British Chess Magazine

The February 2026 issue of British Chess Magazine is led by a major tournament report from Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2026, where Nodirbek Abdusattorov finally conquered Wijk aan Zee on his fourth attempt, while 15-year-old Andy Woodward’s Challengers triumph signalled the next wave of elite talent. IM Shaun Taulbut takes a deep-dive into the Hastings International Chess Congress 2025–26, where Alex Golding and Alexander Kovchan shared first amid growing uncertainty over the event’s finances ahead of its centenary. Also featured: a look at how the chess world has reacted to the new film about Judit Polgár, a Netflix documentary piece on her rise, and a profile of the great Paul Keres. GM Aleksandar Colovic on why “bad” openings can still teach you plenty, plus regular favourites including Problem World, Quotes & Queries, and endgame studies from the FIDE World Cup.

British Chess Magazine

Fourth time’s the charm: NODIRBEK ABDUSATTOROV finally conquers Wijk aan Zee

HASTINGS CHESS CONGRESS UNDER A SHADOW OF UNCERTAINTY • GOLDING AND KOVCHAN SHARE FIRST AS HASTINGS EDGES TOWARD A FRAGILE CENTENARY.

CAN BAD OPENINGS BE GOOD FOR YOU?

NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY QUEEN OF CHESS CHRONICLES JUDIT POLGAR'S RISE IN THE SPORT • The new documentary “Queen of Chess” tells the story of Judit Polgár’s rise from Budapest child prodigy to one of the strongest players in chess history. The film is directed by Rory Kennedy and runs about 95 minutes. It is now available worldwide on Netflix after a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.

The champion the crown never found • 110 YEARS SINCE THE BIRTH OF THE ETERNAL SECOND, PAUL KERES

PROBLEM WORLD

REMEMBERING BOB WADE

CARL SCHLECHTER on the road from Munich to Ostend • For a few years at the start of the new century, Carl Schlechter was almost always at the board. Munich, Nuremberg, Vienna, Monte Carlo, Ostend. He travelled, played everyone who mattered, and left behind a trail of quiet but stubborn masterpieces.

THE FIDE WORLD CUP