7/26/2026 – The Mega Database 2026 contains over eleven million games — an impressive archive of chess knowledge. And it keeps growing. Thanks to the weekly Mega Update service, you receive about 5,000 new games each week, directly from tournaments around the world. As with ChessBase´26, keeping the Mega Database up to date requires just a few clicks. In this tutorial episode, we’ll show you how.

7/19/2026 – Working with ChessBase´26 is so enjoyable because it builds on the experience of the developers from 18 previous versions. But you don’t have to wait for the next release — you’ll receive ongoing improvements directly to your computer through the free update service. And don’t worry: staying up to date with the latest updates takes just a few clicks. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how.

7/18/2026 – Whether your focus is strategy, technique or opening theory, ChessBase's June releases have something for everyone. Renowned authors such as Adrian Mikhalchishin and Andrew Martin share a wealth of practical advice, while ChessBase newcomers Kostya Kavutskiy and Andy Woodward make an impressive debut with their first courses. The month also brings new Powerbase and Powerbook titles on the Slav and the Semi-Slav. Take a look at all the new releases from June!

7/16/2026 – The tension continues to mount after round two of classical chess in the Masters and Generations Challenge Triathlongs at the Biel International Festival. At the top of the Masters standings, Le Quang Liem caught Levon Aronian after defeating Matthias Bluebaum. The Generations Challenge may be somewhat overshadowed by the main event, but its youngest participant is making a major impression. Sixteen-year-old Vaclav Finek of the Czech Republic has produced the best performances so far in both the rapid event and the two classical games, and now leads by a 3½-point margin. | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

7/15/2026 – The first round of classical chess in the Masters and the Generations Challenge Triathlons at the Biel International Chess Festival was played on Tuesday. Each event produced two draws and one winner. Matthias Bluebaum (pictured) drew his game against Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, while Le Quang Liem defeated Jose Martinez. In the Generations Challenge, Alexandra Kosteniuk beat Carissa Yip. In the Masters Open, Christian Gloeckler surprisingly dropped half a point as early as round two. | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

7/12/2026 – Let's continue with ChessBase´26's powerful training tool "Replay Training": Replay Training! We already introduced you to this super feature in the last article, and in this tutorial, we'll show you some additional features that will help you noticeably improve your playing strength in a fun way. Let's continue ...!

6/28/2026 – Do you know the powerful training tool in ChessBase´26? It's called "Replay Training"! This great feature lets you actively go through games move by move—sharpening your strategic and tactical understanding in a targeted way. Whether under time pressure or not, the choice is yours. Train in a realistic setting, get instant feedback, and systematically improve your play—whether you're a beginner or an ambitious tournament player. In this tutorial, we'll guide you step by step through how Replay Training works. Let's get started!

6/21/2026 – Discover a powerful tool in ChessBase´26: Medals! With just a few clicks, you can highlight tactical brilliancies, strategic masterpieces, or typical mistakes—and find them again at any time. Medals help you analyze your games more effectively, organize them, and build up valuable training material. This turns your database into a personal success coach. Learn how to make the most of this powerful feature!

6/14/2026 – Training, endgame technique and a wealth of up-to-date analysis: the latest ChessBase releases focus on different aspects of practical chess improvement. From interactive training with Fritz 21 and strategic insights drawn from the games of Bent Larsen, to clearly structured endgame principles presented by Karsten Müller and Leon Luke Mendonca, as well as current tournament coverage and opening theory in ChessBase Magazine, these products form a versatile package – practical, well-founded and designed to support continuous improvement. | All photos: ChessBase

6/14/2026 – You can find the perfect games for your training in no time: using the shortcut CTRL+F, you can search your databases specifically for players, game phases, or strategic and tactical themes. These search results let you focus your training exactly where you or your students want to improve.

6/12/2026 – What the mouse can do! Following on from the aesthetic aspects covered in the last ChessBase´26 tutorial for beginners, this time we show you how you can use the mouse in different ways. The scroll wheel and mouse buttons can be used in a variety of ways. Here, too, it is a matter of personal preference which settings you choose.

6/11/2026 – Vaishali Rameshbabu remains on the fast track: after gaining the right to challenge Ju Wenjun in a match for the World Championship title, the young Indian grandmaster won the rapid chess event of the WR Women's Chess Tour in Tokyo. The blitz tournament was won by the experienced Kateryna Lagno. Both earned 15 points towards the tour standings. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

6/2/2026 – A match between Hans Niemann and Ian Nepomniachtchi was held in Belgrade from 29 May to 1 June. The confrontation ended in a 4–4 draw. The Russian GM took the lead in the first encounter, and after six drawn games, Niemann levelled the score in the final contest. | Photo: Ljubomir Ljubojevic playing the honorary first move / Endgame AI on X

6/2/2026 – On the top board in round seven of the 2026 European Women's Championship in Batumi, 2023 European Champion Meri Arabidze (pictured left) defeated 15-year-old Anastasiia Hnatyshyn, bringing the Ukrainian youngster's winning streak to an end. With the victory, Arabidze caught up with Hnatyshyn in the standings. The third co-leader is Sabrina Vega Gutierrez, who defeated Ulviyya Fataliyeva. | Photos: European Chess Union

6/2/2026 – There has been some movement at the top of the world rankings. Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana both lost rating points at the Candidates Tournament. As Nakamura's losses were more significant, both players dropped below the 2800 mark. In May, however, Caruana gained four rating points and caught up with Nakamura. As a result, Caruana is now listed in second place, with Nakamura in third. Magnus Carlsen, meanwhile, is currently competing in Norway, where one of his goals is to avoid losing rating points. He remains the clear world number one. Players ranked fourth through seventh are Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Vincent Keymer and Anish Giri. Hou Yifan remains the world's top-ranked female player, while World Champion Gukesh is the highest-rated player in the U20 category. Anna Shukhman is the new number one among the girls.

5/29/2026 – Elmira Mirzoeva (pictured left) of England tops the standings after four rounds of the 2026 European Women’s Championship in Batumi. She shares first place with 15-year-old Ukrainian Anastasia Hnatyshyn. Seeded 53rd and 76th respectively, the two surprise leaders are half a point ahead of the next four players. Another half point behind them is a large chasing group of 29 players. | Photo: European Chess Union

5/28/2026 – After three rounds at the 2026 European Women’s Championship in Batumi, seven players still maintain a perfect score of 3/3. Varvara Poliakova, seeded 110th, currently leads the standings on tiebreak. Close behind the leading group is a pack of 15 players on 2.5/3. | Photo: European Chess Union

5/24/2026 – Demanding weeks for a number of elite grandmasters: Vincent Keymer, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu get just one day off between their appearance at the GCT event in Bucharest and the start of the super-tournament in Norway. They will once again face a lineup of world-class players, led by world number-one Magnus Carlsen and world champion Gukesh Dommaraju. In the women's tournament, world champion Ju Wenjun will be competing. The six participants in each event will play a double round-robin tournament. | Photos: Norway Chess / Michal Walusza