The Chess Circuit, by Adam Raoof
September 7, 2025 Issue 4
Photo of Leonard Barden is from John Saunders excellent archive - https://www.saund.co.uk/britbase/pgn/bardenl-viewer.html
Leonard Barden, chess columnist for The Guardian, has broken the world record for the longest-running chess column in history, celebrating 70 years of continuous publication in September 2025. His weekly column began in September 1955 and has been published without interruption, making Barden a uniquely dedicated and influential figure in chess journalism. He has been incredibly helpful in the careers of many well-known chess masters.
Record Details
Barden’s Guardian column started in September 1955 and reached the 70-year milestone in September 2025, setting a new world record for any chess column’s longevity.
He previously set records for both weekly and daily chess columns. His Evening Standard daily column ran for over 63 years, the longest daily chess column by a single author.
As of September 2025, he is recognized as the world record-holder for column duration, surpassing previous benchmarks held by George Koltanowski and Lam Shan Muk.
Impact
Barden’s columns have offered annotated games, chess news, development stories, and puzzles, shaping English chess culture for generations.
In 2024, FIDE awarded him the "FIDE 100 Award" for Best Journalist, further acknowledging his contributions to chess and journalism.
Leonard Barden’s extraordinary tenure as the Guardian’s chess columnist marks a historic achievement, with his column now holding the world record for the longest-running chess column ever.
My Top 10 Chess News Stories
1. British Chess Championships Light Up Liverpool
The 111th British Chess Championships returned to Liverpool’s St George’s Hall from July 31 to August 10, 2025. The event brought together hundreds of competitors across age groups in the city’s historic heart. Liverpool Chess Club called it “huge” for the city, which last hosted the event in 2008. The championships included amateur tournaments at the Holiday Inn and were hailed as a triumph of collaboration between the ECF, the city and local chess organisers.
Full story - BBC | Official results
2. Parham Maghsoodloo and Vaishali Rameshbabu Lead FIDE Grand Swiss
At the midway point in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Iranian GM Parham Maghsoodloo and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu have taken sole leads in the Open and Women’s events of the prestigious 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss. Highlights include tight finishes and dramatic turnarounds, with stars like Praggnanandhaa, Firouzja, Gukesh, and young prodigies in contention.
Chess.com full report
3. UK Open Blitz Qualifiers Fill September Calendar
A packed September in the UK sees a swarm of qualifying events for the UK Open Blitz Championships, including legs in Newcastle, Nottingham, Glasgow, Cardiff, Southampton, Sheffield, Golders Green, and others—plus a jammed club and junior calendar nationwide.
English Chess Federation Events
4. FIDE September 2025 Ratings: Keymer Makes History
German prodigy Vincent Keymer entered the world’s Top 10 after his victory at the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters made headlines. The biggest single gain in world rankings went to WGM Tatev Abrahamyan after her sensational run in Budapest.
FIDE official report | Chess.com summary
5. England Juniors Triumph at St George’s Hall
Home success: The National Chess Championships at St George’s Hall featured strong performances by England’s youth teams. Notably, Purbeck’s own rising star made headlines after an undefeated run debated “beating all the chess club teachers.”
Read more
6. Sinquefield Cup: Wesley So’s Return
Wesley So reclaimed a spot in the FIDE Top 10 after his Sinquefield Cup win in August, outpacing Pragg (Rameshbabu) and marking a significant comeback following a tough year.
FIDE ratings
7. Titled Tuesday—The Last “Old Format” Edition
August closed with the final ‘classic’ Titled Tuesday online blitz before a major format overhaul. Notable winners: Tuan Minh Le and Aleksei Sarana, with Caruana and Carlsen both in the mix.
Games and story - The Week in Chess
8. Mongolian, Argentinian, and Angolan Championships Complete
Late summer saw multiple national championships, with the Mongolian, Argentinian Women’s, and Angolan tournaments all recently completed—proving chess is thriving on every continent.
Lichess calendar
9. FIDE Launches “Fast Classic” Pilot Project
With a view to refreshing tournament chess, FIDE announced a new “Fast Classic” format, testing shorter time controls for inclusion in the main rating lists. Several federations are expected to participate and events could begin this autumn.
FIDE announcement
10. Upcoming: London Chess League FIDE Weekender
Chess in London this month includes the London Chess League FIDE Weekender (September 26–28), as well as a full slate of junior events, rapidplays, and league matches.
Event details
Chess in the Mainstream
Sinquefield Cup and International news featured on The Guardian and BBC North West Tonight.
FIDE Grand Swiss watched live on YouTube and Twitch this week, drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers globally.
Chess History From the Archives: The Chess News That Shaped the World
St. Petersburg 1909—A New Chess Generation Emerges
At the dawn of the 20th century, St Petersburg 1909 became the proving ground for a cohort that would dominate elite chess for decades. Lasker, Tarrasch, Maróczy, and surprise third-place finisher Osip Bernstein all played pivotal roles in the rise of “classical” chess, setting the stage for innovations from Rubinstein, Nimzowitsch, and Capablanca. For a detailed narrative and annotated games:
Read the era’s highlights
Video Chess
Highlights: FIDE Grand Swiss 2025—Round 3
This week’s top chess video features dramatic moments and stunning battles from the Grand Swiss in Samarkand, including analysis of Firouzja–Maghsoodloo and the rise of young star Praggnanandhaa.
Watch on YouTube – FIDE Chess
What I Am Reading / Listening to Right Now
YOUTUBE: BotezLive: Chess Patch Playtesting
Botez sisters’ stream covers updates, entertainment, and live Q&A while road-testing new chess features. You know you want to watch…
Watch here
Chess Podcasts
PODCAST PICK:
Chess Times – A Chess Gaja Podcast
Brief, engaging, and updated weekly—top headlines, tournament summaries, plus themed discussions that go beyond the mainstream. Recent episodes have covered Sinquefield Cup drama, gender inclusion in chess, and psychological pressures at the board. Probably generated by AI, but none the less - interesting!
Listen on Jellypod
Book Review
A Monstrous Keres Project
by Matthew Sadler in New In Chess. Reviewed July 2025.
A truly monumental achievement—Jimmy Adams' four-volume, 4,013-page collection on Estonian legend Paul Keres is the definitive tribute to one of chess’s greatest unsung heroes. The set brings together Keres’ annotated games, fascinating commentary on his evolving style, and detailed biographical insights from Joosep Grents. Sadler’s review praises the depth and balance in Keres’ approach, tracing the journey from audacious attacker to universal master—bridging the extremes of hyper-modern chaos and dogged positional purity. If you’re a history buff or hungry for instructive game analysis, every volume is five-star material.
ISBN: See Paul Keres – Volume 1–4 on New In Chess
Full review
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Sources for further reading
[To submit news, event reports, or feedback, reply to this post on Substack:
To promote your event, book, or podcast, contact Adam Raoof at chessengland.com or WhatsApp.]