David R. Sands

Raised in Northern Virginia, David R. Sands received an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He worked as a reporter for several Washington-area business publications before joining The Washington Times.

At The Times, Mr. Sands has covered numerous beats, including international trade, banking, politics and Capitol Hill, and spent eight years on the foreign desk as senior diplomatic correspondent. He is currently the deputy editor for politics. In addition, he has reviewed books and written feature stories for the newspaper and authored The Times' weekly chess column since 1993. He is also senior writer for Washington GolfStyles, a monthly publication covering the Mid-Atlantic golf scene.

Articles by David R. Sands

Sergey Karjakin stuns champion Magnus Carlsen to take lead in world chess match

After seven draws to open the match, Russian challenger Sergey Karjakin broke through to defeat defending champion Magnus Carlsen in their world chess title match Monday in New York City, grabbing a one-point lead with just four games left to play. Published November 22, 2016

Magnus Carlsen, Sergey Karjakin chess title Game 7

Russian challenger Sergey Karjakin tried a new opening but got a familiar result as he and world chess champion Magnus Carlsen played their seventh straight draw of their scheduled 12-game world title match in New York City Sunday. Published November 20, 2016

Sixth straight draw as Carlsen, Karjakin still knotted in world chess title fight

The dreaded opposite-colored bishops made another appearance and it was yet another draw in the world chess championship match Friday between Norwegian champion Magnus Carlsen and Russian challenger Sergey Karjakin in New York City. Published November 18, 2016

Jeff Sessions, Trump AG pick, a buzzkill for marijuana industry

President-elect Donald Trump's choice of conservative Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions is proving to be something of a buzzkill to the nation's marijuana entrepreneurs, who fear his record opposing legalized pot could mean an abrupt halt to the industry's recent success under President Obama. Published November 18, 2016

Magnus Carlsen under pressure but keeps chess title match even in New York City

World chess champion Magnus Carlsen faced the first serious pressure of his title match with Russian challenger Sergey Karjakin Thursday, but managed to salvage a draw to keep the score even five games into their scheduled 12-game match. Published November 18, 2016

Magnus Carlsen ties Sergey Karjakin in world chess match playoff

Russian challenger Sergey Karjakin cheated death for the second time in a row, holding a deeply inferior endgame to eke out a grueling 92-move draw against world chess champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway in Tuesday's Game 4 of their world title match in New York City. Published November 15, 2016

Sergey Karjakin holds tough draw against Magnus Carlsen to keep chess match level

His trademark tenacity failed him as Norwegian world champion Magnus Carlsen was unable to grind down challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia in a favorable endgame in Monday's third game of their scheduled 12-game $1.1 million title match in New York City. Following two uneventful draws, the 78-move, seven-hour struggle leaves the match tied and could provide a psychological boost to the underdog challenger. Published November 15, 2016

Magnus Carlsen settles for draw in World Chess Championship Game 3

His legendary tenacity let him down for once as Norwegian chess champion Magnus Carlsen missed a clear endgame win against Russian challenger Sergey Karjakin, conceding a draw in the third game of their scheduled 12-game title match in New York after 78 moves and seven hours of grueling play Monday. Published November 14, 2016

Second game of Carlsen-Karjakin chess title match produces second draw in NYC

Two games, two draws as world chess champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway easily held the half-point as Black against challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia. Published November 13, 2016

First game of world chess title match drawn in NYC

Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Russian challenger Sergey Karjakin of Russia agreed to a draw after 42 moves in the first game of their 12-game world chess championship match that started Friday in New York City. Published November 12, 2016

Clinton wins! Trump wins! (At least at the chessboard)

Stressed voters are making some momentous choices as this column is being written, but today we offer an oasis of unity in a parched desert of partisanship. For one column at least, both Clinton and Trump (or "Trumpf") can be winners. Published November 8, 2016

When a single oversight in chess spells instant doom

Those who don't appreciate the mental stress of top-level chess should consider that every single position offers the opportunity for disaster. Published October 26, 2016

Going beyond the chess rules to get the win

This just in from our Other Board Games Bureau: The Japan Shogi Association will soon ban players from bringing any electronic devices with them to matches, and players will have to go through metal detectors before they can enter the playing hall. Starting Dec. 14, leaving the tournament room in midmatch will also be forbidden, and those caught cheating will be permanently expelled from the association, the BBC reported last week. Published October 18, 2016

U.N. agency pushes global soda taxes to curb obesity, fight disease

The United Nations jumped into the soda wars Tuesday, urging the nations of the world to start taxing everything from Pepsi to papaya juice as a way to trim expanding global waistlines and fight diseases such as diabetes. Published October 11, 2016

A busy calendar as the world title chess match looms

Just because there's this big showdown next month doesn't mean the rest of the world is on hold until a winner is declared. Published October 11, 2016

Prestige foreign policy journal makes first-ever endorsement — HIllary Clinton

Foreign Policy, the influential journal that is one of the establishment's favored debating grounds on international politics, economics and diplomacy, is the latest media publication to break with tradition and endorse a presidential candidate -- Democrat Hillary Clinton. Published October 9, 2016

U.K. Independence Party at war with itself after Brexit triumph

It's been an abrupt fall -- figuratively and literally -- for the U.K. Independence Party, which this summer saw its dream of a British withdrawal from the European Union come to pass but Thursday saw its would-be next leader laid out cold on the floor after a fistfight with a rival over the party's next act. Published October 6, 2016

Antonio Guterres set to become U.N. secretary general as push for first female head falls short

Under pressure to open up the process and break with seven decades of tradition, the United Nations is set to elect a white, male Western European insider as its top diplomat for the next five years. Published October 5, 2016

Battle of the exes — a great game from former chess champs

Way back in the day, it was a very rare sighting: a game pitting two ex-world champions. Published October 4, 2016

Thoughts from champ Magnus Carlsen on chess, intuition and fashion

It was the first visit by the world's greatest chess player to the world's most powerful city. After a traditional Norwegian repast of cod and red wine hosted by Ambassador Kare R. Aas last week, world chess champ Magnus Carlsen met with a small group of reporters at the Norwegian Embassy here to talk chess, intuition, fashion, and his upcoming title defense match starting Nov. 11 at the Fulton Market building in Manhattan's Seaport District. Published September 27, 2016