ChessBase Magazine Extra 232

Opening videos

Felix Blohberger: Four Knights Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 a6

4.Bb5 is one of the main moves in the Four Knights Game – it is even the most frequently chosen continuation, ahead of 4.d4. 4…a6, on the other hand, is an extremely rare response – so rare, in fact, that our author recently saw it on a team-mate’s board for the first time during the German Bundesliga. In his analysis, which lasts just under 20 minutes, Felix Blohberger shows that, thanks to their activity, Black should have no trouble at least keeping the position in balance. “It’s a really underestimated idea with 4…a6 – it aligns perfectly if you’re a Spanish player.”

Mihail Marin: English

1.c4 e5 2.g3 g6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Bg2 Nc6

After 1.c4 e5, it can be attractive for Black to go for a Reversed Closed Sicilian in which their knight is not placed on c6. After 2.g3 (or 2.Nc3) 2…g6, White in turn has the opportunity to open up the centre quickly with 3.d4. Mihail Marin examines the various scenarios that can develop from this, primarily using the recent game Deac – Van Foreest from the GCT Superbet Classic Romania 2026, but also discusses a game between Kasparov and Short from 1989. After 3…exd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Bg2, Van Foreest chose 5…Nc6 – Short had played 5…d6 at the time, which, after 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Qe3+, led to a somewhat unpleasant position – and, following 6.Qe3+ Qe7 7.Nc3, he actively continued with the novelty 7…Nb4.

‘The Lucky bag’: Analyses by Emanuel Berg, Teimour Radjabov and many others.

Extra #232 features 37 annotated games from a wide variety of tournaments in the ‘Lucky bag’.

These include “The Analysis” by 19-year-old Indian player Deboushnik De:

And the Update Service provides over 47,000 new games for your database! The package includes games from almost all the world’s top players.

The games from the Update Service are also included in the Mega Update Service 2026, which can be accessed using a current ChessBase program (and a valid subscription).