ChessBase

• Something for everyone: The 59th Biel International Chess Festival - 11 to 24 July

  For the 59th consecutive year, Biel/Bienne will host its prestigious International Chess Festival. From 11 to 24 July 2026, over the course of two weeks, more than 500 participants — ranging from ambitious amateurs to the world’s elite — will showcase their creativity, tactical finesse and strategic depth across a variety of formats. Below is an overview of the twelve tournaments, offering the chance to play alongside living chess legends such as Levon Aronian and Alexandra Kosteniuk, as well as rising star Lu Miaoyi (pictured). Matthias Blübaum and Candidates Tournament winner Vaishali Rameshbabu will also play. | Photos: Biel Chess Festival

• Hippopotamus Defense basics by Andrew Martin

  Discover the secrets of the Hippopotamus Defense with Andrew Martin, a unique and flexible opening that thrives on patience, timing, and psychological pressure. This course shows why many aggressive players fail against the Hippo, often attacking too early and falling into devastating counterplay. Learn how to stay calm, choose the right moment to strike, and turn this seemingly passive setup into a powerful weapon against your opponents.

• Super Rapid & Blitz Poland - Live!

  Kicking off the 2026 Grand Chess Tour is the Super Rapid & Blitz Poland, the first of three speed chess events, which is taking place on 5-9 May in Warsaw. The event starts with 9 rounds of rapid action, followed by 18 rounds of blitz. Gukesh Dommaraju and Javokhir Sindarov, who are set to play for the World Championship title later in the year, are among the participants. | Follow the action live with expert commentary starting at 14.00 CEST (8.00 ET, 17.30 IST) | Photo: Lennart Ootes

• TePe Sigeman: Erigaisi joins Erdogmus in the lead, Carlsen defeats Zhu

  Arjun Erigaisi and Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus share the lead on 3½ points after round five of the TePe Sigeman & Co tournament in Malmö. Erigaisi defeated Jorden van Foreest, while Erdogmus held a 104-move draw against Andy Woodward to remain atop the standings. Magnus Carlsen (pictured) bounced back from his loss to Van Foreest by beating Zhu Jiner, while Nils Grandelius drew quickly with Nodirbek Abdusattorov. | Photo: Peter Doggers / Official website

• Problem Challenge April

  Were you able to handle the four rook endgame studies we showed you recently? They were a little bit harder to solve than they looked. We now bring you all the intricacies and subtleties in short videos by IM Gauri Shankar, who works as a chess trainer in Chicago. And of course we give you full analysis in a ChessBase replayer, where you can switch on an engine to help resolve any residual questions.

• Regulations for FIDE Rapid and Blitz

  Preparations are fully underway for the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2026 in Hong Kong from 16 to 22 June. In previous editions, the tournament has featured numerous top players competing alongside amateurs and rising talents, producing a dynamic atmosphere rarely seen in traditional elite events. Magnus Carlsen is expected to participate in Hong Kong, adding further star power to the competition.

• Candidates Round 14 - Live!

  The Candidates Tournaments form the final qualifying stage of the FIDE World Championship cycle. Each tournament features eight of the world's strongest players competing in a double round-robin format over fourteen rounds of classical chess. No fewer than six players (out of eight) enter the final round with mathematical chances of winning the Women's Candidates Tournament. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 14.30 CEST (8.30 ET, 18.00 IST) | Photo: Michal Walusza

• A Game That Outlasted the Day (4)

  It should be clearly emphasized that the longest chess game of all time can only arise by chance. Any prior agreement between the opponents before the game—such as, "Let’s play the longest game in history today!" – or any such understanding reached during the game, automatically turns them into cheaters, with all the ensuing consequences. Estonian chess expert and trainer, Valery Golubenko, tells us about the struggle to regulate very long theoretical endings.

• A Game That Outlasted the Day (3)

  Two months ago Valery Golubenko played what may well have been one of the longest chess games ever seen, measured by number of moves, under the rather restrictive conditions of modern chess life. At move 88, with queen and b-pawn against queen, Golubenko's opponent held for 37 moves, until he missed an only move, and it was theoretically a mate in 47. | Photo during the game by Chess Club Kaksikodad – from the right, GM Aleksandr Volodin and the chief arbiter Askold Nassar

• The Birth of a Journey

  Praful Zaveri is the founder of Indian Chess School, where he has trained more than 5000 students. In 2023 he began writing a book, Shat Shat Vande Chess, on the cultural, historical, and philosophical journey of chess, on the 15,000‑year “odyssey” of the game. Now he has decided to make it into a film. Here is the first trailer – and Praful's thoughts on the enterprise.