https://en.chessbase.com/Chess Newshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/clutch-chess-kasparov-and-topalov-play-chess960-day-1-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/clutch-chess-kasparov-and-topalov-play-chess960-day-1-liveGarry Kasparov and Veselin Topalov will face each other in “Clutch Chess: The Legends” in Saint Louis from 11 to 13 September. The two former members of the chess elite will play a twelve-game Chess960 match, with wins becoming more valuable on each successive day. The encounter follows Kasparov’s victory over Viswanathan Anand last year and renews a rivalry that was already revived in Saint Louis in 2018 with a Chess960 match. | Photos: St. Louis Chess Club, Austin Fuller | Live with commentary from 18:40 CEST / 17:40 BST / 12:40 ET / 22:10 IST.Sat, 12 Sep 2026 18:30:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/salesforce-to-power-the-future-of-chesshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/salesforce-to-power-the-future-of-chessIt is the biggest contract in FIDE's history with a private entity: Salesforce is becoming the title sponsor and technological partner of the International Chess Federation. The partnership brings the Agentforce 360 portfolio, including Slack, to the world’s largest chess events and forums, powering real-time player rankings and AI-driven fan experiences for over 800 million global fans. Press release.Sat, 12 Sep 2026 15:32:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-2026-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-2026-liveHeading to day 8, the final day of the preliminary round, two teams are comfortably tied for first place in the Global Chess League, each with 18 team points. The Ganges Grandmasters and the Alpine APL Pipers have the best chances of reaching Sunday’s final. Today’s matchups: Triveni Continental Kings vs. Alpine APL Pipers, PBG Alaskan Knights vs. Ganges Grandmasters, and CheQ Mumba Masters vs. Fyers American Gambits. The latter two teams are in 3rd and 4th place and are both expected to compete in the third-place match. | Follow the action live with commentary, starting at 13.30 CEST (7.30 ET, 17.00 IST) | Picture: Global Chess LeagueSat, 12 Sep 2026 13:15:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/25-years-ago-chessbase-newshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/25-years-ago-chessbase-news"Yesterday, in one of the most horrifying terrorist atrocities in history, the World Trade Center in New York was destroyed..." Those were the words with which we launched our brand new database-driven news page, on September 12, 2001. It was the very first report we filed. It had a special meaning for the world – but also for chess. Exactly six years earlier the World Chess Championship had been staged on the Observation Deck on the 107th floor.Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/review-mastering-calculation-by-kostya-kavutskiyhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/review-mastering-calculation-by-kostya-kavutskiyKostya Kavutskiy is the latest "Fritz Trainer" to join the ChessBase team of authors. An International Master, renowned FIDE trainer and chess author, he made his ChessBase debut with the video course "Mastering Calculation" and has already followed it up with "The Fundamentals of Positional Play". Jochen Schwarz, a club player from Bremen and a connoisseur of the FritzTrainer series, took a close look at both courses and also examined how they compare with similar courses by established authors such as Robert Ris and Ivan Sokolov.Sat, 12 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-three-teams-tied-for-the-leadhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-three-teams-tied-for-the-leadSix teams, 36 world-class players, 20 minutes for the entire game, an increment only from move 40, 4 points for a win with Black, 3 for a win with White, 1 for a draw, 18 to 24 games per day, and a prize fund of $1 million – the Global Chess League is a chess spectacle. And it is heading for an exciting finish: the top two teams in the preliminary stage qualify for the final, and after eight of ten team matches, three teams are tied for the lead. | Photo: In one of the day's many top-level encounters, Magnus Carlsen defeated Vishy Anand | Photo: Global Chess LeagueFri, 11 Sep 2026 10:04:28 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/legends-prodigies-oro-loses-anton-guijarro-leads-by-one-pointhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/legends-prodigies-oro-loses-anton-guijarro-leads-by-one-pointDavid Anton Guijarro heads into the final stage of the Legends & Prodigies tournament in Madrid with a one-point lead. Three rounds remain, and the Spaniard is a full point ahead of Faustino Oro, who lost to his compatriot Diego Flores in round six and drew with Jose Cuenca Jiminez in yesterday’s second round. Anton Guijarro drew both of his games, against Cuenca and Jose Martinez Alcantara. The two leaders will face each other in this morning’s round. Cuenca Jiminez plays Ivan Sokolov, while Flores faces Martinez Alcantara. | Photo: Ivan Sokolov, who scored his first win in round six against Martinez, pictured during a simultaneous exhibition in Salzgitter-Bad a year ago | Photo: Arne KählerFri, 11 Sep 2026 08:38:28 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/legends-prodigies-david-antn-scores-twice-to-take-sole-leadhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/legends-prodigies-david-antn-scores-twice-to-take-sole-leadAfter six draws the previous day, the players at the Legends & Prodigies tournament in Madrid seemed ready for a fight: rounds four and five produced just one draw in six games. Faustino Oro beat Ivan Sokolov before drawing with Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara, while David Antón scored two wins, defeating Diego Flores and Sokolov. The experienced Spaniard now leads the young Argentine by half a point. | Photo: David Antón winning the 2025 Spanish Championship | Photo: Spanish Chess FederationThu, 10 Sep 2026 09:32:49 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/review-opening-encyclopedia-2https://en.chessbase.com/post/review-opening-encyclopedia-2The ChessBase Opening Encyclopedia 2026 is one of the company’s flagship products alongside the Mega Database and the ChessBase database program - currently ChessBase'26. For years, these programs have formed part of the essential toolkit for everyday chess work. From the very beginning, the Opening Encyclopedia has played a key role by providing a fast and efficient overview of the entire spectrum of chess openings. Lukas Köpl took a closer look at the latest edition of the Opening Encyclopedia and summed up his impressions.Wed, 09 Sep 2026 21:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-summer-special-part-10https://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-summer-special-part-10Dear chess friends! This week's Summer Special offers you a real powerhouse: Fritz 21 and the Openingbook 2026 are available this week (until September 13, 2026) for €189.90 – save around €50!Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/oro-and-antn-guijarro-share-the-lead-in-madridhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/oro-and-antn-guijarro-share-the-lead-in-madridThere were no winners on the second day of the Legends & Prodigies tournament in Madrid. All six games from rounds two and three ended in draws, including the third-round encounter between Faustino Oro and David Antón Guijarro, the two players who had won their opening games. | Photo: Faustino Oro at the 2026 Wijk aan Zee tournament | Photo: Nils RohdeWed, 09 Sep 2026 10:35:07 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/andrew-martin-the-evans-gambit-is-still-dangeroushttps://en.chessbase.com/post/andrew-martin-the-evans-gambit-is-still-dangerousAndrew Martin presents the Evans Gambit as a dangerous and highly practical weapon for club players, especially those rated below 1800. Using a historic game by William Davies Evans, he shows how White gives up a pawn for rapid development, central control and direct attacking chances against the black king. Martin also explains why the opening remains relevant today despite modern engine analysis, with even top players such as Magnus Carlsen facing it in recent practice. The course is designed not only to teach a playable repertoire, but also to sharpen tactical vision and help players enjoy dynamic attacking chess.Wed, 09 Sep 2026 07:05:19 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/mind-vs-machinehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/mind-vs-machine1997: Kasparov vs Deep Blue. We all know the story. But here is a new version told by three-time National Book Award finalist Steve Sheinkin, using first-hand accounts from grandmaster Maurice Ashley, with riveting illustrations by Eisner winner Thien Pham. The narrative, in comic book form, captures the excitement and suspense of a classic sports showdown and explores thought-provoking themes about where humanity stands at the rise of AI.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-carlsen-s-pipers-take-the-leadhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-carlsen-s-pipers-take-the-leadThe Alpine APL Pipers, with Magnus Carlsen on the icon board, took sole lead in the standings on day three of the Global Chess League in Bengaluru. In their first match of the day, Carlsen beat Viswanathan Anand on time (pictured), but the Pipers nevertheless lost to the PBG Alaskan Knights. Carlsen's team then bounced back with a 15-3 victory over the previously leading FYERS American Gambits. After four of ten matches, the Pipers lead the table with nine match points, followed by four teams on six. | Photos: Global Chess LeagueTue, 08 Sep 2026 09:23:39 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/philidor-at-300-chess-master-musician-and-pioneerhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/philidor-at-300-chess-master-musician-and-pioneerFrançois-André Danican, better known as Philidor, was born 300 years ago today. A celebrated musician and the greatest chess player of his age, he made his living from chess in Paris and London, performed blindfold exhibitions in Berlin and, at the invitation of Frederick II, visited Sanssouci Palace. A look back at the remarkable life of one of the first great names in chess history. | Picture: François-André Philidor (1726–1795) by Augustin de Saint-Aubin and Charles-Nicolas CochinMon, 07 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-2026-2https://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-2026-2The Alpine APL Pipers remain unbeaten after day two of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League in Bengaluru, while the FYERS American Gambits suffered their first defeat. The Ganges Grandmasters, PBG Alaskan Knights and CheQ Mumba Masters also picked up match wins, as the standings tightened after eight encounters. The Triveni Continental Kings, meanwhile, remain without a match point after suffering a third consecutive loss. | Photo: Global Chess LeagueMon, 07 Sep 2026 08:10:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/former-super-gms-taken-down-the-underdoghttps://en.chessbase.com/post/former-super-gms-taken-down-the-underdogIn this episode of Underdog, Robert Ris presents two entertaining blitz upsets from a strong event in Sofia. First, Jolanta Zawadzka punishes former 2700 player Ivan Cheparinov with a sharp kingside attack in a Sicilian, finishing the game in just 20 moves. The second example features José García Molina against Sanan Sjugirov, where White sacrifices material for a dangerous initiative and builds a powerful attack against the black king. Both games show how quickly even very strong grandmasters can come under pressure in blitz when tactical threats and initiative take over.Sun, 06 Sep 2026 18:30:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/european-senior-teams-2026-r9https://en.chessbase.com/post/european-senior-teams-2026-r9England and Slovenia claimed the titles at the European Senior Team Championships in Crete. England finished unbeaten to win the 50+ section with 17/18 match points, one ahead of Italy. In the 65+ competition, Slovenia and England both scored 16/18, with the Slovenian team taking gold on tiebreaks after having defeated their English rivals in their direct encounter. | Photo: Zetta Grapsa / European Chess UnionSun, 06 Sep 2026 09:20:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-26-tips-for-beginners-part-30-use-foldershttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-26-tips-for-beginners-part-30-use-foldersChessBase´26 is amazingly versatile and often surprisingly user-friendly — as the first 29 parts of this tutorial series have already shown! One particularly important feature in this context is the “Folders” window, which lets you quickly locate anything you want to use within your storage directories. In this episode, we’ll show you how to activate the window (in case it’s been disabled) and what you can view and work with there.Sun, 06 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-2026-1https://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-2026-1The fourth season of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League got under way on Saturday, with the FYERS American Gambits making the strongest start. They won both of their opening-day matches, including a victory over the Triveni Continental Kings, who lost twice. The Ganges Grandmasters and Alpine APL Pipers also began with wins as the six-team double round-robin stage commenced at the Lalit Ashok hotel in Bengaluru. | Pictured: Javokhir Sindarov (American Gambits) defeated Viswanathan Anand (Alaskan Knights) | Photo: Amruta MokalSun, 06 Sep 2026 03:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/pouya-idani-represents-france-2026https://en.chessbase.com/post/pouya-idani-represents-france-2026Iranian grandmaster Pouya Idani has switched federations and will now represent France. The 30-year-old, who has lived in Brest since 2023 and has long been active in French club chess, enters the country's top group of players with a rating above 2600. Idani, a former World Under-18 champion and Iranian Olympiad representative, will nevertheless have to wait before becoming eligible for the French national team. | Photo: Amruta MokalSat, 05 Sep 2026 18:15:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/fridrik-olafsson-memorialhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/fridrik-olafsson-memorialChess players, mark your calendars. The Icelandic Chess Federation, Goðinn Chess Club, and Reykjavík Chess Club are joining forces to present "Town and Country" – two spectacular tournaments that together offer 15 rounds of high-level chess in just 11 days, set against two of Iceland’s most contrasting backdrops. It all begins on Thursday, 19 November at 19:00. On Tuesday, 24 November, the Friðrik Ólafsson Memorial Tournament opens – honouring Iceland’s first grandmaster.Sat, 29 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/hassabis-on-aihttps://en.chessbase.com/post/hassabis-on-aiIn a 15-minute video, Demis Hassabis, one of the central scientists working on artificial intelligence, tells us why he worries about AI going rogue. Hassabis, head of Google AI research, is a very strong chess player who created Alpha zero, the first neural network program on which all modern chess engines are based. It is his vivid description of how AI handled chess that will be of particular interest to the readers of our news page.Fri, 28 Aug 2026 15:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/quo-vadis-fischer-random-chess-1https://en.chessbase.com/post/quo-vadis-fischer-random-chess-1As