7/20/2026 – In the latest issue of ChessBase Magazine #233, Andrei Volokitin presents ‘his’ Nimzo-Indian. In the variation 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5, White continues their development with 9.Ne2 or 9.Nf3. Volokitin, who once ranked among the world’s top 20 with an Elo rating of over 2700, presents his repertoire recommendations for Black against both continuations. "According to my analysis, Black has a comfortable game and can play not only for a draw, but ultimately even for victory if White makes routine moves." Volokitin’s contribution consists of an overview text and four annotated sample games, three of which the Ukrainian GM played himself with Black. In the new free CBM sample, you can view the full article with all the analyses directly in your web browser.

7/20/2026 – Arjun Erigaisi moved into sole second place at the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters after scoring the only win across rounds three and four. His victory over Hans Niemann left him half a point behind leader Alireza Firouzja (pictured), who has 3/4. All four games in Sunday's fourth round were drawn. The seven-round tournament runs until Wednesday. | Photo: Tushar Damor

7/19/2026 – Today, Dr Dieter Keller of Zurich celebrates his 90th birthday. Heartfelt congratulations to the International Master, who defeated several of the leading players of his time, most notably Bobby Fischer, Efim Geller, Bent Larsen and Oscar Panno. Eduard Frey presents highlights from a remarkable life. | Photo: Dieter Keller at the Zurich International Tournament 1959 | Source: Tournament book, via Europe Échecs

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 – The fourth classical round at the Biel Chess Festival brought another day of draws in the Masters Triathlon, with Levon Aronian and Le Quang Liem still sharing the lead. In the Generations Challenge, Vaclav Finek strengthened his leading position with a win over Vaishali Rameshbabu and remained unbeaten across the event. In the Masters Open Tournament, Peter Acs drew with Gopal G.N. but kept the sole lead on 4½ points. | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

7/18/2026 – Alireza Firouzja defeated world champion Gukesh Dommaraju to reach 2/2 and establish a one-point lead at the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters. The remaining games were drawn, though Nodirbek Abdusattorov recovered from another difficult opening against Arjun Erigaisi, while Nihal Sarin saved a draw in what turned out to be a 132-move struggle against Hans Niemann. Dmitry Andreikin and Pranesh M agreed a quick draw. | Photo: Tushar Damor

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!

7/17/2026 – In September, Samarkand will host the 46th Chess Olympiad. After FIDE was founded in 1924, the first international team tournament was held in Budapest in the summer of 1926, albeit with only a small number of teams. From these modest beginnings, the tradition of the Chess Olympiad developed.

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?

7/16/2026 – Dear chess friends, from July 13–19, you can get the Champion’s Bundle: ChessBase’26 & FRITZ 21 – Summer Special: Instead of €269.80, get both for just €209.90! This is our summer special, and it runs for seven days. Two flagships, one price, built to work together.

7/16/2026 – Alireza Firouzja was the only winner in the opening round of the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters, defeating Pranesh M with black to move into the top ten in the live ratings list. The remaining three games were drawn after hard-fought battles, with Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Gukesh Dommaraju and Dmitry Andreikin all having to defend accurately against Hans Niemann, Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi respectively. | Photo: Tushar Damor

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