1/17/2017 – What a round it was. While the masters saw three decisive games, the challengers saw six of the seven games end with victors and losers. It was also a round defined by fatal blunders that upset the balance of the games. The most obvious was Rapport’s change of fortunes as he went from won to lost against So, but he was not alone as Bok and Jones also self-immolated on the board. Still, it wasn't all tragedies as Wei Yi and Karjakin scored. Report with analysis by GM Tiger Hillarp-Persson.
Tata Steel 2023: Analyses by Giri, Van Foreest, Praggnanandhaa, Donchenko and many more. "Special" on Anthony Miles. Kasimdzhanov, Marin and Zwirs show new opening ideas from Wijk in the video. 11 opening articles with repertoire ideas and much more!
Winning starts with what you know The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
The Modern Steinitz (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 d6!?) is an uncompromising weapon that lets Black put White under pressure from the very start.
€49.90
The elite Tata Steel tournaments in Wijk aan Zee are underway and take place from January 13-29, with two main tournaments, the Masters with both Magnus Carlsen and Serget Karjakin as headliners, as well as Wesley So, Levon Aronian, Anish Giri, Baskaran Adhiban, Radoslaw Wojtaszek, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Richard Rapport, Dmitri Andreikin, Wei Yi, Pavel Eljanov, and Loek van Wely. All rounds in Wijk aan Zee begin at 1.30pm, except for the last round on 29 January 2017, which begins at 12.00pm. Both rounds on the Chess On Tour days start at 2.00pm.
All photos by Alina L'Ami for the tournament site
Masters tournament
Round 3 - Monday, January 16
Adhiban, B.
½-½
Aronian, L.
Eljanov, P.
½-½
Harikrishna, P.
Karjakin, S.
1-0
Van Wely, L.
So, W.
1-0
Rapport, R.
Wojtaszek, R.
½-½
Giri, A..
Andreikin, D.
½-½
Carlsen, M.
Wei, Y.
1-0
Nepomniachtchi, I.
Video impressions of round three
It was a thrilling day for the fans who saw their efforts to come and watch rewarded with games covering the full spectrum, whether spectacular complications, technical endgames, just rewards, and tragic losses. None was so obvious as the game between Wesley So and the extremely creative Richard Rapport.
By far the most exciting game of the day, Richard Rapport played beautifully to reach a totally winning position against Wesley So.
It was hard to really know who had the upperhand, no matter who the engines seemed to favor (back and forth), and after 25 moves, they reached this position:
So - Rapport
With few options, Black manages to find the one move to harrass White: 25...Bc1! Not only attacking b2, but untouchable due to ...Nd3+
and just a couple of moves later it was time to head back!
In a way, it reminds one of a World War II story, depicted in episode 7 of Band of Brothers, the great mini-series based on the equally great book by Stephen Ambrose. In it, an American soldier races down the middle of a road filled with armed Germans. His mission isn't to wreak havoc, but to deliver a message at the end. Gawking, the Germans stare at him in disbelief as he ignores them, runs right past them, and jumps over a wall. But that is not the end of it. Seconds later, he climbs right back over the wall, and races back! The Germans are still stunned, and by the time they start firing at him, he is safely back with his mates. If that tale were to be told on the chessboard, this sequence would be it.
Unfortunately for Rapport and his fans, things got ugly at record speed when a couple of blunders cost him the game.
