8/11/2023 – It can be very challenging to recognize one's mistakes much less own up to them with objectivity. We wiggle and we squirm as we seek to place the blame on outside factors, so imagine what it is like if you are asked to explain your 'crushing defeat' in front of a large audience. This is what happened to Mikhail Tal, but don't miss his priceless reply!

7/19/2023 – In just five minutes, learn how grandmasters use ChessBase 17 to quickly get similar endgames so they can study deeper and learn from others. Whether an amateur or one of the world elite, these easy but powerful tools can help you raise your game and do wonders for your rating! Don't miss this lightning video lesson!

7/4/2023 – In this series of lightning videos, learn everything from the basics to mastery of ChessBase in bite-sized lessons with crystal clear explanations and demonstrations. In this lesson you will learn the secret to annotating your games with variations, moves, colored arrows and more! It will turn you into a power user – and do wonders for your rating!

6/27/2023 – In this series of lightning videos, learn everything from the basics to mastery of ChessBase in bite-sized lessons with crystal clear explanations and demonstrations. In this lesson you will learn the most essential feature: creating your own base and entering games. It will turn you into a power user – and do wonders for your rating!

10/28/2022 – In the last several weeks, the world of chess has been rocked by the accusations and allegations of cheating with the help of a computer. The idea is not new of course, but it might shock you to know the very first case of surreptitiously using a computer in a game against a grandmaster dates all the way back to 1980. You won't believe who were responsible! Here is the original video footage of the pioneers in action.

10/4/2022 – There is a sense of frustration at this stage by parties wide and large, and while the quote in the headline will hit closer to home for chess players, the venerable British newspaper 'The Guardian' also took an unprecedented step by declaring their own official position regarding the entire scandal.

9/20/2022 – It is the story that refuses to die, and with the renewed silent protest by World Champion Magnus Carlsen it is little wonder too. Could he be justified in these dramatic gestures? The world's greatest expert on cheating detection in chess, Professor Kenneth Regan, has analyzed all of Hans Niemann's games over the last two years, online and offline, and renders his verdict.

9/17/2022 – Some readers may have heard of this special tactics training regime, while others will wonder about the gimmicky sounding name. This is the name given to an intensive but very effective training method by the Swedish grandmaster Tikkanen, which just so happens to be a dream fit for the Replay Training feature in ChessBase 16. See how you can get this best of both worlds and watch the video to demonstrate!

9/15/2022 – When you are solving an exercise in a book, or guessing a move in Solitaire Chess, and your move is wrong, the first thing you want to know is why it was wrong, and what the refutation was, but unless the author included your exact choice, you will be left scratching your head. A new feature in ChessBase solves this brilliantly and can become a powerful tool to your improvement.

8/31/2022 – There are many ways to train tactics, from methodical themes, to deep positions, and while all have their place in a player's arsenal of training tools, there is one that specifically targets speed of recognition and play: the Tactics Sprint. If you feel like you want a method to improve your ability to see and play tactics in minimal time see this intro with video!

5/19/2022 – Users of ChessBase are undoubtedly familiar with the Player Encyclopedia that comes with Mega Database, a massive archive of players and photos that allow you to view games with a picture of that player instead of just their name. There is an online version with ChessBase Account, but offers much more. Read the tutorial or watch the video to find out why.

10/27/2021 – Top German player, IM Elisabeth Pähtz, was recently invited to speak at the Digital Demo Day in Germany, in English, where she was asked to discuss the application of quantum computing on chess. She was later interviewed about her life as a chess player with questions on how it compares to Queen's Gambit, but the key question she was asked was: can quantum computing solve chess?

10/22/2021 – This was the question that a friend, grandmaster Alex Yermolinsky, posed after being inquired about a comment by another grandmaster. It was meant as irony, but was the logical result of a series of questions and comments that led to him posing this. He had explained with hard data how one could even ask this. If you want to know how we got to this point, read on!

10/13/2021 – Most players look at endgame study as a necessary evil, akin to taking a very bitter medicine, that may yield results, but is boring. However, what if your study of endgames was punctuated at every corner and turn by fireworks and wondrous moves? This can be achieved, at least partially, thanks to the Studies app from ChessBase Account, making your study of endgames much more fun!

10/4/2021 – Chess improvement at any level requires chess instruction, study, and practice. Thanks to technology, chess instruction of the highest quality is readily available, even in the pages of this news page. However, no matter how many lectures you watch, they do not dispense with actual study, which is often a lonely affair. This is what this new video series hopes to change.

9/23/2021 – While the Solve Tactics mode is undoubtedly the meat of the of the Tactics web app, there are two other modes that provide a very different sort of training, excellent to stay sharp. Both are based on trying to solve as quickly as possible, but each with a slightly different angle. They are also the perfect trainer for bullet chess. You will also find part one demonstrated in a video!

1/12/2021 – Playing chess with a friend in these weird times is not as easy as it used to be, and nothing compares to a "real" played game over the board. But Playchess still has a beautiful alternative, which every premium member can use in less than a couple of minutes. I wanted to play a friend, and surprised him on Facebook by inviting him to play a game on Playchess to try out the video and audio options.

12/29/2020 – In rapid, blitz or bullet the players have between one minute and one hour to mate or flag their opponents. In Hyperbullet they have only 30 seconds. But why not speed this up a bit? How about Ultrabullet, where each player has only 15 seconds for the entire game? "That's silly and has nothing to do with chess anymore", some might say. Ruben Mantel, Germany's best Ultrabullet player, partly agrees with this statement, but not entirely. In a "Rapid Interview" he talks about the attraction of very fast chess, how he came to like Ultrabullet, and whether this form of blitz destroys the game of chess or might help to improve it.

12/23/2020 – Just a quick reminder! Today GM Elshan Moradiabadi will participate in our video blitz tournament at 15:00 CET. The good news is that we still have two open seats available! If you apply, you will be raffled and might take part in our little tournament.

12/16/2020 – The video and audio function of Playchess is being used more and more often by our premium members. Of course, during the pandemic people are thankful for having an option available to see, hear, and play chess with a single friend, a group of friends, or even the whole chess club. Furthermore, in the second half of December, you will be able to face three VIP players! We will also premiere our very first double-round bullet chess evening. Just sign up to play against Regina Pokorna, Elshan Moradiabadi and Germany’s fastest chess player, Ruben Mantel!

11/20/2020 – The ChessBase Playchess server now offers a "Video & Audio" option which allows you to see your opponents and to talk to them. With this function, playing online comes as close as it can get to playing in real life. After successful Playchess tournaments with Elisabeth Pähtz, Vincent Keymer and Simon Williams, Lawrence Trent waits to play against ChessBase readers. If you are a premium member, and if your computer has a microphone and webcam, apply to join the tournament on Monday!

7/3/2020 – It is possible to create your personal room on Playchess.com in just a couple of seconds. With your Virtual Room you are able to organise your own chess tournaments, have club events, give teaching courses and play simuls. In a short video we show you how easy it is to create the room.

1/3/2019 – If you want to work on your openings the reference search is crucial. And in ChessBase 15 the reference search is much faster than before — two to four times faster, depending on your computer. To quote Vishy Anand: "The search booster alone makes life better!" The fast search helps to improve your opening preparation enormously. Our tutorial shows how and why. | Drawing: ChessBase

9/7/2018 – (Continued from Part 2) Wrapping up our tour of the extensive and high-quality Sinquefield Cup coverage on the Saint Louis Chess Club YouTube Channel, we've pulled out a number of the interviews and bonus material you may have missed. Have a look and keep it in mind for future reference. There are game annotations from GM Daniel Fernandez too!