My ChessBase 18 Desktop! - Robert Ris

by ChessBase
10/28/2025 – We take a unique behind-the-scenes look at how top chess masters organize their digital workspace. Grandmasters and trainers like Svitlana Demchenko, Robert Ris, Michael Prusikin, Harald Schneider-Zinner, Frederik Svane, Felix Blohberger, and Dorian Rogozenco share their screens to reveal their personal ChessBase 18 setups — from meticulously clean desktops to chaotic databases full of ideas. They show us their board designs, current projects, and discuss their favourite or most-used ChessBase functions, offering fascinating insights into how great minds prepare, study, and work with chess every day.
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My ChessBase 18 Desktop! - Chess Masters invite us in

with Dorian Rogozenco, Robert Ris, Svitlana Demchenko, Frederik Svane, Felix Blohberger, Harald Schneider-Zinner, and Michael Prusikin

Robert Ris

Robert Ris gives a candid look into his “creative chaos”—his personal ChessBase 18 setup filled with numerous databases for different projects and trainings.

He admits to being disorganized but emphasizes that he knows exactly where everything is, and that this system fuels his creativity. Robert then shows one of his own attacking games, explaining how he analyses and stores them, and reveals that his favourite ChessBase feature is the online database and player report, which he uses for opening research and opponent preparation.

Finally, he gives a glimpse of his private repertoire files—hundreds of experimental opening ideas—joking that while it may look chaotic, it works perfectly for him and might even make others feel better about their own messy desktops.

  • 0:00 — Creative Chaos: Robert admits he’s “not the most organized person,” showing a desk full of databases and projects.
  • 1:35 — Personal database loss: Robert is explaining how he lost many of his early games due to a computer crash and now focuses on training.
  • 3:01 — Playing and analysing his own games: Robert loads a recent win, sharing how he adds notes and arrows after playing, analysing mostly for himself rather than for students.
  • 5:09 — A beautiful attacking game: Robert walks through an impressive attack from one of his games, explaining his thought process and how harmony between the pieces created a strong kingside breakthrough.
  • 7:03 — Favourite ChessBase 18 function: Robert reveals his most-used feature — the online database — and demonstrates how he uses the CB 18 style report to analyse opponents’ styles, strengths, and weaknesses.
  • 10:27 — The secret repertoire revealed: Robert opens his private white repertoire folder — a massive, chaotic but brilliant structure of hundreds of files, and explains his creative system of naming and experimenting with new ideas.

Winning starts with what you know – ChessBase 18

With the moves d4-Nf3-e3-Bd3 White aims for simple piece development and to slowly build up a devastating attack on the kingside!
One of the simplest openings for White to learn, and one of the most frustrating ones for Black to face! With the moves d4-Nf3-e3-Bd3 White aims for simple piece development and to slowly build up a devastating attack on the kingside!
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: e4-e5 attacking ideas

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Topics: ChessBase 18, Dorian Rogozenco, Felix Blohberger, Frederik Svane, Harald Schneider-Zinner, Michael Prusikin, Robert Ris, Svitlana Demchenko
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My ChessBase 18 Desktop! - Svitlana Demchenko

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Video

60m The Two Knights

This entry into the 60 minutes series concentrates on the Modern variation of the Italian game where White opens the centre early : 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 d4 exd4 5 e5!. This line can be reached by various move orders, most frequently from the Scotch 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4. It's a sharp variation and Grandmasters such as Evgeny Sveshnikov have used it frequently,with very good results. It's a perfect line for club players to adopt which is relatively easy to learn and which contains many traps. All the main responses are covered here, including 5...d5, 5...Ng4 and 5...Ne4 and the conclusion is that is is difficult for Black to equalize in a straightforward way. Problems are being posed, which over the board might prove tough to solve.