Review: All new releases in May!

by Stefan Liebig
6/14/2026 – Training, endgame technique and a wealth of up-to-date analysis: the latest ChessBase releases focus on different aspects of practical chess improvement. From interactive training with Fritz 21 and strategic insights drawn from the games of Bent Larsen, to clearly structured endgame principles presented by Karsten Müller and Leon Luke Mendonca, as well as current tournament coverage and opening theory in ChessBase Magazine, these products form a versatile package – practical, well-founded and designed to support continuous improvement. | All photos: ChessBase
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.

New releases: May 2026

Fritz 21

With Fritz 21, the latest version of the world's most famous chess program has finally arrived. Its main focus is personalised training. The engine dynamically adapts its playing strength, making it both a powerful analysis tool and an effective training partner. Alongside the classic analysis features, Fritz 21 offers structured training modes, immediate feedback on decisions, and targeted assistance during play.

The result is a varied learning environment that combines tactical and strategic training in a natural way. By bringing play, analysis and training together within a single interface, Fritz 21 is particularly appealing to ambitious players who want to improve systematically while keeping the learning process enjoyable and practical.

Buy in the ChessBase shop

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.

Master Class Vol. 20 – Bent Larsen

Master Class Vol. 20 is dedicated to one of the most creative grandmasters in chess history. Renowned authors including Peter Heine Nielsen, Mihail Marin and Karsten Müller explore Bent Larsen’s uncompromising style through deeply annotated games and characteristic strategic themes.

The material is complemented by interactive training exercises. The course is aimed at players who want to use the games of a great chess original to deepen their understanding of unconventional and dynamic play. 

:Free reading samples

Introduction by Peter Heine Nielsen

Introduction to the opening section

Buy in the ChessBase shop

In this video course experts examine the games of Bent Larsen. Let them show you which openings Larsen chose, where his strength in middlegames were, how he outplayed his opponents in the endgame & you’ll get a glimpse of his tactical abilities!
Bent Larsen (1935–2010) was the greatest chess player in Danish history, and for a time, the second-strongest player in the Western world behind Bobby Fischer. Between 1954 and 1971, he won the Danish Championship six times, and achieved numerous international tournament victories throughout his career. 
Free video sample: Introduction to Bent Larsen by Peter Heine Nielsen
Free video sample: Introduction to the Opening Section

10 Golden Rules of Endgame Play

With 10 Golden Rules of Endgame Play, Karsten Müller and Luis Engel Mendonca present a structured approach to mastering the endgame. Using clearly defined principles—such as king activity and the importance of passed pawns—they explain typical endgame positions in a systematic and accessible way.

Practical examples and training exercises help players transfer these concepts directly into their own games. The course is particularly aimed at players who want to improve their endgame technique through a methodical and principle-based approach.

:Free reading samples

Introduction

Activate the king

Buy in the ChessBase Shop

In this powerful new course, endgame expert Karsten Müller teams up with rising star Leon Mendonca to deliver what truly matters: 10 essential rules that every player must know.
Endgames decide more games than any opening preparation ever will and yet they are often the least understood phase of chess. In this powerful new course, endgame expert Karsten Müller teams up with rising star Leon Mendonca to deliver what truly matters: 10 essential rules that every player must know.
Free Video sample: Introduction
Free Video sample: Activate the king

ChessBase Magazine 231

ChessBase Magazine 231 (Digital) brings together the latest developments from tournament practice and opening theory in a compact format and is also available as a printed edition.

Renowned authors such as Anish Giri and Jan Markos contribute analyses of recent games, new repertoire ideas, and strategic insights into modern chess trends.

The issue is complemented by training sections that help readers apply the material in their own games, as well as annotated examples from top-level chess.

Buy in the ChessBase Shop

From the 2026 Candidates Tournament, featuring a video review by Dorian Rogozenco, to Jan Werle’s opening video on the French Tarrasch Defence, and Oliver Reeh’s tactical column ‘Top Grandmasters at Work’. Analyses by Giri, So, Wei Yi and many others.
ChessBase Magazine offers top-class training material for club players and professionals! World-class players analyse their finest 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 exactly the tricks and techniques you need to become a successful tournament player! Available as a download (including the magazine as a PDF file) or as a printed magazine with a download key sent by post.
Included: CBM #231 as a “ChessBase Book” for iPad, tablet, Mac etc.! At books.chessbase.com

 

ChessBase Magazine 231 Extra

ChessBase Magazine Extra 231 expands ChessBase Magazine with an extensive collection of additional games and analyses.

Its main focus is a large database of recent games that can be used for personal analysis and opening preparation.

With its wealth of games and supplementary commentary, it provides a practical tool for players who regularly work with current tournament games and want to develop their repertoire on a solid database-driven foundation.

Buy in the ChessBase Shop

Videos: Nico Zwirs examines two Petroffs from the 2026 Candidates. Robert Ris has a tip against the Caro-Kann Advance Variation with 3…c5. Fiona Sieber reveals a surprise weapon against the Najdorf. ‘Lucky Bag’ with 40 analyses by Ganguly, L'Ami et al.
ChessBase Magazine Extra is the perfect complement to ChessBase Magazine. Available as a single issue or by subscription (6 issues per year). Available as a direct download.
Includes ‘ChessBase Book’ for iPad, tablet, Mac, etc.!

 

New releases of the previous months:

Links

Free January course by Robert Ris
Free December course by Robert Ris
Steinitz: Father of the Modern School
Review: 60 Minutes against Caro-Kann
Peter Balint succeeds thanks to Felix Blohberger's course on the Reti
Karsten Müller at ChessBase
Ivan Sokolov at ChessBase
Review: "Outsmarting the London System – 60 minutes" by IM Andrew Martin
Review: "The Art of Sacrificing" by Krishnan Sasikiran
Review: "The Colle System"
Review: "Reinventing the Ragozin" by Surya Ganguly
Review: David Navara – Your Calculation Compass: Know When to Calculate

<< ChessBase´26 – Tips for beginners, Part 19: Find model games for training
Stefan Liebig, born in 1974, is a journalist and co-owner of a marketing agency. He now lives in Barterode near Göttingen. At the age of five, strange pieces on his neighbour’s shelf aroused his curiosity. Since then, the game of chess has cast a spell over him. Flying high in the NRW youth league with his home club SV Bad Laasphe and several appearances in the second division team of Tempo Göttingen were highlights for the former youth South Westphalia champion.
Discussion and Feedback Submit your feedback to the editors

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Video

60m How to fight Queen's Pawn Openigns

After 1.d4 d5 many players with White avoid the great amount of theory in the Slav, Semi-Slav, QGA and Orthodox Queen's Gambit and do not therefore play 2.c4. This is not very ambitious, but the painful experience of many chess players has been that the Colle System, the Trompowsky Attack, the Torre Attack and the London System are nevertheless extremely dangerous. Black has to be prepared for each of these openings and IM Valeri Lilov offers you some help with his six instructive videos, in which he demonstrates for each single opening a relevant plan for Black. In addition to the openings mentioned, the Bulgarian trainer also delves into the Catalan, the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit and the Richter-Veresov Opening.