Dortmund 03: Strange chess

6/30/2015 – It seems that some of the topsy-turvy play in Dortmund continues, even after the rest day. Both Caruana and So played bad games, but one of them managed to win his bout! Meier confused himself in a winning position against Caruana and dropped a full point. Naiditsch was not so kind and proceeded to demolish So. Kramnik tricked Nepomniachtchi, while Nisipeanu held on against Yifan.

2015 Russian Higher League: Sapere Aude!

6/30/2015 – The Russian Higher League is underway, bringing many of the strongest players in Russia to not only fight for a part of the five million Ruble prizefund (USD 90 thousand), but also one of the five coveted spots in the Russian Superfinal. The tournament is being held in Kaliningrad, home to Immanuel Kant, where Eteri Kublashvii has been providing lovely pictures and impressions.

The one diagonal principle

6/30/2015 – 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!

ChessBase's Tactics Training revisited

6/30/2015 – Among the various new free Web apps created by ChessBase, the Tactics Training is probably the one that promises the most immediate benefit for your play, whether you’re a master or an amateur. Since it first came out, it has undergone several refinements, making it a must for any student of the game working seriously, or just for fun, automatically calibrating the difficulty.

Capablanca Memorial won by Yu Yangyi and Kunin

6/29/2015 – It was a sign of the Chinese player’s superb form, that in spite of a loss in round six he never slowed down, and won the Capablanca Memorial Elite group, a round in advance, finishing with 7.0/10 and a 2860 performance. German-based Vitaly Kunin also dominated the Premier group with 6.5/9 a point and a half ahead. Report with Yu Yangyi’s attacking chess.

Tal in Memoriam

6/29/2015 – The 28th June happens be the death anniversary of Misha Tal. Few players in chess history have been loved and adored as much as this charismatic figure. Nagesh Havanur pays a tribute to this legendary player, recalling a rare encounter with Garry Kasparov. The second is a hussar-style duel with elegant tactical play throughout. Sheer magic!

No mail today

6/29/2015 – The German post is on strike. For weeks now. Long enough to make this no longer news in the German news. But letters and parcels still arrive. 80% of them, claims the "Deutsche Post". Still, you start to wonder: do I get no letters because I write none? And where is the ChessBase DVD I ordered? And what to do to improve the situation - and one's chess?

2015 Commonwealth: interview with Humpy

6/29/2015 – "Nobody believes Humpy" was a typical headline in national newspapers, after top female GM Koneru Humpy, who was leading with 3.0/3, withdrew from the event. Like her colleague Tania Sachdev, Humpy had forfeited a winning game after misunderstanding the time control rules. Sabrina Chevannes, who is on the appeals comittee, interviewed Humpy to find out exactly what happened.

Dortmund 02: Nisipeanu early leader

6/29/2015 – Some scintillating chess by the black pieces today in Dortmund. The match between two of America's finest, Caruana vs. So, was not a very precise game but it was full of emotion. So took it in a long endgame. Kramnik demolished Hou Yifan brilliantly, while Meier held Nepo to a nice fought draw. However the story of the day is that Nisipeanu already has a one point lead!

Viktor Bologan: the Queen's Indian Defense

6/28/2015 – Once ranked world no.18, Viktor Bologan continues to share his extensive opening knowledge without restrictions, and in his latest work, the Moldovan grandmaster casts his eye on the reputable Queen's Indian Defense. IM Narayan Srinath, an experienced player in the opening, looked at it, and says that had he known the DVD before his results would have been even better.

Dortmund 01: Germans excel!

6/27/2015 – The Dortmund Super-Tournament has started, and it was a great day for the German players as they almost swept their opponents 3-0. Naiditsch won convincingly against Kramnik... and with the black pieces! Meanwhile Nisipeanu welcomed So to Germany with a crushing attack. Hou Yifan can count her blessings that she did not fall to Meier. Caruana and Nepomniatchi split the point.

