ChessBase Magazine offers a window to the world of professional chess. Our columnist Nagesh Havanur takes a look at CBM 226. All games from the European Championship, 27 annotated games, 11 opening surveys, 4 opening videos, 7 demo lectures and several exercises for training. Annotators include two-time European champion Matthias Bluebaum (pictured), Frederik Svane, Daniil […]
Monthly Archives: August 2025
In this Smart Moves episode, Svitlana explains the Stonewall pawn structure, most often arising from the Dutch Defense, and outlines key strategic plans for both sides. White aims to control the e5 square, trade dark-squared bishops, and expand on the queenside with ideas like c4–b4, while Black typically seeks kingside play with a knight on […]
How to use ChessBase 18 effectively in training — that is the subject of this three-part series in our tutorial line. Using it effectively also means being able to send your files to your training group, since the material you created in the earlier parts should, after all, be made available to your students in […]
A turning point arrived in round seven of the Fujairah Global Chess Championship’s Superstars event, as Pranav Venkatesh defeated Amin Tabatabaei to become the sole leader on 5½ points. The chasing group, now a point behind, includes Zhu Jiner, who remained unbeaten with a steady draw against Sanan Sjugirov. Also among them is Pranav’s next […]
The 2025 FIDE Circuit is entering its decisive months, with Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu holding a commanding lead mainly thanks to victories earlier this year in Wijk aan Zee, Bucharest and Tashkent. With 107 points, he sits well ahead of Anish Giri and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, his closest pursuers. Attention now turns to the Grand Swiss in Samarkand, […]
Thirty years ago, on August 30, 1995, Soviet Grandmaster Lev Polugaevsky died in Paris from cancer. To commemorate the renowned theoretician, who for many years was among the world’s leading players, Johannes Fischer takes a look at his book “Grandmaster Preparation”, in which Polugaevsky recounts his decades-long passion for the line that bears his name: […]
“The training sessions with GM Ganguly are fun!” concludes the reviewer. Christian Hoethe explains why this Ragozin course is not only instructive but also engaging for Nimzo-Indian players, and highlights what makes the author so effective in conveying the subtleties and specific lines of the opening.
The World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries will open its newest exhibition, “Reading Between the Lines: Chess & Literature”, on 18 September 2025. Running through 12 April 2026, the show explores how chess has shaped storytelling across centuries, from Lewis Carroll to Vladimir Nabokov and Walter Tevis. With rare books, artworks, artefacts and literary-themed […]
The Global Chess League (GCL) has announced an unprecedented initiative with the launch of GCL Contenders 2025, a two-month global tournament that will open doors for amateurs and professionals alike. Three winners – one each from the Male, Female and U21 categories – will secure lifetime opportunities as ambassadors for GCL Season 3, set to […]
Round five of the Fujairah Global Chess Championship’s Superstars tournament ended with Sanan Sjugirov and Pranav Venkatesh moving into joint first place on 4 points. Sjugirov defeated fellow Hungarian Gleb Dudin, while Pranav beat Mexico’s José Martínez Alcántara in a sharp encounter (pictured). A five-player chasing pack trails just half a point behind, including Zhu […]