Wesley So - Richard Rapport
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
1.Nf3Nf62.g3b63.d4Bb74.c4e65.Bg2Be76.0-00-07.Nc3Ne48.Bd2Bf69.Rc1Nxd210.Qxd2d611.d5e512.e4Nd713.h4a514.Bh3Nc515.Kg2Bc816.Rh116.Bxc8Qxc817.Qe2Be718.Nd2Nd719.Rh1Nf620.Nf1h521.Ne3g622.Rcg1Kg723.Kf1Rh824.Ke1Qd725.Kd1Kg826.f3Bf827.g4Rh728.Kc2Be729.Rg2Qd830.Kb1Kh831.Nf1Nd732.Rgh2Kg733.Rh3hxg434.fxg4Rxh435.Rxh4Bxh436.Qh2Bg537.Qh7+Kf838.Nh2Qf639.Rf1Bf440.Nf3Ke741.Rh1Bg342.Nd2Qf443.Qh3Nf644.Qg2Qxg445.Ne2Bf446.Nxf4exf447.Qf1Nh548.Qd3Kf849.a3Re850.Ka2Kg751.Nf3Nf652.Re1Nd753.Qc3+Ne554.Rf1Qh355.Qc1Nxf356.Qc3+f657.Rxf3Qg458.Qd3Rh8 0-1 (58) Tomashevsky,E (2731)-Ponomariov,R (2709) Baku 201616...Bxh3+17.Rxh3Qd718.Nh2h519.f3g620.g4Kh721.Rh1It isn't often that one see both sides preparing for major offensive operations on the kingside like this. Who is attacking who? White's plan is Nf1-g3 prepared by protecting g4 with the queen and taking the king out of the x-ray attack on the g-file.Rg822.Qd1This frees up the knight for its repositioningBg723.Nf1Bh624.Kf2?This almost ridiculously subtle imprecision is the beginning of trouble for White, and a creative player like Rapport doesn't need to be asked twice. With the exact same concept, White needed to play24.Ng3and only after Kf1, and not on f2.24...Bc1!It seems almost innocuous with nearly all Black's pieces tied in awkward positions, but this causes White quite the headache.25.Ng3Obviously25.Qxc1??fails toNd3+25...Bxb226.Nb5Bc1!Time to go back!27.gxh5Bf428.Nc3f529.hxg6+Rxg630.Nxf5Rag831.Kf1b5!Superb, and the idea is only clear with the next move.32.cxb5Rg2!Black is completely winning now. The point of ...b5 is now clear. Without it, White could now play Ne2, but now if Ne2, Black plays Qxb5.33.Qb1Qf7??33...Rd2!was simple and winning.34.Ne2Nd335.a4Nb2 and the threat of Rd1 is fatal. Ex:36.Kf2Nxa4with the idea of Rxe2+ Kxe2 Nc3+37.Rc1Rb2etc.34.Ne2Qg6??and now with this blunder it is White who is winning.35.Ne7Rf2+Desperation.36.Kxf2Qg2+37.Ke1Rg338.Rxg3Qxh1+39.Rg1Qxf340.Nxf4Qe3+41.Ne2Nd3+42.Qxd3Qxd343.Ng8Qf344.h5Kh845.Rg6Qh1+46.Kd2Qxe447.Nf6Qb4+48.Ke31–0
Wesley So discusses his win against Richard Rapport
It wasn't all tales of woe. Chinese prodigy Wei Yi played a fascinating game against Ian Nepomniachtchi, concluding a very complex Najdorf with a classy technical win in the endgame.
Wei Yi - Ian Nepomniachtchi (annotated by GM Tiger Hillarp-Persson)
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
1.e4c5Already at this stage I felt inclined to comment on this game. It's nice to see that there are some who still seek asymmetry.2.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3a66.Bg5Finally someone who is prepared to play a principled move.Karjakin came up with6.a3in the first round against Giri. I guess this move is inspired by a kind of psychic prophylaxis: "I'll stop you from playing b5-b4 because the cards say that you will play b7-b5." Then Carlsen followed suit in round 2, and won. "Principled" is so yesterday.6...e67.f4h6This line has ascended from obscurity into the limelight in only a few years. Compared to the normal poisoned pawn lines (without h6 and Bh4) I can only find one small difference (but possibly I've missed something). 