New releases: January 2026
Harshit Raja – A powerful 1.e4 Repertoire
Grandmaster Harshit Raja’s course presents a complete, practical 1.e4 repertoire built around clear strategic guidelines rather than endless theory.
Against Black’s main replies, he explains well-structured setups, typical plans and aggressive concepts that can be applied easily in your own games. The repertoire structure promotes consistent development, initiative and practical winning chances with a manageable learning workload.
:Free reading samples
Introduction
Scandinavian Defence
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
Ivan Sokolov – Understanding Middlegame Strategy Vol 13: Reversed Colour Systems – Grünfeld & Dutch
In this video course, Ivan Sokolov analyzes typical middlegames arising from Grünfeld and Dutch structures with colours reversed.
The focus is on strategic subtleties such as the battle for tempi, pawn structure and psychological factors that go beyond classical engine evaluations. Using carefully selected model games, Sokolov demonstrates typical plans, ideas, where to put your pieces, and long-term objectives, deepening the understanding of complex middlegame systems.
:Free reading samples
Introduction
Larsen vs. Stonewall
In this video course, Grandmaster Ivan Sokolov explores one of the most intriguing and under-examined areas of modern chess: reversed opening systems, focusing on the Reversed Grünfeld and the Reversed Dutch. At first glance, these two systems seem unrelated. However, they share a common strategic challenge: the value of tempi, structure, and psychology when familiar openings are played with colours reversed. Drawing on his long professional experience, Sokolov explains why these positions are far more subtle than they appear and why traditional engine evaluations often fail to capture their true complexity.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Larsen’s b4 Plan vs Reversed Stonewall Setups: Larsen – Spassky
ChessBase Magazine Extra #229
This Extra issue offers 37 in-depth game analyses in the “Lucky Bag” along with video content on opening ideas and modern variations. Among the highlights, Daniel King presents new concepts against the Caro-Kann Defence in a video, complemented by “Mikhalchishin’s Miniatures” on the Najdorf Variation, the Russian and the Scotch.
For the first time in an Extra edition: the popular “Move by Move” series with Robert Ris. CBM Extra #229 is also available as a ChessBase Book for use in your web browser on iPad, tablet, Mac, etc.
:Free reading sample
ChessBase Magazine Extra is the perfect complement to ChessBase Magazine. Available as a single issue or subscription (6 issues per year). Available as a direct download.
Includes ‘ChessBase Book’ for iPad, tablet, Mac, etc.!
For free!
Robert Ris: Wijk aan Zee Classics: Great Games, Timeless Lessons
A journey through the most memorable encounters from the prestigious tournaments in Wijk aan Zee: brilliant games by world champions and title contenders who have written chess history.
In this free video course, IM Robert Ris revisits the most dramatic moments, analyzes key strategic turning points and highlights tactical subtleties. Interactive training segments deepen essential motifs and make critical manoeuvres immediately understandable.
Enjoy!
New releases of the previous months:
