12/24/2016 – Every year the German "Schachkalender" challenges its readers to a quiz. Under the heading "Who am I?" the "Kalender" gives biographical hints and asks for the name of a well-known chessplayer. This year we offered an English version of the quiz and searched for a player who once had been the number one of his country, had a famous student and was a professional in another sport. A lot of readers took part in the quiz, three won an issue of the ChessBase Magazine. Solution...

12/24/2016 – From December 1 to December 24 we invite our readers every day to open a door in our advent calendar. Click and enjoy a little chess treat. Behind the door, the door of December 24, waits an opening video. One of the world's greatest opening experts shows a line that might prove useful. Advent calendar, door 24.

12/24/2016 – Only ten rating points separate Richard Rapport (2717) and Wei Yi (2707), the world's two best juniors. And the match they played from 20th to 23rd December in Yancheng, China, was close. A 2-2 tie after four classical games required a blitz-tiebreak. After two blitz-games and another 1-1 tie, an Armageddon game decided the match in favor of Rapport.

12/23/2016 – After an exciting ten days of chess, it almost feels like an anti-climax when the London Chess Classic ends, as there’s no standard prizegiving for the players. What many don’t realise is that there is an official dinner after the event for some special guests. Take a sneak peek into what goes on at the private dinner…

12/23/2016 – From December 1 to December 24 we invite our readers every day to open a door in our advent calendar. Click and enjoy a little chess treat. Behind door 23 hides one of the best and fastest players in the history of chess. Advent calendar, door 23.

12/23/2016 – Concluding the suggested 2016 Christmas Buyer’s Guide, here are fine selections of great games collections by top players with names such as Anand and Kramnik, as well as Master Classes on world champions that now extend to Karpov and Kasparov, two names who dominated chess for 40 years, and of course the flagship programs that have helped make ChessBase what it is, as well as new ones that open a world of possibilities.

12/23/2016 – Tactics can seem deceptively simple, particularly when seeing an engine analysing grandmaster games. Strange, however, how difficult it is to find the right move and to calculate variations properly when playing yourself. It is easier if you solve tactical puzzles regularly. In the ChessBase Magazine and his tactics column Oliver Reeh helps you to do so.

12/22/2016 – Wei Yi and Richard Rapport are the world's top two juniors and both are known for their entertaining and uncomprosing attacking chess. From 20th to 23rd December they play a match in Yancheng, China. Wei Yi won the first game, Rapport the second, the third was a draw and this leads to a current score of 1.5-1.5. Analyses and photos.

12/22/2016 – Caruana's positional queen sacrifice in his game against Hikaru Nakamura at the London Chess Classic fascinated the public particularly. But are modern engines able to evaluate such a queen sacrifice and its consequences correctly? Arno Nickel grandmaster of correspondence chess took a close look at the critical phase of that game.

12/22/2016 – From December 1 to December 24 we invite our readers every day to open a door in our advent calendar. Click and enjoy a little chess treat. Behind door 22 you can find out more about a match between two World Champions that began 90 years ago. Advent calendar, door 22.

12/21/2016 – China is chess superpower but for a long time open tournaments have been rare in the country. But the chess scene in China flourishes and the 1. Hainan Dhanzou Open attracted a lot of strong players. Dutch GM Jan Werle also travelled to Hainan and was impressed by the strength of the Chinese juniors and the superb performance of Yu Yangyi who finished clear first with 8.0/9.

12/21/2016 – Every chess tournament has its share of errors, mistakes, blunders, no matter whether amateurs or the world's best players try their skills. Jon Speelman takes a look at agonizing moments from the London Chess Classic.