31/01/2026 – MegaBase 2026 is Chess History in action. Regularly updated every month, the Main Database currently offers 11.7 million games, many of them annotated. Here our columnist offers a review with focus on chess in the 21st Century.
Review by Nagesh Havanur
The MegaBase 2026 is the premiere chess database with over 11 million games from 1475 to 2025 in high quality. The first of these games was played in Valencia, Spain way back in 1475. The last of them with updates at the time of writing was played on 11 January, 2026. On my current count I have 11853948 games in this Database. The number is still growing. So, when you see this MegaBase on your screen, you have nearly six centuries of chess before you. It’s impossible to do justice to this kind of work in one review.
The first question that a modern player would ask is, “What about Carlsen? How many of his games are in the new database?” As is known, nowadays Magnus does not play so often. He is still a box office draw. Any way this edition of MegaBase has more than 7500 games played by Magnus. He has himself analysed about 26 games during the period 2006-2016. Thereafter Peter Heine-Nielsen, his long-time second has annotated about 50 of his games to date. Why not Magnus himself? He is not all that anxious to reveal his mind to his rivals!
To return to the present, Magnus still represents the ultimate test for both his peers and younger rivals.
Photo: Carlsen-Caruana, Norway 2025
Carlsen-Caruana, Norway 2025:
https://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2025/12/7/Game513850328.html
On occasion he may let slip a chance as in the following game:
https://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2025/12/14/Game93722078.html
A loss that first made Magnus angry, but subsequently he composed himself
In recent years Magnus had lost interest in classical chess with standard time control. Of late there are signs of his return to regular tournaments. Time would tell. He is still the best in other formats as shown by his recent victories in the FIDE Rapid and Blitz Championships. Otherwise he is more into Freestyle Chess.
How do others play?
Two seasoned campaigners are Caruana and Nakamura. Between them Fabiano is more experienced, having played a whole world championship match with Magnus.
In the current edition of MegaBase Caruana has more than 5500 games. Here is a fine example of his play:
Caruana-Firouzja, Sinquefield 2025
https://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2025/12/21/Game34660578.html
It may be of interest to note that one single game has been annotated by two experts, Anish Giri and Igor Stohl.
Caruana-Carlsen, Norway 2023 Giri
https://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2025/12/9/Game628939828.html
Caruana-Carlsen, Norway 2023 Stohl
https://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2025/12/9/Game629178109.html
Just like Carlsen, one player who has been out of regular tournament circuit is Nakamura. Once he was regarded as a serous rival of Carlsen. Nowadays he is known as a popular streamer on chess:
https://www.youtube.com/GMHikaru
Of late his ambition has been rekindled and is now prepared to play in the world championship cycle. Nakamura is a cheerful optimist and plays enterprising chess:
https://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2026/1/27/Game601766484.html
An Indian talent who has drawn a lot of attention for his games is Ajun Erigaisi. He is known for his aggressive style. When he is in form there is no way of stopping him as Carlsen has found to his cost: http://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2026/1/12/Game177795562.html
Erigaisi is a hit-or-miss player with unpredictable results. He plays with great energy and determination, missing the goal when he overestimates his chances. Here is a recent example:
https://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2026/1/27/Game593286890.html
To return to Erigaisi, there are more than 3200 games (2012-2025) played by him in the MegaBase here. One can learn as much from his defeats as his victories.
Carlsen’s other young rivals have also been learning and performing better against him year after year. One of them is Nodirbek Abdusattorov. He missed his chances in the FIDE World Cup, Goa, losing to Alcantara Martinez. Subsequently he shone in the London Chess Classic winning it ahead of Firouzja. Currently he is leading the Tata Steel GM Tournament in Wijk -aan-Zee. There are more than 3500 games played by him in this MegaBase. Here is a game annotated by him:
https://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2026/1/27/Game593804171.html
When you see this MegaBase, do not miss the human drama. Here is a striking example
Ivanchuk- Naroditsky, World Blitz 2024:
https://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2025/12/7/Game502740656.html
Ivanchuk has always been an emotional player. His opponent was embarrassed to win the game. But then young Naroditsky was always a gentleman.
For reasons of length I have not been able to do justice to the rich treasure of games collected over centuries and offered here in the MegaBase here. In my previous reviews I have drawn attention to quite a few of them.
Annotations
This brings me to the subject of annotations in this database. The games in recent years are annotated in detail, thanks to their main source, ChessBase Magazine, right up to 2025. Not so with games from the past. A number of them are unannotated. Others have annotations of varying length and quality in Informant style.
Which annotations are best? Those that offer a judicious blend of explanation and analysis.
Here Anish Giri sets an example. As of now, he has annotated 151games in the MegaBase.
One issue that I have had with the MegaBase is that the annotations have become bi-lingual, with both English and German commentary side by side.
Many German players have a fine grasp of the English language. They have no problem here. Not those who follow only English. Perhaps it makes sense to have separate language editions.
Seeing the games in the MegaBase is the first step. Thereafter one has to supplement one’s understanding with some good reading and, importantly, practice over the board.
Notes
1) The World Championship 2018 between Carlsen and Caruana ran a curious course. There were 12 draws in classical chess format followed by a tie-break in rapid chess format. Here Carlsen prevailed, scoring 3-0. There is a whole book on the match, “Carlsen vs Caruana, Duel of Giants” by Niklas Huschenbeth, Berlin. 2018.
2)Anish Giri’s annotations appear in both New in Chess Magazine and ChessBase Magazine.
3) Current World Championship Candidates as Annotators in the MegaBase:
Caruana:47 games
Praggnanandhaa: 32 games
Nakamura: 06 games
Esipenko: 06 games
Wei Yi: 02 games
Bluebaum: 05 games
4) Once you have the MegaBase, it’s important to update the database every week (Monday or Tuesday) without fail.
5) In recent years historians like Edward Winter and Tim Harding have done much work to get old game scores right and also offer the background of many games:
Edward Winter: https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/index.html
Tim Harding: https://www.chessmail.com/
6) On a different plane Douglas Griffin has offered glimpses of Soviet Chess History:
https://dgriffinchess.wordpress.com
So is Genna Sosonko’s writing on the same era: there are no games, though.
https://www.newinchess.com/the-essential-sosonko
7) On the chess history front, McFarland, Moravian Chess and Russell Enterprises have published a series of titles, biographies and tournament books. New in Chess Publishers have offered a series of titles by Willy Hendrics offering a re-assessment of the great chess tradition. Food for thought.
https://www.newinchess.com/willy-hendriks
8)ChessBase itself has published its own series, Master Class on the great players of the past and the present: https://shop.chessbase.com/en/categories/master-class
Links:
1.In a previous review of the MegaBase I dealt with its treatment of three world championship matches:
https://en.chessbase.com/post/megabase-2022-three-epic-matches
2. In another review I have dealt with the coverage of Carlsen and his peers along with the play of veterans and young talents in the MegaBase:
https://en.chessbase.com/post/megabase-2023-modern-master-play
3.MegaBase 2024 Review: Chess marches on!
https://en.chessbase.com/post/megabase-2024-review-nagesh-havanur
4. MegaBase 2024 Revisited: World Championship Drama:
https://en.chessbase.com/post/megabase-2024-revisited-nagesh-havanur
5. MegaBase 2025 Review:
https://en.chessbase.com/post/megabase-2025-review-nagesh-havanur