David R. Sands

Xiong leads summer youth movement with U.S. junior win

School's out and the kids are playing -- at the board.

August 1, 2016

Donald Trump winning Ohio depends on wooing blue-collar voters

The Republicans "definitely made a smart decision" to come to his home state to hold their convention, Nick Mitulinski figures, taking a break from fixing a balky hotel air conditioning compressor in this Cleveland suburb.

July 24, 2016

As the GOP parties, the markets set new records

While the political world here obsesses over Melania-gate and Wednesday night's Cruz-ifixion, the money world is having a much better week.

July 21, 2016

Matt Schlapp, ACU president: Trump won’t be easy target for Hillary Clinton, DNC

Donald Trump's unconventional convention here will present a difficult target for rival Hillary Clinton and the Democrats when they meet next week in Philadelphia, American Conservative Union President Matt Schlapp said in an interview Wednesday.

July 21, 2016

With breakthrough chess win, Hikaru Nakamura ends the Magnus Carlsen jinx

It may not be 100 percent politically correct these days, but one of my old chess books talked about certain players having "hung an Indian sign on" -- established an overwhelming dominance over -- a rival.

July 20, 2016

Donald Trump pick of Mike Pence eases GOP attorneys general worries

The Republican state attorneys general who have scored some of the biggest legal victories rolling back President Obama's regulatory policies and executive orders said Tuesday they think they will have an ally in the White House if Donald Trump is elected in November.

July 19, 2016

Casino next door to GOP convention struggles to attract bettors

Another casino linked to Donald Trump is struggling for business.

July 19, 2016

Donald Trump financial agenda: Would reinstate Glass-Steagall Act, repeal Dodd-Frank

Smoot and Hawley are back in and Glass and Steagall may be next in line for rehabilitation, if Donald Trump carries out the financial agenda in the platform approved by the Republican delegates here Monday.

July 18, 2016

Democrats dump on Sheriff David Clarke, one of their own at Donald Trump’s convention

The Cleveland lineup does feature at least one registered Democrat: David Clarke, the Milwaukee County sheriff who has emerged as a critic of the Black Lives Matter movement.

July 18, 2016

Donald Trump the Obscure — advisers see a Cleveland coming-out party

The problem, as Republican strategists see it here, is that too few people know who Donald Trump is.

July 18, 2016

A wide world of chess winners dominates World Open

At the 44th World Open, the world came to play. The seven players who topped the massive traditional July Fourth open tournament in Philadelphia represented a veritable United Nations of grandmasters, hailing from Hungary, Moldova, Georgia (the country), Israel, Russia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine, all finishing at 7-2.

July 12, 2016

Russia, China react angrily as U.S. to put anti-missile THAAD system in South Korea

China and Russia both issued angry responses to the news Friday that the Obama administration has reached an agreement with South Korea to install a highly advanced missile defense system based in its East Asian ally.

July 8, 2016

A lively U.S. chess scene in the PM (Pre-Morphy) Era

Like Greek poetry, American chess started at the top and has worked to recover its original brilliance ever since.

July 5, 2016

Naming rights: Star chess players live on in memorial events

For some players, great and maybe not-so-great, the name lives on long after they have punched the final chess clock.

June 28, 2016

Alexis Tsipras, Greek PM: EU needs ‘change of course’ in light of British exit vote

With many speculating that his country might be the next to defect from the European Union, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Friday that the EU must make a major course correction if it wants head off a deeper crisis following Britain's vote Thursday to leave the bloc.

June 24, 2016

U.S. stocks plummet at opening after U.K. Brexit vote

The Dow Jones index of leading stocks fell nearly 500 points, or 3 percent, in the first minutes of trading Friday morning, as traders were still reeling from the shock vote the day before that will take Britain out of the European Union.

June 24, 2016

Brian Williams of MSNBC covers Trump speech savaging Brian Williams

That was one awkward moment for cable news channel MSNBC and anchor Brian Williams during their coverage of Donald Trump's speech Wednesday attacking the record of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in New York.

June 22, 2016

In Kopec’s games, a lesson from the (international) chess master

Great players don't always make great teachers.

June 21, 2016

Viktor Korchnoi enjoyed record chess run at the top

Aside from lots of checking, there isn't really much that hockey and chess have in common.

June 14, 2016

Chinese Communists: Comrades, our propaganda stinks

Long a world leader in the field, Chinese Communist Party officials are now openly complaining that their propaganda machine isn't firing on all cylinders these days.

June 9, 2016