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Chess is a sport...for the young. This is clear from the Top 100 list in which those over a certain age are quite rare, and clearly a minority. Yes, we can have some outliers like Anand or Ivanchuk, but the truth is: age makes a difference, especially when a game lasts several hours, and in the endgame, one must summon any and all reserves of energy. Hence, the need to train and prepare as much as one can, even if as an adult one surely other competing obligations.
If you're serious about competing in tournaments you'll need to prepare, and that takes the right tools (ChessBase 15? Check!). One to consider is the subscription to ChessBase Magazine and CBM "Extra". The Magazine has generally 3-4000 games played by top players in top tournaments.
The Extra, by contrast, contains all the games played every couple of months by everyone. This means between 30,000 and 50,000 games which reach our computer on a regular basis. Actually, this latest issue, Extra 187, had over 53,000 games, so don't try to watch them all kids. Instead, smart studying would involve filtering them for our needs.
The first thing one should do about a week ahead of a tournament it's to look for games based on one's own opening repertoire.
So let's say someone plays the Pirc against 1.e4 then he could look for all the games played with the Pirc.
There are a few ways to do this. One is to click on filter go to advanced and insert in the ECO codes: B07-B09 that should cover all the games you need.

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But if one doesn't remember the ECO code, then another way is to open a board, play the moves 1.e4 d6 and then returning to filter click on the position tab and click on copy board. Now, one will see the moves played on the big board inside the filter mask.

