Sergey Karjakin and Levon Aronian lead race to challenge Magnus Carlsen Leonard Barden Friday 18 March 2016 16.38 EDT Russia’s Sergey Karjakin, aged 26, and Armenia’s Levon Aronian, 33, are joint leaders with 4/6 as the 14-round world championship...
Fresh young threats to Magnus Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen facing fresh young threats to his status as world No1Leonard BardenThe Guardian, Friday 23 May 2014 11.17 EDT The standard forecast for top chess in the next few years is for the world champion, Magnus Carlsen, 23,...
The making of one of the great comebacks of chess history
Vishy Anand close to victory at world championship candidates eventLeonard BardenThe Guardian, Friday 28 March 2014 14.34 EDT After staging one of the great comebacks of chess history Vishy Anand is poised for victory at the world championship candidates...
Big step to becoming a GM
Yang-Fan Zhou takes significant step on way to becoming a grandmasterLeonard Barden The Guardian, Friday 5 July 2013 13.56 EDT England’s best teenage player scored his first grandmaster result this week, overcoming an earlier disappointment and winning an international...
2013 Moscow Aeroflot likely to be best remembered for controversies
2013 Moscow Aeroflot likely to be best remembered for controversiesLeonard Barden The Guardian, Friday 22 February 2013 17.55 EST Moscow Aeroflot has been the world’s strongest open for a decade but its 2013 edition this week will be remembered for...
Hits and misses at Hastings
Gawain Jones puts experience of London Classic to good use at Hastings Leonard Barden The Guardian, Friday 11 January 2013 17.55 EST Gawain Jones finished last against the world elite at the recent London Classic, but the 25-year-old British...
Golden chess future for the UK
Yang-Fan Zhou shows UK chess has prospects for a golden futureLeonard Barden The GuardianFriday 21 December 2012 07.03 EST The London Classic Open was low-key beside Magnus Carlsen’s record-breaking victory in the main event, but its outcome could be significant...
Fabiano Caruana rises to #7 in world rankings after Moscow Aeroflot
Fabiano Caruana rises to No7 in world rankings after Moscow AeroflotLeonard Bardenguardian.co.uk, Friday 17 February 2012 18.02 EST Fabiano Caruana is the hot performer in world chess. The 19-year-old Italian has surged up the ratings in the past two...
Comparisons to Bobby Fischer
Magnus Carlsen’s form crisis bears comparisons to that of Bobby FischerLeonard BardenThe Guardian, Saturday 22 January 2011 Wijk aan Zee, backed by India’s Tata Steel, was predicted to provide a showdown among the world’s top four grandmasters and a...
Following the example of Fischer in a crisis
Magnus Carlsen should follow the example of Bobby Fischer in a crisisLeonard BardenThe Guardian, Saturday 16 October 2010 Magnus Carlsen’s aura of invincibility has cracked. The Norwegian became, at 19, the youngest ever world No1 with an all-time rating...