8/21/2025 – After five rounds, the Rubinstein Memorial in Polanica-Zdrój has three leaders at the top of the table: Nodirbek Yakubboev, Radosław Wojtaszek, and reigning European Champion Matthias Blübaum (pictured). In round five, Blübaum scored a notable win with the black pieces against Michael Adams, who now finds himself at the bottom of the standings. The biggest surprise of the day, however, came from Jan Klimkowski: the Polish player defeated top seed Aravindh Chithambaram with Black, delivering the upset of the tournament so far. Round six will feature the direct clash between Wojtaszek and Blübaum. | Photo: SZS / Luka Rifelj (Archive)

8/21/2025 – Fabiano Caruana scored the only win on day three of the Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis, defeating Alireza Firouzja to join Levon Aronian and Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa at the top of the standings on 2 points. The most eventful game of the round came from Maxime Vachier-Lagrave’s clash with Aronian, where the Frenchman obtained a winning position in a sharp French Defence but was unable to convert, eventually allowing his opponent to escape with a draw. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

8/21/2025 – Peter Leko, once the youngest grandmaster in the world and a former world championship contender, played a pivotal role as mentor to Germany's star Vincent Keymer. In an interview with The Indian Express, Leko reflects on Keymer's steady rise, the influence of the new generation of prodigies and his own career lessons. He offers candid insights into what it takes to succeed at the highest level and why growth matters more than results. | Pictured: Peter Leko, Vincent Keymer and Hans-Walter Schmitt (2018) | Photo: Hartmut Metz

8/20/2025 – The FIDE Grand Swiss returns this September with its fourth edition, bringing many of the world's strongest players to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, for one of the most prestigious classical tournaments on the calendar. Alongside seasoned contenders, a new generation of prodigies will be in the spotlight, from established teenage stars to emerging talents aiming to set fresh records. The event promises a fascinating clash of youth and experience across both the Open and Women's sections.

8/20/2025 – Anish Giri is known for his extensive opening knowledge and thorough preparation. Together with Sagar Shah, in his "Supergrandmaster’s Guide to Openings", he provides insights into the ideas and characteristics of a wide range of openings. Inspiring and instructive. This week (18.-24. August) for only 59.90€ - instead of 89.90€!

8/20/2025 – Round two of the Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis produced two decisive games, as world champion Gukesh Dommaraju bounced back from his opening-day loss with a chaotic win against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, while Alireza Firouzja turned the tables in a 100-move struggle against Jan-Krzysztof Duda. The remaining three games were drawn, leaving Firouzja, Levon Aronian and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu sharing the lead on 1½ points. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

8/17/2025 – British writer Mary Harrington warns that the ability to think deeply is at risk of becoming a privilege in the digital age. Drawing on her own education and recent research, she links declining literacy and attention spans to the rise of smartphones and a "post-literate" culture. Her analysis suggests this shift could create a widening cognitive gap, with serious implications for social equality, democratic health, and the preservation of reflective, reasoned thought. | Photo: The Protopia Lab

8/17/2025 – Chess trainers love ChessBase 18 — and for good reason! With just a few clicks, you can create outstanding training material and even enrich it with interactive exercises. In this first part, we’ll show you how to set up a thematic database in no time — perfect for your own practice or for your students. In the upcoming parts, you’ll discover powerful ways to use it to boost training results quickly and effectively.

8/16/2025 – Duobeniajan Costa Calida from Murcia obtained their third consecutive title at the Spanish Team Championship. In the final round, the team could even afford to lose to Magic Extremadura. Second place went to C.A. Silla from Valencia, while Magic from Extremadura completed the podium. | Photos: Spanish Chess Federation (FEDA)

8/16/2025 – In his new Fast & Furious show, Robert Ris goes over two very interesting games featuring the Slow Slav. He shows some thematic ideas which serve to illustrate the dangers and opportunities found in such setups. | Fast & Furious is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.

8/16/2025 – White should definitely have refrained from 33.Qxh6?? in the diagram position. But he did grab the pawn - and I wish you lots of fun with Black afterwards!

8/16/2025 – Whether it’s strategy, technique, or opening knowledge – the July releases from ChessBase leave nothing to be desired! Renowned authors such as David Navara, Robert Ris, and Andrew Martin open their toolkits and share a wealth of professional tips. For those who want it all in one package, ChessBase Magazine issue 226 is the perfect choice, packed once again with training material straight from the pros’ lab. Opening enthusiasts take note: there’s a whole range of new Powerbases and Powerbooks! Take a look at all the products from the past month!