6/19/2026 – A true Hamburg tradition: since 1958, Hamburg's Right Alster Bank has played against the Left Alster Bank! Yesterday, 3,744 pupils gathered on Hamburg's Rathausmarkt to take part in the world's largest school chess competition. This year, the opening move was made by Schools Senator Ksenija Bekeris together with Francesca, 10, and Thore, 10, from the Windmühlenweg Primary School. In the end, the Left Alster Bank won for the fourth time in a row, albeit by a relatively narrow margin, with 951½ points to 920½. That takes the overall score across all years to 40–22 in favour of the Left Alster Bank. This year, the team from Wielandstraße School took home the large challenge cup. | Photos: Nils Rhode
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Tata Steel 2026 with analyses by Bluebaum, Giri, L'Ami, Woodward and many more. Opening videos by Kasimdzhanov, Marin and Zwirs. 10 exciting opening articles with new repertoire ideas and much more.
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The Left Bank of the Alster wins again!
At 6:00 in the morning, almost 2,000 chess sets were set up.
In this course, we will learn how to identify passively placed pieces in any given situation and how to improve their health by bringing them into active squares.
Under bright morning sunshine, the many helpers from the Hamburg Youth Chess Association, trainees from Hamburger Sparkasse and the ChessBase team - which was otherwise responsible for recording the results via QR codes using mobile phones - came together.
The main organisers, Björn Lengwenus and Jan Pohl, had no concerns at all about the weather - quite the opposite: "When planning a barbecue, you should schedule it for the day of the Alsterufer tournament: then the weather will work out!"
Organisers: Jan Pohl and Björn Lengwenus | Photo: Nils Rohde
The main sponsors were once again Thalia and Hamburger Sparkasse. The S-Bahn ensured punctual chess moves, and ChessBase ensured the correct final result was recorded.
Organisation & supporters: Jan Pohl, Johannes Brancke (Thalia), Ralf Günther (Hamburger Sparkasse), Björn Lengwenus, Schools Senator Ksenija Bekeris and ChessBase's Rainer Woisin | Photo: Nils Rohde
This DVD focuses on several types of material imbalances, such as Rook vs 2 Pieces, Queen vs 2 Rooks, and Queen vs Pieces.
Schools Senator Ksenija Bekeris was simply delighted by this chess competition in the "largest classroom in the city". Together with Francesca (10) and Thore (10) from Windmühlenweg Primary School, she made the opening move. Two weeks ago, Thore and his team won the title of German primary schools' runners-up, while Francesca became German primary schools champion with her team last year and will travel to Düsseldorf on Friday with her team to defend their title at the German Championship.
Ksenija Bekeris makes the opening move with Francesca and Thore | Photo: Nils Rohde
All seats are taken | Photo: Nils Rohde
Who was already there last year? | Photo: Nils Rohde
A distinguished visitor: GM Dmitrij Kollars gives a simultaneous exhibition | Photo: Nils Rohde
The two teams fought a tense duel that was decided only shortly before the end. In the end, the Left Bank of the Alster won by 951½ to 920½ points. On behalf of the Left Bank, the team from Wielandstraße Primary School received the imposing cup to loud cheers. Wielandstraße School had been drawn from the pool of 17 teams that had won their match 8–0.
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The cup is proudly raised aloft | Photo: Nils Rohde
The winning team from Wielandstraße School | Photo: Nils Rohde
Incidentally, the professional assembly and dismantling of the stage, tables, benches, organisation tents, sound, lighting and safety barriers on Hamburg's Rathausmarkt was handled by https://joke-event.de/ from Bremen!
In a total of 6 chapters, we look at the following aspects: the right decision based on tactical factors, decisions in exchanges and moves, complex and psychological decisions in longer games and in defence.
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
2026 Chess Olympiad with analyses by Abdusattorov, Donchenko, Duda, So and many more – ‘Rooks love open files’: Tactics training with Oliver Reeh – ‘Don’t underestimate it’: Caruana’s blitz weapon 1.e4 e5 2.d3 – Total Video playing time: over 6 hours!
Keep it simple. Stay objective. Watch the clock. Sometimes take the risk. GM Loek van Wely explains the ten principles that decide real games. They aren’t about theory. They’re about what you do at the board when it counts.
Most players don’t lack the urge to attack, they just strike at the wrong moment, and GM Sipke Ernst shows you which signals tell you to go for the king and which tell you to choose another plan.
How grandmasters win without fireworks: GM Jan Markos shows you 11 very practical tips from "How to play in a lost position" to "Be patient like Carlsen" that will improve your tournament chess.
The Nimzo-Indian has stood the test of time for over a century: Still a top choice for elite players today, from Magnus Carlsen to Praggnanandhaa, it remains one of Black's most reliable ways to fight for real chances against 1.d4 2.c4 3.Nc3.
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