9/11/2021 – In the diagram position Black's attacked rook should definitely not leave the back rank - after 35...Rc2?? White has a forced checkmate. Enjoy!

9/4/2021 – The diagram position arose from an Open Spanish, an opening that apparently was unfamiliar to Beth Harmon, the main character of the Netflix series "The Queen's Gambit", who was playing with Black. Her last move 9...Na5 is an inaccuracy that allowed World Champion Borgov to seize the initiative. What did he play?

8/30/2021 – Here's another opportunity to sharpen your tactical skills: twelve positions taken from recent tournaments, selected by the British magazine CHESS. The diagrams on our news page allow you to move the pieces around to analyse. There is also an embedded engine that will actually play out the position against you! Which means you can work things out directly on the diagrams in the browser. How neat is that?

8/28/2021 – In the diagram position, White has two aggressive knights on the e-file and a mobile queen behind them - a constellation that is just crying out for a combination. Your call!

8/21/2021 – In the diagram position it is Black to play - and the title says it all! Gather ideas, calculate lines and enjoy!

8/14/2021 – In the diagram position, which is taken from a rapid game between Ian Nepomniachtchi and Levon Aronian, White used his three pieces to get access to Black's weakened king and to finally hunt it down. What did the World Championship Challenger 2021 play?

8/7/2021 – In the diagram position 23.Nxf6! gxf6 leads to a winning advantage for White. Knowing this, can you remove possible obstacles on the way?

7/31/2021 – Rarely was a headline more appropriate - this is a crucial position of one of the most exciting games I have seen recently. In the diagram position White continued with 25.Rxe6 Rxe6 26.exd5 which gave Black a chance to win. Enjoy!

7/24/2021 – In the diagram position, decentralizing White's queen with 20.Qa5? Rxd4 21.Qxa7 looks unhealthy - and runs into a direct refutation. Full score only if you can see it already in this position!

7/17/2021 – In the diagram position Black just played 21...Rxd4!, capturing a knight. However, this move looks dangerous because White has 22.Qc3, pinning the rook on the long diagonal and threatening 23.e3. But Black knew exactly what he was doing. Can you follow his thoughts?

7/10/2021 – In the diagram position White has brought almost all of his pieces in position to attack the black king. However, in order to exploit this menacing show of force White needs to play all over the board. But he will be rewarded with checkmating the opponent or a decisive material plus - enjoy!

7/3/2021 – In the diagram position Black seems to be able to win a pawn with 20...Rxa4?? 21.Rxa4 Rxa4. But taking this pawn leaves Black's back rank unprotected which White can exploit. How?

6/26/2021 – In the diagram position Black has a strong attack and threatens 30...Qxg2#. But with careful play White can defend and win the game. How?

6/19/2021 – A far advanced passed pawn supported by his queen can be an irresistible force. In the diagram position it is White to play and win!

6/12/2021 – In endgames, a "petite combinaison" à la Capablanca is often the quickest (if not the only) way to convert a material advantage. In the diagram position, White is a pawn up - how does he save himself a lot of work?

6/5/2021 – White's continuation in the diagram position truly belongs into the category "very special". How about a little test: how did White continue here and was this move among your first three candidate moves?

5/29/2021 – White has misplayed the opening (six moves with the queen!), and in the diagram position Black's huge delevopment advantage is just crying out to be exploited. How did Black (MVL) proceed?

5/22/2021 – The diagram shows a position from the game L. Dominguez vs M. Carlsen, Opera Euro 2021. Black's last move 27...Kh6? gave White the chance to hunt the bold king down and to win against the World Champion. But as this was a rapid game and White did not have much time left on the clock, he failed to find the win. Can you do better, without a ticking clock and all the time in the world?

5/15/2021 – After White's bishop retreat from f4 to h2 (see diagram position), Black needed no second invitation to unleash her forces. What did she play?

5/8/2021 – If Black plays 30...Nxc3 in the diagram position he attacks White's rook on b1 and opens the bishop's diagonal a8-g2. So, everything seems fine for Black - unless White can spoil the fun with 31.Bc5. Well, can he?

5/7/2021 – Constant tactical training is vital if you want to improve or just maintain your playing strength. In his ChessBase Magazine column "Tune your tactics", tactics expert IM Oliver Reeh regularly presents about 30 tactical tasks, from opening, middlegame and endgame, from simple to super-difficult, with questions far beyond the scope of the conventional "X to play and win". Moreover, Reeh presents his personal favourites in interactive Fritztrainer videos. In ChessBase Magazine #201, these favourites include three classics and a recent example. Take the test and enjoy!

5/1/2021 – In the diagram position, which is from a game between Adelya Salakhova and Valentina Gunina, White seems to be doing more or less okay. However, it took Gunina, who has a keen eye for tactics, only a few moves to reveal the hidden weakness of White's position - power play in perfection! What did Black do?

4/24/2021 – Black's weak back rank is shielded only by the Ne6 - basically that's all you need to have in mind to work out how White wins from the diagram position. Especially the first move is a toughie, though. Have fun!

4/17/2021 – In the diagram position, 32...Qf3+! 33.Kh3 would have led to victory for Black, a "wow move" included. Enjoy!