Issue #19 — Anya Taylor-Joy

About This Issue

ACM #19 is a Queen’s Gambit issue, with Anya Taylor-Joy, the leading actress of “The Queen’s Gambit,” on the cover. In an interview with Milan Dinic, she explains why “chess is a lot like acting...”

Exclusively for ACM, 2020 U.S. Champion GM Wesley So shares his first-hand experience and annotates two of his interesting victories from the Championship. Online elite chess is covered by 2020 U.S. Junior Champion GM John Burke, whose exceptionally in-depth article follows Magnus Carlsen topping Hikaru Nakamura in a 7-day epic drama.

GM Aleksander Mista presents a silver bullet for the bullet-proof Caro-Kann, GM Jacob Aagaard continues his All-Round Training master class, and GM Alex Fishbein explains “The Karpov Endgame” – rooks with opposite-color bishops.

History has its place too: GM Joel Benjamin looks back at the clash of generations at the 1981 U.S. Championship, with a selection of games from that event annotated by IM Boroljub Zlatanovic, and Bette Marshall gives an insider’s view of the 1972 Fischer–Spassky match.

Tournament winners annotate their games – IM Craig Hilby (“Chess Is No Different from Boxing”) and IM Justin Sarkar (“Live Chess Outbreak in Dallas”). Jon Edwards writes on chess in Zoom, FM Carsten Hansen reviews new books, and GM Rafael Leitao is the guest in “Where Grandmasters Advise Young Players.”

What’s Inside

• p.9 — I Feel Blessed to Play Chess — The 2020 U.S. Champion, Second Time in Four Years — GM Wesley So
• p.20 — A 7-Day Epic Drama! — Carlsen Tops Nakamura — GM John Burke
• p.36 — My Silver Bullet for the Bullet-Proof Caro-Kann! — GM Aleksander Mista
• p.49 — Rooks with Opposite-Color Bishops — The Karpov Endgame — GM Alex Fishbein
• p.71 — An Insider's View of the 1972 Fischer-Spassky Match — Bette Marshall
• p.85 — Selected Games — U.S. Championship 1981 — IM Boroljub Zlatanovic
• p.98 — Where Grandmasters Advise Young Players — GM Rafael Leitao

Inside the Issue