Qatar 2015 Rd7: Mamedyarov and Sjugirov join Magnus

12/27/2015 – After seven rounds at the Qatar Masters three players share the lead with 5.5/7 each: Magnus Carlsen, who drew against Anish Giri after a tough fight, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, who won a messy game against Surya Ganguly, and Sanan Sjugirov, who defeated Dmitry Jakovenko. Half a point behind the three leaders are sixteen players with 5.0/7. Express Report.

Qatar 2015 round six: race for the title

12/27/2015 – The top five boards ended in draws, so that Magnus Carlsen maintained his half-point lead, but now has 13 people following him. With three rounds to go the race to the title is getting intense. In this report we reveal the secret of what players like Kramnik, Li Chao, Hou Yifan eat during the game, and also how Karjakin, Wesley and Carlsen’s sisters spend the rest day. Illustrated report with pictures, video and analysis.

Qatar Masters: Daniel King analyses

12/27/2015 – The Qatar Masters didn't stop over christmas. For those who haven't caught up with the results, Daniel King analysed two games of the last two rounds in his videos. Carlsen vs Li Shao from round 5 and Wei Yi vs Bromberger from round 6. Click here for the videos...

ChessBase Christmas Puzzles 2015 (3)

12/27/2015 – In the previous installment we showed you a study that Garry Kasparov gave to a ten-year-old prodigy to solve – in his mind. Today we bring you the solution and tell you how 2600+ GMs fared with the same task. And then there is a second study which Garry gave the lad to solve, one that will help you understand some important principles and improve your calculation skills.

Qatar 2015 Rd6: Carlsen leads, with thirteen following

12/26/2015 – The results at the top boards in the sixth round at the Qatar Masters did not live up the excitement of earlier rounds, with only Giri’s cliffhanger game with Ganguly causing heartburn for chess fans. However, if action was lacking on the very top boards, with so many strong GMs, there were plenty of entertaining games to be found. Express report.

Nigalidze stripped of GM title, receives 3 year ban

12/26/2015 – Readers may recall that earlier this year, GM Gaoiz Nigalidze was caught cheating in the 2015 Dubai Open, where his smartphone was found hidden in the toilet. The case was sent to the FIDE Ethics Commission, which investigated and ruled on it, and has issued its first judgement on cheating since the Anti-Cheating Commission was created. Breaking news.

ChessBase Christmas Puzzles 2015 (2)

12/26/2015 – Yesterday, on Christmas day, we showed you a talent test we have been conducting for years; decades almost; with young chess prodigies. The initial position had six pieces on the board and was fairly easy to solve. But shifting the white king to a different square made it really hard. Today we bring you the solution and tell you how our prodigies fared with it. And give you a new talent test, provided by Garry Kasparov.

2015 Indian Premier Championship

12/25/2015 – The 53rd edition of India’s National Premier Championship was held from 15 November 2015 to 28 November 2015 at Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu. The 13 round all-play-all with a rating average of 2501 was the strongest Indian tournament of the year, and the tournament was won by sixteen-year-old grandmaster Murali Karthikeyan. Illustrated report with GM analysis.

Qatar 2015 Round 5: The Magnus Attack

12/25/2015 – It was edge of the seat entertainment from Qatar as Magnus Carlsen beat Li Chao in an opposite side castling attack and moved in to sole lead with 4.5/5. A pack of nine players including Anish Giri, Wesley So and Vladimir Kramnik follow him on 4.0/5. 25th December is a rest day. We bring to you some indepth analysis and exciting basketball pictures from Doha that show World Cup 2015 winner Sergey Karjakin in action.

ChessBase Christmas Puzzles 2015

12/25/2015 – Another year passes, with more chess than ever before. As always we end the year with our traditional Christmas puzzles – this year for the sixteenth time. We start the week with a simple talent test we have been using for decades and recently revived with young players. Some may know it already, but those who don't will see if they can match the brightest young talent we have today.

2015 Al Ain Classic starts

12/24/2015 – The Al Ain Chess Classic has begun on an enthusiastic note. Fifty-two Grandmasters turned up, adding to the strength of the event, with most of them enjoying smooth sailing in the first round except for a few draws that caused minor upsets. Among the top seeds are Wang Hao, Alexei Shirov, and Yuriy Kryvoruchko. Here is a first illustrated report.

ChessBase Account: MyGames Cloud (part one)

12/24/2015 – One of the most powerful tools available among the ChessBase Account browser apps is “My Games Cloud”, which has grown into an incredibly powerful game editor and annotator, with the option to create and save databases and games on the cloud (meaning it is saved in your online account), as well as import PGNs saved on your computer. Here is a how-to-guide.

