ChessBase

• Master Class Vol.20 - Bent Larsen

  Bent Larsen was the strongest chess player in Danish history and, for many years, the leading Western challenger behind Bobby Fischer, winning the Danish Championship six times and achieving major international successes. This ChessBase training course explores his brilliant attacking style, creative positional ideas, and opening innovations such as 1.b3 and his contributions to the Accelerated Dragon, while also examining his middlegame, endgame, and tactical mastery. Renowned experts including Peter Heine Nielsen, Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Karsten Müller, and Oliver Reeh provide deep analysis, personal stories, and insights into Larsen’s unique chess legacy.

• Super Rapid & Blitz Poland: Niemann wins rapid section

  Hans Niemann won the rapid section of the Super Rapid & Blitz tournament in Warsaw, scoring 13/18 as the only unbeaten player across the nine rounds. The 22-year-old Californian enters the 18 blitz rounds with a one-point lead over Wesley So and a two-point lead over defending champion Vladimir Fedoseev, while Fabiano Caruana, Gukesh Dommaraju and Jan-Krzysztof Duda share fourth place on 9/18. | Pictured: Hans Niemann and commentator Cristian Chirila | Photo: Lennart Ootes

• Webster University unexpectedly discontinues chess programme

  Since 2012, chess has played a prominent role at Webster University in Saint Louis, as part of a chess scholarship programme. Now, despite great sportive success, the university has abruptly ended the programme and its collaboration with Susan Polgar's SPICE institute. | Photos: Webster University / SPICE

• TePe Sigeman - Live!

  The TePe Sigeman Chess Tournament is taking place on 1–7 May in Malmö, Sweden. World number one Magnus Carlsen heads the field, as he faces ambitious opposition that includes Tata Steel Masters winner Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Arjun Erigaisi and rising star Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, who recently became the youngest player to ever cross the 2700 rating mark. The event is an eight-player single round-robin. Follow the games live starting at 15.00 CEST (9.00 ET, 18.30 IST) | Photo: Peter Doggers / Official website

• TePe Sigeman: Erigaisi sole leader, Carlsen and Erdogmus a half point back

  Arjun Erigaisi took the sole lead at the TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament after beating Zhu Jiner with black in round six. Magnus Carlsen also won with black, defeating Andy Woodward, and is now half a point behind the leader alongside Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, who drew with Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Erigaisi will face Woodward in the final round, while Carlsen meets Erdogmus in a key encounter. | Photo: Peter Doggers / Official website

• Super Rapid & Blitz Poland: So and Niemann share the lead, Sindarov struggles

  Wesley So (pictured) and Hans Niemann are tied for first place after day two of the Super Rapid & Blitz tournament in Warsaw, reaching 9/12 with six rapid rounds completed. Defending champion Vladimir Fedoseev stands one point behind, while Gukesh Dommaraju stands on fifty percent and, importantly, defeated Javokhir Sindarov with black in their first encounter since Sindarov gained the right to challenge the Indian star in a match for the world title. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

• 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.

• 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