8/2/2025 – After 52.Nf5 (diagram) Black has a way to win, but must protect his own king from damage. So proceed with caution!

8/2/2025 – Magnus Carlsen won the first-ever chess tournament held at the Esports World Cup, defeating Alireza Firouzja with two consecutive 3–1 set wins in the Grand Final. The Norwegian performed convincingly throughout the four-day event, displaying consistent control and clock management in every stage. Earlier on the final day, Hikaru Nakamura edged Arjun Erigaisi 3½–2½ to secure third place. The tournament featured a fast-paced, no-increment format. | Photos: Esports World Cup

8/1/2025 – In this episode, the focus is on typical errors made in Sicilian Dragon games, illustrated through instructive examples from recent tournaments. Chris covers common move-order mistakes, thematic tactics like the exchange sacrifice on c3, and a brilliant underdog win by a 2033-rated player over a 2369-rated opponent using precise Dragon play. The discussion also touches on repertoire-building advice, the importance of playing openings that suit your style, and an amusing anecdote about meeting the young "Vietnamese Dragon" prodigy at the Biel Chess Festival. | Photo: John Upham

8/1/2025 – In the latest episode of the Power Play Show, GM Daniel King examines the final of the Women's World Cup between Divya Deshmukh and Humpy Koneru. In the positions attached, the challenge is to find the best defensive moves. | Watch Power Play on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.

8/1/2025 – While there were few changes in the absolute world rankings, there was a lot of movement in the women's rankings. Magnus Carlsen remains the world's best player. Hou Yifan lost many Elo points, but remains the top-ranked female player. Best junior is Praggnanandhaa, closely ahead of World Champion Gukesh, best female junior is the Winner of the Women's World Cup in Batumi, Divya Deshmukh.

8/1/2025 – The Esports World Cup began on Tuesday, 29 July. Sixteen of the world's best players competed in blitz chess (10+0) for prestige and a prize fund of $1.5 million. Alireza Firouzja and Magnus Carlsen will face each other in the final, while Hikaru Nakamura will take on Arjun Erigaisi in the match for third place. Follow the games live with commentary. | The final starts at 15.00 CEST (9.00 ET, 8.30 IST).

8/1/2025 – Kavutskiy shares how he balances his pursuit of the Grandmaster title with his work as a content creator, coach, and co-founder of ChessDojo. Though his creative and educational work often limits his tournament prep, he remains deeply motivated by a love for the game and a desire to improve. In the interview, he reflects on chess as a tool for personal growth, his admiration for the King’s Indian Defense, and his belief that freestyle chess could shape the game’s future.

8/1/2025 – The third day of the 2025 Esports World Cup chess tournament featured both the quarterfinals and semifinals, with Magnus Carlsen and Alireza Firouzja advancing to the Grand Final. In the semis, Carlsen edged out Hikaru Nakamura in a tightly contested match that went to Armageddon, while Firouzja defeated Arjun Erigaisi 4–1. Nakamura and Arjun will meet in the third-place playoff. | Photos: Esports World Cup

8/1/2025 – The best way to play a good (and successful) game is to start with a strong opening. Svitlana Dimchenko demonstrates how to succeed with the versatile King’s Indian Attack—a dangerous weapon that’s easy to learn. For those who want more, there’s ChessBase Magazine—the best and most comprehensive digital chess magazine, featuring analyses by top players. Get it at a special price during this week’s Summer Special (July 28 to August 3)!

8/1/2025 – In his new Fast & Furious show, Robert Ris shows how 14-year old Turkish GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus surprised Peter Svidler, one of the greatest Grunfeld experts, with a sideline in Svidler's pet opening. | Fast & Furious is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.

8/1/2025 – The 19th Amber Blindfold and Rapid Tournament, held in Nice from 13 to 25 March 2010, saw a gripping duel between 19-year-old Magnus Carlsen, who had just become the highest-rated player in the world, and Ukrainian star Vasyl Ivanchuk, the only player to take part in all editions of the event. Both finished on 14½/22 points, but their paths to victory differed: Ivanchuk remained unbeaten throughout, while Carlsen played uncompromisingly, drawing only 3 out of 22 games. | All photos: Nadja Wittmann

7/31/2025 – Not only does Liverpool have a great musical history, it also has a great chess history. Its chess club was founded in 1837, and one of its early luminaries was Amos Burn. The city is now hosting the British Championships (31 August–10 September), a major chess festival featuring the best players and greatest British talent. | Photos: English Chess Federation