The Journal

Notes from the desk.

Short essays on training, tactics and chess culture — written around the board you play on.

Latest edition

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

Culture

No. 36

From Messi and Ronaldo to ChatGPT: why chess keeps capturing football’s imagination

Two campaigns, four years apart: the Messi–Ronaldo chess image and Messi’s ChatGPT opening lesson tell different stories about rivalry, curiosity and becoming a beginner.

23 October 2026 · Culture · 5 min

New editions Tuesday and Friday. Retrospectives show their archive date and actual publication date.