ChessBase

• Norway Chess announces move to Oslo for 2026 edition

  Norway Chess will enter a new chapter in 2026 as the tournament moves from Stavanger to Oslo after thirteen editions. From 25 May to 5 June, both Norway Chess and Norway Chess Women will be staged at Deichman Bjørvika Public Library, bringing the event to the country's capital for the first time. Magnus Carlsen has already confirmed his participation, with further players to be announced. | Photo: Norway Chess / Michal Walusza

• Tata Steel Chess - Live!

  The 88th edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament is taking place from 17 January to 1 February and once again features the traditional structure of parallel Masters and Challengers tournaments, each consisting of 14 players competing in a single round-robin. After three rounds, five players share the lead with 2/3 points in the Masters, while Aydin Suleymanli is the sole leader in the Challengers. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 14.00 CET (7.00 ET, 20.30 IST)

• 27 Years Ago, in Wijk

  On 20 January 1999, Garry Kasparov played what may have been the greatest chess game of all time in Wijk. With a series of sacrifices he drove the black king onto the back rank, where he finally delivered checkmate. In a free reader, Robert Ris presents Kasparov’s masterpiece and other brilliancies from Wijk aan Zee.

• The man behind Chess Hub

  The year 2025 is a significant one for the chess community in Malaysia as the country finally achieved its long-drawn-out dream of having its first grandmaster. IM Yeoh Li Tian achieved his third and final GM norm to finally complete the dream outlined by the late Malaysian chess philanthropist, Dato’ Tan Chin Nam. The Malaysian Prime Minister called to congratulate the newly-minted GM right after his historic achievement.

• Review: All new releases in December!

  ChessBase 26 is certainly the highlight among the November releases, but the other databases also offer a wealth of study material. There are many new options to explore, as well as in Harald Schneider-Zinner’s checkmate course, which combines a book with an online course. Finally, there are also new installments of Karsten Müller’s Endgame Academy and Ivan Sokolov’s middlegame strategy series. | All photos: ChessBase

• Christmas Puzzles 7 – long and short

  Take a look at this relatively simple position. Can you figure out how White can win? And how many moves it will require to overcome Black's most resolute defence? You won't believe it. To relax we bring you the arguably easiest chess study ever composed, and other entertaining puzzles, many from the out-of-the-box legend Karl Fabel.

• Christmas Puzzles 6 – cover the board!

  In August 2019 I spent a week in France, at the training camp I had organized (together with ChessBase India) for young Indian super talents. Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik did the chess training, while I pestered the kids with logic puzzles. Most did not involve chess, but some did. Here are a couple for you.

• Christmas Puzzles 5 – Rotary problems

  In rotary problems the board is rotated by 180° for a second position with a different solution. It is usually pawns that make a different when you turn the board around. Or the king/queen positions, or castling is involved. Can one devise problems where these factors do not play a role? Yes one can, as our expert for out-of-the-box problems, Werner Keym, proves.

• Christmas Puzzles 4 – Retractors

  These days it is not easy to challenge anyone with problems or studies. Loading the PGN and clicking Start will usually get you the solution in seconds. So we are trying to provide you with "computer resistant" puzzles in this year's Christmas Puzzle Week. Today the subject is taking back a move in a given position and looking for a move to fulfil the condition. As in this 100-year-old problem by Thomas Dawson: it requires you to take back one move and then mate the opponent in two. Can you think how?

• Christmas Puzzles 3 – Just some text

  There are chess puzzles which only consist of a line of text, asking you to construct a position or a game that it describes. Some can be awesomely difficult, like the puzzle we first posted 41 years ago. Two world champions were not able to solve it. We tell you about that, and present a new ones, not quite as tough, for you to solve.