New: CBM Extra #226

by ChessBase
7/18/2025 – ChessBase Magazine Extra is the ideal supplement to ChessBase Magazine. In the new Extra #226: Opening videos on the Najdorf Variation with 6.h3 e5 7.Nb3 (Luis Engel) and the Taimanov Variation with 7.Qf3 (Nico Zwirs). ‘Lucky bag’ with 38 analyses by Anish Giri, Surya Ganguly, Abhijeet Gupta, Yannick Pelletier and many more. Update service with over 50,000 new games for your database. You can now read CBM Extra also in your webbrowser on your iPad, tablet or Mac in the "ChessBase Book" format!
2025 European Championship with a German double victory and analyses by Bluebaum, Svane, Rodshtein, Yuffa, Navara and many more. Opening videos by Engel, King and Marin. Training sections “The Fortress”, “The Trap” and “Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" etc.
ChessBase Magazine offers first-class training material for club players and professionals! World-class players analyse their brilliant games and explain the ideas behind the moves. Opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in tactics, strategy and endgames show you the tricks and techniques you need to be a successful tournament player! Available as a direct download (incl. booklet as pdf file) or booklet with download key by post.
Included in delivery: ChessBase Magazine #226 as “ChessBase Book” for iPad, tablet, Mac etc.! -> books.chessbase.com
 

Opening videos: Focus on the Sicilian

Luis Engel: Sicilian Najdorf Variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e5 7.Nb3

In ChessBase Magazine #226 and the upcoming issue #227, Luis Engel presents a comprehensive analysis of the Najdorf Variation with 6.Bd3. ‘In between’, in this CBM Extra, the GM from Hamburg focuses on another variation in his favourite opening: after 6.h3 e5, White has recently preferred the continuation 7.Nb3. ‘A very dangerous variation – for both sides!’ On the seventh move, Black has a choice between two moves that take the game in very different directions. Video playing time: 33 minutes!

Nico Zwirs: Sicilian Taimanov Variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7.Qf3 Nf6 8.0-0-0 Ne5 9.Qg3 b5 10.a3

For some time now, 7.Qf3 has been very popular as a weapon against the Taimanov Variation –From f3, the queen may move forward to g3, where it can target the pawn on g7 and offer an exchange of queens that is favourable for White. In the game Trost-Donchenko (Grenke Open 2025), which Nico Zwirs uses as the starting point for his analysis, the main moves 7...Nf6 8.0.0.0 Ne5 9.Qg3 b5 followed. At this point, the young IM from Sweden refrained from the standard continuation 10.f4 – which requires extensive theoretical knowledge – and instead played the clever 10.a3, allowing 10…Bb7 11. Bf4! – this move has only been played once before. 11...d6 is practically forced, and here Trost sacrificed his knight for two pawns and a strong initiative with 12.Nxb5 axb5 Bxb5+. Even a player of Donchenko's calibre was unable to solve the concrete problems of this position over the board. ‘A very nice piece of opening preparation!’

"Lucky bag": Analyses by Anish Giri, Lubomir Ftacnik, Surya Ganguly, Abhijeet Gupta, Yannick Pelletier and many more

Extra #226 delivers 38 annotated games from a wide variety of tournaments in the "Lucky bag".

The Update Service once again provides over 50,000 new games for your database!

The games from the Update Service are also included in the Mega Update Service 2025, which can be used with ChessBase 17/18 (and a corresponding subscription).

CBM Extra #226 as ChessBase Book

As an alternative to downloading the new edition for your ChessBase program, you can also download it directly via your web browser.

Make yourself comfortable on your iPad or tablet and download the new edition as a ‘ChessBase Book’ (of course you can also do this on your PC, laptop or Mac). All you have to do after purchasing the Extra is to open the page

ChessBase Magazine Extra #226 - Books

and log in with your CB account!

Have fun with the new CBM Extra #226!

Order now in the ChessBase Shoo! - Single issue at 14,90 €

Or upgrade your CBM subscription to CBM + Extra! 

<< Summer Special: For positional and strategic players: A 1.d4 and a 1.Nf3 repertoire
Freestyle Chess Las Vegas: Aronian takes down Nakamura >>
Topics: ChessBase Magazine, Engel, Ftacnik, Ganguly, Giri, Pelletier, Zwirs
Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.
Discussion and Feedback Submit your feedback to the editors

See also

New: CBM Extra #225 – now incl. ChessBase Book for iPad, Tablet, Mac etc.

5/29/2025 – ChessBase Magazine Extra is the ideal supplement to ChessBase Magazine. In the new Extra #225: Videos by Mihail Marin: Najdorf Variation with 6.f4 and Nico Zwirs: Italian ‘giucco pianissimo’. ‘Lucky bag’ with 45 analyses by Edouard, Ftacnik, Gupta, Pelletier and others. Update service with over 50,000 new games for your database. You can now read CBM Extra also in your webbrowser on your iPad, tablet or Mac in the "ChessBase Book" format!
More...
 2

See also

CBM 224: Pragg pips Gukesh at the post

4/16/2025 – ChessBase Magazine offers a window to the world of professional chess. Our columnist Nagesh Havanur takes a look at our current issue, CBM 224. 209 games from the Tata Steel Tournament, 15 annotated, 11 opening surveys, 4 opening videos, 7 demo lectures and several exercises for training. Annotators include Anish Giri, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Praggnanandhaa and Karsten Müller, among others. The icing on the cake is a special feature on Viktor Korchnoi, with 24 annotated games. | Photo: Tata Steel Chess / Lennart Ootes
More...
 1

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.
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.