1/7/2023 – With ChessBase Magazine #211 Karsten Mueller starts a new training series, which is not about endgame finesse on grandmaster level, but about basic techniques, which are worth learning for every ambitious chess player. And without them you won't get far at a higher level. The topic of the first article is the endgame rook vs. pawn. As clear as the balance of power is in this endgame, you have to know a few rules of thumb and techniques in order to always be able to treat the position correctly. You can watch Karsten Mueller's video introduction to his new series here!
Chess Festival Prague 2025 with analyses by Aravindh, Giri, Gurel, Navara and others. ‘Special’: 27 highly entertaining miniatures. Opening videos by Werle, King and Ris. 10 opening articles with new repertoire ideas and much more. 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 #225 as “ChessBase Book” for iPad, tablet, Mac etc.!
Start of the Bundesliga season 22/23 with analyses by Eljanov, Van Wely, McShane, l'Ami and many others. "Special" on Mikhail Tal, opening videos by Ponomariov, King and Marin. 10 opening articles with new repertoire ideas and much more.
Top trainers strongly recommend regular study of well-explained classical games to improve your understanding of chess in the long term. 33 modern classics are explained in details on this video course.
€39.90
New series "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" - Part 1: Rook vs. pawn
In the new training series, Karsten Mueller combines "normal" videos with interactive videos. In the introductory video he uses concrete examples to demonstrate the important motifs and techniques, namely
1) Defense by stalemate: Defense by stalemate with a knight's pawn on the 7th rank or by underpromotion to a knight, if it is not a rook's pawn. A knight draws against a rook, if it is near its king.
2) Cut off: Cutting off the defending king is a strong weapon of the rook. It wins, if e.g. Black's king is cut off along the 5th rank by White's rook.
3) Body check: The Body check is by far the most important motif.
4) Zwischenschach: So Zwischenschach (in-between-check) together with the avoidance of bodychecks is also very important.
Karsten Mueller: "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" Part 1 – Video introduction
Following the video introduction, Karsten Mueller invites you in CBM #211 to put your endgame technique to the test in five interactive videos! Here the endgame expert leaves the move right to you at the crucial moments and asks you to enter the correct continuation on the board. The video feedback is immediate. Here you will find out whether and why you were right or wrong. If you have not found the solution, you can hope for a tip from the grandmaster and then get it right at the second attempt!
ChessBase Magazine trial subscription with 33% savings advantage and thank you bonus!*
Try out ChessBase Magazine now! Order the ChessBase Magazine taster package! Read ChessBase Magazine for 6 months (= 3 issues) for thespecial price of only 39.90 €(instead of 59,85 € for buying them individually). As a thank you, you will also receive 3 months ChessBase Premium Membership free of charge.
*Bonus for new subscribers only, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months!
Highlights of CBM #211
Analyses, videos, training exercises. From brilliant games of the eighth World Champion Mikhail Tal to current games of the new Bundesliga season: a rich training programme awaits you in ChessBase Magazine #211! Here are the editors' recommendations:
Bundesliga season 22/23: Stars up close - Eljanov, Van Wely, McShane, Jones, Kasimdzhanov, Cheparinov, Meier and many others comment on games from the first rounds - "Special" on Mikhail Tal: exclusive collection of 21 commented games + contributions on strategy and endgame - "The Scotch Gambit": Daniel King presents another gambit idea: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5. 0-0 (video) - "How to deal with opening surprises": Jan Markos continues his training series for tournament players (video + collection of exercises) - "Jumping across the centre line":over 50 tactics exercises + three selected combinations in video format with Oliver Reeh - Endgame good, all good: Karsten Mueller's new video series "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" (Part 1: Rook vs. Pawn) – King’s Gambit: Take it easy! Sergey Grigoriants promotes 1. e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Ne7!? - Gambit time in the French Advance Variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? and many more.
Special: Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal is the hero of this issue. Our authors comment on their favourite games of the "magician". An exclusive collection of 21 brilliant games analysed in detail!
Top games and master analyses
Bundesliga 22/23: The starting signal for the new Bundesliga season was given in October. Participants from various teams comment on their opening games, including the stars from the cover – Pavel Eljanov, Loek van Wely and Luke McShane – as well as Nils Grandelius, Rustam Kasimdzhanov, Ivan Saric, Ivan Cheparinov, Gawain Jones, Nikita Vitiugov, Erwin L'Ami, Dennis Wagner, Daniil Yuffa, Georg Meier, Jan-Christian Schröder, Thai Dai Van Nguyen and Michael Prusikin. In addition, David Navara presents his game against Luke McShane in a detailed video analysis! And Rustam Kasimdhzanov reviews his Black win against Julian Kramer in the video as well.
