5/30/2017 – It is well known that pawns are the soul of chess. And sometimes they are surprisingly strong. Particularly so when the king supports them.

5/30/2017 – Have you ever read about some genius who seemingly had a memory reserved for movies or fiction? Have you ever wished you had some of that, even if you have a good memory now, or can barely remember the number of your mobile phone? The fact is that these seemingly impossible feats are well within the grasp of anyone, if they learn some basic techniques of memorization. Here is an introduction.

5/29/2017 – The latest and greatest chess engine is here, Komodo 11, helping chess players analyze and understand games and positions with ever greater skill and knowledge. That said, while there is no question the engine is an essential part of the equation, when you buy Komodo 11 at Chessbase, you get a series of other benefits such as a 6-month Premium subscription to ChessBase Account. Learn what’s new in Komodo 11 and why you should not delay in adding it to your stable.

5/29/2017 – Older readers will remember it well: for decades the Chess Informant – Šahovski Informator – was a lifeline for serious chess players. Two, later three issues per year provided a selection of games and top-grade analysis. Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Vladimir Kramnik, and Viswanathan Anand have all said that the Informant was central to their tournament preparation. Now, after 50 years of publication, we are treated to a Jubilee Tournament of chess studies, which we bring you with the kind permission of Tourney Director Yochanan Afek.

5/27/2017 – The unforgettable Viktor Kupreichik passed away a few days ago at the age of 68, and with him one of the greatest creative minds in chess passed away as well. Alex Yermolinsky readily admits he was one of his fans from an early age, and later had the chance to face him over the board. Instead of trying to neutralize Kupreichik's wild play, he invited it, leading to a game he explains "is so insane I can't even annotate it properly." Have fun!

5/27/2017 – James Altucher is an American hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, bestselling author, venture capitalist and podcaster, founder of more than 20 companies. Also a chess master, Deep Blue trainer. His fondest wish was to play Garry Kasparov, which he recently did, during a podcast with the Champion. A one-hour discussion that provides unique insights into Kasparov's career, his match against Karpov, his training with Botvinnik, and a lot more. Miss this incredible discussion at your own peril.

5/26/2017 – An issue packed with rich material. Four Great events, Women’s World Championship, Tata Steel (Carlsen overtaken by Wesley So) Gibralter and FIDE Grand Prix. 2284 OTB games, of which 149 are annotated. Commentators include Wesley So, Levon Aronian and Mihail Marin among others. Eleven opening surveys, ranging from the Sicilian to the Slav, to surprise your opponent! Exercises in opening traps, middle game tactics and endgame technique. DVD lessons by Rainer Knaak, Rogozenco, Simon Williams and Karsten Müller plus a live commentary by Danny King. CBM 177 offers both an armory and ongoing course for ambitious players. Review by Prof. Nagesh Havanur.

5/26/2017 – Sometimes a single well-placed piece can suffice to hold a game - like for example Black's magnificent knight in the diagram position. Yet here the case is different. White wins thanks to his space advantage on the kingside, marked by pawns on the 5th rank ...

5/24/2017 – Did you ever wonder who was (or is) the best player of all time? Who would win if all 16 World Champions, plus Philidor, Labourdonnais, Anderssen and Morphy could play against each other in a tournament? How would Steinitz, Lasker or Capablanca cope against the best players from today? Such questions have no answer, of course, but are hotly debated.

5/24/2017 – Continuing his look at how champions began to include new openings later in their careers, the tireless student of the game, GM Alex Yermolinsky, looks at Mikhail Botvinnik, 'The Patriarch', and his employment of the Pirc-Modern defense. He also shares his first encounter with the great player as a junior, speculates on what a Botvinnik-Fischer match would have looked like, and even mentions his secret match with Gata Kamsky when he was 14. Enjoy this great article!

5/24/2017 – The Asian Continental Championship 2017 came to an end in Chengdu, China with Wang Hao taking the first place on the tiebreak. Although the tournament began with Yu Yangyi and Wei Yi at the helm, it was Wang Hao and Bu Xiangzhi who took the first two places. In the women's section, former Asian Junior Girls Champion Vo Thi Kim Phung took the title. Illustrated Report.

5/24/2017 – Alina l'Ami is one of the most colourful personalities in the world of chess. She is not only a wonderful photographer and a great reporter, but also a strong International Master. IM Sagar Shah, who hosts the ChessBase India show had an hour long chat with Alina, trying to understand how is it that she excels in everything that she does. This was the 8th ChessBase India show! In this article we tell how you can watch this high quality chess content.