ChessBase

• ChessMom 2026: Registration now open

  FIDE has opened early registration for ChessMom 2026, a programme designed to support professional players who are mothers at the Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan. Building on its 2024 debut, the initiative offers financial and logistical assistance, with expanded eligibility now including mothers of children under two. National federations and players are encouraged to register interest ahead of the official regulations.

• 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

• Review: Calculation Step by Step – Advanced Practice (Vol. 2)

  In Volume 1 of his Fritztrainer on calculation, "Foundations", Surya Ganguly presented the basics of accurate calculation. In Volume 2, "Advanced Practice", the Indian grandmaster now takes things a step further. Hannes Langrock is an editor at a fiction publishing house and an International Master. He lives in Leipzig and plays for ESV Nickelhütte-Aue. He reviews the course "Calculation Step by Step Vol. 1". | Photos: ChessBase

• TePe Sigeman: Abdusattorov and Woodward grab wins on opening day

  Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Andy Woodward took the early lead at the TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament after scoring the only wins of round one in Malmö. Abdusattorov beat Zhu Jiner, while Woodward (pictured) defeated local representative Nils Grandelius. Magnus Carlsen's first classical game in almost a year ended in a draw against Arjun Erigaisi, while 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus also drew with Jorden van Foreest. | Photo: Peter Doggers / Official website

• Ding Liren scores 4/5 and a 2795 TPR at Chinese Team Championship

  Ding Liren took a long break from classical chess after losing the World Championship title in December 2024. He lost the title to Gukesh Dommaraju and was thereafter only occasionally active in online or rapid tournaments. For his comeback, the former world champion chose the Chinese Team Championship. At the tournament in Daqing, he played five games for his team, won thee times, drew twice and achieved a performance rating of almost 2800 points. | Photos: Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Bureau

• Egon Mattaaq wins historic first Greenlandic Chess Championship

  Greenland has held its first national chess championship, marking a milestone for the game's development in the region. Conducted online to overcome geographical challenges, the event brought together players from across the island, with Egon Mattaaq emerging as the inaugural champion. The tournament highlights growing efforts to build a connected chess community and expand participation in even the most remote areas. | Photo: FIDE

• Lothar Schmid's collection auctioned at Sotheby's

  Two weeks ago, the chess auction at Sotheby's concluded, featuring numerous items from the collection of Lothar Schmid. The most valuable pieces fetched well over £100,000. The online auction was accompanied by an exhibition and a lecture. The musician and chess enthusiast Jason Kouchak was in attendance. | Photo: Jason Kouchak in front of the painting "The Chess Players" (or "The Devil's Checkmate") by Friedrich Moritz August Retzsch, circa 1831.

• 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