Practical tips fort he tournament player: “How to deal with opening surprises?”
Jan Markos continues his video training series - Video + small collection of exercises.
Move by Move
Robson-So was probably the most spectacular game at the US Championship 2022. Test your attacking skills and play through the game move by move with the experienced trainer Robert Ris!
All in one
New opening ideas explained by means of a single game with detailed commentary. Alvar Alonso Rosell examines an aggressive approach for Black in the Modern Italian. Igor Stohl dissects the highly topical Ragozin Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qa4+.
Opening videos
Daniel King takes a close look at the time-honoured Scotch Gambit, which has recently been seen again in some top tournaments. Ruslan Ponomariov shows how he succeeded in the Spanish League against Alexander Fier with a rare Siclian with 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5. And Mihail Marin takes up an opening concept of Mikhail Tal's that used to be part of his own repertoire several years ago.
From the English Opening to the Catalan - ChessBase Magazine #211 offers 11 opening articles with new ideas - everyone will find something exciting here!
Szabo: Sicilian O’Kelly Variation Part II: 3.c4 Hera: Sicilian 3.Nc3 e6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Bd3 Kuzmin: Sicilian Paulsen Variation 5.Bf4!? Braun: French Advance Var. 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0 Grigoriants: King's Gambit 2...exf4 3.Nf3 Ne7 Lorenzini: Philidor Defence 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0-0 Srinath: Open Ruy Lopez Part I Schandorff: Slav Excnage Variation with 6.Bb5!? Papp: Gruenfeld 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 Postny: Nimzo-Indian 4.f3 d5 with 6...c6 Sumets: Catalan 4...dxc4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.0-0 Rb8
New series "Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" – Part I: Rook vs. Pawn
New video training series for all those who want to put their endgame technique on a sound footing. Plus endgame highlights by Mikhail Tal including video introduction.
Topical opening traps
“Innocent moves and tempting lures” – Rainer Knaak takes a close look at eight traps from current tournament practice, three of which he also presents in video format. From Veressov to the Sicilian!
Mikhail Tal in strategy mode
What aspects distinguished Mikhail Tal's style of play? Mihail Marin examines, among other things. "The fight for space" and "Pawn play". Including video introduction. In addition, his section again offers numerous training tasks using Tal's games as examples!
Modern Classics #02: Botwinnik-Tal (1960)
Dorian Rogozenco takes up this issue's special and shows the sixth game of the 1960 World Championship match between Tal and Botwinnik. "A very impressive and spectacular game!"
Tactics: "Jumping across the centre line"
Oliver Reeh's tactics contribution contains 38 games with many training questions. The IM goes through three of his favourite combinations with you in the interactive video.
ChessBase Magazine trial subscription with 33% savings advantage and thank you bonus!*
Try out ChessBase Magazine now! Order the ChessBase Magazine taster package! Read ChessBase Magazine for 6 months (= 3 issues) for thespecial price of only 39.90 €(instead of 59,85 € for buying them individually). As a thank you, you will also receive 3 months ChessBase Premium Membership free of charge.
*Bonus for new subscribers only, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months!
ChessBase Magazine one year subscription - plus original ChessBase USB stick with 128 GB *
Save twice with ChessBase Magazine: For the annual subscription to ChessBase Magazine you’ll pay only €99.70 per year (compared to €119.70 for the 6 individual issues).
* Bonus only for new subscribers, i.e. there was no CBM subscription for 12 months! As a new subscriber you will receive the original ChessBase USB stick with 128 GB
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
The Trompowsky is especially suited for faster time controls as you don‘t have to memorise endless lines of theory, and you push your opponent out of their comfort zone after your second move.
Trompowsky Powerbook 2025 is based on 53,000 computer games from the engine room of playchess.com as well as 49,000 games from Mega and correspondence chess.
Trompowsky Powerbase 2025 is a database and contains a total of 8727 games from Mega 2025 and the Correspondence Database 2024, of which 316 are annotated.
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.
In this dynamic and practical video course, IM Andrew Martin arms you with powerful antidotes to White’s most annoying sidelines.
€34.90
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.
Pop-up for detailed settings
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, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.