Born 120 years ago today: Vera Menchik and her quiet revolution

2/16/2026 – On 16 February 1906, Vera Menchik was born. After the Russian Revolution, her family lost their property, her parents separated, and Vera Menchik moved to England with her mother. As she did not have a good command of the English language, she devoted herself to chess. In this way, she became the first woman to be invited to top tournaments. Today marks the 120th anniversary of her birth.

How to study openings - GM Felix Blohberger offers advice

2/16/2026 – How do grandmasters organize their opening files? Inspired by Vishy Anand Austrian GM Felix Blohberger shares advice how to use databases that might help you to study more efficiently and play better.
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Carlsen beats Caruana in dramatic match to become Freestyle Chess World Champion!

2/16/2026 – Magnus Carlsen secured the 2026 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship title in Weissenhaus after defeating Fabiano Caruana 2½–1½ in the final. The match turned on a dramatic third game in which Caruana failed to convert a completely winning position and ended up losing. In the contest for third place, Nodirbek Abdusattorov overcame Vincent Keymer to join the two finalists in qualifying for the 2027 Freestyle Chess World Championship. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes
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Freestyle Chess exhibition match: Assaubayeva scores 2½-1½ victory over Kosteniuk

2/15/2026 – Alongside the main event in Weissenhaus, Bibisara Assaubayeva and Alexandra Kosteniuk contested a four-game Freestyle Chess exhibition match over the weekend. Played at the same time control as the world championship knockouts, the encounter ended 2½–1½ in Assaubayeva's favour. The result secured her a place in the forthcoming Women's FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship later this year. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes
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Books that helped Andy Woodward convert winning positions

2/15/2026 – Converting a winning position is one of the toughest skills in chess. Many players build an advantage only to see it slip away at the final stage. This article looks at how Andy Woodward mastered this crucial aspect of the game. From solving endgame studies at a young age to relying on classic chess books, Andy built strong technique, calculation, and patience. These skills played a key role in his Tata Steel Challengers 2026 win. This article offers valuable lessons for players at every level. | Photo: Tata Steel Chess / Lennart Ootes
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Review: New releases in January!

2/15/2026 – We have a new author at ChessBase: Harshit Raja. And the Indian grandmaster is ambitious – he offers a complete 1.d4-repertoire! In addition, new episodes of Ivan Sokolov’s Middlegame Strategy series were released in January, and ChessBase Magazine fans can look forward to CBM Extra #229, packed with a rich "Lucky Bag". | All photos: ChessBase
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Freestyle Chess World Championship - Live!

2/15/2026 – The FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship is taking place on 13-15 February at the Weissenhaus resort. Eight players have qualified through the 2025 Grand Slam Tour and online competition. In Sunday's finals, Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana battle to become the Freestyle Chess world champion. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 15.00 CET (9.00 ET, 19.30 IST)
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Weissenhaus: Carlsen to battle Caruana for world title on Sunday

2/15/2026 – The second day of action at the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship in Weissenhaus saw the start of the knockout phase, with the two semifinal matches deciding who will compete for the 2026 title. Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana emerged victorious and will meet in Sunday's final. In addition to a world title, a place in the 2027 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship has already been secured by both finalists. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Carlotta Wessel
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ChessBase´26 – Tips for beginners, part 3: Insert variations from references and engines

2/14/2026 – If you've only been using ChessBase for a short time and want to benefit from as many of its unique functions as possible, our series offers you valuable, short and easy-to-digest tips for a successful start with ChessBase´26. In the third part of our new tutorial series, we show you how easily and conveniently you can insert variations from the engine analysis and the references into the notation (see the first two tutorial episodes) with ChessBase´26.
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Svitlana's Smart Moves - Move first, think later

2/14/2026 – In this episode of Svitlana’s Smart Moves, Svitlana introduces the concept “move first, think later,” encouraging players to start with concrete candidate moves based on intuition and pattern recognition, and only afterward justify them with general principles. Through several tactical examples, she shows how strong moves arise naturally from experience rather than abstract reasoning about positional features. The key takeaway is that in practical play, it’s often more effective to trust your instincts, calculate actively, and refine your logic afterward, rather than getting stuck searching for rules before finding a move.
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Weissenhaus: Carlsen v. Abdusattorov, Caruana v. Keymer in semis

