Why? Why not?

The Big DataBase is often seen as a poor cousin of MegaBase as it has neither analysis nor commentary. I, for one, do not share this perception. The Big DataBase allows you to follow a game independently. After each move, you ask yourself, "why" or "why not?" You enter your own variations and try to understand how the game was won, lost or drawn. Those lines that you see by yourself are your precious contribution to the game. But are they sound? So you ask wise old "Fritz" what he thinks. The old boy knows a thing or two.

Big Database 2025

The Big Database 2025 contains more than 11 million games from 1475 to 2024.

Big Database 2025 contains more than 11 million games from 1475 to 2024 in ChessBase's highest quality standard. From world-class tournaments to youth and senior world championships and open amateur tournaments, this database keeps every chess player fully informed.

On occasion, you are not happy with his answer. Sometimes his way of thinking is too impersonal, not the way we ordinary mortals think. Then you ask the players what they think. If they tell you, well and good, otherwise the commentators will fill in the gaps. But no matter who says what, do use your own grey cells in the end for judging a position. That is what the Big DataBase is about.

Big DataBase 2025 has over 11 million games from 1475 to the closing months of 2024. The first of these games was played in Valencia, Spain, way back in 1475. The last of them in my database is Vaganian-Mikhalchishin, (½ -½, 10 moves), Vaganian Cup Blitz, 9^th November, 2024. On my current count I have 11352974 games. So when you view the Big DataBase on your screen, you have nearly six centuries of chess before you.

Now a single lifetime would not suffice to see one tenth of these games. Besides, not every game would be worthy of deep attention. So one has to pick and choose. If you value your time, it cannot be at random. It is here that chess biography and history show us the way. When you read them, you come across names that you have not heard before. But when you look at their games in the Big DataBase you are astonished to find a kind of magic about them all.

For starters, we are going to see a game that was played between two strong American amateurs, Joseph Palmer Morgan and Walter Penn Shipley, way back in 1891.

Walter Penn Shipley

Shipley needs no introduction to knowledgeable readers here. He was a major figure who played an important role in the development of chess in the USA in the late 19^th Century and early 20^th Century. He was a friend of world champions Steinitz, Lasker and Capablanca. He was also a strong chess player.

His opponent, Joseph Palmer Morgan, was a talented player who regularly played in Franklin Chess Club Tournaments. He passed away early at a relatively young age of 32. Morgan and Shipley played a short match that the latter won. Here is the 8^th game of the Match.

One player whose games should not be missed is Rashid Nezhmetdinov.

Rashid Nezhmetdinov congratulating Mikhail Tal on winning the 1957 USSR Championship

There are more than 500 games played by him here. Among others, a number of his victories over players like Tal, Spassky and Polugaevsky are included in the Big DataBase. They are all worth seeing. For starters, let us see a little-known miniature that he played way back in 1936. He was only 14 at the time.

Misha Tal admired Nezhmetdinov. During the Varna Chess Olympiad 1962 he was interviewed by Dimtrije Bjelica, chess journalist. Bjelica asked Misha what was his happiest moment in recent years. Said Misha, "I rarely felt so happy as when I lost a game with Nezhmetdinov. What a beautiful game!"

The Big DataBase also has a number of games played in training events. These competitions were a regular practice in the former USSR. Occasionally there would also be friendly contests. A case in point is the match that Misha Tal played with David Bronstein in 1966. Here is an entertaining game from the contest:

Bronstein-Tal, 1958 USSR Championship - the game ended in a draw

At times, you would also find games in Big DataBase that leave you baffled.

The Endgame Academy Vol.1: Checkmate & pawn endgames

From Mating with a queen; a rook; two bishops; a knight and a bishop; to the basics of pawn endgames – here you will gain the necessary know-how to turn your endgame advantages into victories!

Years later Kenneth Rogoff, now a renowned economist, was to narrate what happened here.

Huebner had played a really important game against Karpov the round before and lost. Karpov was white and just squeezed him (it took 74 moves!-NSH). Huebner was just exhausted. He told his team captain, "I don't want to play". The team captain said, "Well, that's silly, you're white and play first board. If you're too tired, just make a draw".

In the following round, Huebner met Kenneth Rogoff, a lower-rated player. He played one move and offered his opponent a draw. Young Rogoff asked the team captain, Pal Benko, for advice. By then Huebner was a World Championship candidate, a highly rated player. Benko, of course, asked Rogoff to accept the offer. So did the young American. Unfortunately, the arbiters disallowed a one-move draw and made them play. Then Huebner started playing suicide moves. Rogoff followed suit, and he also played suicide moves in turn. By this time everyone on other tables was watching this game instead of playing their own games.

