ChessBase

1. World Cup: Esipenko beats Yakubboev

   The final stage of the FIDE World Cup began in Goa on Tuesday, with Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov opening their title match and Andrey Esipenko and Nodirbek Yakubboev starting their fight for the last remaining Candidates spot. Both encounters produced entertaining struggles: Wei pressed slightly in a Petroff Defence before the game was drawn, while Esipenko responded to his painful semifinal exit with a confident win to take the lead in the third-place match. | Photo: Michal Walusza

2. Simul with Elisabeth Pähtz at the Stavenhagenhaus

   On 15 November, the Stavenhagenhaus, a splendid early 18th-century manor house in Hamburg, Germany, hosted a special event. The local community had invited Germany’s top female player and only woman GM, Elisabeth Pähtz, for a simul. Pähtz offered an engaging chess lesson and then won her simul against 20 opponents. | Photos: Uwe Schröder

3. World Women's Team Championship: A convincing victory for FIDE Team

   Russia, competing as the FIDE team, claimed gold at the World Women's Team Championship in Linares, capping an unbeaten run that carried them through both the pool stage and knockout rounds without requiring a single tiebreak. Azerbaijan finished second after an impressive campaign, while China secured bronze by defeating Kazakhstan. The event featured a standout individual performance from Polina Shuvalova, who scored an exceptional 9½/10 on board three for the champions. | Photo: Pavel Dvorkovich

4. World Cup: Wei and Sindarov make it to the Candidates

   Two players secured their places in the 2026 Candidates Tournament after Sunday's semifinal tiebreaks at the FIDE World Cup in Goa. Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov (pictured) both prevailed by a 2½–1½ score in their matches against Andrey Esipenko and Nodirbek Yakubboev, respectively. Wei's victory came after Esipenko unexpectedly blundered his rook, while Sindarov kept things under control throughout against his compatriot. | Photo: Michal Walusza

5. Ivan Sokolov: Understanding Middlegame Strategy Vol 12: Reversed Colour Systems – King’s Indian/Pirc Defence

   Ivan Sokolov’s new course examines colour-reversed King’s Indian and Pirc structures, showing how extra tempi influence typical plans and why these positions feel uncomfortable for humans but not for engines. He analyses key model games from Kramnik, Botvinnik, and Fischer, demonstrating that White usually gets a pleasant setup without a guaranteed advantage, leading to sharp, dynamic battles decided by understanding rather than theory. The course equips practical players, both with white and black, with clear ideas, typical patterns, and concrete plans for navigating these complex reversed-colour systems.

6. World Women's Team Championship - Live!

   The World Women's Team Championship took place in Linares, Spain, from 18 to 23 November. The knockout stage saw Russia beating China in the semifinals, while Azerbaijan got the better of Kazakhstan. In the final, Russia (FIDE team) defeated Azerbaijan convincingly, while China grabbed third place. | Follow the games live starting at 13.30 CET (8.30 ET, 18.00 IST)

7. Review: All new releases in October!

   ChessBase’s October releases cover everything from chess history to opening repertoire and calculation training. In episode 19 of the Master Class series, the expert team of Dorian Rogozenco, Karsten Müller, Mihail Marin and Oliver Reeh presents the first World Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz. Robert Ris’ new opening course also reaches back to that era, as the opening he examines in depth is named after two classical masters: the Colle & Zukertort System. And who doesn’t enjoy looking into the thought processes of grandmasters and world-class trainers? Discover calculation techniques at the highest level — Surya Ganguly’s “Calculation Step by Step” is sure to climb the ChessBase bestseller list quickly. | All photos: ChessBase

8. Svitlana's Smart Moves - In memory of Danya

   Svitlana dedicates the episode to the memory of Daniel “Danya” Naroditsky, whose impact as a player, coach, and communicator reached far beyond the chessboard. She explores one of his favourite ideas in the Four Knights Opening - the powerful Nd5!, a move Danya loved to highlight for its elegance and instructional value. This episode blends clear educational insight with a heartfelt tribute, showing how Danya’s creative spirit continues to inspire players through the ideas he championed.

9. Review: 60 minutes against the French

   The concept behind Chessbase's "60-minute" courses is simple: a one-hour video course for just under 10 Euros. There are also courses on middle game and endgame topics, but most courses focus on quite "specialised" opening variations. In the second instalment of a short series, Jochen Schwarz presents the most important 60-minute courses for 1.e4 players against the French Defence.

10. World Cup SF: Two draws, no lack of tension

    Friday’s opening games of the FIDE World Cup semifinals offered balanced results but no shortage of depth. Both encounters were drawn, yet Wei Yi and Andrey Esipenko (pictured) produced an intricate tactical sequence, while Nodirbek Yakubboev and Javokhir Sindarov explored a queenless middlegame full of subtle decisions. With three Candidates spots at stake, every nuance now carries considerable weight as the matches head into their second classical games. | Photo: Michal Walusza