New In Chess 2025/2

This New In Chess 2025/2 issue is the English-language edition of one of the world’s most respected chess magazines, combining tournament reports, interviews, commentary, puzzles and training material in a 100-page softcover format.

What’s in this issue?

The issue opens with NIC’s Café, where a lighter piece looks at Pia and Anna Cramling appearing on Swedish public television at the presentation of Olympic champion Sarah Sjöström’s award. From there, the magazine moves on to the main chess stories of the moment.

One of the headline features is coverage of the 87th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, with particular attention on Praggnanandhaa’s outstanding run. The article goes beyond the result itself and follows the player’s mental resilience after a loss in the first blitz game, before he fought back to record one of the biggest successes of his career.

There is also an interview with Vladimir Fedoseev, focused on the changes in his approach to his career and his deliberate choice of events that keep him motivated. It is a strong read for anyone interested not only in the games, but also in the realities of professional chess life.

Another notable feature looks at Freestyle Chess and Vincent Keymer’s win in Weissenhaus, alongside a wider discussion of the format’s growing media potential, including the ambitious idea of media-rights contracts reaching 100 million dollars.

Chess culture, training and analysis

This issue is not limited to tournament coverage. Readers will also find Fair & Square, which refers to Sally Rooney’s novel Intermezzo; Celeb 64, with a chess-related note on James Dean; and a piece by Jan Timman on Robert Hübner, one of the strongest German players after Lasker.

For readers working on their own game, two training sections stand out. The Killer Blow offers puzzles selected by Jacob Aagaard, while How to Improve focuses on a very practical and painful theme: self-created mistakes at the board, where the opponent is not threatening anything directly, yet one move still opens the door to an easy win.

Opening players are also given a fuller look at the King's Indian Defence. The article explains why this opening creates such strong emotions and why, despite its risks, it continues to attract players looking for dynamic, sharp positions. Daniel Naroditsky’s long experience with the system is also part of the discussion.

Elsewhere in the issue you will find a piece on Gukesh’s first classical win as world champion, a review of three highly rated chess books by Matthew Sadler, and the closing Just Checking column, which asks what might surprise people about coach Ramesh. Taken together, New In Chess 2025/2 gives a broad view of modern chess, from top-level competition to history, reflection and practical training.

Key details

• Product type: chess magazine
• Issue: New In Chess 2025/2
• Language: English
• Format: softcover magazine issue
• Page count: 100 pages
• Content: tournament reports, interviews, commentary, puzzles and training material
• Included: one magazine issue