2/14/2026 – The rapid round-robin on the opening day of the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship determined the four semifinalists for the 2026 title. Magnus Carlsen finished first on 4½/7, followed by Vincent Keymer, Fabiano Caruana and Nodirbek Abdusattorov on 4 points. Qualification was only settled in the final round, setting up Saturday's knockout matches: Carlsen chose to play Abdusattorov, which meant Caruana and Keymer will face off in the other semi. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes
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Review: ChessBase´26 – The beginning of a new era

2/14/2026 – With ChessBase '26, ChessBase presents a new version of its long-standing database software, which is less about minor improvements and more about a strategic further development of the entire system. For decades, ChessBase has been the benchmark for professional chess databases, opening preparation, opponent analysis, and game management at the highest level. In this review, Lukas Köpl focuses on the new features of the current version and examines them from the perspective of a player and trainer.
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The 14-year-old who beat a 2800 player - The Underdog

2/13/2026 – Robert Ris presents 14-year-old prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, who impressed at Tata Steel Masters and scored 7/13 against elite opposition. In a sharp English Opening battle against Arjun Erigaisi, Erdogmus demonstrates deep preparation, fearless play, and precise calculation, including dynamic piece activity and strong strategic decisions. The game eventually transforms into a complex endgame where his bishop pair and powerful passed pawns take over, sealing a remarkable victory for the young talent.

Prophylaxis in dynamic positions

2/13/2026 – The Kasparov Chess Foundation Academy will host a live online lecture by Polish GM Mateusz Bartel on February 15, 2026. The event is part of KCF Academy’s ongoing program dedicated to providing world-class chess education to the chess community around the globe. Keep February 15, 18:00 CET free to listen to him – and learn all about prophylaxis in dynamic positions.
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Join the global celebration of women and girls in chess!

2/13/2026 – To mark March as a month celebrating women, the FIDE Commission for Women's Chess is inviting federations, clubs and organisers worldwide to join the 2026 Chess Women's Day Celebration under the theme "Visible, Connected, Worldwide". Following last year's global initiative, the campaign encourages tournaments, workshops and community events that promote women and girls in chess, linking local activities into a shared international network throughout the month. | Image: FIDE
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Lines, open up!

2/13/2026 – In the diagram position 17.Nxe4! gxf4 followed - and then you'll find the rest of White's attacking moves, okay?

The road to Weissenhaus: Earlier Chess960, a.k.a. Freestyle Chess, World Championships

2/13/2026 – From its early beginnings in Kanjiza and the Chess Classic in Mainz to the officially recognised FIDE championships of 2019 and 2022, the World Chess960 title has followed an uneven but traceable path. Published ahead of the upcoming Freestyle Chess World Championship in Weissenhaus, this overview revisits the main editions of the event, outlining formats, qualification systems and key matches that shaped the development of Freestyle Chess at world championship level. | Pictured: Peter Svidler dealing with a Freestyle Chess starting position (note that the bishops are on the a-file) at the Chess Classic in Mainz | Photo: Frederic Friedel
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Oliver Reeh: Master Class Tactics - Train your combination skills! Vol.4

2/12/2026 – This ChessBase training course by IM Oliver Reeh focuses on improving tactical vision through carefully selected exercises from the “Tune your Tactics” series in ChessBase Magazine. Across 34 interactive videos and over 120 training questions, you actively calculate variations, receive hints if needed, and get immediate feedback to reinforce key tactical patterns. With additional databases containing hundreds of games and exercises, the course systematically sharpens calculation skills and helps you recognize decisive combinations in your own games.

Freestyle Chess World Championship: The fun begins on Friday

2/12/2026 – The FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026 will take place from 13 to 15 February at the Schloss Weissenhaus resort in Germany, marking the first jointly organised world title event in this format under an agreement between FIDE and a private organiser. Eight players, including Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, have qualified through the 2025 Grand Slam Tour and online competition, while a women's exhibition match will also be staged alongside the main event. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes
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