Hot Topics: chessbase magazine - page 1

The more dangerous passed pawn

9/15/2020 – Rook endings have drawish tendencies, and sometimes being one or even two pawns up is not enough to win. But despite their drawish tendencies rook endings can be very sharp and full of hidden tactics. Especially, if both sides have far advanced passed pawns.
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Hanging helpers

9/11/2020 – In the diagram position, the black queen on e3 and the black knight on g4 need the help of the 'heavy guys' to hunt down the white king who is living on the edge at h3. One key move and two mate lines - enjoy!

The new choice of champions

9/9/2020 – The Ragozin Defence (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4) has become more and more popular in recent years. Many top Grandmasters play it these days. But how do Grandmasters fight the Ragozin at top level? Peter Svidler brought 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 into play. Ding Liren, Caruana and others took up the idea, and Carlsen has also tested the bishop move. In the new ChessBase Magazine, CBM #197, Alexey Kuzmin checks the latest trends.
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The unstoppable

9/8/2020 – Endings with opposite coloured bishops are often drawish but can also be very exciting because material is less important. This again and again leads to surprising and aesthetically pleasing sacrifices.

Slaying the dragon II

9/4/2020 – The diagram shows the starting position of the aggressive Löwenfisch Variation. After the natural 6...Bg7 Black already must be very careful not to be crushed. Are you in a Dragon slayer mood today?

Your Top Grandmaster analyses

9/3/2020 – The new ChessBase Magazine # 197 comes with two exciting "Specials". The first is the exclusive contribution by Anish Giri: the current number 10 in the world shows you his nine best games with the Italian. Top games with a cutting-edge opening, commented in detail by one of the strongest grandmasters in the world! Today, we offer you one of these nine analyses as a reading sample. Enjoy!
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Tricky pawn endgame

9/1/2020 – Usually passed pawns should be pushed, but there is no rule without exception! What is Black’s best move in the diagram? Endgame specialist Karsten Müller demonstrates why one should always calculate carefully not to spoil a winning position in the final stages of the game.

ChessBase Magazine 197 arrived!

8/31/2020 – ChessBase Magazine is the most comprehensive and most sophisticated chess magazine there is. World class players analyse their brilliancies and explain the ideas behind the moves to you, opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and offer exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in the fields of tactics, strategy, and the endgame show you the tricks and techniques a successful tournament player needs! DVD with several hours of video + booklet. Also available for download including the booklet in pdf!

The sword of Damocles

8/28/2020 – If it weren’t for the bishop on h6, White could give checkmate with Qxh8++ in the diagram. But the attempt to remove this piece with 21.Bf8? would actually backfire. Happy countering!

The spite check

8/25/2020 – A bishop is often much stronger than a knight when passed pawns are trying to promote on two different flanks of the board. Endgame specialist Karsten Müller demonstrates the winning technique to convert this position into a win, and shows how reacting wrongly to a ‘spite check’ can completely change the evaluation in a single move.

Slaying the dragon

8/21/2020 – In the diagram position White has just played 17.f4! creating the threat Qh3, and after 17...e5 he strikes. Can you find Fischer's continuation... five times?

The bodycheck

8/18/2020 – The "bodycheck" is the most important pattern in the endgame rook against pawn. The term, of course, is borrowed from the game of hockey and it describes the situation when one king takes away an important square from the other king.

Oldie-Parade I

8/14/2020 – In the diagram White threatens Rh3 with vicious intentions down the open h-file. Black to play: three lines, two results, one person to make all the difference - you!