Oliver Reeh

Oliver Reeh has been working for ChessBase for many years as a translator and presenter of the internet show TV ChessBase, and he also looks after the tactics column in ChessBase Magazine, for which he has also been responsible as editor-in-chief since 2019. 
The International Master has contributed to the CB "MasterClass" series and is the author of the DVDs "Strike like the World Champions" and "Master Class Tactics - Train your combination skills!" Volumes 1 & 2. Oliver Reeh lives in Hamburg.

Recent news

Difficulty level 2640

11/6/2026 – In the diagram position, 19.f5! leads to a decisive attack. However, White still has a very tough nut to crack – are you up for it?

Dark squares

11/2/2026 – In many ...e6 Sicilians, Black pursues the concept of actively developing their f8-bishop or exchanging it favourably. However, in the diagram position, 11...Ba3?? is simply bad. Can you see why?

Najdorf Poisoned Queen Variation

10/23/2026 – From the diagram position, White checkmates in five moves after 17.Qxb4! Nxb4—can you find them all?

Clear case

10/16/2026 – In the diagram position, White has an extra piece and the mating idea Qh6-g7++ – so it's no wonder that the game only lasts two moves after 27.Kh2, right?

A little offside discussion

10/9/2026 – Your chess instinct probably just tells you that 40...Qxa2?? can't be good in the diagram position. Could you also provide a concrete refutation?

Super knight?

10/2/2026 – In the diagram position, Black showed too much respect for White's Nh5 idea. Can you see a good way to ignore it?

Sword of Damocles

9/25/2026 – In the diagram position, White calmly waited with the discovered check until it lead to checkmate by force. I hope you share his anticipation!

Fianchetto fiasco

9/18/2026 – It's hard to believe, but after 23...Bg7 in the diagram position the game lasted only two (!) moves. White received a big checkmate gift - and you can unwrap it!

Pawns and central squares

9/11/2026 – 'Neutral moves' don't change anything essential in a position - 24...Bd8?? in the diagram definitely doesn't belong in this category. Do you see a new detail that White can exploit afterwards?

Watch the corner

9/4/2026 – It's easier to see why 30.Bxf7?? leads to a loss for White in the diagram position when the move is on the board—but perhaps you can already do it here!

The hunt is on!

8/28/2026 – 56...Qb1! (diagram position) is a super move. The challenge is to see the complete path to checkmate after 57.Rxc4, ideally already here. Do you accept it?

Tartakower's torpedo

8/21/2026 – 25...Qf4 (diagram position) led to the exchange of the white queen g3 - but not in the way Black imagined! How would you react?

Discovered check

8/14/2026 – A practical player would, of course, first go 27...Nf2+ in the diagram and then see if Black has more than a draw. But I'd be interested in hearing your opinion here!

Turkish Delight

8/7/2026 – In the diagram position White has a powerful knight e5, plus active rooks on the d- and f-file. Now all that's left is to bring the queen a6 into the attack - the question is, how?

Fischer's Fritz flop

8/7/2026 – Today, for a change, there's a little quiz on the Two Knights Defence - let's see if you know all the names!

Ekstra class

7/24/2026 – White's many trumps in the diagram position are striking. Making the most of them is no easy task—so this might be just the thing for you!

Queens and knights

7/17/2026 – In the diagram position, the attacked Black knight must absolutely return to b7, but after 16...Nd7??, White makes short work of it. Do you see all three of her moves to victory?

Sicilian Fireworks

7/10/2026 – In the diagram position, White begins the hunt for the black king with 18.Rxe6+! And you can deliver the decisive blow three moves later – good luck!
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