David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
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. Published November 30, 2015
DAVID R. SANDS: Fabiano Caruana edges Hikaru Nakamura, but battle for chess supremacy rages
It has proven difficult over the years to get some of America's greatest chess stars to play one another. Published November 24, 2015
DAVID R. SANDS: French win an emotional start to European team chess tourney
It's barely gotten underway, but the European Team Championship in Reykjavik already has featured an emotionally charged win for the French team and a sensational defeat of reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen. Published November 17, 2015
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. Published November 11, 2015
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. Published November 11, 2015
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. Published November 3, 2015
DAVID R. SANDS: Fearsome attacker Emory Tate, a local chess favorite, dies at 56
This column lost a good friend — and a reliable source of Grade-A material — with the untimely passing of IM Emory Tate earlier this month at the age of 56 Published October 27, 2015
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. Published October 20, 2015
Jim Webb raising money off ‘rigged’ CNN Democratic debate
Still fuming over his lack of airtime in Tuesday's CNN-moderated debate, Democratic presidential hopeful Jim Webb is trying to raise campaign cash over what he calls a "rigged" debate. Published October 16, 2015
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. Published October 13, 2015
Asian investors fret over ‘Hillary risk’
She's having enough trouble trying to calm nervous Democrats about the state of her 2016 presidential bid, but now front-runner Hillary Clinton has another constituency that needs reassurance -- Asian financial markets. Published October 13, 2015
Cyprus inches towards reunification
It ranks among the world's oldest frozen conflicts, but an "unusual alignment of the stars" is raising new hopes that Cyprus may soon be on the road to reunification, the top diplomat of the divided island's Turkish Cypriot government said in an interview. Published October 6, 2015
DAVID R. SANDS: Karjakin KOs Svidler to win FIDE World Cup chess title
Chess might have a future as a spectator sport if more matches went like this. Published October 6, 2015
DAVID R. SANDS: A knockout format in chess that packs a punch
The knockout format has its drawbacks, but it can make for the kind of drama that the traditional round-robin and Swiss formats can't provide. Published September 29, 2015
DAVID R. SANDS: Wild game highlights what D.C. is missing in chess league play
We have professional franchises in all the major sports, a men's and women's soccer team, a men's and women's basketball team, even a pro tennis franchise. So why can D.C. get a slot in the U.S. Chess League? Published September 23, 2015
Israel needs U.S. military aid, intelligence sharing in wake of Iran deal, top lawmaker says
NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW: Having struck a nuclear deal with Iran over Israel's strong objections, the Obama administration and its allies now must step up to ensure the security of the Jewish state through military aid and greater intelligence-sharing, a top foreign policy voice for Israel's opposition Labor Party said in an interview. Published September 22, 2015
Pope Francis’ views on climate change, immigration, income inequality, sexuality may be divisive
The messenger will be guaranteed a warm welcome, but his message may prove more divisive as America's Catholics prepare to greet Pope Francis for a history-making six-day visit starting Tuesday. Published September 21, 2015
Nobel panel slaps down secretary for leaking Obama prize doubts
The former secretary of the Nobel Peace Prize committee is in hot water once again for going public with the panel's disappointment over its decision to give President Obama the 2009 award. Published September 21, 2015
DAVID R. SANDS: Russian Mikhail Antipov surges to win world junior title
It's lost a little of its juice in recent years, but the title of "World Junior Champion" is still a pretty cool line to have on your resume. Published September 15, 2015
Kremlin: No plans for Putin, Obama to meet at U.N. gathering
He has Pope Francis on his schedule, but Russian President Vladimir Putin right now has no plans to meet with President Obama when he travels to New York later this month for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the U.N. General Assembly, the Russian leader's spokesman said Thursday. Published September 10, 2015