New edition – more than 11 hrs. of videos! Scarcely any world champion has managed to captivate both chess lovers and the general public to the same extent as Magnus Carlsen. The enormously talented Norwegian arrived on the scene as if from nowhere, without having been systematically trained within the structures of a major chessplaying nation such as Russia, the Ukraine or more recently, China. Rather, his development had taken place in an almost totally private setting. Upon recognizing his son’s unbelievable talent, his father took him out of school, bought a camper van and, together with the whole family, set about traveling from tournament to tournament. The rough diamond from Norway was gradually polished in countless tournament games, and was soon receiving invitations to top tournaments, where he proved his incredibly deep understanding of chess against even the world’s top players. Thanks to Carlsen’s style, computer-supported opening preparation has faded somewhat into the background, with a greater importance being placed on the sporting side of chess – deep strategy, extensive endgame knowledge, energy and endurance are the trump cards of the new chess megastar. By 2010, Carlsen was already number one in the world ranking list; in 2013 he also claimed the title of World Champion, a title he has now successfully defended several times.

Grandmaster Harshit Raja, India’s 69th GM, has created a practical and powerful 1.e4 repertoire - perfect for players who want to play aggressively without drowning in opening theory. Whether you’re playing online or over-the-board, this course gives you solid attacking weapons that are easy to learn, fun to play, and difficult for opponents to face. 

Free sample video: Introduction

Free sample video: Scandinavian Defence

Bent Larsen (1935–2010) was the greatest chess player in Danish history, and for a time, the second-strongest player in the Western world behind Bobby Fischer. Between 1954 and 1971, he won the Danish Championship six times, and achieved numerous international tournament victories throughout his career. 

Free video sample: Introduction to Bent Larsen by Peter Heine Nielsen

Free video sample: Introduction to the Opening Section

Every game begins with the opening - and even sometimes ends there! That doesn't have to be the case. With the ChessBase tutorials, you can rapidly get up to speed. "Openings Vol. 1: Open Games (1.e4 e5)" is the first part of a five-volume series on the basics of chess openings. Here you will learn from experienced coaches and experts just what you absolutely need to know about the individual areas, which basic plans are followed, how to play them and what pitfalls to watch out for. In 23 video lessons you will learn everything you need to know about the King's Gambit, the Vienna Game, the Italian, the Evans Gambit, the two-knight game, the Scottish, the Steinitz and Berlin defences, the Open Spanish or the exchange variation, Marshall, Philidor and Russian and much more.