2015 Commonwealth: Gupta leads; Humpy protests

6/27/2015 – World Champions are always closely watched by the chess world, which follows their example at the board. The current World Champion Magnus Carlsen is no different, in that he has started a trend of… players losing on time! The 2015 Commonwealth Chess Championship witnessed top Indian woman players, GM Humpy and IM Sachdev, losing on time for not knowing the time control.

Wesley So in Hamburg

6/26/2015 – While travelling from Prague to Hamburg, GM Wesley So took the opportunity to visit the ChessBase headquarters in Hamburg. There he met the ChessBase family, was able to see the offices and studio, and enjoyed some one-on-one instruction with resident experts to finetune his understanding of the indispensable program. He also popped in the studio and kibitzed on the Norway games.

FIDE ACC statement on Sandu affair

6/26/2015 – Readers will recall the shocking letter in the European Women Chess Championship, which fifteen players signed, regarding their ‘concerns’ for cheating by WGM Michaela Sandu. Even the most superficial analysis showed the utter lack of evidence to support this. Finally, FIDE’s Anti-Cheating Commission has issued a statement on the matter.

Near or far?

6/26/2015 – 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.

Norway Rd9: Topalov wins event, Carlsen loses

6/25/2015 – It comes as no big surprise that Topalov, with white, managed to neutralize Anand to take sole first, but there ended the expected. Nakamura and Giri both fought hard to win with black in their games, and while Giri missed a chance to beat Caruana and take second, the American outplayed Aronian for a great finale. Still, the surprise was Hammer-Carlsen, with Carlsen losing again! Round Nine report.

Typical mistakes by 1600-1900 players

6/25/2015 – It goes without saying that such a title is not merely about helping players identify their mistakes, but rectify them. English GM Pert, National Head Coach for the English Chess Federation, proposes to do just that, highlighting common issues with 57 videos on lessons and tests to aid the player plug the holes in his game and prevent it from sinking prematurely.

Walter Browne dies in his sleep at 66

6/25/2015 – GM Walter Browne, born in Australia, was a six-time US Champion and eleven time winner of the National Open. He won the American Open seven times, the World Open three times, and the US Open Championship twice. On Wednesday night, after a tournament, a simul and a poker session in Las Vegas, Browne passed away suddenly. The chess world is shocked and saddened by this loss.

Norway 08: Topalov-Anand defines all

6/24/2015 – The results today in Norway have blown the tournament wide open! Anand beat Hammer with ease, while Giri ground down Topalov in a long game. The Bulgarian still leads, but he faces Anand tomorrow. If the Indian player wins he will claim clear first place! Nakamura was unable to keep pace as he drew MVL from an advantageous position. All eyes on Topalov-Anand tomorrow.

Documentary film: The Polgár Variant

6/24/2015 – Everyone has heard the myths and the rumours surrounding the Polgár sisters, but how many of us really know the true story of the family that yielded three chess super-talents? For over four years an Israeli film-maker collected archive material never seen before, and produced a documentary that is epic and historic, but also personal and intimate. Watch the latest trailer.

Norway 07: All drawn

6/24/2015 – Five draws today in Norway 2015. Interestingly, all the games ended in repetitions, but the way they got there was very different for each game. Carlsen went pawn hunting with home prep against MVL, who accepted a draw though he didn't have to. Topalov almost pushed too hard and was in trouble against Caruana. He seems in good shape to win the first Grand Chess Tour event.

ChessBase Magazine 166: Always evolving

6/23/2015 – Over the decades, ChessBase Magazine has evolved into a unique full-fledged multimedia magazine, always true to its roots, and always bringing more high quality content. In this latest edition, the subscriber or buyer will find everything they could want, from opening articles, powerful novelties, tactics and strategy lectures, and a fantastic Benko Endgame video course.

The outside pawn is the knight's biggest enemy

6/23/2015 – 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!

Valuation: variations on a famous Kubbel study

6/23/2015 – One of the greatest chess composers in history was Leonid Ivanovich Kubbel, born in 1891 in St. Petersburg, Russia. One of the greatest contempory composers is GM Pal Benkö, born in 1928. One of the most famous studies of all time is a 1922 composition by Kubbel. It is, however, not completely flawless, and so Benkö set out to polish it. He gives us a unique insight into the process.