3/11/2023 – With close to 250 games being played daily, the European Championship is one of the strongest opens in the chess calendar. Moreover, the players are fighting for an entrance to the World Championship cycle via the World Cup, which makes for very competitive struggles. Karsten Müller is keeping an eye on the games, and has sent us many notable endgames with instructive analyses. Replay here his seven of his finds! | Pictured: Sabino Brunello | Photo: European Chess Union

3/8/2023 – With close to 250 games being played daily, the European Championship is one of the strongest opens in the chess calendar. Moreover, the players are fighting for an entrance to the World Championship cycle via the World Cup, which makes for very competitive struggles. Karsten Müller is keeping an eye on the games, and has sent us many notable endgames with instructive analyses. Replay here his first seven finds! | Pictured: Marius Gramb | Photo: European Chess Union

8/27/2022 – On 30 June 1908, just after 7 AM (all dates correspond to our Gregorian calendar), an explosion occurred in the harsh forests in Siberia near the Tunguska river. The explosion happened over an area that is nearly unpopulated, so apart from an estimated 80 million trees (and, we suppose, the wildlife in that area of 2150 km²) only three humans died in the event that would likely have been a major catastrophe if it had happened over a densely populated area.| Photos: Pixabay

7/29/2022 – The much-anticipated Olympiad finally kicked off in Chennai. Lopsided matches were once again the rule in the first round of the massive event. Nonetheless, a couple of strong grandmasters escaped with draws from losing positions, as their opponents were happy to split the points when given the chance. Indian fans could not have asked for a better start, as all six Indian teams scored 4-0 victories on opening day! | Photo: Stev Bonhage

4/8/2022 – The Kvika Reykjavík Open kicked off on Tuesday, with one round played on opening day and a double round on Wednesday. Hans Niemann (United States) and Lukasz Jarmula (Poland) are the only players to have won all three of their games. No fewer than 31 players stand a half point back, including a number of Indian rising stars. | Pictured: Top seed Pouya Idani (Iran) | Photo: Thorsteinn Magnusson

12/28/2021 – For 24 days, you mastered fierce end-game puzzles. We received over 6800 emails this year! This topped last year's calendar, bravo! From all entries we randomly selected three winners for each day, who can look forward to ChessBase Shop vouchers or two Fritztrainer DVDs signed by Karsten Müller. Those who guessed all 24 doors correctly, entered into our super raffle for one of three grand prizes.

12/25/2021 – We are sorry, but our calendar doesn't have 25 doors, but one solution still has to be shown. Thank you! We were able to beat last year's result, thanks to your record participation. All winners will be announced on 27.12.

12/24/2021 – That's almost it! It's the last day of the calendar, and we want to say a huge thank you for the thousands of entries! Yesterday we had to send the king to c2 because of the virtual opposition. Finally, there is a really nice endgame treat to solve.

12/23/2021 – The youngest GM ever, played the move Nf3+. Although the game was played this year, it is already a classic. On the penultimate day, there is a fast-paced task in which a white king has to find the right square. Can you help?

12/22/2021 – Arne Kaehler had just learned this study in "Ellis Schatztruhe - Episode 9", but embarrassingly forgot it again for a short time. But the vast majority knew, of course, that only Kg7 leads to success. Today, the task is not to find the probably "best" move, but the move that was played in this particular game with Black.

12/21/2021 – Yesterday's Reti study could be solved with Rd2, or even Rd3. Of course, almost everyone knew that. And today there is another study that even more should know how to solve. Please confirm you know it! And this short study, in this short video, is on the shortest day of the year.

12/20/2021 – Only four more days and our beautiful endgame magic calendar is over. Could you find the move for the "King of the Umbrellas" yesterday? It was Ke6! Today we have an absolute classic in door 20. But who actually made this study?

12/19/2021 – In door number 18, "Zugzwang is the sharpest endgame weapon" with Ka2!!! In today's door we take a closer look at a game by Jan Timman and find out: "Not all rook ending games end in a draw" if the right move is found.

12/18/2021 – Sometimes there are endgame puzzles that end quite surprisingly. The move Kd4, was the interesting idea yesterday to secure the draw. But we couldn't upset the majority of all the participants. You know your endgames too well. But maybe with door 18? Once again, a very witty move that has to be found.

12/17/2021 – In yesterday's door it was a matter of finding Anand's move. g5+! Queen and knight do the rest, as they are stronger here than queen and bishop. Today, the king has four moves to choose from. A tricky puzzle, and a clever idea.

12/16/2021 – So many people knew very well that yesterday the Centurini draw position was on the board, and it could only be achieved with the cunning move B. Kf4. Bravo! On Day 16 Anand and Radjabov duel, but what move did the Indian grandmaster make in this game, and what is the "queen and knight attacking duo" called against "queen and bishop"?

12/15/2021 – Were you able to force "Stamma's" mate with the knight yesterday? It only works if the king goes to the square f3. The rest should be easy. Now it's getting more difficult again! Today, it looks like you can give up immediately. But the riddle will end in a draw if the right move is found for Black.

12/14/2021 – Fortunately, most of you knew that the correct solution for door 13 was "A". Far fewer, however, were aware that the green squares are called "key squares". Another lesson learned. In the video, there is more information about the squares, and the task for today. We checkmate the opponent's king with nothing more than a knight!

12/13/2021 – The bishop was hanging, and yet it was not allowed to be taken! But almost everyone knew that, and took the knight instead. Today there is a correct move again, and if you like, a correct designation of the green marked squares.

12/12/2021 – You only had to find the correct move Bd3 yesterday, but a huge amount of participants also knew about "Rauser's drawing zone". I congratulate you, for your endgame knowledge. Today, your task is to find a rather beautiful way to win, and as always, only one move is the right one!

12/11/2021 – Vladimir Kramnik thought he was already completely lost in yesterday's task a few moves earlier anyway. The readers knew almost without exception that Sb1 with sacrifice was enough to win. In today's exercise it's all about 30 green squares!

12/10/2021 – The rook moves to the square f2. Most people knew that yesterday, which is wonderful! As always, the detailed solution is in the video, and there are many details to consider. We are briefly confused ourselves during the analysis. Today we have to solve a problem, starring Magnus Carlsen!

12/9/2021 – The "body-check" is the right solution from yesterday, instead of an immediate "opposition". If the king goes to d4, the game can be won. The good news is, almost everyone knew that too. In door number 9 we again have only four pieces on the board, and again it is a really instructive endgame prime example.

12/8/2021 – Oh dear! The last door really was a tough cookie. Rarely have we received so many different answers, so we decided to draw two more winners for the day. In the video, we see the details of the solution Kc2, which lay dormant for more than 100 years. Today we have only four pieces on the board, and yet the solution is not crystal clear.