4/27/2025 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books on chess training and strategy. In episode 227 of his "Understanding before Moving" show Herman looks at the career of Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi. | Photo: Pascal Simon

4/27/2025 – FIDE has announced the first group of recipients for its 2025 support programme for chess veterans, awarding a total of €21,500 to eleven distinguished players, coaches and organisers. Among those honoured are Grandmasters Jesús Nogueiras, Igor Zaitsev and Petar Velikov, alongside prominent figures such as Valentina Kozlovskaya and Marija Petrović. This initiative, now in its eleventh year, has so far distributed nearly €500,000, recognising the lifelong contributions of veterans to the global chess community. The next awards will be made in late 2025.

4/27/2025 – From Friday to Sunday, the teams from the Bundesliga and the Women's Bundesliga will play their final rounds together in Deggendorf. Düsseldorf and Bad Königshofen have the best chances of winning the championship. The question of relegation is still open. Live here: Friday from 16.00 CEST, Saturday from 14.00, Sunday from 10.00.

4/26/2025 – The 2025 Grand Chess Tour got underway in Warsaw with the first three rounds of rapid play at the Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland. Held at the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, the opening day saw Vladimir Fedoseev take the early lead with 5 points, followed closely by Alireza Firouzja and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu. Former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov, one of the main attractions of the event, recovered from a slow start to end the day with a notable win. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

4/26/2025 – This new interactive ChessBase video course by GM Fabien Libiszewski offers over eight hours of detailed instruction on the Pirc Defence, a dynamic opening for players seeking winning chances with black. Grandmaster Libiszewski guides viewers through key games and a complete repertoire, helping players grasp the main strategic ideas and counterplay opportunities. Suitable for both English and French speakers, the course also allows users to save games and variations for further study, making it a valuable addition to any ambitious player's training.

4/26/2025 – With three out of eight events completed, the race for a spot in the 2026 Women's Candidates Tournament is intensifying. Ju Wenjun leads the standings with 86.5 points, closely followed by Humpy Koneru on 84, after strong performances in the World Rapid and Blitz Championships. Former champions and rising stars, including Tan Zhongyi, Kateryna Lagno and Afruza Khamdamova, remain in contention. The series resumes in May with the final Women's Grand Prix leg in Austria, keeping qualification hopes alive for seventeen players.

4/26/2025 – In the diagram position, which occurred in a game between Sidney Paine Johnston and Frank Marshall, White demolished Black's centre and a few moves later was able to checkmate his famous opponent - I hope you enjoy this classical game!

4/25/2025 – We are thrilled to announce an exclusive live lecture with IGM Athanasios Mastrovasilis at KCF Academy on April 27. He will be focused on one of the most crucial and underappreciated aspects of chess mastery: defending tough and even lost positions. Come watch and learn!

4/25/2025 – Welcome to The Initiative – a show dedicated to the relentless battle for momentum in chess! In every game, players fight to seize control, dictate the pace, and keep their opponent on the back foot. But what does it really mean to have the initiative? How do the world’s best players maintain pressure and transform small advantages into crushing attacks?

4/25/2025 – At the U.S. Championship in October 2024, Christopher Yoo—one of the greatest talents in U.S. chess—seriously damaged his career. After losing to Fabiano Caruana in round five, he struck a videographer from behind while leaving the venue. As a result, he was banned from the St. Louis Chess Club, faced a charge of fourth-degree assault, and was suspended by the USCF for one year. Yoo later publicly apologized, explaining that he had lost his temper after the defeat. He subsequently hired mental coach Ebru Ceylan. During the Grenke Open in Karlsruhe, Arne Kähler took the opportunity to speak with her.

4/25/2025 – In his new Fast & Furious show, Robert Ris looks at an interesting, surprisingly tricky line in the Reti. | Fast & Furious is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.

4/25/2025 – Looking for a very nice gift for a dear friend? Someone special who really love chess. Then the Rolls-Royce set is definitely something you should consider. It is magnificently designed, elegant as they come, and certainly something that will billionaires like yourself to play a game. Take a look.