David R. Sands

China’s leaders on the spot after economic stumbles

Chinese officials say they know exactly who is to blame for a wild week that rocked global stock markets, battered the currencies of emerging markets around the globe, sent commodity prices lower and may have shaved a percentage point or two off of global GDP growth next year: anybody but China.

August 30, 2015

Wall Street roars back with 619-point gain

Wall Street started strong Wednesday and this time didn't falter at the finish line, with the blue chip Dow Jones industrial average reversing six days of losses with a gain of 619 points, or 3.95 percent, to finish at 16,285. The daily increase was the third-biggest point rally in the market's history.

August 26, 2015

Wall Street can’t sustain rally, suffers new losses

A hoped-for rally fell apart in the final hour of trading as U.S. stocks posted another day of losses Tuesday.

August 25, 2015

DAVID R. SANDS: Woulda, coulda, shoulda — mourning chess matches that never came off

The history of chess is full of wished-for matches that never came off. Morphy never got a chance to challenge Staunton on his celebrated trip to Europe. World War I helped torpedo a match between world champion Emanuel Lasker and the star-crossed Polish great Akiba Rubinstein, his strongest rival.

August 25, 2015

U.S., world markets pummeled by China fears

U.S. stock markets experienced one of the wildest trading day in years Monday, with the Dow Jones index losing nearly 1,100 points -- nearly 6 percent of its total value -- in the first few minutes after trading began, staging a spirited rally, but turning strongly negative again to finish off 588 points, or 3.58 percent.

August 24, 2015

After opening plunge, Dow posts second straight 500-point-plus loss

The U.S. stock markets experienced their wildest trading day in years Monday, with the Dow Jones index losing nearly 1,100 points -- nearly 6 percent of its total value -- in the minutes after trading began, staged a spirited rally, but turned strongly negative again with an hour left in the session.

August 24, 2015

As furor grows, U.N. watchdog defends Iran nuclear self-inspections

Amid growing anger on Capitol Hill and in Israel, the head of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog on Thursday strongly defended the controversial methods that will be used to monitor possible cheating by Iran on the recently signed nuclear deal.

August 20, 2015

DAVID R. SANDS: Gata Kamsky dominates the Washington International chess tourney

It was a wire-to-wire wipeout as U.S. GM Gata Kamsky dominated the fourth annual Washington International open tournament in Rockville last week.

August 19, 2015

With deal in the balance, Iran plans schools to train more nuclear experts

As Congress weighs a deal designed to curb Iran's nuclear programs, a top official in Tehran this week announced plans to construct a string of special schools to train a new generation of nuclear scientists and technologists.

August 19, 2015

Obama eases oil export ban with big swap deal with Mexico

In the latest move undercutting the longstanding ban on exporting U.S. crude oil, the Obama administration has approved a proposal that would trade American lighter sweet crude for heavier crude supplies from Mexico.

August 14, 2015

DAVID R. SANDS: Alexander Shabalov bulldozes chess rivals on way to fifth U.S. Open title

In a dominating performance, GM Alexander Shabalov captured the 116th annual U.S. Open, held this year in Phoenix.

August 12, 2015

DAVID R. SANDS: For summer’s dog days, keeping chess games short and sweet

With the mercury rising and attention spans wilting, we take our traditional midsummer break from rigorous opening analysis or tedious endgame play to focus on some lighter August fare — a collection of miniatures taken from recent tournament play.

August 6, 2015

Bill would bounce bagels and burritos for borscht in Russian bistros

Reflecting in part a rising sentiment against all things foreign, a Russian lawmaker has proposed a bill that would require restaurant menus to devote at least half of their offerings to traditional Russian fare.

July 28, 2015

DAVID R. SANDS: A Romantic chess opening gets a modern revival

It was the signature opening of chess's 19th century Romantic Era, but has become a rare visitor to modern tournament chess. Paul Morphy used it for some of his greatest wins, Bobby Fischer claimed to have refuted it, and even today, some key lines remain a subject of intense theoretical dispute.

July 28, 2015

DAVID R. SANDS: Chandra, Eswaran take the honors at U.S. junior chess events

The future of American chess was on display as the country recently crowned its male and female junior champions, with rising Indian-American stars taking the honors in both events.

July 21, 2015

DAVID R. SANDS: Alex Lenderman represents U.S. in capturing World Open chess honors

It was a highly appropriate Fourth of July weekend result. Just one U.S. player was among the eight grandmasters who tied for first in the 43rd World Open, held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City from June 30 through July 5, but it was the American — New York GM Alex Lenderman — who took the official title and a small cash bonus by winning an "Armageddon" playoff match against Azerbaijani GM Rauf Mamedov.

July 14, 2015

Iran caviar and pistachios could be on the way

Whatever else the Iranian nuclear deal does or doesn't do, America's caviar lovers and pistachio fans have reason to celebrate.

July 14, 2015

‘Glitch’ shuts mighty New York Stock Exchange for much of trading day

The New York Stock Exchange had to shut down trading abruptly shortly before noon Wednesday over what officials said was a technical malfunction that froze computers on the market's fabled trading floor. U.S. officials said they saw no signs of a cyberattack, and the market was able to reopen for the last 50 minutes of the trading day.

July 8, 2015

DAVID R. SANDS: Maghami doubles up as D.C. International, World Open chess tourneys come to town

Crystal City just had a golden moment as two of the best open tournaments on the American chess calendar took over the close-in Virginia suburb for the past two-plus weeks.

July 7, 2015

DAVID R. SANDS: Walter Browne’s genius lives on in great chess games

Suddenly and far too soon, America lost one of its colorful and most combative champions with the passing of six-time national champion GM Walter Browne last week at the age of 66.

July 1, 2015