XB
I'm Xuan Binh, the founder of Attacking Chess, and the Deputy Head of Communications at the Vietnam Chess Federation (VCF). My chess.com and lichess rating is above 2300. Send me a challenge or message via Lichess. Follow me on Twitter (X) or Facebook.
Openings
The Complete Petroff Defense Breakdown Through Anatoly Karpov’s ‘Winning with the Petroff’
For generations, the Petroff Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6), also known as Petrov Defense or the Russian Game, has carried...
Chess 101
Alexandria Chess Engine: How Modern AI Learns, Evaluates, and Plays Like a Grandmaster
With a name evoking the ancient world’s greatest repository of knowledge—the Library of Alexandria—this engine has quickly established itself as...
Openings
The Stafford Gambit: 20 Key Lines, Traps and Refutations
Imagine this: you’re five moves into a standard game of chess, and suddenly your opponent sacrifices a knight. Then a...
Chess 101
What does the K-factor in chess mean? an easy explanation
The K-factor (or development coefficient) is one of the simplest pieces in the mathematics behind chess ratings. In plain language,...
News
Rethinking FIDE’s Elo System: The Vũ Anh Case and the K-Factor Paradox
FIDE’s rating system gives young players certain advantages. Under current rules, players under 18 and below 2300 Elo receive a...
Openings
How to Decline the Alien Gambit: A Simple Refutation
The Alien Gambit is an opening still played by thousands of people every day. While many players enjoy taking risks,...
Chess 101
Reckless Chess Engine: Features, Strength, and How to Use
In the modern world of computer chess, the landscape is often dominated by cold, calculating giants. Names like Stockfish and...
Middle Game
100 Chess Middlegame Principles and Strategies Every Player Should Know
Middlegame play is the most complex and poorly-charted phase of chess, demanding creativity and deep assessment. Unlike the opening, which...
Chess 101
What Chess Rating Is Considered Good?
People who play chess often ask the same simple question. What rating should I aim for to call myself “good”?...
News
How The World Lost To GothamChess: Inside the Largest Chess Match Ever Played
When the dust finally settled on November 30, 2025, the scoreboard read the only thing that mattered: GothamChess 1 —...