7/25/2026 – The latest issue of ChessBase Magazine, No. 232, is once again packed with training material covering a wide range of chess topics. In his review, Lukas Köpl takes a closer look at the magazine's contents, with a particular focus on Jan Markos' article with "Practical Tips".

7/23/2026 – The London System has enjoyed a remarkable rise in popularity. Once regarded as a modest sideline, it has evolved in recent years into a dangerous opening that Black players must take seriously. In his review, Lukas Köpl takes a close look at GM Elisabeth Pähtz's latest Fritztrainer.

7/15/2026 – "Even stronger. Even more beautiful. Even more direct." That is the slogan ChessBase uses to promote the latest edition of its well-known Fritz series. But what does the new version actually offer? Who is Fritz 21 designed for? Lukas Köpl took a close look at the latest release to find out what really lies behind the promises of being stronger, better looking and more direct.

6/16/2026 – The endgame phase is a fascinating world in its own right. Entire schools of thought were founded on the view that one should begin with the art of endgame play. In a collaborative work, Karsten Müller and Leon Mendonca have now released a general guide designed to help players manage the endgame phase, using 10 golden rules of thumb. Lukas Köpl, himself a great admirer of every endgame column and someone who grew up chess-wise with Müller's early works, has looked at the course and summarised his impressions.

5/17/2026 – The London System is no longer a fringe opening on the margins of chess theory, but has developed into a serious and widely tested weapon — an assessment recently confirmed by Magnus Carlsen in an interview. Against this backdrop, Mihail Marin presents an approach that confronts London players with concrete problems at an early stage and demands a high degree of flexibility — a requirement that can prove particularly uncomfortable for unprepared adherents of the system. In his review, Lukas Köpl takes a closer look at this antidote for Black.

5/14/2026 – The ChessBase Opening Encyclopedia 2026 is one of the company’s flagship products alongside the Mega Database and the ChessBase database program - currently ChessBase'26. For years, these programs have formed part of the essential toolkit for everyday chess work. From the very beginning, the Opening Encyclopedia has played a key role by providing a fast and efficient overview of the entire spectrum of chess openings. Lukas Köpl took a closer look at the latest edition of the Opening Encyclopedia and summed up his impressions.

7/28/2026 – The Ragozin Defence is one of those opening systems that are very popular in modern tournament chess. It combines solid classical elements with dynamic ideas. For those looking for active and dynamic play against 1.d4 without taking any significant risks, Grandmaster Surya Ganguly has created a high-class Fritz trainer in "Reinventing the Ragozin". The course impresses not only with its modern repertoire against the Queen's Gambit Declined in impressive depth, but also with valuable insights into the modern opening preparation of current top players. Lukas Köpl has taken a close look at Ganguly's Fritz trainer.

5/9/2026 – The Advance Variation in the French Defence can be seen as the purest form of handling this opening, as White forms the thematic French pawn chain as early as move three and aims to rely on his advantage in space and minor pieces. In his review, Lukas Köpl examines Jan Werle's contribution to the "60 Minutes" series from the perspective of both player and trainer.

4/25/2026 – The two-part FritzTrainer series "King’s Indian – A Complete Repertoire for Black" by Grandmaster Felix Blohberger is devoted to one of the most dynamic and at the same time complex openings in modern chess: the King’s Indian Defence. Lukas Köpl examines the series with regard to its structure, content, didactic quality and practical relevance.

3/21/2026 – ChessBase Magazine has been a gold standard for structured chess training for decades. From club players to strong tournament competitors, it offers ample material for players of all levels. Lukas Köpl, himself a long-time user of “CBM”, takes a look at the latest issue of ChessBase’s digital magazine and presents his personal highlights.

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.

11/16/2025 – Hardly any opening polarises opinion online as much as the London System. Black has numerous ways to achieve a comfortable position. Nevertheless, there are many followers who have remained loyal to this opening for years. What if there were a surprise weapon that could lure White out of his comfort zone and into positions that require precise play instead of formulaic thinking? Andrew Martin has a secret weapon up his sleeve that he wants to share with us – Lukas Koepl presents the course.

11/8/2025 – "The perfect sacrifice is every chess player's dream," says Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran in the description of his Fritz Trainer! But when exactly is a sacrifice perfect? How can you correctly assess and evaluate sacrifice ideas, and how can you handle them when complications arise? The Grandmaster from India now wants to show ambitious chess players the answer to this question with his Fritz Trainer. Lukas Köpl has summarised the essence of the Fritz Trainer in his review.

9/27/2025 – The technique of calculating variations is perhaps one of the most important techniques that defines a chess player's playing strength. An entire generation of top players, including the current World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, have a reputation of being true calculating machines. David Navara brings the secrets of calculating variations from the perspective of an absolute top player with a peak rating of 2751 to your home. Lukas Köpl, himself a trainer and advocate of the technique of calculating variations, reviewed David Navara's contribution. | Photos: ChessBase

7/24/2025 – In his Fritz Trainer, Grandmaster S.P. Sethuraman presents a modern repertoire for the classical Sicilian. Reviewer Lukas Köpl, an experienced tournament player and licensed trainer with over 15 years' experience, introduces the course and shows how ambitious players and Sicilian fans can benefit from Sethuraman's work.