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David R. Sands

David R. Sands

dsands@washingtontimes.com

David R. Sands covered numerous beats, including international trade, banking, politics and Capitol Hill, and spent eight years on the foreign desk as senior diplomatic correspondent. He has authored The Times' weekly chess column since 1993.

Articles by David R. Sands

People walk past an exchange office sign showing the currency exchange rates of Russian ruble, U.S. dollar, and euro in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. The ruble continued to decline on Tuesday as oil prices are reaching a seven-year low. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Feeble ruble boosts Russia tourism numbers

The plunging value of the ruble has had one positive effect for the recession-wracked Russian economy -- bargain-hunting international tourists are coming to Russia in numbers not seen since the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008.

December 16, 2015
Liang-Spyropoulos after 23…Ne6.

DAVID R. SANDS: With victory in London, Magnus Carlsen wins chess Grand Tour

World champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway has won the last major event of the year, taking the 7th annual London Chess Classic, the third and final leg of the FIDE Grand Tour events, in a two-game rapid playoff over French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. The playoff came after Carlsen, Vachier-Lagrave and Dutch GM Anish Giri finished in a three-way tie for first at 5-3.

December 15, 2015
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, fighters of a Chechen battalion fighting against Russia-backed rebels, reload in the town of Lysychansk, Ukraine. Russian pro-Kremlin newspapers published reports based on unidentified sources in the security services that accused the Ukrainian government and Osmayev of ordering the murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, the claims Osmayev has denied. (AP Photo/Olya Engalycheva)

U.S. church collecting supplies for Ukrainian fighters

A Washington-area Ukrainian Catholic Church will be setting up an unusual table at its annual Christmas bazaar this weekend -- a collection point for supplies for Ukrainian troops battling Russian-backed separatists in the old country.

December 8, 2015
Traders James Doherty (left) and John Panin (center) work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 4, 2015. (Associated Press)

Markets surge on jobs report, dismiss rate hike fears

Wall Street seized on another strong U.S. jobs report and appeared to shrug off mounting expectations of an imminent interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve, with the Dow Jones index rising 396.96 point, or 2.12 percent, to 17,847.63, for one of its best trading days in three months.

December 4, 2015
Jin Liqun, president-designate of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) smiles during a business meeting in Seoul on Sept. 9, 2015. The inaugural president of a Chinese-led Asian regional bank says the door remains open to the United States and Japan becoming members of the institution. (Associated Press) **FILE**

New China bank sets ambitious early goals

Having managed to organize and fund itself despite a cool reception from the Obama administration, China's new Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank is setting some ambitious goals as it prepares for its formal opening later this month.

December 2, 2015
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde speaks during a news conference at the IMF in Washington, Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, to announce the Chinese yuan will join a basket of the world's leading currencies. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

IMF promotes China’s yuan to elite basket of currencies

China checked off one of its top priorities as an emerging economic superpower when the International Monetary Fund on Monday announced it will be including the Chinese yuan in the elite basket of world currencies it uses to help finance its work with countries around the world.

November 30, 2015
Yip-Bach after 26. Qe3.

DAVID R. SANDS: Carissa Yip wins silver for U.S. at World Youth chess event

India was the big winner and the U.S. team came home with some hardware but no gold at the just-completed World Youth Class Championships in Halkidiki, Greece. Indian youngsters took home gold medals in five age categories, including a surprise gold for WFM M Mahalakshimi in the Under-18 Girls section.

November 11, 2015
Hollywood actor Robert De Niro answers questions from the media during a news conference at the opening of the Nobu Hotel at the City of Dreams Casino at suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, on May 18, 2015. (Associated Press) **FILE**

Robert De Niro may be weighing Russian citizenship

Academy Award-winning U.S. actor Robert De Niro isn't ruling out applying for Russian citizenship, following in the footsteps of such celebrities as French actor Gerard Depardieu and former U.S. heavyweight boxing champ Roy Jones Jr.

November 11, 2015
El Debs-Erenburg after 19…g6.

DAVID R. SANDS: Felipe El Debs tops field at Washington Chess Congress

There was an unfamiliar name at the top of the leaderboard as GM Felipe El Debs emerged as the sole winner of the second annual Washington Chess Congress last month at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, going 71/2-11/2 in the 47-player Premier section field that included five grandmasters and a number of other titled entrants.

November 3, 2015
Lombardy-Polugaevsky after 31…Rxc6.

DAVID R. SANDS: Bobby Fischer’s priestly second shines in new biopic

The Bobby Fischer biopic "Pawn Sacrifice," which we wrote about here last week, offers another extra kick for the serious chess fan, giving the full Hollywood treatment to one of the American game's most interesting and underappreciated players — William Lombardy, who was Bobby's sorely tried second in the 1972 title match with Spassky in Reykjavik.

October 20, 2015
Holt-Le after 27. Nd5.

DAVID R. SANDS: Chess in the dark — should we accept ‘Pawn Sacrifice’?

Watching the new Bobby Fischer movie "Pawn Sacrifice" as a professional writer on chess is an interesting experience. While the rest of the audience was focused on whether Fischer (played by Tobey Maguire) could overcome his personal demons and persecution complex to achieve his dream of greatness, I was far more moved when Fischer was considering whether to take that poisoned pawn with his bishop in the famous Game 1 of his 1972 title match with Boris Spassky.

October 13, 2015