The real threat

12/24/2015 – Tactics can seem deceptively simple, particularly when seeing an engine analysing grandmaster games. Strange, however, how difficult it is to find the right move and to calculate variations properly when playing yourself. It is easier if you solve tactical puzzles regularly. In the ChessBase Magazine and his tactics column Oliver Reeh helps you to do so.

Qatar 2015 R05: Carlsen leads, eight follow

12/24/2015 – It was one of the most entertaining days at the Qatar open with some great masterpieces of contrasting nature for the fans. While Magnus Carlsen won a brilliant attacking game against the Chinese GM Li Chao to emerge as the sole leader with 4.5/5 points, Vladimir Kramnik displayed his usual endgame expertise to squeeze out a win from what looked like a completely drawn position. Express report.

Qatar Masters R4: Duda vs Carlsen

12/24/2015 – The leading players, Giri and Li Shao, of the tournament played each other in round 4 and drew. Three players caught up: So, Matlakov und Carlsen. Magnus Carlsen played with black against Duda. They played a Najdorf. Daniel King shows this game in his round report. Click here for the video...

Chess on the volcano

12/24/2015 – From 4th to 8th December the Hotel Bicancaneve in the small, picturesque town of Nicolosi, Sicily, hosted the 2nd edition of the Etna chess festival. The field was good and four GMs took part: P. Prohaszka, J. Werle, B Gundavaa, and ‘the still going strong’ O. Romanishin. And to play in the shadow of the still active Etna volcano was a unique experience.

Qatar 2015 Rd4: Five stars and one dark horse

12/23/2015 – It is no surprise to see stars such as Magnus Carlsen, who won a brilliant game today, Anish Giri, Li Chao, Wesley So, and even Maxim Matlakov in the lead with 3.5/4, but in sixth place leading an all-star group with 3.0/4 is the complete unknown and untitled Xu Yinglun with a fantastic 2856 performance. That is what opens are all about. Illustrated report with commented games.

Qatar R03: Chess and football in Doha

12/23/2015 – After three rounds at the Qatar Masters we are down to just two leaders – Anish Giri and Li Chao. They are followed by a pack of 14 players on 2.5/3, including World Champion Magnus Carlsen. We have a lot of highlights and game analyses for you. The great Spanish footballer Xavier Hernandez was the chief guest of the round! Illustrated third round report from Doha.

Sagar Shah: Learn from the Classics (1)

12/23/2015 – How often have you heard the above advice – coaches exhorting you to study the ABC of chess: games of Alekhine, Botvinnik and Capablanca. But just sitting back and enjoying them does not do much for your own playing strength. In this DVD Sagar Shah tells us how to go about absorbing the classics, as he did, and using the ideas in your own games.Review by IM Nisha Mohota.

Qatar Masters R3: Mamedyarov vs Lenderman

12/22/2015 – After three rounds only two players are on 100%: Anish Giri and Li Shao. 14 players are behind with 2,5/3. Amongst others Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov is also on 2,5/3 and faced Alexander Lenderman today. Daniel King shows this game in his round report. Click here for the video...

Qatar 2015 Rd3: Brilliancies and great escapes

12/22/2015 – If there was one thing that stood out in the third round, it was the unrelenting fighting spirit exhibited in the third round. This manifested itself with games that punctuated by strokes of genius, brilliant attacks, to miraculous saves that would leave mere mortals in a state of despair. Another highly entertaining round. Express report with games.

Giant slalom

12/22/2015 – Every week ChessBase magazine author and renowned endgame expert Karsten Müller presents a remarkable or particularly instructive endgame in his blog. A click on the diagram opens a larger board. Test your endgame skills, improve and have fun!

Qatar 2015 round two: Nine players on perfect score

12/22/2015 – The second round of Qatar Masters was filled with high quality chess as strong GMs clashed against each other. Magnus Carlsen finally won his first game in an open tournament after a gap of eight years, Giri won a fine Sicilian against Grandelius and So carved out a beautiful positional victory over Naroditsky. In the evening there was a football match. We have exclusive pictures and game analysis from Doha.

Carlos Torre Open: Excess in moderation

12/22/2015 – After a hectic stint in the San Salvador Open, taking a luxury bus to Guatemala, and braving its dangers with no jewelry, armed only with her camera, Alina L'Ami finds her way to Merida, Mexico where the Carlos Torre International Open was taking place. Once again showing that winter chess options in the sun need not take place in the desert.