Mastering the unknown: Niclas Huschenbeth on Freestyle Chess

2/15/2025 – Freestyle Chess is shaking up the game, and GM Niclas Huschenbeth is at the forefront of the revolution. With no fixed openings and 960 possible starting positions, adaptability is key—yet Huschenbeth sees opportunity where others see chaos. His Freestyle Chess Masterclass equips players with the principles to navigate any position with confidence. From breaking symmetry to mastering piece coordination, the German GM unveils the secrets to success in this dynamic format. | Photo: chess.com / Maria Emelianova

Freestyle, FIDE, etc. - An interview with Jan Henric Buettner

2/11/2025 – At the beginning of the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Tournament Jan Henric Buettner was inundated with interview requests. The dispute with FIDE had attracted a lot of media attention and everyone wanted to know exactly what it was all about and what the current situation was. At the start of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Weissenhaus Buettner invited the ChessBase team to his office for an interview.

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.