ChessBase

• Bobby Fischer's first front-page appearance, 70 years on

  Seventy years ago, Bobby Fischer appeared on the cover of a chess magazine for the first time. The then 13-year-old had won the U.S. Junior Championship in Philadelphia in commanding fashion. Chess Life, the magazine of the United States Chess Federation, celebrated his achievement with a cover story in its 20 July 1956 issue. Roger Lorenz takes us on a short journey back in time.

• Review: ChessBase Magazine #232

  The latest issue of ChessBase Magazine, No. 232, is once again packed with training material covering a wide range of chess topics. In his review, Lukas Köpl takes a closer look at the magazine's contents, with a particular focus on Jan Markos' article with "Practical Tips".

• Michal Krasenkow: "If you want a GM norm, beat a GM"

  Michal Krasenkow gives an interview after a dramatic comeback win to talk about his turbulent game, his storied career and why he has no intention of making life easy for the Indian players chasing norms. Michal dominated the second edition of the Chola Chess Grandmaster Round Robin Tournament and won the event in style. | Photos and interview: Devansh Singh

• Freedom Holding Founder Timur Turlov to Run for FIDE President

  Timur Turlov, president of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and founder of Freedom Holding Corp., an international financial services and technology group, has announced his decision to run for president of the International Chess Federation, or FIDE. Viswanathan Anand, one of the world’s most accomplished grandmasters and a former world chess champion, will join Turlov’s ticket as a candidate for vice president.

• FIDE President Dvorkovich added to EU Sanctions List

  In its 21st package of sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the European Union has added Arkady Dvorkovich to its list of sanctioned individuals. The FIDE President has temporarily stepped aside from his position, with Viswanathan Anand serving as acting president. A new FIDE Presidential Board will be elected in September.

• Aronian and Finek convincingly win 2026 Triathlons in Biel

  Levon Aronian won the 2026 Biel Masters Triathlon on his first appearance at the festival, drawing his final classical game against Aydin Suleymanli to finish on 29½ points. The US grandmaster built his victory on strong rapid and blitz results, while Suleymanli took second place ahead of Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus and Le Quang Liem. Vaclav Finek won the Generations Challenge, and Christian Gloeckler secured the Masters Open title. | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

• Review: Mastering the London System by Elisabeth Pähtz

  The London System has enjoyed a remarkable rise in popularity. Once regarded as a modest sideline, it has evolved in recent years into a dangerous opening that Black players must take seriously. In his review, Lukas Köpl takes a close look at GM Elisabeth Pähtz's latest Fritztrainer.

• Biel Festival - Live!

  The Biel International Chess Festival is taking place on 11-24 July. Following the Chess960 tournament on Saturday and the rapid chess stage on Sunday, the players in the Masters and Generations Challenge Triathlon face off in the final stage of the classical section on 21-23 July. | Follow the games live starting at 14.00 CEST (8.00 ET, 17.30 IST) | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

• Svitlana's Smart Moves - Most underrated World Champion

  Svitlana looks at Max Euwe, one of the most underrated world champions in chess history. Through one attacking game and one defensive game, she shows that Euwe was not just a logical and balanced player, but also capable of finding powerful sacrifices, active counterplay and precise prophylactic ideas. The lesson highlights how much can still be learned from classical games, especially when it comes to initiative, defensive resourcefulness and the idea that prophylaxis can be aggressive rather than passive.

• ChessBase tips for beginners - Standard Layout or Custom Layout (10)

  In this episode of ChessBase Tips for Beginners, we look at layout customization and show how to arrange the panes in the single game window to create a more comfortable workspace. You will learn how to use predefined layouts, resize and dock panes, save your own setups, and restore the default view whenever needed.