Home Podcasts The Opening: Daily Chess News from First Look Chess
The Opening: Daily Chess News from First Look Chess

The Opening: Daily Chess News from First Look Chess

First Look Chess 23 episodes Nov 10, 2026

The Opening is a daily chess news podcast that delivers the day's most important stories in about five minutes, focused on American chess. It is the audio edition of the First Look Chess newsletter, aimed at players, organizers, coaches and serious fans. Each episode covers the top five stories, including the Olympiad and world championship cycle, US Championships and other national events, rating milestones and norms, federation news and the business of chess. Facts are checked against sources before being read, and the full edition with links, games and downloadable PGNs is available to subscribers at firstlookchess.com. The show is read by a synthetic voice, powered by AI but guided by human expertise.

Episodes

The Opening, Nov 10: US Chess opens nominations for its Executive Board
The Opening, Nov 10: US Chess opens nominations for its Executive Board Nov 10, 2026 5:27 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: US Chess will elect four at-large Executive Board members in 2027 for terms running to 2031, and Monday's announcement opens nominations: a petition signed by at least 50 voting-eligible members, among them 15 or more delegates from at least f
The Opening, Nov 9: Hikaru Nakamura takes another Bullet Brawl title
The Opening, Nov 9: Hikaru Nakamura takes another Bullet Brawl title Nov 9, 2026 4:43 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: Hikaru Nakamura won his 73rd Bullet Brawl title on Saturday, scoring 165 points in a 225-player arena to finish 12 ahead of 17-year-old Turkish GM Ediz Gurel, who had led for most of the two hours, with Parham Maghsoodloo third on 141 and Faus
The Opening, Nov 8: Josh Smith takes a game from Dubov
The Opening, Nov 8: Josh Smith takes a game from Dubov Nov 8, 2026 6:07 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: Josh Smith, the 49-year-old Arizona businessman who plays bullet as "BulletGrandpa," won game 28 of Saturday's 100-game match against Daniil Dubov, so the grandmaster's 99-1 finish paid him $10,000 rather than the $20,000 promised for a clean
The Opening, Nov 7: Jay Rockefeller, sponsor of National Chess Day, dies
The Opening, Nov 7: Jay Rockefeller, sponsor of National Chess Day, dies Nov 7, 2026 5:33 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: John D. "Jay" Rockefeller IV, the former West Virginia senator who sponsored the 2010 Senate resolution that made National Chess Day official and the father of US Chess Vice President John Rockefeller V, died Friday at 89, US Chess reports. Pr
The Opening, Nov 6: Liam Putnam draws Sonis at the SPICE Cup
The Opening, Nov 6: Liam Putnam draws Sonis at the SPICE Cup Nov 6, 2026 6:47 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: GM Liam Putnam (FIDE 2495), No. 7 on the US Chess Under 21 list, drew Italian GM Francesco Sonis (2547) in round three of the 20th SPICE Cup in Bellevue, where 25 Americans are on the relay, and Siddharth Singh (FIDE 2425), No. 2 on the Under
The Opening, Nov 5: US Chess membership sets a new record
The Opening, Nov 5: US Chess membership sets a new record Nov 5, 2026 5:39 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: US Chess membership stood at 118,303 on October 31, which the federation calls a new all-time high: an increase of 2,184 over September that passes the March 2024 record of 117,716. Ding Liren is out of the Chinese Rapid Championship in Shaoxi
The Opening, Nov 4: Firouzja wins Titled Tuesday over Caruana
The Opening, Nov 4: Firouzja wins Titled Tuesday over Caruana Nov 4, 2026 5:38 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: Alireza Firouzja beat Fabiano Caruana in the last round of Titled Tuesday to take the event ahead of Hikaru Nakamura, Hans Niemann and Caruana, as chess.com confirmed the first eight qualifiers for Speed Chess Championship XI — a $250,000, 16-
The Opening, Nov 3: US Chess awards Women’s Program grants
The Opening, Nov 3: US Chess awards Women’s Program grants Nov 3, 2026 7:17 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: US Chess has awarded 23 Women's Program grants for 2026-27, the same count as a year ago, to nonprofit affiliates running programs for women and girls, with the money again coming from the Saint Louis Chess Club. Fabiano Caruana said on the C-
The Opening, Nov 2: Shankland unbeaten at the Mechanics’ Institute blitz
The Opening, Nov 2: Shankland unbeaten at the Mechanics’ Institute blitz Nov 2, 2026 4:20 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: Anaiy Somalwar, rated 2051 on the relay, beat GM Patrick Wolff (2528) in round seven of the 2026 November FIDE Blitz at the Mechanics' Institute. GM Sam Shankland, No. 12 on the US Chess Overall list, finished the day unbeaten; his only draw w
The Opening, Nov 1: Alice Lee on the November FIDE list
The Opening, Nov 1: Alice Lee on the November FIDE list Nov 1, 2026 6:40 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: The November FIDE rating list makes IM Alice Lee the US women's No. 1 at 2474, world No. 14, after her second place in the U.S. Women's Championship, while champion WIM Rachael Li gained 50 points to 2430 and world No. 31, Carissa Yip lost 31
The Opening, Oct 31: Rooks and Roots expands to Texas and online
The Opening, Oct 31: Rooks and Roots expands to Texas and online Oct 31, 2026 4:58 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: Rooks and Roots, the girls' math-and-chess nonprofit co-founded by WGM Iris Mou and Lisa Sun, used a US Chess Women's Grant this year to stage a free festival for 60 girls in New York City and has since added chapters in Texas and online, US C
The Opening, Oct 30: Javokhir Sindarov wins Clutch Chess in St. Louis
The Opening, Oct 30: Javokhir Sindarov wins Clutch Chess in St. Louis Oct 30, 2026 5:30 Every story in this episode is in the First Look Chess newsletter, with the links, the games, and the PGNs to download: firstlookchess.com In this episode: Javokhir Sindarov won Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown in St. Louis on 20.5 points, overturning a 2½-point deficit on the final day with three wins and three draws — among them a King's Indian against Hikaru Nakamura that chess.com calls the g

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