The Journal
Notes from the desk.
Short essays on training, tactics and chess culture — written around the board you play on.
Latest edition
Training
No. 37
FIDE’s rapid and blitz fee waiver: what it means for your next event
27 October 2026 · Training
FIDE’s rapid and blitz fee waiver: what it means for your next event
FIDE has extended its rapid and blitz rating-fee waiver through 2027. Separate that federation charge from tournament entry costs, then prepare for one manageable first event.
3 min read · Read the edition →
Archive
Training
No. 20
Blindfold Chess Is a Skill, Not a Gift
Blindfold Chess Is a Skill, Not a Gift
Visualisation feels like something you either have or you don't. It isn't. Here is how the blindfold ladder actually builds the picture in your head.
31 July 2026 · Training · 4 min
Training
No. 19
Light or Dark: The Foundation Skill Nobody Trains
Light or Dark: The Foundation Skill Nobody Trains
Knowing the colour of every square without counting sounds trivial. It quietly underpins bishops, endgames and every calculation you will ever make.
29 July 2026 · Training · 3 min
New editions Tuesday and Friday. Retrospectives show their archive date and actual publication date.