you have noticed, this form of chess is becoming increasingly popular. Everyone seems to like it, sponsors are lining up to stage high-prize tournaments, even World Championships. In this series we look back at the origin of Fischer-Random, Chess960 or Freestyle, as it is now called, and discuss the reasons for its popularity. In the end we will propose some modifications to the rules and how the game should be played. Stay tuned.Wed, 19 Aug 2026 23:06:12 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/sinquefield-cup-2026-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/sinquefield-cup-2026-liveThe Sinquefield Cup is taking place on 10-20 August at the Saint Louis Chess Club. It is a 10-player single round-robin with a classical time control. Besides battling for a share of the $475,000 prize fund, players battle to get one of the four spots in the upcoming Grand Chess Tour Finals. Follow the games live starting at 19.00 CEST (13.00 ET, 22.30 IST) | Photo: Lennart OotesWed, 19 Aug 2026 18:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/andrew-martin-evans-friends-vol-1-2https://en.chessbase.com/post/andrew-martin-evans-friends-vol-1-2IM Andrew Martin presents a complete White repertoire after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3, with the Evans Gambit as its aggressive centerpiece for tactically minded players up to around 1800 Elo. Volume 1 covers the key lines, attacking ideas and traps of the Evans Gambit, while Volume 2 provides practical answers to the Petroff, Philidor, Two Knights Defense, Hungarian Defense and several sharp gambits and traps. The aim is a ready to play repertoire that seizes the initiative early, sharpens tactical vision and puts Black under pressure from the very first moves.Wed, 19 Aug 2026 07:22:09 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/remembering-oleg-skvortsovhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/remembering-oleg-skvortsovA few weeks ago this great chess organiser and sponsor passed away at the age of 57. For many years he invited us to his "Zurich Chess Challenge", which saw some of the world's top players competing. During that time we had interesting, personal interaction with him. For us news of his passing came out of the blue, and it left us deeply saddened.Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/help-us-build-the-next-chessbasehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/help-us-build-the-next-chessbaseWe're planning the next chapters of ChessBase and we want input from the people who actually use it, before we decide what to build first. Help us by taking part in a survey that asks how you work day to day: your setup and hardware, how you use engines and databases, and which parts of the interface help or get in your way. Filling out the survey takes around three minutes. If you fill it out we will send you a thank-you voucher gift.Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:57:57 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/shifts-and-mirrors-in-a-chess-problemhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/shifts-and-mirrors-in-a-chess-problemA year ago problem composer Werner Keym issued a challenge: compose a study in which White is winning – but one that can be shifted and mirrored vertically and horizontally, with all vertically shifted and mirrored positions drawing, and all horizontally shifted and mirrored positions losing. Here is the elegant solution, which reminds us of the famous Babson task.Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/how-much-faster-are-computers-todayhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/how-much-faster-are-computers-todayIn the early 1980s, as a fledgling TV journalist, I did a report on the fastest computer in the world. The Cray-1 cost eight million dollars and could do 130 million floating point operations per second. That was enough to calculate the weather, but also to win two consecutive world computer chess championships. How much faster are today's supercomputers? Take a guess – you are definitely not going to get it right.Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:21:48 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/biel-festival-2026-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/biel-festival-2026-liveThe Biel International Chess Festival is taking place on 11-24 July. Following the Chess960 tournament on Saturday and the rapid chess stage on Sunday, the players in the Masters and Generations Challenge Triathlon face off in the final stage of the classical section on 21-23 July. | Follow the games live starting at 14.00 CEST (8.00 ET, 17.30 IST) | Photo: Biel Chess FestivalThu, 23 Jul 2026 13:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/svitlana-s-smart-moves-most-underrated-world-championhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/svitlana-s-smart-moves-most-underrated-world-championSvitlana looks at Max Euwe, one of the most underrated world champions in chess history. Through one attacking game and one defensive game, she shows that Euwe was not just a logical and balanced player, but also capable of finding powerful sacrifices, active counterplay and precise prophylactic ideas. The lesson highlights how much can still be learned from classical games, especially when it comes to initiative, defensive resourcefulness and the idea that prophylaxis can be aggressive rather than passive.Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:05:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-tips-for-beginners-standard-layout-or-custom-layout-10https://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-tips-for-beginners-standard-layout-or-custom-layout-10In this episode of ChessBase Tips for Beginners, we look at layout customization and show how to arrange the panes in the single game window to create a more comfortable workspace. You will learn how to use predefined layouts, resize and dock panes, save your own setups, and restore the default view whenever needed.Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/the-1858-rated-kid-who-beat-a-super-gm-the-underdoghttps://en.chessbase.com/post/the-1858-rated-kid-who-beat-a-super-gm-the-underdogIn this episode of The Underdog, Robert Ris presents a spectacular upset from the Asian Esports Chess Cup, where a young Thai player (Pakornnarong Liukasemsarn) defeats super-GM Andrey Esipenko despite an enormous rating gap. In a sharp Italian Game with opposite-side castling, Black bravely pushes the kingside pawns, opens the g-file and keeps finding dynamic resources while White misses several powerful attacking chances on the queenside. The game turns into a wild attacking masterpiece, ending with decisive tactics around the white king and a memorable victory for the underdog.Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-26-tips-for-beginners-part-21-maximum-training-effect-with-the-power-tool-replay-training-part-1https://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-26-tips-for-beginners-part-21-maximum-training-effect-with-the-power-tool-replay-training-part-1Do you know the powerful training tool in ChessBase´26? It's called "Replay Training"! This great feature lets you actively go through games move by move—sharpening your strategic and tactical understanding in a targeted way. Whether under time pressure or not, the choice is yours. Train in a realistic setting, get instant feedback, and systematically improve your play—whether you're a beginner or an ambitious tournament player. In this tutorial, we'll guide you step by step through how Replay Training works. Let's get started!Sun, 28 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/surrealists-and-chesshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/surrealists-and-chessThe Lyon Olympique Échecs club has just sent out an alert to 17,500 chess players and 2,500 other contacts. The message reads: "Surrealists and Chess – for €40, help us save a 19th-century workshop right in the heart of Lyon!" A support committee has been set up, which comprises writers, poets, painters, photographers, gallery owners, doctors, politicians, lawyers, bankers and more. Now it's time for the chess community to join.Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/a-game-that-outlasted-the-day-7https://en.chessbase.com/post/a-game-that-outlasted-the-day-7In the comments on Part 5 of the series, readers pointed out that this was not a “master game” (as stated on the Guinness page), since Arsović had an initial rating of 2200 (which by today’s standards may correspond to a rating of 1400), while Nikolić’s rating was only 15 points higher. Now in Part 7 the author examines the remaining “competitors” to the Gorkov–Golubenko game for the title of the longest game by number of moves.Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/under-the-hammerhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/under-the-hammerIt isn't easy to weave Sotheby’s, Queen Isabella of Spain, Fischer-Spassky 1972, Michael Caine and a vigilante killer into the same article. But that is exactly what John Henderson does, in this piece that appears in the June issue of CHESS magazine. He tells us how the vast collection of chess memorabilia of GM Lothar Schmid, considered to be the largest and most important of its kind in private hands, went under the hammer recently at Sotheby’s in London. You will not believe the prices they received.Mon, 08 Jun 2026 07:32:34 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/upcoming-tournaments-and-events-2https://en.chessbase.com/post/upcoming-tournaments-and-events-2Looking for an interesting over-the-board chess tournament to play, attend, or simply watch? There are plenty being staged all over the world, and we will bring you regular overviews of the most interesting of them. We do this in cooperation with MyChess.events, a global platform that helps players discover upcoming events, check dates, venues, formats, prize funds and registration details. In our selection we highlight selected events from around the world that may interest players, coaches, parents and chess fans.Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:50:53 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/super-classic-romania-2026-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/super-classic-romania-2026-liveThe second event of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour is the Super Chess Classic Romania, which is taking place on 14-23 May in Bucharest. Vincent Keymer and Fabiano Caruana enter the final round tied for first place, while Javokhir Sindarov, Wesley So and Jorden van Foreest stand a half point back and still have chances of taking the title. | Follow the action live with expert commentary starting two hours earlier than usual, at 13.00 CEST (7.00 ET, 16.30 IST) | Photo: Lennart OotesSat, 23 May 2026 12:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/super-poland-2026-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/super-poland-2026-liveKicking off the 2026 Grand Chess Tour is the Super Rapid & Blitz Poland, the first of three speed chess events, which is taking place on 5-9 May in Warsaw. Ahead of the final day of action, Hans Niemann is the sole leader, with Wesley So standing close behind, at a mere half-point distance. | Follow the action live with expert commentary starting at 12.00 CEST (6.00 ET, 15.30 IST) | Photo: Lennart OotesSat, 09 May 2026 11:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/tepe-sigeman-2026-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/tepe-sigeman-2026-liveThe TePe Sigeman Chess Tournament is taking place on 1–7 May in Malmö, Sweden. World number one Magnus Carlsen heads the field, as he faces ambitious opposition that includes Tata Steel Masters winner Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Arjun Erigaisi and rising star Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, who recently became the youngest player to ever cross the 2700 rating mark. The event is an eight-player single round-robin. Follow the games live starting at 15.00 CEST (9.00 ET, 18.30 IST) | Photo: Peter Doggers / Official websiteThu, 07 May 2026 11:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/problem-challenge-aprilhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/problem-challenge-aprilWere you able to handle the four rook endgame studies we showed you recently? They were a little bit harder to solve than they looked. We now bring you all the intricacies and subtleties in short videos by IM Gauri Shankar, who works as a chess trainer in Chicago. And of course we give you full analysis in a ChessBase replayer, where you can switch on an engine to help resolve any residual questions.Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:44:02 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/regulations-for-2026-fide-team-rapid-and-blitzhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/regulations-for-2026-fide-team-rapid-and-blitzPreparations are fully underway for the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2026 in Hong Kong from 16 to 22 June. In previous editions, the tournament has featured numerous top players competing alongside amateurs and rising talents, producing a dynamic atmosphere rarely seen in traditional elite events. Magnus Carlsen is expected to participate in Hong Kong, adding further star power to the competition.Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/candidates-tournament-2026-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/candidates-tournament-2026-liveThe Candidates Tournaments form the final qualifying stage of the FIDE World Championship cycle. Each tournament features eight of the world's strongest players competing in a double round-robin format over fourteen rounds of classical chess. No fewer than six players (out of eight) enter the final round with mathematical chances of winning the Women's Candidates Tournament. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 14.30 CEST (8.30 ET, 18.00 IST) | Photo: Michal WaluszaWed, 15 Apr 2026 14:15:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/a-game-that-outlasted-the-day-4https://en.chessbase.com/post/a-game-that-outlasted-the-day-4It should be clearly emphasized that the longest chess game of all time can only arise by chance. Any prior agreement between the opponents before the game—such as, "Let’s play the longest game in history today!" – or any such understanding reached during the game, automatically turns them into cheaters, with all the ensuing consequences. Estonian chess expert and trainer, Valery Golubenko, tells us about the struggle to regulate very long theoretical endings.Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/a-game-that-outlasted-the-day-3https://en.chessbase.com/post/a-game-that-outlasted-the-day-3Two months ago Valery Golubenko played what may well have been one of the longest chess games ever seen, measured by number of moves, under the rather restrictive conditions of modern chess life. At move 88, with queen and b-pawn against queen, Golubenko's opponent held for 37 moves, until he missed an only move, and it was theoretically a mate in 47. | Photo during the game by Chess Club Kaksikodad – from the right, GM Aleksandr Volodin and the chief arbiter Askold NassarMon, 06 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/the-birth-of-a-journeyhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/the-birth-of-a-journeyPraful Zaveri is the founder of Indian Chess School, where he has trained more than 5000 students. In 2023 he began writing a book, Shat Shat Vande Chess, on the cultural, historical, and philosophical journey of chess, on the 15,000‑year “odyssey” of the game. Now he has decided to make it into a film. Here is the first trailer – and Praful's thoughts on the enterprise.Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:49:56 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-olympiad-cloud-powerhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-olympiad-cloud-powerSuccess in world-class chess is built long before the game begins. With the "Federation Package", developed specifically for national federations, players and coaches gain access to the complete professional ChessBase software, the world's largest chess database, and powerful cloud analysis – at a price that provides up to five times more computing power than individual solutions! A long-term investment that will measurably enhance the performance of the entire team.Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/news-on-the-1896-schiffers-vs-steinitz-matchhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/news-on-the-1896-schiffers-vs-steinitz-matchWilhelm Steinitz had lost his World Championship title to Emanuel Lasker in 1894, but he still retained the right to a return match. That rematch was scheduled to take place in Moscow at the end of 1896. Before that, however, Steinitz played a training match against Emanuel Schiffers. Join us on a brief journey back in time to Rostov-on-Don in 1896.Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/endgame-challenge-solutionshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/endgame-challenge-solutionsWere you able to solve the challenge positions we gave you last week? Were you able to defeat the diagrams, which defended tenatiously? Today we bring you all solutions, with very instructive video explanations by Jared Modica, a chess content creator from Austin, Texas. He shows us how to solve tatical lines of play, and how to handle pawns in endgames.Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:27:02 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/most-attractive-chess-playershttps://en.chessbase.com/post/most-attractive-chess-playersWho is your favourite chess player – of all time, from the history of chess? Whose games do you enjoy the most? Is it one of the greats from the 19th century, the world champion legends of the twentieth? Or is it a player who is still active? Tell us your choices – and we will compare them with what a chess AI chooses, after evaluating millions of games.Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-26-a-players-guide-5https://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-26-a-players-guide-5"Many players use ChessBase, it is the most popular chess software by far, writes GM Iniyan Pa. "Yet, not many people are fully aware of all of its features, and fail to utilise most of them. In this guide I have tried to show the features that I think are vital and important so that the user may gain the most out of the ChessBase. I hope it helps them in their development." We are deeply indebted to Iniyan for his remarkable five-part training review.Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/the-chess-world-in-2026https://en.chessbase.com/post/the-chess-world-in-2026The chess world has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. From a game on the fringes of public interest, it has become part of the media mainstream. This year will see several major events and developments that promise to have a profound impact on the future of chess. Milan Dinić, editor of The British Chess Magazine, has described the main driving factors and what we can expect in 2026.Thu, 05 Feb 2026 11:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-2026-a-players-guide-4https://en.chessbase.com/post/chessbase-2026-a-players-guide-4What is the secret of becoming really good at chess? How can you best improve your understanding, your results and your rating? Well, use the cutting edge study and training software. But also spend some time discovering all the advantages it offers! GM Iniyan Pa has uncovered all the secrets of ChessBase´26, and presents his findings in his training/review reports.Mon, 02 Feb 2026 11:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/tata-steel-chess-2026-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/tata-steel-chess-2026-liveThe 88th edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament is taking place from 17 January to 1 February and once again features the traditional structure of parallel Masters and Challengers tournaments, each consisting of 14 players competing in a single round-robin. Nodirbek Abdusattorov enters the final round as the sole leader in the Masters, while Andy Woodward and Aydin Suleymanli are tied for first place in the Challengers. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 12.00 CET (6.00 ET, 16.30 IST)Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:45:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/cbm-229-review-nagesh-havanurhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/cbm-229-review-nagesh-havanurChessBase Magazine offers a window to the world of professional chess. Nagesh Havanur takes a look at the current issue, CBM 229. All games from the FIDE World Cup, 27 annotated, 11 opening surveys, 3 opening videos, demo lectures and several exercises for training. Annotators include Sam Shankland, Wei Yi, Nodirbek Yakubboev and Gabriel Sargissian among others. The icing on the cake is the Special feature "Giri's Gems", offering the Dutch star's eight best games from the year 2025.Fri, 30 Jan 2026 20:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-07-dec-31https://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-07-dec-31Take a look at this relatively simple position. Can you figure out how White can win? And how many moves it will require to overcome Black's most resolute defence? You won't believe it. To relax we bring you the arguably easiest chess study ever composed, and other entertaining puzzles, many from the out-of-the-box legend Karl Fabel.Wed, 31 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-06-dec-30https://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-06-dec-30In August 2019 I spent a week in France, at the training camp I had organized (together with ChessBase India) for young Indian super talents. Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik did the chess training, while I pestered the kids with logic puzzles. Most did not involve chess, but some did. Here are a couple for you.Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-05-dec-29https://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-05-dec-29In rotary problems the board is rotated by 180° for a second position with a different solution. It is usually pawns that make a different when you turn the board around. Or the king/queen positions, or castling is involved. Can one devise problems where these factors do not play a role? Yes one can, as our expert for out-of-the-box problems, Werner Keym, proves.Mon, 29 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-04-dec-28https://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-04-dec-28These days it is not easy to challenge anyone with problems or studies. Loading the PGN and clicking Start will usually get you the solution in seconds. So we are trying to provide you with "computer resistant" puzzles in this year's Christmas Puzzle Week. Today the subject is taking back a move in a given position and looking for a move to fulfil the condition. As in this 100-year-old problem by Thomas Dawson: it requires you to take back one move and then mate the opponent in two. Can you think how?Sun, 28 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-03-dec-27https://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-03-dec-27There are chess puzzles which only consist of a line of text, asking you to construct a position or a game that it describes. Some can be awesomely difficult, like the