Meet The Best Books & Software This Month

Also, our massive Memorial Day Sale rolls on for another week.

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May 25, 2026 1:45pm EDT

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Dear Chess Player,

Greetings from this week’s Wholesale Chess newsletter. This week, our Featured story is a roundup of the best software and books released in May. Discover the best new chess books and training software, from practical opening repertoires and tactics trainers to updated databases and interactive lesson apps. Whether you’re stocking a club library or improving your own game, you should find something perfect for you.

Also, this week we have more excellent news: the Wholesale Chess Memorial Day Sale has been extended for another week. Enjoy savings of up to 20% on books, sets, clocks, and training software. Our sale is an ideal chance for clubs, coaches, and gift shoppers to stock up. Shop early for the best selection while discounted inventory lasts.

Redeeming the offers is simple: shop as usual and enter one of the promo codes at checkout; your discount will be applied automatically to your cart. Don’t miss these extra Memorial Day savings.

15% off purchases under $200. Use coupon VALOR15
20% off purchases of $200 or more. Use coupon VALOR20

Wishing you the best moves this week,
The Wholesale Chess Team

New Books and Software: May 2026

This week, we look at some of the featured books and software that will help you take your next step in chess.

Classic Amateur Mistakes and How To Fix Them — Hardcover

Author: Written by GM Daniel Gormally; targets typical errors made by club and amateur players.
Practical coaching: Emphasises a consistent decision‑making process to overcome “paralysis by analysis.”
Common mistakes analysed: Covers issues like moving pieces too often, lack of attacking intent, and weak calculation habits.
Format and details: Hardcover, ~280 pages

ChessBase Training — Understanding Middlegame Strategy Vol.14 (Download)

Opening family covered: Deep dive into colour‑reversed Benoni, Benko and Blumenfeld structures.
Structural emphasis: Focuses on pawn structures, long‑term plans and how Black’s activity compensates for tempo.
Multimedia delivery: FritzTrainer video course (download/DVD), interactive exercises, repertoire database, and sample games.
Platform features: Runs in FritzTrainer/ChessBase with engine analysis, replay training, and integration into your repertoire.

Beating the French Winawer: The h4 Ram — Paperback

Key idea: Advocates the early h4 (The Ram) against the Winawer as a positional yet aggressive plan.
Strategic vs tactical: Emphasizes strategic plans, piece placement, and typical middlegame motifs rather than forced tactical lines.
Authoritative contributors: Material by GMs Vassilios Kotronias, Mikhail Ivanov and IM Andrei Obodchuk.
Practical repertoire: 288 pages of theory, plans and examples to adopt the h4 approach as White.

ChessBase Training — Mastering the London System (Download)

Presenter and scope: GM Elisabeth Pähtz explains the immediate Bf4 London and its distinct move‑orders.
Comprehensive coverage: Addresses Black’s main replies (…c5, …Qb6, …Bf5, …Nh5, QGD setups) and move‑order nuances.
Practical tools: Fritztrainer video lessons, interactive exercises, repertoire database, and sample games.
Runtime and delivery: Long-format course (approx. 13 hours) delivered as download/serial card with ChessBase integration.

The Exchange French: The Monte Carlo Variation — Paperback

Opening choice: Complete guide to the Monte Carlo line after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.c4.
Author expertise: GM Vladimir Okhotnik shares 50+ years of practical experience and 200+ tournament games in the line.
Balanced treatment: Mixes positional concepts with tactical prospects for both White and Black.
Niche resource: First book devoted exclusively to this variation; ~224 pages of theory and practice.

ChessBase Training — The Vienna Game: Dynamic, Flexible and Deeply Underestimated (Download)

Three approaches: Covers f2–f4 (aggressive), early Bc4 (pressure), and g3 (positional) systems.
Practical value: Presents the Vienna as a creative, low‑theory weapon that yields original middlegames.
Multimedia package: Fritztrainer videos, interactive tasks, repertoire database and sample games.
Host and runtime: Taught by IM Andrew Martin; ~4.5 hours of video material, downloadable with ChessBase features.

The Modernized Janowski Variation — Hardcover

Opening idea: Modern treatment of the Janowski line in the Queen’s Gambit Declined after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 a6.
Strategic themes: Explores Black’s queenside expansion (…a6/…b5) versus White’s central control and typical responses.
Contemporary redefinition: Presents updated theory and plans to make the Janowski a viable, flexible choice for Black.
Format and length: Hardcover, ~320 pages; detailed modern repertoire treatment.