagar Shah
HEADLINE OF THE WEEK
Magnus Carlsen wins FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026
Magnus does it again!! Magnus Carlsen wins the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026 after defeating Fabiano Caruana in the finals with a score of 2.5-1.5. This is Carlsen's 21st World Championship title; he recently won his 19th and 20th titles at the World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Qatar. Magnus came back from a really tough spot in 3rd game and never looked back after that. Nodirbek Abdusattorov secured third place after winning his match against Vincent Keymer. Arjun Erigaisi lost his match against Hans Niemann and missed the 5th place. This 3-day event comes to an end with Magnus winning his 21st world championship, and Caruana in agony. Read the detailed report of the last day.
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
100 ENDGAME STUDIES YOU MUST KNOW!
A very sad news has struck the World of Chess recently. Once called as "best of the west", long-time World #2 and #3 chess player, Dutch Grandmaster Jan Timman passed away on February 18th, 2026. He was 74 years old. The impact Jan Timman had on the World of Chess simply cannot be justified with a few words. Considered to be the best non-soviet chess player at his peak, Jan Timman was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship several times. He lost the '93 FIDE World Championship match against Anatoly Karpov. Timman became the Dutch Chess Champion 9 times, and represented his country in 13 Chess Olympiads - winning Individual Gold in 1976.
He won a huge number of top chess events over the years, and was a fantastic chess composer as well! It's a huge loss to the World of Chess, and we wish Timman's family the strength to go through this difficult time. In his loving memory, today we have his fantastic book "100 Endgame Studies You Must Know" as the product of the week. In this book, Timman presents the one hundred greatest endgame studies. In five chapters he guides you through masterpieces of increasing difficulty, beginning with elementary endings such as the Réti and Lasker manoeuvres. The studies include themes such as minor) promotion, Zugzwang and domination, all beautifully illustrated and clearly explained. By the time you reach the final chapter with the most complicated examples, you will be amazed at the myriad possibilities of chess and inspired to add more finesse to your own endgame play!
Today, we have a special offer on 100 endgame studies you must know - use the coupon code "JAN10STUDIES" to avail a 10% discount. This offer is valid until 1st March 2026!
LATEST NEWS OF THE WEEK
FIDE Candidates 2026: Pairings are out, who are you rooting for?
The pairings for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 and the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 have been confirmed after the Drawing of Lots ceremony held at the Cap St George’s Hotel & Resort in Paphos, Cyprus. The FIDE Candidates Tournaments, which will take place from 28 March to 16 April 2026, will determine the challengers for the World Championship and Women’s World Championship titles. The drawing of pairings was conducted by the Chief Arbiter, Takis Nikolopoulos. For the participants, the announcement of pairings marks a decisive shift in preparation. Opening repertoires, rest-day planning, and strategic approaches are refined months in advance based on the confirmed opponents.
Neelash Saha victorious at Marienbad IM Norm Round Robin 2026
International Master Neelash Saha won the Marienbad IM Norm Round Robin 2026 by scoring 8/9 points. Neelash remained unbeaten throughout the event and won the tournament with a 2-point lead. FM Mostbauer Florian scored 6/9 points, and he secured second place. FM Avila Bautista Roberto Al finished in the third place. This wonderful performance helped Neelash to gain 7.6 Rating points and the championship. This result came after Neelash finished on the podium at the 24th Prague Open 2026. The Marienbad IM Norm Round Robin happened at the Continental Hotel in Marianske Lazne, Czech Republic. The top three prizes of the tournament were CZK 5000, 3000, and 2000. Photos: Czech Tour
19 year-old Rohit S becomes India's latest IM at First Saturday IM Tournament in Budapest
Rohit S is India's latest International Master!! Rohit recently crossed the 2400 Elo mark in the live ratings at the First Saturday IM tournament in Budapest, February 2026, completing the requirements for the International Master title. He scored an unbeaten 7/9 points in the event to secure first place and gained 25.6 Elo points to cross the 2400 mark. This result came immediately after a strong performance at the Six Days Budapest GM-B tournament earlier, where he gained 33.2 Elo rating points. His first IM norm came at the Prague International Chess Festival 2024, followed by his second at the Serbia Open 2024. He completed his 3rd norm at the 18th Arad Open GP Classic 2025 in Romania. Photos: IO Nagy Laszlo
15-year-old Arshiya Das from Tripura becomes the first WIM of North East India
Arshiya Das from Tripura has created history by becoming the first Woman International Master of North East India. The 15-year-old completed all three WIM norms within a year. Her final norm came in Serbia, where she won the 42nd Rudar IM Round Robin tournament with 6.5/9 score. Along the way, she also earned her first Woman Grandmaster norm. Arshiya’s journey stands as a strong inspiration for young players, especially girls from the North East region. Discover her rise to becoming the region’s first Woman International Master. Photo: Purnendu Das
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