puzzle we first posted 41 years ago. Two world champions were not able to solve it. We tell you about that, and present a new ones, not quite as tough, for you to solve.Sat, 27 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-02-dec-26https://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-02-dec-26Take a look at this position, in which White should mate in two. Looks very easy, and hundreds of readers of the newspaper in which it appeared submitted a solution. But it was not correct. In our Christmas Puzzle week the consummate expert of unusual chess problems, Werner Keym, asks you to look carefully at the position and find a genuine way for White to mate Black in two moves. There are two other problems to solve.Fri, 26 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-01-dec-25https://en.chessbase.com/post/christmas-week-puzzles-01-dec-25Christmas day is usually celebrated with a Christmas tree – in problem chess circles occasionally with a puzzle shaped like a Christmas tree. Like this example, composed by the famous Thomas Rayner Dawson, 101 years ago. It illustrates the universal principle of symmetry, and how it can be broken in a chess problem. Mathematics professor Christian Hesse delves into the very profound thinking behind the problem. But you are invited to solve it first.Thu, 25 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-2025-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/global-chess-league-2025-liveThe Tech Mahindra Global Chess League returns for its third season from 14 to 23 December, continuing its franchise-based format that combines elite male and female players. Featuring a team structure, the league again brings together established stars and juniors, with the title to be decided through a double round-robin stage followed by a two-match final. | Follow the action live starting at 11.00 CET (5.00 ET, 15.30 IST)Tue, 23 Dec 2025 10:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/london-chess-classic-2025-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/london-chess-classic-2025-liveThe XTX Markets London Chess Classic is a 10-player all-play-all tournament taking place from 26 November to 5 December at the Emirates Stadium, home to Arsenal Football Club. Four English players and six international representatives make up the lineup, which includes top seeds Alireza Firouzja and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 17.00 CET (11.00 ET, 21.30 IST)Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/rebel-3https://en.chessbase.com/post/rebel-3Ed Schröder, pioneer of chess engine programming, has in his retirement turned his attention to a new and very exciting project: to extract games from a database collection that are especially aggressive – that are short and have daring sacrifices and king attacks. He shows us the kinds of result you can get. Best of all: you can download the utility and use it on your databases.Wed, 03 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/rebel-and-playing-style-in-chesshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/rebel-and-playing-style-in-chessEd Schröder is a pioneer in chess programming. In the 1990s his program Rebel won a number of World Championships in computer chess, and always had a special place in the community, due to its playing style. In 2003 he retired from competitive computer chess, only releasing freeware versions of Rebel. Now Ed has come out of retirement and is undertaking some interesting new projects – like extracting the most interesting games from historical databases. And he is sharing them with us.Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/riddle-korchnoi-karpov-1978https://en.chessbase.com/post/riddle-korchnoi-karpov-1978As chess players occasionally do, Alex Fishbein, the U.S. grandmaster, was recently looking at a classic game from the past: Viktor Kortschnoj's victory over Anatoly Karpov in the 21st game of their 1978 match. Something was wrong. Charles Sullivan had done some intense research on this volatile encounter and asks for your assessment on the results he presents.Thu, 27 Nov 2025 08:31:43 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/world-cup-2025-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/world-cup-2025-liveToday marks the final day of the World Cup in Goa, which began on October 31. But the key question of who will play in the Candidates Tournament in March and April 2026 has already been settled: Wei Yi, Javokhir Sindarov and Andrey Esipenko are in. Now it’s “only” a matter of deciding who wins the tournament. That will be determined today in the tiebreak between Wei Yi and Sindarov. The winner takes home the title and 120,000 USD, the runner-up receives 85,000 USD. | Follow the action live with expert commentary starting at 10.30 CET (5.30 ET, 15.00 IST)Wed, 26 Nov 2025 10:20:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/ivan-sokolov-understanding-middlegame-strategy-vol-12-reversed-colour-systems-king-s-indian-pirc-defencehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/ivan-sokolov-understanding-middlegame-strategy-vol-12-reversed-colour-systems-king-s-indian-pirc-defenceIvan Sokolov’s new course examines colour-reversed King’s Indian and Pirc structures, showing how extra tempi influence typical plans and why these positions feel uncomfortable for humans but not for engines. He analyses key model games from Kramnik, Botvinnik, and Fischer, demonstrating that White usually gets a pleasant setup without a guaranteed advantage, leading to sharp, dynamic battles decided by understanding rather than theory. The course equips practical players, both with white and black, with clear ideas, typical patterns, and concrete plans for navigating these complex reversed-colour systems.Sun, 23 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/world-women-team-ch-2025-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/world-women-team-ch-2025-liveThe World Women's Team Championship took place in Linares, Spain, from 18 to 23 November. The knockout stage saw Russia beating China in the semifinals, while Azerbaijan got the better of Kazakhstan. In the final, Russia (FIDE team) defeated Azerbaijan convincingly, while China grabbed third place. | Follow the games live starting at 13.30 CET (8.30 ET, 18.00 IST)Sun, 23 Nov 2025 13:20:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/review-all-new-releases-in-octoberhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/review-all-new-releases-in-octoberChessBase’s October releases cover everything from chess history to opening repertoire and calculation training. In episode 19 of the Master Class series, the expert team of Dorian Rogozenco, Karsten Müller, Mihail Marin and Oliver Reeh presents the first World Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz. Robert Ris’ new opening course also reaches back to that era, as the opening he examines in depth is named after two classical masters: the Colle & Zukertort System. And who doesn’t enjoy looking into the thought processes of grandmasters and world-class trainers? Discover calculation techniques at the highest level — Surya Ganguly’s “Calculation Step by Step” is sure to climb the ChessBase bestseller list quickly. | All photos: ChessBaseSun, 23 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/svitlana-s-smart-moves-in-memory-of-danyahttps://en.chessbase.com/post/svitlana-s-smart-moves-in-memory-of-danyaSvitlana dedicates the episode to the memory of Daniel “Danya” Naroditsky, whose impact as a player, coach, and communicator reached far beyond the chessboard. She explores one of his favourite ideas in the Four Knights Opening - the powerful Nd5!, a move Danya loved to highlight for its elegance and instructional value. This episode blends clear educational insight with a heartfelt tribute, showing how Danya’s creative spirit continues to inspire players