2013 ChessBase Christmas party

On December 20th, the traditional ChessBase Christmas party was held at the ChessBase headquarters in Hamburg. Invited to it were not only partners and contributors, but friends, and well-wishers. While a merry-for-all, something different was organized this year in the form of a game between GM Vlastimil Hort and the second-best women in the Bundesliga, WGM Melanie Ohme. Our colleague Nadja Wittman, editor of the Spanish news page, brings a photo essay with video.

Helmut Pfleger and Vlastimil Hort in Hamburg (Photo: André Schulz)

Helmut Pfleger, Melanie Ohme and Vlastimil Hort

Rainer Knaak, Stark Thomas and Gaby Assmann at the table on the right. In
the rear, dressed like a BOSS, is a famous Playchess personality.

Vlastimil Hort and Rainer Woisin

Helmut Pfleger, Bjoern Lengwenus, René Gralla and Ben Bartels

Stanislav Tsukrov is the author of the excellent Android apps among others

The Christmas party in the ChessBase office with many colleagues and special
guests including close associates of the company such as the tax adviser, the
head of the printing press in charge of the lovely boxes for the programs, etc.

Mathias Feist, father of Fritz and ChessBase programmer, setting the clock and
the board for the match between Melanie Ohme and Vlastimil Hort

Rainer Woisin, CEO of Chessbase, introduces the stars

Melanie Ohme, the second best player in the German Bundesliga and her
opponent, chess legend Vlastimil Hort

And as star commentator: grandmaster Helmut Pfleger!

Asked what he thought of the match, Vlasti said that the Czech Republic has
been carrying out such matchups for five years in the "Snowdrops versus Old
Hands" events. He admits that the 'snowdrops' got the better of the more
experienced pack this year.

Although Melanie is fully aware of her opponent and has the utmost respect,
she is playing to win

Helmut Pfleger starts the clock

Both players wore microphones and occasionally discussing their plans and
thoughts in this friendly game and show

Björn Lengweus, René Gralla, Martin Friedel and Ben Bartels following the
broadcast of the game on the big screen

The live broadcast and video

While the players discussed their ideas and played their game...

... Grandmaster Helmut Pfleger provides his own commentary

André Schulz (editor of the German ChessBase News), Rainer Woisin (CEO),
Matthias Wüllenweber (founder, director and programmer of the company) and
Jörg Schulz of the German Chess Youth

Short of time, and in dire straits, Melanie extends her hand in resignation

Hort, in old-school etiquette, takes her hand graciously

After the game, Vlastimil Hort said he would try to invite Melanie Ohme to next year's edition
of "Snowdrops versus Old Hands"

Melanie was delighted and said she would love to play in it

Björn Lengwenus, René Gralla, Peter Schreiner, Yvonne Gerstorff and Mira Kowalski
(accounting) and in the rear Pascal Simon, Thomas Stark, Martin Fischer, Monique
Janssen and Jeroen van den Belt

The programmers Jeroen van den Belt and Walter White... we mean Peter Schreiner

Ben Bartels and Björn Lengwenus had a dream of a lifetime that came true...

They were able to play a game, posing as the start grandmasters whose game
would be commented by Helmut Pfleger and Vlastimil Hort as in the old days
of "Schach der Grossmeister".

The famous TV program ran from 1983 to 2005, and included a top-flight game that
was commented by Hort and Pfleger. The recordings of the German chess program
Schach der Großmeister can easily be found online. In this program in 1990, it pitted
the great prodigy, 14-year-old Judit Polgar against GM Rainer Knaak.

The new programmer of Deep Fritz 14, Gyula Horváth

Gravitating to the board at the ChessBase Christmas Party, and armed with
wine and artesanal beer were...

... Pascal Simon and...

...IM Oliver Reeh.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish our readers the happiest of holidays.