David R. Sands

SANDS: Aronian wins third Amber title in 4 years

Armenian GM Levon Aronian has won his third Amber Blindfold/Rapid title in four years, winning the unique dual-format event over a world-class field with a combined score of 15 1/2-6 1/2. Remarkably, in a field that included reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand and two former world champions, Aronian lost only once in 22 games, to former Russian national champ Alexander Grischuk.

March 29, 2011

SANDS: Kaidanov, Robson claim last title slots

The field is set for next month's 2011 U.S. Championship as veteran GM Gregory Kaidanov and 16-year-old newcomer GM Ray Robson of Florida grabbed the last two spots in the 16-player field.

March 15, 2011

SANDS: There’s a payoff for amazing moves

It's a story that -- like so many tales told about the great masters of the past -- turns out to be totally bogus. When longtime U.S. champion Frank Marshall played one of the most famous moves in the history of the game, thrusting his queen into a "nest of pawns" to defeat Russian master Stefan Lewitzky in a 1912 game in Breslau, Poland, spectators reportedly were so enthralled that they showered the board with gold coins. Marshall was justly proud of the game but later claimed never to have seen a single one of the gold pieces supposedly left in tribute.

March 8, 2011

SANDS: Kamsky faces tough road to title

U.S. GM Gata Kamsky has drawn a tough opening assignment in the world championship qualifying matches, which start in May in Kazan, Russia. Organizers at the international chess federation, FIDE, announced last month that Kamsky will play Bulgarian former world champion Veselin Topalov in the quarter-final match for the right to challenge titleholder Viswanathan Anand of India.

March 2, 2011

SANDS: Hess, 19, thriving on world stage

American chess players seem to have a penchant for spectacular entrances on the international stage.

February 22, 2011

SANDS: Brilliancy prizes from 100 years ago

Another year, another batch of 100-year anniversaries to celebrate. The year 1911 featured two of the most storied international tournaments in the game's history. In the Spanish resort town of San Sebastian, 22-year-old Cuban Jose Raoul Capablanca made a spectacular debut on the international scene, with a first-place result that set him on the road to the world championship 10 years later. The tournament, which featured virtually all the game's best players, save for reigning German world champ Emanuel Lasker, kicked off exactly 100 years ago Sunday.

February 15, 2011

SANDS: Adu rolls to victory in Springfield Open

Northern Virginia IM Oladapo Adu added another trophy to his already ample collection, finishing alone in first at the Springfield Open held during the snowy Jan. 29-30 weekend.

February 9, 2011

Patriot Act reverse surprises House Republicans

The new House Republican leadership faced its first tea party revolt Wednesday evening when the chamber unexpectedly failed to extend key provisions of the USA Patriot Act, the anti-terror law passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

February 8, 2011

SANDS: Nakamura soars in all-GM play in Wijk

In one of the most impressive performances by an American player in decades, GM Hikaru Nakamura on Sunday won the 73rd Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee premiere section over an all-grandmaster field that included world champion Viswanathan Anand, former world champion Vladimir Kramnik and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway.

February 2, 2011

SANDS: The good, the bad and the ugly at Wijk

It's been the best of chess and the worst of chess at the Tata Steel Tournament, the traditional elite event held each January at the Dutch seaside town of Wijk aan Zee.

January 25, 2011

SANDS: UMBC’s Erenburg rebounds in Berkeley

The powerhouse University of Maryland-Baltimore County squad did not capture the recent collegiate team chess championship, but GM Sergey Erenburg, UMBC's second board, bounced back with a fine second-place result in the strong Berkeley International, which concluded Jan. 8.

January 19, 2011

Steele’s departure fortifies GOP strategy for 2012; Priebus elected chair

Wisconsin GOP Chairman Reince Priebus has been elected the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, offering a fresh face and the promise of a new management style for the party as it gears up for the 2012 presidential election cycle.

January 14, 2011

Priebus has early lead in RNC tally

Wisconsin Republican Party chief Reince Priebus has the early momentum as Republican National Committee members gathered Friday afternoon to choose the party's next chairman.

January 14, 2011

SANDS: Indian pair share honors at Hastings

It's no longer even the strongest tournament in Britain - that honor goes to the new London Chess Classic - but the traditional year-ending chess congress held at the English seaside town of Hastings has a pedigree unmatched in annals of the game.

January 14, 2011

Hollywood ending not in script for ‘elites’

"Congress: The Sequel" is shaping up as one blockbuster that Hollywood would rather not greenlight.

November 23, 2010

Waters fires back at ethics panel

California Rep. Maxine Waters strongly condemned a decision by the House ethics committee to put off indefinitely a hearing into charges that she violated congressional rules by intervening on behalf of a minority-owned bank with ties to her family.

November 21, 2010

Waters slams ethics case delay

California Rep. Maxine Waters Friday strongly condemned a decision by the House Ethics Committee to put off indefinitely a hearing into charges that she violated congressional rules by intervening on behalf of a minority-owned bank with ties to her family.

November 19, 2010

Rangel recommended for House floor scolding

An emotional last-minute plea for leniency by Rep. Charles B. Rangel fell short Thursday as a House panel recommended that the New York Democrat face a public scolding on the floor of the House of Representatives for a string of financial and fundraising transgressions.

November 18, 2010

Strategists advise Democrats to skip the ‘tea party’

Two top Democratic strategists said Thursday that the party would be wasting its time reaching out to "tea party" voters who played a critical role in the 2010 midterm races.

November 18, 2010

Democratic pollsters: Ignore the tea party

Two top Democratic strategists said Thursday the party would be wasting its time reaching out to "tea party" voters who played a critical role in the 2010 midterm races.

November 18, 2010