New: Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol. 3 + Vol. 4

3/14/2022 – Ivan Sokolov is well-known for his stunning attacking games. Most of them originate from middlegames, so no wonder he wrote various books about this topic. Now he continues his video series at ChessBase and presents further tools for a better chess understanding with the hedgehog and dynamic pawn structures. Not only as a player, but also through his work as a trainer of various top players, Sokolov knows how to make complex topics understandable through instructive examples. Start improving your understanding of the middlegames now!

Rapport tempts fortune, wins Belgrade Grand Prix

3/14/2022 – A win with white in Sunday’s second game of the final gave Richard Rapport tournament victory at the second leg of the FIDE Grand Prix in Belgrade. Rapport beat Dmitry Andreikin after rejecting a draw by triple repetition in a double-edged position. This victory, combined with his reaching the semifinals in the first leg of the series, places him as a clear favourite to get a spot in the Candidates Tournament. | Photos: Mark Livshitz

Understanding before Moving 70: Ideas in the King's Indian (3)

3/13/2022 – 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 70th instalment of his ChessBase show "Understanding before Moving", Herman continues to show ideas in the King's Indian. | Photo: Pascal Simon

Belgrade Grand Prix Final - Games and results

3/13/2022 – The last two spots in the upcoming Candidates Tournament will be decided in the FIDE Grand Prix Series, with the second leg of the series taking place in Belgrade on March 1-14. The new format consists of four-player double round-robins and a knockout stage. Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 15.00 CET (09.00 ET, 19.30 IST)!

Belgrade GP Final: A quiet draw

3/13/2022 – The first game of the Belgrade Grand Prix final ended drawn, with Dmitry Andreikin and Richard Rapport playing 37 moves out of a Petroff Defence before splitting the point. Andreikin had to deal with his family’s delayed flight the night prior to the game, which prevented him from taking proper rest. The Russian will have the black pieces in Sunday’s second game of the final. | Photos: Mark Livshitz

Sam Sevian and Abhimanyu Mishra triumph in Saint Louis

3/13/2022 – The Saint Louis Spring Classic had a thrilling final day of action. In the A group, Sam Sevian prevailed after beating Ilya Nyzhnyk in a rapid playoff. In the B group, the youngest grandmaster in history Abhimanyu Mishra (pictured) won the event with an impressive Tournament Rating Performance. | Photo: Crytal Fuller

England vs Sweden Challenge - All games

3/12/2022 – On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, the "London Chess Center" is organizing a match between two top Grandmasters: David Howell from England and Nils Grandelius from Sweden. The match is taking place from 2 to 12 March at the Swedish Ambassador's residence in London. Going into the final game, Howell leads by a 5-4 score. Game 10 starts Saturday at 15:00 CET (2pm GMT, 9:00 am ET). Follow the game live and with commentary.

NEW: Trent's Tactics - Cutting off, like Kasparov

3/12/2022 – Trent's Tactics has a new format since today! From now on, this is your personal, interactive tactic trainer, and Lawrence Trent is your tactical coach. Try to solve the puzzles on the interactive board on your own, pause the video when we tell you to, and use your brain to find the tactical approaches. Lawrence will give you some hints, advice, and techniques to get to reach your goal. Also, please tell us how you like it in the comments.

Only one check wins!

3/12/2022 – In the diagram position 35.Rxg6+! would have led to victory for White - if followed by the right checks after 35...Kh7. Can you find them all?

Belgrade GP: Andreikin knocks out Giri

3/12/2022 – Dmitry Andreikin will face Richard Rapport in the final match of the FIDE Grand Prix’s second stage, taking place in Belgrade. The Russian grandmaster got a 1½-½ win over Anish Giri in a rapid tiebreaker to remain in the fight for overall victory in Serbia’s capital. It was a heartbreaking loss for Giri, who had winning chances in both rapid encounters played on Friday. | Photos: Mark Livshitz

Daniel King’s Power Play Show: A brilliant attack by Nils Grandelius

3/11/2022 – Two creative players are facing each other in a match in London. Nils Grandelius, representing Sweden, is playing David Howell, representing England. In game 7, Grandelius employed an unexpected plan to get a brilliant win with the white pieces. | 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.

Born in Odessa: Efim Geller

3/11/2022 – Efim Geller, one of Ukraine’s greatest chess talents, would have turned 97 years old on March 8 this year. An extraordinary player, he also had a doctorate in Physical Education, and worked as a second to Tigran Petrosian, Boris Spassky and Anatoly Karpov. Experts estimate Geller was among the top ten players in the world for about twenty years.

Svitlana's Smart Moves - Judit Polgar's genius games

3/11/2022 – International Women's Day calls for something out of the ordinary. How about watching some games of the world's best player Judit Polgar. Not only has she played at the highest level of chess for a long time, but she is also Svitlana's favourite player!

