2/8/2025 – In the diagram position Black has an astonishing path to victory. In the game, however, she preferred 24...Qc7 25.Kg1 Qc5 26.Kh2 to strike only then. Either way - have fun!

2/4/2025 – A queen is usually much stronger than pawns. But against far advanced passed pawns she has to be careful. In the diagram position, which is from a game between Vincent Keymer and Georg Meier, it is White to move and win. What would you do?

2/1/2025 – In the diagram position, White gains an advantage by basically moving only one piece. An absolute classic - I wish you historic enjoyment!

1/31/2025 – ChessBase Magazine Extra is the ideal supplement to ChessBase Magazine. In the new Extra #223: Videos by Leon Mendonca: French and Nico Zwirs: King's Indian. “Lucky bag” with 50 analyses by Ganguly, Giri, Praggnanandhaa and many more + two video analyses by Josefine Heinemann (in German). New: From issue #223, CBM Extra is also available as ChessBase Book directly on books.chessbase.com for iPad, tablet, Mac etc.!

1/28/2025 – Against the popular Semi-Tarrasch (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5), 7.Rb1 (with h4!) is currently the absolute fashionable variation and, with a yield of well over 60%, also a promising choice. In the current ChessBase Magazine #223, IM Balász Csonka takes a close look at the variation and summarizes the current state of theory. His article includes an overview text and six annotated games from the period from 2018 (Karjakin-Kramnik from the Candidates Tournament) to 2024. You can view the complete article with all the analyses this week as a free sample from ChessBase Magazine #223 in ChessBase Books format!

1/28/2025 – "All rook endgames are drawn" is a well-known witticisim that is often attributed to Tarrasch or Tartakower. It emphasises the drawish tendencies of rook endings. However, you still have to find the right moves. In the diagram position Black can draw with best play but in the game Black lost. Can you do better?

1/25/2025 – In the diagram position the black king is still in the centre, and White should do everything he can to prevent it from castling ... or do you disagree?

1/23/2025 – ChessBase Magazine offers three opening videos in each issue (total playing time: over an hour). In the current issue #223, our authors, Rustam Kasimdzhanov and Daniel King, present two intriguing and very early ‘deviations’: Sicilian with 2.a4 and Petroff with 3...Nxe4 - both have recently been used by notable players, in the first case it was Kasimdzhanov himself in his game against Mohammad Amin Tabatabaei, in the second case Wesley So against Hans Moke Niemann. The third opening video of CBM 223 is by Robert Ris: Spanish Delayed Exchange Variation with 7.Re1 - since the 2023 World Championship match, this variation can be seen again and again at top level. Take a look! Until the end of the week, you can watch all three opening videos as a free reading sample in ChessBase Books format!

1/21/2025 – Pure opposite colored bishop endings have a large drawish tendency. In the diagram position Black is a pawn down but can draw. How?

1/18/2025 – Can White play 11.e4 in the diagram position to consolidate his space advantage - or will it backfire because of 11...Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Nxe4? Your verdict, please!

1/17/2025 – In the latest ChessBase Magazine #223 Spyridon Kapnisis examines a wing gambit that can be used against two openings at once! The move orders are 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.b4!? cxb4 4.d4 d5 5.e5 (Sicilian) and 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.b4!? cxb4 5.d4 (French). In his “All in One” article, the GM from Greece summarizes everything you need to know about the variation in a fully annotated game! You can view the complete article as a free sample - directly as a ChessBase Book on your iPad, tablet, smartphone, etc. Take a look and try out the gambit on the server right away!