1/24/2022 – Can players be classified into certain types? On their new ChessBase course Karsten Müller and Luis Engel follow a model of Danish Grandmaster Lars Bo Hansen and distinguish between four types of players and illustrate their different playing styles with typical games. This model helps to understand your own strengths and weaknesses and the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents better. Christian Höthe took a look at the course.

1/11/2022 – Sometimes bad performance at a tournament can spur you into action. It can make you have a close look at the holes and weaknesses in your play. This is exactly what happened with our reviewer Aanjaneya Phatak. 20-year-old Aanjaneya, who works on chess without a coach, decided to go to the MP Masters Chess 2021. He lost 47 Elo point making his rating fall from 2212 to 2165. But from that experience he realized that he needed to add new openings to his arsenal. That's how he got his hands on Markus Ragger's latest Fritztrainer for ChessBase on the Grunfeld Defence. In this article Aanjaneya narrates his experience of working with Austria's first ever 2700+ GM.

11/26/2021 – Every month a few ChessBase DVDs get released. Which one to get and which one to pass? Which one should be prioritized? Well, that you have to figure out on your own or with the help of your trainers or sparring partners. Once you have figured out the area you need to improve on or become stronger, it becomes that much easier to select a DVD and start working on it. Aanjaneya Phatak, shares his own personal experience as he reviews the latest DVD by Robert Ris, titled Calculation Training in Attack & Defence. Check out the review and see if it helps you to decide buying this DVD.

5/27/2020 – What to play with White? 1.e4, 1.d4, 1.Nf3 or another move? The English Grandmaster Nick Pert, former U18 World Champion, renowned author and trainer, recommends 1.d4 and on his DVD "Attacking Repertoire with 1.d4!" he explains why this is a good choice. Davide Nastasio took a look at the first volume of Pert's recommended repertoire.

5/2/2020 – The Benoni Defence is a very double-edged weapon, well suited to play for a win but also dangerous. On his recently released DVD Rustam Kasimdzhanov, one of the world's most renowned opening experts, claims that "The Benoni is back in business". Roven Vogel took a close look at Kasimdzhanov's DVD to check this claim.

4/29/2020 – Most games are decided by tactics. And you can learn to master tactics. On her new DVD the Canadian WGM Qiyu Zhou offers a systematic tactics course for beginners and shows how you can practice tactics and how you can sharpen your tactical skills.

3/23/2020 – After winning the U16 World Champion title five years ago, things became a bit more quiet for Roven Vogel. Those times might be over now, since he could win the qualifier tournament in Wijk aan Zee just a couple of weeks ago. Preparation is key. International Master ROVEN VOGEL took a deeper look at Wesley So’s DVD and discusses the many benefits of the black secrets in the ‘Modern Italian’.

3/17/2020 – Do you know what is the Centurini's rule? Do you have an Anti-Reti in your opening repertoire? Would you like to have an IM pose some interactive questions, and test your tactical vision? Do you know how to evaluate a position with no minor pieces, but with queens and rooks on the board? Are you aware of common opening traps in the Caro-Kann, Philidor, English and Sicilian? Do you want to update your opening repertoire with the latest recommendations? If these topics have you intrigued, and interested in knowing more, ChessBase Magazine could become your addictive chess reading while as you self-isolate!

3/8/2020 – New to the game of chess? While ChessBase is most well-known for its FritzTrainers aimed at strong club players, up through professionals, we also have content for beginners, including this video series by scholastic instructor Sabrina Chevannes. DIANA MIHAJLOVA explains who can benefit and what to expect.

3/4/2020 – “'I need a surprise weapon against the Sicilian, the most popular Black opening,' I schemed one day." So begins guest reviewer NATHANIAL FERNANDES in his look at the irreverent IM Lawrence Trent's FritzTrainer on 2.b3!? in the Sicilian. Find out what drew this 1.e4 devotee — an A-level club player — to this particular opening sideline.

2/16/2020 – The English is an opening which can transpose into many others. It is definitely a must for those who want to improve middlegame play, thanks to the huge variety of middlegame themes which can arise from it. One can play very aggressively, or positionally; it's clearly an opening which can satisfy everyone interested in learning strategy and tactics. World Champion Magnus Carlsen is one of the players who has incorporated the English into his repertoire. In this FritzTrainer, IM Lorin D'Costa presents a complete repertoire for White explaining key pawn structures and ideas behind the moves. DAVIDE NASTASIO breaks it down.

2/11/2020 – GM Nick Pert, a former World U18 chess champion and a member of the National English team, came up with an ingenious idea about helping the improving players. He composed three FritzTrainer DVDs in which he targets the "typical mistakes" committed by players in the lower rating brackets of 1000-1600, 1600-1900 and 1800-2000. DIANA MIHAJLOVA takes a look.