7...Qb68.Qd28.Qd3!?8.a3Nc6is much better for Black now that there is no Bf2.8...Qxb29.Rb1Qa310.e510.f5is one option that is unique to this move order.10...h6leads to the same position described after 9.Qd2. I'm still not much wiser as to why Black prefers h6 to the direct Qb6.8.Bh4Qb6This move is played in many Sicilian scenarios, with the idea of luring White to place Nd4 on a more passive square. White is not in the habit of cooperating.9.a3This is the latest fashion.9.Qd2Qxb210.Rb1Qa311.e5dxe512.fxe5If you go down the rabbit hole, you will be likely to meet something likeNfd713.Ne4Qxa214.Rd1Qd515.Qe3Qxe516.Be2Bc517.Bg3Qd518.c4Bxd419.Rxd4Qa5+20.Rd20-021.Bd6f522.Bxf8Nxf823.Nd6Nbd7where Black is currently doing all right. Wei Yi has tried this twice with White, with no success.After9.Qd3Qxb210.Rb1Qa3I get the feeling that h6/Bh4 favours Black somewhat.Without h6/Bh4, White could consider9.Nb3, although it would be a terribly passive move. Here it is just bad because ofQe3+winning a pawn.9...Nbd7This is a first step off the most trodden paths, and a step that I like.The normal9...Be7almost forces White to play10.Bf2, whenQc711.Qf3Nbd712.0-0-0b513.g4featured in three absolute top games in 2016. The last game saw:Bb714.Bg2Rc815.Kb1g516.Qh3Nc517.Rhe1h518.Nf5!Ncxe419.Bxe4Nxe420.Bd4with a huge attack for White, in Nakamura,H (2775)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2800) 8th London Classic 2016. It has been clear since then that Black needed to find an improvement.9...Nc610.Bf2with splendid chances for White, is the main difference to the usual poisoned pawn lines (7.. .Qb6).9...Qxb210.Na4and as we all know; the knight on the rim is dim.10.Be2This move doesn't quite fit with the usual narrative of "queen goes to f3, long castle, g4, bam!", but it isn't obviously wrong. I'm very curious as to how far Wei Yi's preparation stretched. When I read his comments, I get the feeling that he has an exceptional "sense" of what goes on in the Najdorf and that his preparations are more conceptual than they are detailed.After 10.Bf2Qc711.Qf3, hoping for 11...Be7, Black can instead playb5 , which seems a bit more active.10.Bc4e5!?10...e5As far as I can tell, this is a novelty.However, now that the queen's route to f3 is obstructed, it is again possible to play10...Be711.Bf2Qc7White should continue with12.Bf3and then eitherg6or12...Nb6, intending e6-e5, seems possible.11.Nf5!White's minor pieces start swarming and the knight is on the road towards d5. Still, Black cannot tolerate the knight on f5 and has to kick it towards its goal.g612.Bf2!?This means either a) that Wei Yi has prepared the position deeply and seen that the 12.Ne3 is less clear than the engines indicate, or b) that he didn't prepare the position and played Bf2 on instinct. Considering how the game continues and the fact that he spent quite a lot of time on this move, it seems more likely that b) was the case.The engine likes12.Ne3better, intendingQxe313.Bf2At first sight it seems thatNg413...Qxf414.g3Qxe415.Nxe4Nxe416.Bf3Nxf217.Kxf2h5is another possibility, but the bishop on f3 looks strong here.14.Bxe3Nxe315.Qd2Nxg2+16.Kd1Nxf4is fine for Black, but when you evaluate this kind of line you must first of all look for forced lines. Indeed, in this case there is such a one:17.Rf1!Intending Rxf4. If Black is allowed to solidify his position then the sacrifice will be less effective.Be717...g518.Nd518.Rxf4exf419.Nd5Bd820.Qxf4Ne521.c4and Black is definitely under pressure. I wonder if Wei Yi considered this line and chose not to enter it?12...Nc5After this move we seem to be on a one way road, so if Black is to find an improvement (apart from 10...Be7), then this is the place to look for it.12...Qc7?!13.Ne3exf414.Ned512...Qc6!?13.fxe5dxe514.Ne3Bc515.0-013.b4!Being ahead in development, it's the initiative, not the pawns, that count.gxf514.0-0!?There was nothing wrong with14.bxc5and it is far from clear that Wei Yi's move is the better one. It keeps things simple and allows for Black to be a bit surprised.14...Nfxe414...Qc7leads to the same position as after 16... Qc7.15.Nxe4fxe416.bxc5dxc516...Qc7!17.Qd517.Rb1!?Be618.Bg417...Qc618.Bc4Be619.Qxc6+bxc620.Bxe6fxe621.cxd6exf422.Bd4Rg823.Rxf4Bxd624.Rxe4leads