1/15/2023 – As Wijk aan Zee gets underway this weekend, we can look forward to a magnificent battle of the generations. In my time this would have been utterly impossible — surely the young guns used to play in the B group? Find here analyses of three formidable wins by the Indian prodigies that are playing in Wijk aan Zee. | Photos: Tata Steel Chess

1/15/2023 – Ding Liren and Nodirbek Abdusattorov were the first winners at the Masters section of the 2023 Tata Steel Chess Tournament. Both players scored with the black pieces, as Ding got the better of Dommaraju Gukesh and Abdusattorov defeated Richard Rapport. In the Challengers, Max Warmerdam and Abhimanyu Mishra collected full points on opening day. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2023

1/14/2023 – According to the calendar put forth by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the World Championship match between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren is set to begin on April 7. However, FIDE has yet to announce a host or a location for the event. The pandemic, Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and the withdrawal of reigning champion Magnus Carlsen have caused many complications for the organization.| Photo: FIDE

1/14/2023 – In the diagram position it is White to move. Black just played 48...Qe2??, a move that looks strong but allows White a surprising win. What should White do?

1/13/2023 – The traditional Tata Steel international invitation tournament series, annually ongoing since the year 1938, held in Wijk aan Zee and earlier in Beverwijk, is a highlight in the calendar of classical chess. Eduard Frey presents funny Trivia from the rich history of this remarkable tournament. | Photo: Playing Hall, Organiser

1/13/2023 – While Eugene Manlapao was doing research on Amos Burn (pictured on the right) and Isidor Gunsberg (left), the subjects of his last two articles, he came upon an interesting episode in their careers. Burn and Gunsberg were two of the leading British players in the late 19th century, and they naturally became fierce rivals. This rivalry, however, triggered a controversy that spilled to the press. Burn, Gunsberg, and another master dragged into the issue, all turned contentious. Public opinion was divided.

1/10/2023 – The creation of a passed pawn is a typical endgame topic. In the diagram position it is Black to move and win.

1/9/2023 – The new generation of chess stars is here, with no fewer than nine players aged 19 or younger rated above 2650 at the time. In a 7-part series, we will look at the performances of the top juniors in 2022. In fifth place is US grandmaster Hans Niemann. Chess blew up in mainstream media after Magnus Carlsen implicitly accused Niemann of cheating. But that did not prevent the Californian from continuing his rapid ascent in classical chess, as he broke the 2700-barrier for the first time (in an official FIDE ratings list) just this month! | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club

1/9/2023 – In his Endgame Magic Show #222 Karsten shows endgame highlights from the FIDE World Team Championship in Jerusalem. | You can watch the Endgame Magic Show on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account.

1/9/2023 – Viktor Kortschnoi was one of the greats in chess. He played twice for the World Championship and only narrowly failed to win the title. His fighting spirit and his passion for chess is legendary. On the new Masterclass Fritztrainer "Viktor Kortschnoi" you can follow his long career game by game and in the remastered Fritztrainer "Kortschnoi: My Life for Chess" you can watch how the master presents his best games himself. Christian Höthe has taken a look at the two Fritztrainers.

1/9/2023 – Mikhail Tal's meteoric rise shook the chess world in the late 1950s, taking him straight to the very top. His victory over Botvinnik in the 1960 match won him the world title. In the process, the 'Wizard from Riga' thrilled fans with his unprecedented combination style – “There are two kinds of sacrifices - correct ones and mine!” For CBM 211 we invited our authors to comment on their favourite Mikhail Tal games. The total of 21 encounters, the last played in 1991, show the eighth World Champion above all, in his element - as a brilliant tactician. A little-known game from the National Open in Chicago 1988 is presented by Yannick Pelletier in CBM 211 - you can watch his analysis in abridged form here. Enjoy!

1/9/2023 – From Friday, 6 January, to Sunday, 8 January, the 32nd Keres Memorial was held in the Estonian capital Tallinn and featured a blitz and a rapid tournament. GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy from Ukraine won the blitz, GM Yuriy Kuzubov (also from Ukraine) won the rapid event.