through the ideas he championed.Sat, 22 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/review-60-minutes-against-the-frenchhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/review-60-minutes-against-the-frenchThe concept behind Chessbase's "60-minute" courses is simple: a one-hour video course for just under 10 Euros. There are also courses on middle game and endgame topics, but most courses focus on quite "specialised" opening variations. In the second instalment of a short series, Jochen Schwarz presents the most important 60-minute courses for 1.e4 players against the French Defence.Sat, 22 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/world-cup-2025-r7g1https://en.chessbase.com/post/world-cup-2025-r7g1Friday’s opening games of the FIDE World Cup semifinals offered balanced results but no shortage of depth. Both encounters were drawn, yet Wei Yi and Andrey Esipenko (pictured) produced an intricate tactical sequence, while Nodirbek Yakubboev and Javokhir Sindarov explored a queenless middlegame full of subtle decisions. With three Candidates spots at stake, every nuance now carries considerable weight as the matches head into their second classical games. | Photo: Michal WaluszaFri, 21 Nov 2025 20:10:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/who-will-win-the-world-cup-and-who-will-make-it-to-the-candidateshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/who-will-win-the-world-cup-and-who-will-make-it-to-the-candidatesThe World Cup began on 30 October in Goa, India. Two hundred and six players entered the tournament; three weeks later, only four remain and will now meet in the semifinals. China’s Wei Yi faces the Russian GM Andrey Esipenko, while Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan takes on his compatriot Nodirbek Yakubboev. The top three finishers qualify for the Candidates Tournament. The winner earns 120,000 USD, the fourth-placed player 50,000. But who has the best chances of winning the event — and securing a spot in the Candidates? | Photos: Michal WaluszaFri, 21 Nov 2025 09:35:20 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/world-women-team-ch-2025-d3https://en.chessbase.com/post/world-women-team-ch-2025-d3The preliminary stage of the Women's World Team Championship concluded on Thursday in Linares, with Russia and Georgia topping their respective groups and eight teams advancing to the knockout phase. The final round brought clear outcomes in both pools, alongside a few notable surprises, including India's qualification with a reserve lineup and Ukraine's early exit after two costly defeats. Several intriguing matchups now await in the quarterfinals, most notably China v. United States. | Pictured: Russian IM Polina Shuvalova | Photo: Pavel DvorkovichFri, 21 Nov 2025 05:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/us-championships-2025-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/us-championships-2025-liveThe 2025 US Chess Championships are taking place on 12-24 October at the Saint Louis Chess Club. Each tournament is a 12-player single round-robin with a classical time control. Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So and Hans Niemann are the highest-rated players in the open, while Carissa Yip, Alice Lee and Tatev Abrahamyan head the women's field. | Follow the action live starting at 19.00 CEST (13.00 ET, 22.30 IST)Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-endgame-challengehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-endgame-challengeTake a look at this position. In order to have any winning chances, White must clearly move his rook. There are nine squares it can safely occupy, but only one retains the win. Can you find it? Today we have four problems that will challenge your endgame skills. Try to solve them by moving pieces on our interactive diagrams. The video solutions will be provided in a week.Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:14:58 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/european-team-championships-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/european-team-championships-liveThe ninth and final round of the European Team Championships will determine the medal winners. In the Open Ukraine and Azerbaijan fight for victory, in the Women's Tournament Poland is in the lead, but Ukraine and Germany can still hope to win. | Watch the games live with video commentary. Start: Around 10:00 CEST.Tue, 14 Oct 2025 10:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/fermat-in-chesshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/fermat-in-chessPierre de Fermat (1601–1665) was a French mathematician who made pioneering contributions to analytic geometry, calculus, optics, and probability. He is best known for Fermat's Last Theorem, which famously remained unproven for over three centuries. Then, thirty years ago (in 1995), the mathematician Andrew Wiles published the comprehensive proof. In his book "Chess Stories" mathematician Prof Christian Hesse, told us how he applied Fermat's final conjecture to chess.Mon, 13 Oct 2025 08:32:12 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/lasker-chigorin-legendary-clash-of-two-bishops-vs-two-knightshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/lasker-chigorin-legendary-clash-of-two-bishops-vs-two-knightsAlready in the second round of the famous Hastings tournament of 1895, two of the favourites faced each other in a tough and complex battle. After just thirteen moves, the game had reached a semi-endgame with two rooks and two minor pieces each. Lasker held the pair of bishops, but it was Chigorin with the pair of knights who emerged victorious in the end. The game made history, and its course has been interpreted very differently over time. We invite our readers to join us in the search for new insights.Sun, 12 Oct 2025 15:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/werner-keym-problem-chess-art-6https://en.chessbase.com/post/werner-keym-problem-chess-art-6You may have seen it before. In this very famous position, composed almost exactly a century ago, it is White to play and draw. Which do you think is the stupidest move White could make. Right, that is the solution – it is the only move that saves the game. Problem expert Werner Keym illustrates this in a book which he has made available, as an eBook, to everyone, free of charge. Here are some excerpts to give you a taste. You can play them out on the diagrams we provide.Wed, 08 Oct 2025 08:53:52 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/solution-botvinnik-boleslavsky-1943https://en.chessbase.com/post/solution-botvinnik-boleslavsky-1943Some time ago, we invited our readers to help us unravel a long-standing mystery in the famous game Botvinnik–Boleslavsky, played in 1943 (during World War II!). The response was overwhelming, and in a relatively short time, we reached a conclusion: Boleslavsky could have held the balance – a draw was within reach – despite Botvinnik’s claim in his (usually precise!) commentary that his position was winning.Wed, 03 Sep 2025 18:26:51 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/sinquefield-cup-2025-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/sinquefield-cup-2025-liveThe Sinquefield Cup, the only event to feature in every Grand Chess Tour since 2015, returns to Saint Louis from 18 to 27 August. As the concluding leg before the revived Finals in São Paulo, it will play a decisive role in determining the four qualifiers, with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave currently leading the standings and strong challengers close behind. