Julius Baer Challenge: Praggnanandhaa dominates

12/13/2022 – The two winners of the Julius Baer Challenger Tour 2021 and 2022, the young Indian grandmasters Praggnanandhaa and Pranav Venkatesh, currently play a three-day rapid and blitz match in Tel Aviv. After two best-of-three rapid matches follow two best-of-four blitz matches. Praggnanandhaa won both rapid matches and has very good chances to win the event.
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Chessbase 17 review: "Even more of a substitute for a human trainer"

12/13/2022 – We sent a copy of the new Chessbase 17 to the noted Russian journalist WGM Elmira Mirzoeva, and she wrote back quite excited how impressed she was, and that it was just such software and their new functions that allow young players to rise as quickly as they do. Read what she thinks in this review!

The World Championship 1972 calendar - Door 13

12/13/2022 – The 1972 World Championship match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasski is regarded as one of the most critical moments in the history of chess, occurring 50 years ago. To present you with this year's Christmas calendar in the proper setting, Arne swiftly constructed a time machine, and went back 50 years. Of course, the 1972 World Cup is the main calendar focus this time! You have the opportunity to guess, count, and conduct research every day for a chance to win one of 90 ChessBase prizes. Your chances of winning one of the major prizes increases, the more questions you can correctly guess. | Photo: Original by World Chess Hall of Fame

The breakthrough

12/13/2022 – Opposite colored bishop endings often have drawish tendencies and fortresses are often the main topic. But sometimes creating passed pawns makes the fortresses crumble. In the diagram position it is Black to move and win. What should he do?

Sunway Sitges: Former winners held to draws

12/13/2022 – No major upsets were seen in round 1 of the Sunway Main Tournament, as 16 out of the top 20 seeds won their games in Sitges. Amin Tabatabaei, the tenth seed, lost by forfeit, while two former winners of the event (plus Jules Moussard) were held to draws by lower-rated opponents — i.e. Ivan Cheparinov and Anton Korobov. | Pictured: A beautiful sunset from the 2021 edition. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
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Endgame Magic #218 - with Herman Grooten

12/12/2022 – In the Endgame Magic Show #218 Karsten Müller and Dutch IM and popular author Herman Grooten talk about the endgame in general and Herman's new book "Chess Endgames for Club Players" in particular. | You can watch the Endgame Magic Show on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account.

A chess highlight at the end of the year: the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz World Championships 2022

12/12/2022 – At the end of the year, the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships will be played in Almaty (Kazakhstan). The first day of play is 26 December. Top seeds in the rapid open are Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Maxime-Vachier Lagrave, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Alexander Grischuk.

The World Championship 1972 calendar - Door 12

12/12/2022 – The 1972 World Championship match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasski is regarded as one of the most critical moments in the history of chess, occurring 50 years ago. To present you with this year's Christmas calendar in the proper setting, Arne swiftly constructed a time machine, and went back 50 years. Of course, the 1972 World Cup is the main calendar focus this time! You have the opportunity to guess, count, and conduct research every day for a chance to win one of 90 ChessBase prizes. Your chances of winning one of the major prizes increases, the more questions you can correctly guess. | Photo: Original by World Chess Hall of Fame

In chess the penultimate mistake wins!

12/12/2022 – Since a couple of weeks Elisabeth Pähtz is a full chess grandmaster. She has been among the strongest German female chess players since early youth. In 2002, she became the World Youth Champion of the girls' under-18 age group, and in 2005, the World Junior Girls Champion. She won the 2018 European Women's Championship in rapid chess. Now Elli has published her autobiography. Interview by Lilli Hahn in the ECU Magazine.
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Understanding before Moving 103: Play the Sicilian! (5)

12/11/2022 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books about chess training and chess strategy. In the 103rd instalment of his ChessBase show "Understanding before Moving", Herman continues to explain why it is good to study and to play the Sicilian. | Photo: Pascal Simon
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Christmas Sale!

12/11/2022 – If you don't have Chessbase 17, and failed to take advantage of the Discount Day sale, wishing you had, then this is the post to read. In a last offer before Christmas, you can take advantage of the Christmas Sale to gift yourself something special. You know you deserve it!
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The World Championship 1972 calendar - Door 11

12/11/2022 – The 1972 World Championship match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasski is regarded as one of the most critical moments in the history of chess, occurring 50 years ago. To present you with this year's Christmas calendar in the proper setting, Arne swiftly constructed a time machine, and went back 50 years. Of course, the 1972 World Cup is the main calendar focus this time! You have the opportunity to guess, count, and conduct research every day for a chance to win one of 90 ChessBase prizes. Your chances of winning one of the major prizes increases, the more questions you can correctly guess. | Photo: Original by World Chess Hall of Fame