Robert Ris’ Fast and Furious: The Bishop's Opening

3/11/2022 – This week Robert Ris takes a look at a game he played in the Icelandic Team Championships against IM Bjorn Thorfinsson. In the Bishop's Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4) Robert followed a nice attacking scheme for White inspired by a game between Firouzja and Carlsen. Robert will discuss the ins and outs of this plan and also explain why it is actually not doo dangerous (at least if Black knows what to do of course). | "Fast and Furious" is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.

Endgame Riddle: Kurajica vs Karpov, Skopje 1976

3/11/2022 – Anatoly Karpov, World Champion from 1975 to 1985, was famous for being able to exploit tiny advantages in the endgame, and an often cited example for these skills is a seemingly drawish endgame with opposite-coloured bishops which Karpov managed to win against the Croatian-Bosnian Grandmaster Bojan Kurajica in Skopje 1976. But Karsten Müller wondered where Kurajica went wrong and whether Karpov's play was indeed as flawless as it seemed - and invites ChessBase readers to take a close look at this famous endgame.

Belgrade GP: Rapport escapes, reaches final

3/11/2022 – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave got good winning chances but could not bounce back in his match against Richard Rapport at the semifinals of the FIDE Grand Prix in Belgrade. Rapport’s resilient defence made him the first finalist of the event. The Hungarian will get a rest day before facing either Anish Giri or Dmitry Andreikin in the final. Giri and Andreikin drew both their semifinal games and will play a rapid and blitz tiebreaker on Friday. | Photos: Mark Livshitz

Saint Louis Spring Classic 2022 - Games and results

3/10/2022 – Samuel Sevian took down former sole leader Ray Robson in round 8 of the Saint Louis Spring Classic. Going into Thursday’s final round, Sevian is sharing first place with Ukrainian GM Ilya Nyzhnyk, who got the better of Aram Hakobyan in round 8. | Round 9 starts Thursday at 11:00 local time (18:00 CET, 17:00 UTC) with live commentary from the Saint Louis Chess Center.

Tykhon is safe!

3/10/2022 – At the beginning of February, the now 12-year old chess talent Tykhon Cherniaiev from Ukraine was about to start a new show on ChessBase called "Challenge Cherniaiev". But then Russia invaded Ukraine and Tykhon and his family had to flee from their home in Kharkiv. Fortunately, many chess fans offered help and Tykhon and his family are now safely housed in a ChessBase flat in Hamburg.

Garry Kasparov on Russia’s Attack on Ukraine

3/10/2022 – Garry Kasparov has long been an avowed opponent of Vladimir Putin, and in 2015 he issued a strong warning about Putin and his political aims in his book "Winter is Coming". In an interview with the American TV programme "Amanpour and Company", Kasparov now talks about the war in Ukraine, Putin's political rise, the failure of the West to oppose Putin and possible sanctions against Russia. Passionate, informed and eloquent.

Pools for third leg of FIDE Grand Prix 2022 announced

3/10/2022 – The pools for the last leg of the FIDE Grand Prix have been determined. The tournament in Berlin will be held from 21 March to 4 April at the World Chess Club Berlin. The event features 16 elite chess players competing for a prize fund of €150,000 and the last two places in the Candidates Tournament scheduled to take place in Madrid in June. Press Release.

Belgrade GP: A big step forward for Rapport

3/10/2022 – Two exciting games were seen at the start of the FIDE Grand Prix semifinals in Belgrade. Richard Rapport scored a crucial win over Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and now only needs a draw on Thursday to vastly increase his chances of qualifying to the Candidates Tournament. Meanwhile, Anish Giri gave up two exchanges and got a favourable position out of a sharp Sicilian against Dmitry Andreikin. | Photos: Mark Livshitz

Game of the Week #506: R. Rapport vs S. Vidit

3/9/2022 – In his "Game of the Week" show #506, Merijn van Delft shows how Richard Rapport, who is known for his creative play, played on the queenside, in the center and on the kingside to win a crucial game against Vidit at the FIDE Grand Prix in Belgrade. | Merijn's show is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.

S.L. Narayanan wins Cattolica International

3/9/2022 – The Italian Spring Tour 2022 features four strong tournaments. One of them is the 1st Grandiscacchi Cattolica International which ended with an Indian double victory. After nine rounds seven players shared first place with 6.5/9 each, but S.L. Narayanan (pictured) had the best tiebreak and won the tournament. Praggnanandhaa finished second. | Photo: ChessBase India

Siegbert Tarrasch: Player, Thinker, and Teacher Extraordinaire (5 March 1862- 17 February 1934)

3/9/2022 – On 5 March 2022 Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch would have celebrated his 160th birthday. Throughout his life Tarrasch, who was a medical practitioner by profession, remained an amateur, but at his prime he was one of the world's best players, if not the best. Tarrasch was also a prolific and popular writer whose books have influenced countless players. Eugene Manlapao takes a look at the career of this great player and teacher.