Click or tap to enlarge image
Either way, I quickly go over the games found, and eventually make some notes on the most interesting ones, like the following:
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 6.e5 Nfd7 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Bxd4 dxe5 9.fxe5 Nc6 10.e6 Nxd4 11.exf7+ Kxf7 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.Qd2? 13.Be2 Qxd4 14.Rf1+ Kg8 15.Qxd4 Nf3+ 16.Rxf3 Bxd4 17.0-0-0± 13...Qxd4! 14.Qxd4 Nf3+ 15.gxf3 Bxd4 16.Bc4+ Kg7 17.0-0-0 Be3+?! 17...Bxc3 18.bxc3 Bf5 19.Rhe1 Kf6 18.Kb1 Bf5 19.Rde1 Bc5 20.Ne4 Rac8 21.Nxc5 Rxc5 22.Rxe7+ Kf6 23.Rf7+ Kg5 24.Bd3 Bxd3 25.cxd3 Rf5 26.Rxb7 a5 27.Rd1 Kf4 28.d4 Rd5 29.Rb3 Re8 30.Rc3 Red8 31.Rcd3 g5 32.Kc2 h5 33.Kc3 Rc8+ 34.Kb3 Rb5+ 35.Ka4 Rxb2 36.d5 Rxa2+ 37.Kb5 Rb2+ 38.Ka4 Rcb8 39.d6 Rxh2 40.d7 Ra2+ 41.Ra3 Rxa3+ 42.Kxa3 Rd8 43.Rd3 h4 44.Ka4 h3 45.Kb5 h2 46.Rd1 Rxd7 47.Rxd7 h1Q 48.Rf7+ Kg3 49.Kxa5 Qxf3 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Pershin,D | 2400 | Teske,H | 2483 | 0–1 | 2018 | B09 | Wch Blitz | 16 |
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Last week I learned more about the Bird-Leningrad thanks to the new DVD from IM Lawrence Trent. A good way to improve my knowledge of such opening is to check the latest games played with it. It turns out some big names used it quite extensively. For example, Anna Muzychuk used it in all her latest tournaments. Henrik Danielsen is a GM who has made the Leningrad-Bird his main weapon. The sample I chose has some pretty wild games, showing 1.f4 is a legit move to play if one wants to fight for a win!
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 g6 6.Ne5 Bg7 7.c4 0-0 8.Nc3 c5 9.Qa4 e6 10.d3 Qe7 11.e4 d4 12.Nd1 Nfd7 13.Nf3 f6 14.Nf2 Nc6 15.Bd2 e5 16.f5 Rfb8 17.h4 a6 18.Bh3 Nf8 19.g4 Nd8 20.b4 Nf7 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.g5 gxf5 23.Bxf5 Nd6 24.Bh3 Ne6 25.Ng4 f5 26.exf5 Nxf5 27.Nfxe5 Nxh4 28.Nf6+ Bxf6 29.gxf6 Qd6 30.Qd7 Qxd7 31.Nxd7 Nf8 32.f7+ Kg7 33.Nxb8 Rxb8 34.Rab1 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Danielsen,H | 2502 | Jorgensen,J | 2211 | 1–0 | 2018 | A03 | Aalborg Larsen Memorial | 4 |
Muzychuk,A | 2564 | Kosteniuk,A | 2543 | ½–½ | 2018 | A03 | World Women-ch k.o. | 4.4 |
Muzychuk,A | 2569 | Girya,O | 2454 | 1–0 | 2018 | A03 | Wch Rapid (Women) | 8 |
Nguyen,P | 2393 | Kunin,V | 2555 | 1–0 | 2018 | A02 | Vilnius Zavanelli Memorial op-A | 1 |
Paravyan,D | 2629 | Yagupov,I | 2403 | 1–0 | 2018 | B20 | Chigorin Memorial 26th | 9 |
Fernandez,D | 2461 | Pert,R | 2408 | ½–½ | 2018 | A03 | Telford 4NCL op | 8 |
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Click or tap a game from the list to switch
There are also other important ways to parse through the games. One is to watch games where there is a big difference in rating — let's say more than 400 points — once more it's essential to learn how to filter the games in ChessBase 15, as it can give great benefits!
This issue of ChessBase Magazine Extra is special for its new layout and features. It's also the first to have the "Lucky Bag!" What is the lucky bag? It's a collection of 29 games, deeply annotated by top players. In his book "Applying logic to chess" writes at page 104: "Games collections are extremely useful to get an idea about how strong players think about the game..." Practically he says we can get a clear insight into the logic and thought patterns used by a top player at the board when we see many annotated games. And here we have tons of recently played games, annotated by top players, which give us that insight we need to grow as players.
The following one comes directly from the lucky bag! Take a moment to review the annotations, and to grasp the lessons one can receive from such collection of games.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.f4!? 7.Nc4 Qc7 8.Qf3 Nb6 9.Bf4 Qd7 7...Nb6 8.g4 g6 8...Nbd5 9.Bg2 9.Bg2 Bg7 9...Nbd5 10.0-0 Bg7 11.Qf3 0-0 12.g5 10.0-0 0-0 11.f5 Rd8 11...Nfd7 12.Ne4 Qc7 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.c3 Nd5 15.Qe1 Nf6 16.Nc5 Qe8 17.Qh4 b6 18.Nd3 Ba6 19.Rf3 Bxd3 20.Rxd3 Qd7 21.Rh3 Rfc8 22.Bh6 Bxh6 23.Qxh6 Qd8 24.g5 Nh5 25.Rxh5 gxh5 26.g6 fxg6 27.fxg6 hxg6 28.Qxg6+ Kh8 29.Qh6+ Kg8 30.Be4 Qd6 31.Qh7+ 12.Ne2! 12.Be3? Nfd5! 12...Nfd7 13.Nxf7‼ Kxf7 14.Bf4! Qb4 14...Qf6? 15.g5 Qxf5 16.Bc7+- 14...e5 15.fxe6+ Qxe6 16.Bc7+ Nf6 17.Bxd8 Qe3+ 18.Rf2!± 15.c3! Qxb2 16.fxg6+ 16.Bc1‼ Qb5 16...Qxa1 17.Qb3+ Ke8 17...Nd5 18.Bxd5+ cxd5 19.Qxd5+ Ke8 20.fxg6 Ne5 21.Qg8+ Kd7 22.gxh7+- b6 23.Qxg7 Bb7 24.dxe5 18.fxg6+- 17.fxg6+ Kg8 18.gxh7+ Kh8 19.Nf4± Nf8 19...Nf6 20.Ng6+ Kxh7 21.Ne5 20.Nh5! 16...Kg8 17.gxh7+ Kh8 18.Bc7 Re8 19.Qd3! Nf8?? 19...Nf6! 20.Nf4 Qb5 21.Qc2 Bxg4 22.Be5∞ 20.Nf4 Bxg4 21.Qg3! e5 21...Bf5 22.Be5+- 22.Bxe5 Rxe5 22...Bxe5 23.dxe5 Be6 24.Bh3 Re7 25.Bxe6 Rg7 26.Bg4+- 23.dxe5 Bf5 24.Nh5 Ne6 25.Rae1+- Qc2 26.Rf2! Qd3 27.Rf3! Qc2 28.Rf2 Qd3 29.Rf3 Qc2 30.Ref1 Bxh7 31.Nxg7 Rg8 31...Nxg7 32.R3f2! Qd3 33.Rf8+ Rxf8 34.Rxf8+ Bg8 35.Qxd3+- 32.Nxe6! Rxg3 33.Rxg3 Nd7 34.Ng5 Nxe5 35.Rh3 Kg8 36.Nxh7 Ng4 37.Rg3 Kxh7 38.Rxg4 Qxc3 39.Be4+ Kh6 40.Rg6+ Kh5 41.Rf5+ Kh4 42.Rh6+ Kg4 43.h3+ 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Safarli,E | 2657 | Hera,I | 2620 | 1–0 | 2018 | B01 | FRA-chT Top 12 | 8.3 |
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But the Extra issue also has two videos in which two top GMs tell us specifically about their opening preparation. In this issue, we find Christian Bauer, who was part of his country's team at the Olympiad and who needed to win against another super strong team: Hungary. He details in the video how he won in this key game, thanks to his opening preparation.

GM Christian Bauer
The other video is by GM Yannick Pelletier who is teaching us about a great anti-London line. Obviously, I don't want to go into detail for any of the two videos, because opening surprises do work, and can make someone gain easy points. The point here is, we get two top GMs teaching us for over an hour about their opening preparation, and this is quite invaluable.
Are the surprises in this great issue of ChessBase extra magazine finished? NO! We are also treated to a brilliant game by Mikhail Tal, the 'Magician from Riga'. IM Georgios Souleidis created an amazing video presentation for a game surely many don't know, enriching our chess understanding. Totally worth every minute!

IM Georgios Souleidis
Final thoughts
The extra magazine is a source of chess information we need to have for thorough preparation — more than 50,000 games coming from over 400 tournaments, 30 of which had an average rating of over 2500! That's a lot of quality games. As usual with ChessBase Magazine, the Extra has videos on openings novelties, or new interpretations, which can help in being the unforeseeable player we need to be at our local weekend tournaments!
NEW: CBM Extra now comes with a "Lucky bag"! Peter Heine Nielsen comments on the WCh deciding games. Plus video training with Christian Bauer and Yannick Pelletier, and 53,900 new games for your database!
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