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 19.00 CEST (13.00 ET, 22.30 IST)Wed, 27 Aug 2025 18:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/man-ray-chesshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/man-ray-chessOver the past 20 years Larry List has curated exhibitions, and written primarily about the interrelationships between chess and visual art. To coincide with a Man Ray exhibition of photos at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this September, Hirmer Verlag of Munich is publishing his new book On Man Ray, the closest artist friend of the famous 20th century artist Marcel Duchamp. It is lavishly illustrated with color photos, with a solid and attractive layout. | Man Ray self-portrait 1926 Centre PompidouWed, 23 Jul 2025 20:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/problem-chess-arthttps://en.chessbase.com/post/problem-chess-artLast week Problem expert Werner Keym gave us some remarkable chess problems to solve. They were from his latest eBook, Problem Chess Art, which is available to everyone, free of charge. Here today are the solutions of the problems he selected for us. Were you able to solve them?Mon, 21 Jul 2025 17:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/can-you-play-pawn-endings-2https://en.chessbase.com/post/can-you-play-pawn-endings-2They are absolutely vital. Gukesh won the World Championship with one – or we could say Ding Liren lost his title because he misplayed it. So can you understand and play pawn endings proficiently? Take a look at this position: White has six legal moves, all with his king. But only one of them ensures the win. Which one? We have four instructive and entertaining positions that will test your skills. And hopefully leave you a better, more effective player.Fri, 27 Jun 2025 16:06:21 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/children-chess-o2-arena-2025https://en.chessbase.com/post/children-chess-o2-arena-2025To mark the launch of a new community chess club, pupils from The Pointer School played a game of chess 52 metres above London atop the O2 Arena. The initiative aims to make structured chess coaching freely accessible to primary school children across Greenwich and South East London. Backed by a strong chess tradition and alumni like Shreyas Royal, the school continues to promote chess as a powerful tool for personal development.Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:25:22 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-statistics-todayhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-statistics-todayIn our previous article on historical chess statistics we showed you the number of rated players there were in 1993, their ages, ratings, and where they came from. Today we compare them with the current FIDE statistics, showing how things have developed in the three decades that have passed. Our report also contains a little puzzle for you to mull over – why does the chess superpower China have so few rated players?Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:38:46 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/the-whole-chess-world-is-yourshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/the-whole-chess-world-is-yoursThe ChessBase Premium Account is a powerful all-in-one chess improvement tool that provides extensive online resources, training, playing opportunities, and cloud services to help players of all levels enhance their game effectively. And the service runs on anything: Windows, Macs, notebooks, tablets, your mobile phone. Watch this video by Sagar Shah explaining the services you get and how to best use it. And best of all: it will only cost you €4.99 per month!Tue, 10 Jun 2025 12:08:55 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/prof-regan-s-statistical-systemhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/prof-regan-s-statistical-systemThe Arbiters’ Council of the European Chess Union asked Prof. Kenneth W. Regan to write a dissemination article about his system, to let every arbiter get acquainted with this very important anti-cheating tool. The article has been written in aw way to make the system understandable without any particular mathematical skill, in order to have the concept behind known to every arbiter. It appeared in the April issue of the ECU Magazine.Sun, 08 Jun 2025 09:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/norway-chess-2025-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/norway-chess-2025-liveThe 13th edition of the Norway Chess super-tournament is taking place from 26 May to 6 June in Stavanger. An open event and a women's event are being played concurrently with an identical number of players, the same format and an equivalent prize fund. Both world champions — Ju Wenjun and Gukesh Dommaraju — are participating, besides world number one Magnus Carlsen. | Follow the games live starting at 17.00 CEST (11.00 ET, 20.30 IST)Fri, 06 Jun 2025 16:45:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/fide-history-era-of-soviet-dominationhttps://en.chessbase.com/post/fide-history-era-of-soviet-dominationLast year FIDE celebrated its 100th anniversary. The book "100 Years of FIDE" is an illustrated history of the World Chess Federation. From it we excerpt passages, with kind permission, this time from the first World Championships in the post-war era – after the sudden death of World Champion Alexander Alekhine. It is a great chance to brush up your knowledge of chess history.Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/the-chess-passport-is-herehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/the-chess-passport-is-hereWorld Chess and the Algorand Foundation propose levelling the playing field with a "chess passport". In a whitepaper published last month, World Chess (LSE: CHSS) and the Algorand Foundation (ALGO) conceptualize a new blockchain-based system that would establish secure, private, and verifiable credentials for global sports organizations, including chess.Thu, 29 May 2025 21:50:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/superbet-chess-classic-2025-livehttps://en.chessbase.com/post/superbet-chess-classic-2025-liveThe 2025 Superbet Chess Classic in Bucharest marks the second stage of this year's Grand Chess Tour and the first of two classical tournaments in the series. Held on 6–16 May, the event brings together ten top grandmasters in a single round-robin format. Reigning tournament champion Fabiano Caruana and world champion Gukesh Dommaraju are part of the star-studded lineup. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 14.00 CEST (8.00 ET, 17.30 IST)Fri, 16 May 2025 19:06:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/in-a-restaurant-in-parishttps://en.chessbase.com/post/in-a-restaurant-in-parisRecently, on the last day of the Paris Freestyle chess even, Sagar Shah of ChessBase India was served dinner by a master chef, someone who takes traditional French dishes to a new dimension. The restaurant he visited, Cellar, provides some remarkable food and equally remarkable chess vibes. Sagar's video report shows you more.Thu, 15 May 2025 21:21:34 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/kasparov-karpov-1987-riddle-solutionshttps://en.chessbase.com/post/kasparov-karpov-1987-riddle-solutionsIn the fourth world championship match between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, played in Seville in 1987, the score was 12–11 in Karpov’s favor, putting Kasparov in a must-win situation to retain his title. This game was the subject of our previous article. We invited our readers to analyze with us, to solve a historical riddle. Here are the results.Wed, 14 May 2025 20:00:00 GMThttps://en.chessbase.com/post/fide-chess-history-2https://en.chessbase.com/post/fide-chess-history-2Last year FIDE celebrated its 100th anniversary. The book "100 Years of FIDE" is an illustrated history of the World Chess Federation. From it we excerpt passages to retrace the final non-FIDE world championship (Alekhine-Boguljubow) and the Chess Olympiads from 1924 to 1940. This is a great chance to brush up your knowledge of chess history.Mon, 12 May 2025 09:06:29 GMT