Who, What, Where? The British Chess Magazine

Dear Readers,

Say hello to our first magazine subscription, the British Chess Magazine.

Having started in 1881, it boasts the legacy of being the world’s oldest chess publication still in circulation and remains a constant in the chess world to this day.

Founded in 1881 by John Watkinson, the BCM has been an independent magazine covering chess worldwide, and not just limited to the UK. The magazine is considered to be British royalty, having been read and honored by the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria.

The British Chess Magazine details relevant information from the chess world, with content from top writers and Grandmasters. Throughout the years it has followed contemporary chess news, opening theory, top players, and so much more. Today readers are kept up to date about players such as Carlsen, Giri, etc. In its early days, readers were awed by games and information about Steinitz, Anderssen, Blackburne, and many more from that time. Information was not as accessible during this time, so one can imagine how the compilation of chess news in one magazine contributed to the growth of chess.

Today, BCM continues its role of being an accessible information hub, bringing chess news and content to people all over the world. Written by chess players for chess players, it offers updates on current news, analysis by top players, interviews, tournament information, puzzles, and so much more.

Here is an example of game analysis from British Chess Magazine’s second issue, published in 1882. Not only has chess language come a long way since then, but the way that players read and understand content has too.

Now partnered with Forward Chess, readers can easily read the magazines from any device, anywhere in the world. Using our integrated chess board and engine, it has never been easier to follow games and chess content.

Here is a snippet from a BCM October 2022 issue. How times have changed!

British Chess Magazine is a celebration of how chess has evolved, and now you can get to be a part of that with us.

The annual subscription comes with twelve issues. Subscribe once and read your favorite stories on all your devices. As an introductory discount, British Chess Magazine subscription is now available here at 20% OFF for a limited time.