12/29/2024 – After our Christmas Puzzles, involving kings and a couple of pawns, you may be tempted to call Ding Liren's oversight in the final game of the World Championship match a gross blunder. It was a catastrophic mistake that cost the World Champion millions of dollars of potential future income. How it came about is explained by ChessBase Magazine author GM Dorian Rogozenco in this video reconstruction.

12/29/2024 – The World Rapid Chess Championships concluded with outright victories in both the open and women's sections. In the open category, 18-year-old Russian GM Volodar Murzin stunned a star-studded field to claim the title with an unbeaten 10/13 score, becoming the second-youngest champion in the event's history. Meanwhile, India’s Humpy Koneru clinched her second women's world rapid title with a clutch final-round victory, finishing with 8½/11 points. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

12/29/2024 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books on chess training and strategy. In the last episode of his ChessBase show "Understanding before Moving" in 2024 Herman invites you to enjoy some fascinating endgame studies. | Photo: Pascal Simon

12/29/2024 – The World Championship match between Gukesh Dommaraju and Ding Liren demonstrated how important it can be to catch your opponent on the wrong foot in the opening. In her 60-minute course, Svitlana Demchenko shows how this can be achieved with both colours and very little theory. | Photos: Nils Rohde

12/29/2024 – Beneath its deceptively simple facade of a game, chess conceals a rich tapestry of human ingenuity and thought. It is, as Anatoly Karpov succinctly remarked, art, science, and sport all rolled into one. Yet, while the competitive aspect of chess basks in the limelight with its high-stakes, action-packed tournaments and matches, the subtle but no less fascinating endeavour of chess composition, where artistry shines the brightest, languishes in relative obscurity. As a step towards redressing this imbalance, ChessBase India and the World Federation for Chess Composition (WFCC) present My First Endgame Study, a beginner-friendly study composing contest designed for chess enthusiasts eager to explore the creative world of chess composition, specifically studies. Details follow.

12/28/2024 – Day 2 of the World Rapid Chess Championships in New York delivered high drama. Magnus Carlsen's withdrawal following a dress code dispute dominated headlines, leaving the open section without its defending champion. Meanwhile, Alireza Firouzja, Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Volodar Murzin emerged as co-leaders in the open. In the women's section, Ju Wenjun, Humpy Koneru and Harika Dronavalli now share the lead after impressive performances. With one day remaining, the race for the prestigious world titles heats up. | Photo: FIDE / Lennart Ootes

12/28/2024 – Simple pawn endings are vital, and can win you a World Championship. Ask Gukesh. So can you understand and play them proficiently? Do you recognize winning chances in your calculations? In the second part of our Christmas pawn endgame puzzle suite, we bring you new and entertaining positions that will test your skills. And hopefully leave you a better, more effective player.

12/28/2024 – From the bad position shown in the diagram, Black started to cleverly fish in muddy waters until White finally blundered. Chess trickery at its best - have fun!

12/27/2024 – The World Rapid and Blitz Championships began in New York on 26 December. Sagar Shah is reporting for ChessBase India, while Anish Giri is participating. They are good friends and, before the start of the tournament, Sagar invited the Dutch top player to try his luck in a little quiz about the most famous chess player in New York: Bobby Fischer! How well do you know Fischer's games? How well does Giri know Fischer's games?

12/27/2024 – Would you know that Black (to play) in this position can win? Would you recognize that, instantly, in your calculations? And would you be able to play it to victory? That could win you a World Championship! Today we want to check your pawn ending skills, with positions to solve and techniques to learn. It is an entertaining and instructive pastime in the Christmas week.

12/27/2024 – The 2024 World Rapid Chess Championships kicked off on Thursday, with thrilling action unfolding in both the open and women's sections. In the open, Volodar Murzin, Shant Sargsyan, Daniel Naroditsky and Leinier Dominguez (pictured) lead with 4½/5, while defending champion Magnus Carlsen trails by 2 points after a tough start. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Alice Lee stunned the women's field, finishing day 1 with a perfect 4/4 score to take sole leadership. | Photo: FIDE / Lennart Ootes

12/26/2024 – New York City, a dazzling collision of ambition, culture and history, is also a vibrant chess hub. From Washington Square's hustlers to iconic clubs like the Marshall Chess Club, chess weaves through the city's fabric, blending art, history and community. The game thrives in museums, cafés and parks, drawing enthusiasts of all levels. As NYC prepares to host the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships, the city's rich chess legacy takes centre stage, reaffirming its role as a global chess powerhouse.