to a slightly better endgame for White, but there are other promising alternatives on move 17.17.fxe5?!Here17.Qd5was the strongest move. After something likeBg718.Rad1Be619.Qxe4exf420.Qa4+Qc621.Qxc6+bxc622.Bxc5White has good winning chances.17.Bh4Rg8is less clear.17...Be618.Rb1Qc619.Bg4The bishop on e6 is the linchpin of Black's position, so White must challenge it.b5Black can also consider19...Rd820.Qe2Be721.Bxe6fxe622.a4h520.Bh4!The most active place for the bishop that also opens the route for the rook to f6.Rg8?!Black should keep the rook out of f6:20...Bg7!21.Bf6Bxf622.Rxf6Rd8is unclear. The queenside structure gives Black some reasons to be optimistic.21.Bxe6Qxe622.Rf6!Qg4!22...Qxe523.Rxa6!Rc824.Rc6!Ra825.Qe2c426.a4Rg627.Bf6Rxf628.Rxf6Rxa428...Qxf629.Qxe4+29.Rbf1is close to winning for White.23.Qd2Be724.Rf4Qd7Black seeks salvation in exchanges, falls into a trap. Better was 24...Qe625.Bxe7Qxe726.Rxe4Rg6, when White is better, but no more.25.Qxd7+Kxd726.e6+!There's the trap.After26.Rxf7Rae8Black is doing very well. For instance:27.c4e328.cxb5axb529.Rxe7+29.Rxb5?Kc6-+29...Rxe730.Bxe7Kxe731.Rxb5e232.Kf232.Rb1Ke632...Rxg2+33.Ke1Rxh2with equality. With a c-pawn and such a centralized king, Black is happy to enter almost any rook endgame.26...fxe626...Kxe6?27.Rxe4+27.Rf7Rg5A neccessity since27...Rae828.Rd1+loses a piece.28.Rd1+Ke829.Rh7b4Black gets some more chances with29...c4aiming to pick up the a-pawn for nothing. Still, after30.Bxg5hxg531.Kf2Bxa332.Ke3a533.Kxe4a434.c3Black is struggling to survive but White's advantage is not a comfortable one. Black's pawns look menacing and a small mistake might cost the game.30.a4c431.Bxg5hxg532.Rh8+Bf833.Rf1Ke734.Rh7+Kd635.Rh8Ke736.Rh7+White's next few moves are anything but random. The point is that he gets a rook to the c-file, which makes it easier to handle Black queenside pawns.Kd637.Rhf7Bh638.Rd1+Ke539.Rc7c3 Black hopes to be able to make b4-b3 work at some point. The downside is that Black's queenside pawns are robbed of most of their dynamism.Perhaps Nepomniachtchi didn't have enough time to calculate the consequences of39...b3!?40.Rc5+Kf4After41.Rxc4b242.Re1Ke543.Rexe4+Kd644.Rcd4+Ke745.Rb4Bg740.Kf2g440...Rb8!?41.Rc5+Kf642.Ke342.Rb1?Rd842...g4+43.Kxe4b344.cxb3Rxb345.g3and the engine assures me that White is winning. Still not a problem free situation.41.Rc5+Kf642.Ke2Rb843.Rb1?!43.Rd4was better, although I can symphatize with Wei Yi's handling of the situation. He doesn't risk anything by taking it easy.43...Rd844.Rf1+Ke745.Rc7+Kd646.Rc4Ke7?!46...Ke5!47.Rd1Rb848.Rc5+Kf6would again lead to the position where White needs to play49.Rd4!47.Rd1Rb848.Rdd4b349.cxb3Rxb350.Rc7+Kf651.Rxe4Rb2+52.Kd3 White's dream comes true. All of Black's active pawns gets liquidated within the next few moves. In the resulting endgame, the e-pawn is of little consequence, whereas the a4-pawn becomes a hero.Rd2+53.Kxc3Kf554.Re1Rxg255.Rc5+Kf656.Re4Rxh257.Rxg4a5Black is able to save the a-pawn by tactical means, but now he is left with two weaknesses: the a-pawn and the e-pawn.58.Kd3Rd2+58...Rh3+59.Kc4Bd260.Re460.Kb5e560...Rc3+61.Kb5Rxc5+62.Kxc5Bb4+63.Kc6Kf564.Re2Bc365.Kd6Bb4+66.Kd7e567.Kc6Ke668.Re4Bd269.Kc5Bb4+70.Kc4Be771.Re3Bb472.Rh3and the e-pawn will fall.59.Ke4Re2+60.Kf3Re3+61.Kf2Re5?This makes matters simple for White.62.Rg6+Kxg663.Rxe5Bd264.Rxe6+Kf765.Re4Kf666.Ke2Bc367.Rc4Be567...Bb468.Rxb4axb469.a568.Rc5Ke669.Rxa5Bc770.Rb5Kd671.Kd3Kc672.Kc4Bb673.a5Ba774.a6Bb675.Rb31–0
In spite of all the big names, Pavel Eljanov has risen to the top of the interest list with his super start. In round three he was finally held to a draw by Pentala Harikrishna.
