3/19/2023 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books about chess training and chess strategy. In the 117th instalment of his ChessBase show "Understanding before Moving", Herman shows a game of Dutch author Willy Hendriks and continues to explain why it is good to study and to play the Sicilian. | Photo: Pascal Simon

3/19/2023 – Day 2 of the American Cup saw the end of the first stage of the Champions Bracket, with several matches (Caruana-Robson, So-Shankland, Aronian-Dominguez) all decided in a rapid playoff. Meanwhile Nakamura was able to draw the second classical game after winning yesterday, relegating Sevian to the Elimination Bracket. In the Women’s Section, favorites Krush, Lee, and Tokhirjonova all managed to win their second games despite only needing a draw, while Paikidze defeated Zatonskih in convincing fashion to win their match 1½-½. | Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club / Lennart Ootes

3/18/2023 – Irina Bulmaga is the 30th highest-rated woman player in the world. Last month, she bravely decided to play in the open section of the Romanian Championship, when only a final-round loss prevented her from reaching the podium. Here she tells us the story of her time in Sebes, focusing on her inner thoughts, presented as a candid dialogue with her own brain. She concludes: “Brain and I are thankful. GM or not, we have a purpose. Our life is about chess and making girls and women believe”. | Photo: Romanian Chess Federation

3/18/2023 – Chess will make its first appearance in the European Games as an accompanying event at the Kraków-Maloposka Games 2023. The European Chess Union regulated a new special competition, the European Pair Blitz Chess Championship 2023, which will take place on 19th of June 2023 in Kraków, Poland. Eight teams (ECU members) are invited according the best combined Pair FIDE Classical rating according to the March 2023 list: Ukraine, Azerbaijan, France, Poland, Romania, Germany, Armenia and the Netherlands.

3/18/2023 – In the diagram position Black threatens both ...Qxa1 and ...dxc2, but his king ...Can you find White's elegant winning way?

3/18/2023 – The 2023 American Cup kicked off with several decisive games on the first day of action, with Nakamura, Krush, Lee, & Tokhirjonova all taking a one-point lead in their initial matches. Their opponents (Sevian, Abrahamyan, Pourkashiyan, and Nemcova) will now have to win tomorrow’s game in order to force their match into a playoff. | Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club / Lennart Ootes

3/18/2023 – The 23rd edition of the European Women’s Individual Chess Championship will take place on March 17-30 at the Hotel Palas in Petrovac, Montenegro. The tournament grants 9 spots for the next Women’s World Cup. The top five seeds are Bella Khotenashvili (Georgia), Valentina Gunina (FIDE), Gunay Mammadzada (Azerbaijan), Marsel Efroimski (Israel) and Yuliia Osmak (Ukraine). | Photos: European Chess Union

3/17/2023 – Svitlana shows us the basics of the open and closed Catalan. This opening is often played by some world class players, like Magnus Carlsen, or Vladimir Kramnik. It can either get sharp, or super positional. The model game was played by Alekhine, and the most powerful weapon of the Catalan, the bishop on g2, is exchanged rather quickly. But there are more threats, than only the bishop!

3/17/2023 – In his new Power Play Show, GM Daniel King shares more King’s Indian brilliances with us. Vasyl Ivanchuk played the black side in the recent European Championship and his young opponent chose a line where White looks to take over the initiative on the kingside. This was a highly instructive game where one side's strategy triumphed. | Power Play is on air most Fridays. Watch it on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.

3/17/2023 – What should you do if your opponent offers a draw at an early stage of the game? What aspects should you take into account when making your own decision? GM Jan Markos gives you a series of rules of thumb in the fifth part of his series "Practical Tips for the Tournament Player" to help you go for the full point more often - or accept the offer if it is advisable. You can watch an excerpt from his video here!

3/17/2023 – Former women's world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, currently in the top ten of women's chess, is one of several top Russian players who have left the country or criticized the invasion of Ukraine. Kosteniuk will in future play under the Swiss flag.

3/17/2023 – Today: Matthias Wuellenweber goes into detail about the new hints option for ChessBase 17. In our new video series, our developers personally explain the new features they have developed themselves. From the new data format to the beauty index. In no time at all, you'll learn how it's done.