ChessBase interviews from Samarkand: "How many databases? Hundreds!"

by ChessBase
9/19/2026 – ChessBase has a team on-site at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. Visitors to the ChessBase stand can find out more about ChessBase for Mac. Arne Kähler and Veronika Exler are also conducting interviews. Svitlana Demchenko has hundreds of databases, Nikita Vitiugov considers himself to be one of the best chefs among chess players, while Gloria Yepez does not enjoy playing blitz! | Photo: ChessBase
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.
FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! 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.

A ChessBase team has travelled to Samarkand. The interviews recorded during the Chess Olympiad will be uploaded to the ChessBase YouTube channel. Check them out!

Nikita Vitiugov : "I am one of the best chefs among chess players"

Svitlana Demchenko : "How many databases? Hundreds!"

Loek van Wely : "A lot of clichés about chess players are actually true..."

Gloria Yepez : "I don't like to play blitz"

Felix Blohberger : "I try to keep my ChessBase files organized"

Links

<< Daniel King goes over Baadur Jobava's stunning win in Samarkand
Topics: Chess Olympiad 2026
Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.
Discussion and Feedback Submit your feedback to the editors

See also

Samarkand R3 (women): Argentina and Iran score major upsets

9/19/2026 – Argentina and Iran produced the standout results in round three of the Women's Chess Olympiad, defeating higher-seeded Ukraine and France respectively. Both joined a 20-team leading group on 6/6 match points. Poland recorded their second 4–0 victory of the event, while India, Kazakhstan and the United States also remained perfect with comfortable wins. | Pictured: Candela Francisco (Argentina) facing Anna Ushenina (Ukraine) | Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE
More...
 1

See also

Samarkand R3 (open): Top ten stay perfect after tense third round

9/19/2026 – The top ten teams in the open section of the Chess Olympiad all remain perfect after round three, although several were pushed hard by lower-seeded opposition. The United States, Germany, the Netherlands (pictured), Hungary and Armenia all won by 2½–1½, while 11th-seeded England were held by Lithuania. Singapore and Kyrgyzstan produced the biggest team upsets, defeating Norway and Brazil respectively, as 21 teams moved into round four on 6/6 match points. | Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE
More...
 2

Video

60m English Anti-Bayonet

King’s Indian fans who choose the Mar del Plata attack (7...Nc6) against White’s classical system (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0) usually aim for a complex position with mutual attacks on open wings, requiring long-term strategic planning and tactical sharpness in critical moments. Computers often do not know how to handle the arising complex strategic positions, which suits players who like to think on their own instead of memorizing long variations. However, the fashionable Bayonet Attack (9.b4) interferes with Black’s ideas. After Black’s main move 9...Nh5 the positions opens, the lines get forced and computer analysis is important again. But this DVD offers an antidote against White’s Bayonet Attack, namely 9...a5! This move leads to sound positions with very few concrete lines, in which the focus is on strategy not on tactics. Objectively chances are equal but if Black knows what to do things might quickly become dangerous for White.