My ChessBase 18 Desktop! - Svitlana Demchenko

by ChessBase
10/22/2025 – 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.
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.

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

Svitlana Demchenko

Svitlana Demchenko reveals her ChessBase 18 desktop, which she mainly uses to prepare lessons for Svitlana’s Smart Moves, train students, and prepare for opponents.

Though her setup looks chaotic, it reflects her creative workflow - most files relate to her courses, lessons, and personal opening databases.

She prefers a clean blue/grey board design with hidden teaching notes that cue her during recordings.

Her favourite ChessBase 18 feature is the Style Report, which analyzes players’ styles - a tool she enjoys using both for preparation and for fun, showing friends their own playing tendencies.

  • 0:00 – All over the place: Svitlana shows her ChessBase 18 desktop - full of lesson files, student databases, and creative clutter.
  • 1:15 – Opening Organization: She explains how she merged her many opening files into one large, simplified database.
  • 2:25 – Courses & Products: A look at her downloaded ChessBase courses, including Power Play: The King’s Gambit by Daniel King.
  • 3:05 – Blue chessboard with grey background: Svitlana opens a lesson board, revealing her gray theme and hidden teacher notes for Smart Moves.
  • 4:10 – Style Report Feature: She highlights her favourite tool "the Style Report" which she also uses to analyse her friends’ playing styles.

Winning starts with what you know – ChessBase 18

The Alapin Variation (1.e4 c5 2.c3) offers a simple yet highly effective solution to all major Sicilian lines, by sidestepping them with 2.c3.
Facing the Sicilian doesn’t have to be complicated. The Alapin Variation (1.e4 c5 2.c3) offers a simple yet highly effective solution to all major Sicilian lines, by sidestepping them with 2.c3. Whether your opponent plays the Najdorf, Taimanov, or Dragon, the Alapin lets you take control of the game as early as move two.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: 2...g6

Links:

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