Esipenko, Ivanchuk, Van Foreest to play at the Sunway Open in Sitges

12/11/2022 – The Sunway Chess Festival, sponsored by Chessable, is set to take place on December 12-22 at the Playa Golf Hotel in Sitges, Catalonia. Two massive open tournaments will be played at the paradisaic resort southwest of Barcelona. Over 300 players have registered to participate in the main group, with the likes of Yu Yangyi, Andrey Esipenko and Vasyl Ivanchuk looking to claim the 5.000 € first prize. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
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Tan Zhongyi advances to Women’s Candidates final

12/10/2022 – Tan Zhongyi won the fourth classical game of her semifinal match against Aleksandra Goryachkina on Saturday at the Women’s Candidates Tournament in Khiva. It was also the last game of this competition. In view of the three draws previously signed, this victory qualified Tan to play the tournament’s final, where she will face her compatriot Lei Tingjie. | Photo: Timur Sattarov / FIDE
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Svitlana's Smart Moves - The Giuoco Pianissimo Variation

12/10/2022 – The Italian game was probably one of the very first openings you learned. The reasons are clear: The center is dominated, the minor pieces are active, the king is safe. The Giouco Piano is played by almost every top player in the world. Svitlana is teaching us the "slow" variation, the so-called Giuoco Pianissimo Variation in this episode. The move d3 is giving White the choice to prepare their attack with a bit more time. In a game between Sven Magnus Carlsen, and Christopher Hikaru Nakamura, Svitlana presents us the White plans, and Black's counter ideas.
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The World Championship 1972 calendar - Door 10

12/10/2022 – The 1972 World Championship match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasski is regarded as one of the most critical moments in the history of chess, occurring 50 years ago. To present you with this year's Christmas calendar in the proper setting, Arne swiftly constructed a time machine, and went back 50 years. Of course, the 1972 World Cup is the main calendar focus this time! You have the opportunity to guess, count, and conduct research every day for a chance to win one of 90 ChessBase prizes. Your chances of winning one of the major prizes increases, the more questions you can correctly guess. | Photo: Original by World Chess Hall of Fame
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Castling in the middlegame

12/10/2022 – In the diagram position Black finally wants to play ...0-0, but of course White still has something to say about that. 22.g4 or 22.Ra8+ - how would you start disruptive action?
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Women’s Candidates - Pool B: Games and webcast

12/10/2022 – Half the field of the Women’s Candidates Tournament is battling it out in a knockout event to decide who faces Lei Tingjie, winner of Pool A, in a final match next year. The tournament is taking place from November 29 to December 11 in Khiva, Uzbekistan. In the semifinal Aleksandra Goryachkina plays against Tan Zhongyi. | Follow all the games live with expert commentary starting at 11.00 CET (5.00 ET, 15.30 IST)
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Amos Burn: The Tenacious Englishman (December 31, 1848 - November 25, 1925)

12/9/2022 – Amos Burn was one of the world’s leading players in the late 19th century. Competing mainly as an amateur in his long career, he was a highly successful player, theoretician, and journalist. Eugene Manlapao takes a look at the life, the career, and the games of this great English player. | Photo Source: www.liverpoolmuseum.org
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Daniel King’s Power Play Show: Novotnys, stalemates, Carlsen squeezes

12/9/2022 – This week, Daniel King presents a mix of attractive themes: Novotnys, stalemates, and an endgame squeeze (by none other than Magnus Carlsen). What more could you want? | Power Play is on air most Fridays. Watch it on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.

Women’s Candidates: All square

12/9/2022 – The third game of the Women’s Candidates semifinal in Khiva between Aleksandra Goryachkina and Tan Zhongyi also ended in a draw. Playing white, Goryachkina could not get anything against Tan’s Bogoljubov Defence. A balanced position was quickly reached and the game ended in a draw on move 45. | Photo: Timur Sattarov / FIDE

Mogul Chessboxing Championship in Los Angeles

12/9/2022 – On 11 December, IM Lawrence Trent, chess player, author and commentator, will play the most combative chess match of his career at the Galen Center (10,200 seats) in Los Angeles. He will face Canadian GM Aman Hambleton in the main match of the Mogul Chess Boxing Championship. Organiser of the event is the well-known Youtube streamer Ludwig Ahgren.
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The World Championship 1972 calendar - Door 9

12/9/2022 – The 1972 World Championship match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasski is regarded as one of the most critical moments in the history of chess, occurring 50 years ago. To present you with this year's Christmas calendar in the proper setting, Arne swiftly constructed a time machine, and went back 50 years. Of course, the 1972 World Cup is the main calendar focus this time! You have the opportunity to guess, count, and conduct research every day for a chance to win one of 90 ChessBase prizes. Your chances of winning one of the major prizes increases, the more questions you can correctly guess. | Photo: Original by World Chess Hall of Fame

Carlsen and Caruana to face off in Speed Chess Championship QF

12/8/2022 – The 2022 edition of the Speed Chess Championship is in its final stages. Magnus Carlsen returned to participate after losing at the 2020 semifinals, and will be looking to stop Hikaru Nakamura’s reign, who has won every single edition since 2018. In the quarterfinals, Carlsen will face none other than 2018 World Championship challenger Fabiano Caruana.
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