MegaBase 2024: Chess marches on!
MegaBase 2024 is Chess Historical past in motion. Often up to date each month, the Primary Database at the moment gives 10.6 million video games, a lot of them annotated. Right here our columnist gives a overview with give attention to chess within the 21st Century.
Carlsen, Ding Liren and Rivals by Nagesh Havanur
The ChessBase Mega Database 2024 is the premiere chess database with over 10.6 million video games from 1475 to 2024 in prime quality.
There are greater than 10.6 million video games on this database. The primary of them was performed in Valencia, Spain method again in 1475. The final of them up to date in my database is Wei Yi-Gukesh, Tata Metal Playoff, 28 Jan.2024. On my final rely I’ve had 10636228 video games. The quantity continues to be rising. So while you see this MegaBase in your display, you have got practically six centuries of chess earlier than you. It’s inconceivable to do justice to this sort of work in a single overview. Suppose, I ask the readers right here,
“What would you prefer to see from this new version of MegaBase?” A younger participant may say, “Present me the newest video games and no attracts, please. I wish to win.”
A participant of my era may say, “Present me video games of nice masters and bear in mind, I like combinational play.”
That locations me in a dilemma. Whose demand could also be met first?
Younger gamers don’t like to attend. So let me make them completely happy first.
I’d have one thing else to share with you, older associates. Relaxation assured that you just don’t have to attend for lengthy.
The primary query {that a} younger reader right here would ask is, “What about Carlsen? What number of of his video games are within the new database” As of now, the MegaBase right here has greater than 4000 video games performed by Magnus. He has himself analysed about 26 video games in the course of the interval 2006- 2016. Thereafter Peter Heine-Nielsen, his long-time second has annotated about 50 of his video games so far. Why not Magnus himself? He’s too busy enjoying, hopping from one event to a different. Apart from, he isn’t all that anxious to disclose his thoughts to his rivals!
To return to the current, Magnus represents the final word check for each his friends and youthful rivals. As for his personal era, Hikaru Nakamura has supplied him the longest competitors.
Photograph: Carlsen-Nakamura 2023
FIDE / Fischer Random World Chess Championship
Within the MegaBase there are about 240 video games between them performed at numerous ranges, classical, speedy and blitz. Not all of them would stand the check of time. Nonetheless numerous them are excellent.
The next recreation is a memorable encounter and I’ve annotated it for our readers:
Nakamura additionally shone in saving hopeless positions, discovering magical sources when all appeared misplaced:
Nakamura has been an exquisite streetfighter and right here he beats Caruana, a significant rival:
Photograph: Nakamura-Caruana 2023
Hikaru Nakamura | Photograph: Lennart Ootes / Norway Chess
These two gamers could be going through one another within the Candidates’ Event in April.
This brings us to the younger skills on this planet area. Presently the Indian quartet, Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi. Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi, have taken the chess world by storm and rightly so. The MegaBase has numerous their video games, each annotated and unannotated.
Maybe the strongest amongst them is Praggnanandhaa. Right here is an unbelievable recreation that deserves larger recognition.
Pragg’s efficiency shut on the heels of Carlsen didn’t go unnoticed:
Even when Pragg is in poor type, he isn’t straightforward to beat as Carlsen discovered to his price final yr.
Photograph: Carlsen-Praggnaanadhaa 2023
Lennart Ootes / Tata Metal Chess Event 2023
Amongst different younger gamers Abdusattorov, Firouzja, Duda and Abasov deserve point out. As is thought, Abasov grew to become a candidate on account of Carlsen’s non-participation on this planet championship cycle. Here’s a recreation wherein he got here near beating Magnus, however misplaced:
For some inexplicable causes this recreation seems within the MegaBase with out annotations. Nevertheless, it seems with an in depth commentary in CBM 216:
One participant who deserves particular point out is Daniil Dubov. He got here second, proper behind Carlsen within the World Blitz Championship 2023. Dubov is a daredevil and his play is particularly harking back to younger Tal. Nevertheless, he’s a hit-or-miss participant. You’ll be able to be taught from each his wins and losses on this MegaBase. The next recreation is a duel between him and Alexei Shirov who was additionally as soon as seen because the successor of the nice Latvian participant:
Photograph: Shirov-Dubov 2013
Supply: ChessPro.ru http://www.chessPro.ru
Final, however not least is Ding Liren. As is thought, the World Champion has had a modest rating (+2 -3 =8) within the current Wijk aan Zee Event. Nevertheless, he’s anticipated to do higher within the coming days. The MegaBase has practically 2000 video games performed by him. Here’s a dramatic contest from the World Championship Match that he received final yr:
Annotations
This brings me to the topic of annotations on this database. The video games lately are annotated intimately, due to their primary supply, ChessBase Journal, proper as much as 2024. Not so with video games from the previous. A variety of them are unannotated. Others have annotations of various size and high quality in Informant fashion.
Which annotations are greatest? People who provide a even handed mix of rationalization and evaluation.
Photograph: Magnus Carlsen congratulating Anish Giri for his victory / Lennart Ootes / Tata Metal Chess Event 2023
Right here Anish Giri units an instance. He’s among the many skilled elite, actively enjoying in tournaments. He has personally recognized fellow grandmasters and understands how they assume in the course of the course of the sport. His commentary is lucid and gives an excellent introduction to the sport. As of now, he has annotated 126 video games within the MegaBase.
I used to be additionally pleasantly stunned to search out annotations by Caruana, Karjakin and Ding Liren to their video games. This was within the years earlier than they contested the World Championship title on their very own.
Seeing the video games within the MegaBase is step one. Thereafter one has to complement one’s understanding with some good studying and, importantly, apply over the board.
Notes
1) Anish Giri’s annotations seem in each New in Chess Journal and ChessBase Journal.
2) Main GMs as Annotators in MegaBase
Caruana: 47 Video games
Nakamura: 6 video games
Ding Liren: 5 video games
Praggnanandhaa: 17 video games
Vidit Gujrathi 35 video games
Hyperlinks:
- In a earlier overview of the MegaBase I handled its remedy of three world championship matches: https://en.chessbase.com/submit/megabase-2022-three-epic-matches.
- In one other overview I’ve handled the protection of Carlsen and his friends together with the play of veterans and younger skills within the MegaBase:
https://en.chessbase.com/submit/megabase-2023-modern-master-play
.