Pavel Eljanov - Pentala Harikrishna (annotated by IM Sagar Shah)
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
1.Nf30Nf6232.c455c5173.Nc325d519 Harikrishna likes to play the Semi-Tarrasch. Soon we reach something similar.4.cxd545Nxd595.e3202e61236.Bc42526.d4would be the e3 variation of the Semi Tarrasch.6...Nc61447.0-048Be73818.Qe25090-0 344 What Hari does is nice to learn from. He just develops his pieces and gets his king to safety.9.Rd139Nb625710.Bb5966Bd7304 Once again simple development. No flashy business.11.d4402cxd410912.exd4! 7 Accepting the Isolani is the correct way to play.12.Nxd4Nxd413.Rxd4Bxb514.Qxb5Qc7And Black has absolutely no problems.12...Nb42913.Bxd76Qxd7914.Ne57Qe8!423 A very nice idea. Hari realizes that sooner or later he will play f7-f5 and hence the queen is well placed on e8.15.a3150N4d513016.Rd322f5742 After this move the e5 square and e6 pawn become weak, but White has no real kingside attack.17.Bd21320Bf614418.Re1101Rc835719.Rg3201Qe760220.Bh61112Kh829721.Bc111Kg8218 Hari has a comfortable position, but with the leader and the black pieces, he is fine with a draw.22.Bh653Kh814723.Bc15Kg86624.Rh355 Eljanov shows great fighting spirit, although objectively this decision is incorrect because only Black can have chances to fight for advantage.Bxe540825.Qxe59Rc61926.Qe231826.Nxd5Nxd527.Qxd5??exd528.Rxe7Rxc1+-+26...Rfc8228 Black's harmony keeps improving.27.Bd24Nxc311828.bxc36928.Bxc3Nd5is clearly better for Black.28...Nd52529.a4609Qf733930.Rg3152Nxc3 28831.Rxc34Rxc3832.Bxc37Rxc3833.h33Rc691 Black has pinched a pawn and White has to play carefully, in order to not let Black consolidate.34.Qe5!23Qd720234...h6looked more human.35.Qb8+Kh736.Qxa7Ra637.Qc5Rxa438.Qe5Ra639.Rc1White has compensation and the game should most probably end in a draw.35.Qb8+85Kf75636.Qxa727Ra61537.Qb849Rxa414338.Rb140b51839.Rxb554Ra8 22940.Qe50Rd810241.Rb6180Qd530442.Qxd511542.Qxd5Rxd543.Rb4Theoretically Black is better but there is no way to win the d4 pawn and White will hold with ease.½–½
Special thanks to IM Sagar Shah for sharing his analysis published at ChessBase India
There were no pretenses by Dmitri Andreikin at anything other than to keep the wolves at bay, and an uneventful draw was the result against Magnus Carlsen.
The third and most deserving winner was Sergey Karjakin, who outplayed Loek Van Wely quite thoroughly, scoring his first win of the tournament, and joining the group of five at 2.0/3.
