12/3/2017 – Some players seem to be able to give their pieces magical powers. An invisible force seems to unite the pieces, and even if one, two or more of them are hanging or have to be sacrificed, the power of the remaining pieces easily compensate this. A classic example for such a dynamic is the game Rotlewi against Rubinstein. | Photo: Deutsche Schachzeitung 1908

12/3/2017 – Ever wanted to release your inner Tal or Shirov? This is your chance! On this DVD you will be taken on a journey through what is arguably the sharpest opening line known to men: the Botvinnik Variation! Ever since its birth, in the late 30’s of the previous century, the Botvinnik Variation has fascinated generations of dynamic players. To date, the opening is very much alive and is considered the sharpest and most principled way to meet 5.Bg5 in the Semi-Slav.

12/3/2017 – After winning the FIDE World Cup, Levon Aronian sat down for an in depth interview published by the Champord Newspaper and conducted in Armenian. Meri Grigoryan painstakingly translated the full 43-minute conversation between Levon and Mark Grigoryan (no relation to Meri!), which we shared with Champord to subtitle the original video on YouTube. Enjoy both the video and the complete transcript!

12/2/2017 – It is not often that chess players gets serious attention in the straight press. Luckily we have some great ambassadors for the game. Like IM and WGM Tania Sachdev, who is not just a successful player, but also a much sought after commentator at top events. Last weekend the London newspaper Telegraph devoted a whole lot of space to the media star who is currently doing live video commentary for the London Chess Classic. She talks about the discrepancy between the sexes in a sport that should offer more scope for equality than most. The article remarkably includes a number of glamour shots and details about the exact cost of her attire.

12/2/2017 – The London Chess Classic is the last event in the Grand Chess Tour and is also the last of the classical tournaments with the world's elite this year. The roster is mouthwatering for all fans, with Carlsen, Aronian, Caruana, So, and more. The opening round was a bit slow to gain traction and while there were chances for a couple of decisive results, it was all draws in the end. Round two is on Sunday. Report and analysis by GM Alex Yermolinsky | Photo: Lennart Ootes

12/1/2017 – Vincent Keymer is 13 years old and the youngest International Master Germany has ever had. But playing the World Junior Championship U20 for him was still a bit like "swimming with sharks" and the tournament gave him insights into the rules of "Swiss ping-pong". Keymer was supported by Peter Leko who shares his impressions in an interview. | Photo: Bernd Vökler

12/1/2017 – A solid tactical understanding is sure to help any chess player in critical situations. Whether it is a simple exchange or a mating attack, tactics are ubiquitous. Take advantage of the opportunity to develop your tactical understanding in this series with IM Oliver Reeh and Pascal Simon! Friday at 3.30 pm CEST it's all about the Stalemate!

12/1/2017 – Magnus Carlsen played against his great predecessor, the 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov yesterday at the Pro-Biz Cup kick-off to the London Chess Classic 2017. Guess who won? Games, photos and info... | Photo: John Saunders

12/1/2017 – Holding a gun to your opponent's head can be a double-edged thing — set under pressure, some players start to display unforeseen creativity, like for example Black following 37.Rb7 in the diagram position. What followed?

11/30/2017 – What an interesting month it was for ratings. At the top, there were a few changes and personal bests, but among the Girls and Juniors we saw significant leaps forward. Among the elite, the news was the win by Levon Aronian (again!) and Dmitri Jakovenko, but lower down among the youth, several records are getting ready to topple. Enjoy this review of the new ratings list. | Photo: Valerij Belobeev

11/30/2017 – A detailed review of our recent ChessBase Magazine from Prof. Nagesh Havanur. Among other things this issue includes all games from Sinquefield Cup, FIDE Grand Prix Geneva, Biel Festival and Dortmund FIDE Grand Prix Tournaments. The icing on the cake is the set of games from Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz event with Kasparov’s participation. Our reviewer re-examines two of his games and also sets up a little test for young readers from the Carlsen-Aronian encounter at Sinquefield Cup. 955 games (several annotated) with 12 opening surveys from Sicilian to Semi-Slav. Not to be missed.

11/30/2017 – The 11th Kings Tournament was the first edition held in memory of legendary Romanian player, organiser and teacher, Elisabeta Polihroniade, who helmed the event for its first nine years until her death in 2016 at age 80. A large scholastic event including a simul by Anatoly Karpov started the festivities last Friday in Bucharest. This year's tournament — a pair of four-player double round-robins — was won by Ukrainian's Vassily Ivanchuk and Anna Muzychuk, and was broadcast live on ChessBase with grandmaster commentary. | Photo: Macauley Peterson