American Chess Magazine #51: Alice Lee – Three Finals, Three Victories At just 16 years old, Alice Lee defeated Carissa Yip after three hard-fought mini-matches to complete a remarkable hat-trick of Women’s American Cup victories in St. Louis. WGM Zoey Tang guides readers through the Women’s American Cup and its most compelling storylines. Owing to the tournament’s unique knockout format, the two dominant American female players of the past couple of years, Carissa Yip and Alice Lee, faced each other an astonishing three times. In the end, Alice prevailed to secure her third straight title at this prestigious annual event. Alice also annotates one of her thrilling encounters against Carissa, while the article concludes with an interview in which she reveals that her lifelong ambition is to earn the Grandmaster title. The coverage of elite chess continues with GM Spyridon Kapnisis and GM John Burke. Kapnisisprovides an in-depth analysis of the performances of the two American representatives at the Candidates Tournament. While Fabiano Caruana was prepared to introduce opening novelties and embrace greater risks, Hikaru Nakamura opted for a more solid opening repertoire and overall strategy. In the end, Caruana achieved the better result, but neither American managed to secure the coveted first place. Burke then annotates the most exciting games from the Malmo supertournament, won by Magnus Carlsen. Although the event naturally centers on the tournament winner, special attention is also given to two rapidly rising teenage stars: 14-year-old Turkish prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus and 15-year-old American Andy Woodward. Carlsen remains the world’s leading player, but the next generation is progressing quickly and eager to challenge the established elite. To further demonstrate Erdogmus’s extraordinary strength, GM Sarunas Sulskis begins his regularMagnificent Three column by analyzing the young Turkish grandmaster’s game against former World Champion Veselin Topalov. The two contested a six-game match in Monaco, which Erdogmus won convincingly by 5–1, lifting his rating above the 2700 Elo mark. Sulskis’s second selection comes from Bangkok, where experienced Dutch GM Loek van Wely outplayed Indian GM N.R. Visakh with the black pieces before concluding the game with a stunning and deeply aesthetic rook sacrifice. His third featured game is from the 2026 European Individual Championship, where Serbian GM Aleksandar Indjic patiently built a powerful attack despite limited material, ultimately weaving a decisive mating net. In his opening survey, experienced Correspondence Chess Master Robert Irons presents his favorite weapon against the Open Sicilian – the Four Knights Variation. Irons offers an in-depth examination of a line that has formed the backbone of his correspondence repertoire since 2022. Having employed it in 18 competitive games, he remains undefeated with an impressive score of 8 wins and 10 draws. In this feature, he explains the key ideas behind his repertoire while comparing them with the approaches taken by the world’s leading over-the-board players. Turning to the middlegame, GM Emilio Cordova explores the practical concept of playing on a single color complex. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing your positional strengths and translating them into an effective strategic plan. Alongside instructive examples from elite grandmaster practice, the article features a series of exercises that allow readers to reinforce the concepts introduced throughout the lesson. Our editorial team has also prepared a special feature devoted to one of the most enduring tactical motifs in chess – the double bishop sacrifice, first employed in tournament play by the great Emanuel Lasker. A carefully curated collection of 30 games traces the evolution of this spectacular idea from Lasker’s original game in 1889 to a modern example from the 2024 Chess Olympiad. Remarkably, the motif transcends both opening systems and playing strength, while the article also examines several important adaptations. Richly illustrated with instructive examples, this feature is a valuable resource for coaches, ambitious students, and anyone looking to add a timeless attacking weapon to their tactical arsenal. In his regular All Things Chess column, FM Dylan McClain reflects on the remarkably young age of today’s elite players, while also considering the responsibilities that come with success – not only to promote the game but also to serve as role models for future generations. He then turns to the equally important responsibility of representing one’s country, focusing on the recent case of Alireza Firouzja. McClain concludes by sharing his own experiences with online chess and the persistent problem of cheating, issuing a public call for more effective solutions to combat what has become one of the greatest existential threats facing competitive chess. In a heartfelt tribute, Tony Cullen remembers the life and legacy of FM Jimmy Adams, Deputy Editor of American Chess Magazine and one of the most respected figures in the chess world. Drawing on their long friendship, Cullen portrays Jimmy not only as an outstanding chess player, author, and historian, but also as a warm, generous, and deeply knowledgeable individual whose passion for the game touched countless lives. This personal remembrance celebrates Jimmy’s remarkable contribution to chess literature, his decades of dedication to the chess community, and the lasting impression he left on all who had the privilege of knowing him. To conclude this issue, IM Grayson Rorrer rounds up the most notable performances by U.S. players, both at home and abroad. Alexis Levitin contributes another engaging work of chess fiction exploring the theme of chess obsession, while in 5x5 Expert Takeaways, GM Darmen Sadvakasovshares his reflections on what it means to dedicate one’s life to chess and the many benefits the game has to offer.news