It was all the more pity as Loek Van Wely came with his baby son who believes in teaching by example
A fun little video in which the players are asked their choices in a theoretical dilemna
Some of the following games contain tweets posted by interested parties watching the event on the Internet:
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
1.Nf3Nf62.g3b63.d4Bb74.c4e65.Bg2Be76.0-00-07.Nc3Ne48.Bd2Bf69.Rc1Nxd210.Qxd2d611.d5e512.e4Nd713.h4a514.Bh3Nc515.Kg2Bc816.Rh1Bxh3+17.Rxh3Qd718.Nh2h519.f3g620.g4Kh721.Rh1Rg822.Qd1Bg723.Nf1Bh624.Kf2Bc1Mig Greengard: what a fun move!25.Ng3Bxb2Nigel Short: amazing how Richard Rapport manages to produce a tactical trick
with his only two (mildly) active pieces!26.Nb5Bc127.gxh5Bf428.Nc3f529.hxg6+Rxg630.Nxf5Rag831.Kf1b532.cxb5Rg233.Qb1Qf7Susan Polgar:
you can't play inaccurate chess against Wesley and hope to win. He will
capitalize and take advantage of these mistakes.34.Ne2Qg635.Ne7Rf2+36.Kxf2Qg2+37.Ke1Rg338.Rxg3Qxh1+39.Rg1Qxf340.Nxf4Qe3+41.Ne2Nd3+42.Qxd3Qxd343.Ng8Qf344.h5Kh845.Rg6Qh1+46.Kd2Qxe447.Nf6Qb4+48.Ke3Lars Bo Hansen: tragic loss for Rapport who plays brilliant game vs. So
before blundering winning position to a loss. Eljanov leads.1–0
The Challengers also saw more than one game decided all of a sudden with a one-move disaster.
Ilya Smirin enjoyed just such a windfall as a dead equal game against Gawain Jones turned on its head
30...Rxd1+ 31. Qxd1 Qc5 was an easy draw. Instead Black played 30...h6?? and after 31. Qf3 (Qf2 was as good) had no defense against Qf7+ and got mated.
Even more violent was Vladimir Dobrov's win over Benjamin Bok, from lost to mating
Bok - Dobrov
White needed to play 37. bxa6! after which he would have won. Instead he played 37. b6?? and was mated after 37...Rhh5! 38. Re4 Rf2 (threatening ...f5+) 39. Rf4 Rg5+ 0-1
It was a bad day for Jorden Van Foreest who lost a second game in a row, but it was also a day to celebrate for the women as Lei Tingjie took down the 2600+ scalp
Austrian GM Markus Ragger continues on his perfect run as he defeated Canadian GM Eric Hansen
Anish Giri chips in his feedback on Erwin L'Ami's post-mortem. Erwin drew against Jeffery Xiong, the only draw in the Challengers section in round three.
The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 14 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.
Albert SilverBorn in the US, he grew up in Paris, France, where he completed his Baccalaureat, and after college moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had a peak rating of 2240 FIDE, and was a key designer of Chess Assistant 6. In 2010 he joined the ChessBase family as an editor and writer at ChessBase News. He is also a passionate photographer with work appearing in numerous publications, and the content creator of the YouTube channel, Chess & Tech.
Chess Festival Prague 2025 with analyses by Aravindh, Giri, Gurel, Navara and others. ‘Special’: 27 highly entertaining miniatures. Opening videos by Werle, King and Ris. 10 opening articles with new repertoire ideas and much more.
Experts examine the games of Max Euwe. Let them show you which openings Euwe chose to play, where his strength in middlegames were, which tactical abilities he had or how he outplayed his opponents in the endgame.
This interactive video course of over 8 hours, provides an in-depth exploration of the Pirc Defence, a favoured opening for people looking to play for the win with the black pieces.
Pirc Defence Powerbase 2025 is a database and contains a total of 10027 games from Mega 2025 or the Correspondence Database 2024; of these 874 are annotated.
The Pirc Defence Powerbook 2025 consists for a greater part of engine games (168 000), to which has been added high value material from Mega and the Correspondence Database (115 000).
The free app from ChessBase! ChessBase Mobile has everything you need as a chess player on the go:
access your chess data in cloud databases - and 13 million games.
€0.00
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.