In the end, the players agreed to a draw. However, the arbiters did not take kindly to it all and declared, both payers had forfeited the game.

Fast-forward to the 21^st century

So far, we have seen striking examples of play from the previous centuries. Now let us see some fine play from the present century. Young Daniil Dubov from Russia is one of the best talents in the world. Like other Russian players, his career also received setbacks on account of Covid-19 and the ongoing Ukraine war. However, he continues to play, and his style reminds one of young Tal. Here is a game played a few years ago:

Last but not least is the advance of the Indian juggernaut currently represented by D.Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi. The form of Gukesh after winning the World Championship at 18 has been variable. Success has alternated with failure. His performance in the coming years remains to be seen. For the record, Big DataBase has more than 2100 games played by him over a decade (2014-2024). In my view currently the performance of the other two players, Pragg and Erigaisi, needs to be watched.

Attack like a Super Grandmaster

In this Fritztrainer: “Attack like a Super GM” with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.

And how have they fared against Carlsen? For Magnus represents the ultimate test for both his peers and younger rivals.

Praggnanandhaa-Carlsen at the FIDE World Cup 2023. The game ended in a draw.

First, we see a game in which Pragg beats off a dangerous attack by the world's No. 1 player.

Now for a game in which Erigaisi meets Carlsen's aggression with a counterattack:

In retrospect, I would consider the play here an unusual performance. In many games  we find Erigaisi attacking and Carlsen defending in style. It’s just happened the other day in the Norway 2025 Tournament: https://en.chessbase.com/post/norway-chess-2025-10

To return to the database, I have not said a word about the galaxy of other chess stars who have lit up its horizons… from Labourdonnais and McDonnell to Carlsen. If you look across centuries, you will see how they have all worshipped at the same altar of Caissa. Find their thoughts, feel their agony and share their ecstasy. This database comes to life. Amen.

Recommended.

Notes:

Master Class Vol. 18: Max Euwe

Experts examine the games of Max Euwe. Let them show you which openings Euwe chose to play, where his strength in middlegames were, which tactical abilities he had or how he outplayed his opponents in the endgame.
Max Euwe became the fifth World Chess Champion after beating Alexander Alekhine in the 1935 World Championship match. A maths teacher by profession, Euwe remained an amateur throughout his life, but was still the best chess player in the Netherlands, and one of the world's best players. Euwe holds the record for the most Dutch national championships, with twelve. After winning the World Championship, Euwe was also the world's best player for a while. He lost the title again in 1937 in the rematch against Alexander Alekhine.
Free video sample: Openings

1) Valencia is commemorating the birth of modern chess this year:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/valencia-550-anniversary-birth-modern-chess

2) Nezhmetdinov annotated the game with Tal and the annotations may be found in an excellent English translation by Douglas Griffin: https://rb.gy/wfvpxj

3) Daniil Dubov does not lack moral courage and in the following interview he condemns the Ukraine war and with youthful recklessness comments on politics:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/dubov-the-only-way-to-change-anything-in-russia-is-a-revolution

On occasion his decisions are debatable. He chose to assist Magnus Carlsen rather than his compatriot Ian Nepomniachtchi in the World Championship match 2021.

An earlier Review of Big DataBase:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/understanding-big-database-2022-playing-against-e4

Further Reading

1) Chess Secrets I Learned from Masters

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51L3bu+PL2L._SY466_.jpg

2) The Essential Sosonko

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91rzse4f0SL.jpg

3) Nezhmetdinov's Best Games of Chess

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41zzNoCxlPL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg

The original Russian work was edited by Iakov Damsky:

https://rb.gy/08mz4t

4) The Greatest Attacker in Chess: The Enigmatic Rashid Nezhmetdinov

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81IZdizsrUL.jpg

5) Walter Pen Shipley: Philadelphia's Friend of Chess

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71jx9b7TiCL.jpg

Historical Links

https://dgriffinchess.wordpress.com/

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/index.html

Big Database 2025

The Big Database 2025 contains more than 11 million games from 1475 to 2024.

Big Database 2025 contains more than 11 million games from 1475 to 2024 in ChessBase's highest quality standard. From world-class tournaments to youth and senior world championships and open amateur tournaments, this database keeps every chess player fully informed.

Other reviews

• CBM 222: India strikes double gold!
• CBM 220: Gukesh on the way to Olympus
• CBM 219: Abdusattorov shines
• CBM 218: Wei Yi first, Gukesh second
• CBM 217: Surprises galore!
• CBM 216: A World Cup special
• CBM 214 : A World Championship Special
• CBM 210: Indo-Uzbek Rivalry and a Chinese star in waiting