3/12/2024 – It is quite a difficult task to find the right trainer for a chess player. More so when there are so many lucrative options available. While some prefer to work on their own, others need a chess coach to guide and help them improve their game. FM Peter Long shares his experiences as a trainer, including the most frequent challenges he had to face. Chess has evolved as a sport over time, which means the training aspect of the game has also changed. | Photo: European Chess Union - Education Commission

10/21/2022 – When Lawrence and Arne began their weekly show, they started with news, and then went over to tactics. The formats fused, and now we give birth to "Trent's Ta(l)ctics". We discuss the latest chess news, and add some tactics in the end. Did anything interesting happen in the last weeks? Besides the Magnus vs. Hans feud, we also dive into the US Women's championship Armageddon match, between Yu and Krush. Finally, our road to 3000 with our good ol' tactics training continues, with the help of birthday boy Maxime-Vachier Lagrave, who thinks the tactics we struggle with are a piece of cake. How fitting.

10/7/2022 – Evgeni Vasiukov was considered one of the strongest players in the world, but never represented the Soviet team in the Olympiads. Remarkable was also, that he learned to play chess at the age of 15! Over decades, he won several tournaments from 1960 to 1991. In this time, he played some remarkable games with tough tactics. Lawrence found two jawbreakers.

9/23/2022 – In the women's chess world, certainly Judit Polgar is the absolute legend. Not only was she among the top ten of the chess world for quite a while, she also played powerful attacking chess, with stunning tactics. Lawrence found four of them, which are instructional, and lovely to solve.

9/2/2022 – Grigori Jakowlewitsch Löwenfisch was born in the 19th century, and advanced to one of the strongest chess players in the world in 1939. The Grandmaster was an avid writer for several chess books, and magazines. Loewenfisch had some venomous tactics up his sleeve, which Lawrence Trent is presenting to us.

9/1/2022 – From now on buyers of Fritztrainer DVDs can unlock and install a download version! So if you don't have a DVD drive (anymore), you can still buy a Fritztrainer on DVD-ROM. You can also install your previously purchased Fritztrainer DVDs on your new computer with the unlocked download. And you can give away a DVD with a clear conscience, because the download is always included. In addition, the stream is unlocked in the ChessBase video portal for iPads & Co! And of course you can buy the download directly in the ChessBase Shop and get it immediately!

8/31/2022 – There are many ways to train tactics, from methodical themes, to deep positions, and while all have their place in a player's arsenal of training tools, there is one that specifically targets speed of recognition and play: the Tactics Sprint. If you feel like you want a method to improve your ability to see and play tactics in minimal time see this intro with video!

8/26/2022 – The Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Simagin was considered a tactical genius. His game against Bronstein is famous, and his move to win the game takes some time to be discovered. Furthermore, Lawrence shows us his tactical brilliance, talks about Frederic Svane, and shows us the power of solving tactical puzzles, to recognize patterns better, and quicker. Also, the final tactic which Lawrence and Arne try to solve, ends terribly.

8/19/2022 – Viktor Kupreichik was a top chess player. The Grandmaster won the Belarusian Championship in 1972, and 31 years later as well, in 2003. His four tactics, which Lawrence has found for us to solve, are fun puzzles. Furthermore, when Lawrence and Arne try to solve the ChessBase tactics, you can witness their worst fail ever! It is painful to watch, but the questions remains: Can you find the mistake they made in their calculation?

8/12/2022 – Lawrence has prepared some stunning tactics, played by the German legend Wolfgang Uhlmann. The French Defence expert was a masterful chess player for ages, and beat Bobby Fischer in 1960, with this very opening. We continue with our journey to reach a rating of 3000. Meanwhile, we are comfortably sitting around 2550.

8/5/2022 – Today, Lawrence and Arne are joined by German WIM Lara Schulze. She loves tactics, and we need help to reach the next chapter in our ChessBase tactics section - 2600. But sometimes, nightmares cross our path, and we have to think for much longer than expected. Join us in our Friday training, and sharpen your skills!

7/29/2022 – Anatoly Karpov was definitely not famous for his outrageous tactics, but when you have played hundreds, and thousands of games, you certainly have some tactical games up your sleeve. Lawrence found some interesting examples, and tough nuts to solve for you.