The Biggest Chess Database Clean-up of the Century and why Opening Master Strikes for Quality

Details: Published: Tuesday, 18 February 2025 23:51; Written by Openingmaster; Hits: 123

The world of chess databases just witnessed a historic transformation! At Opening Master, we have undertaken the biggest clean-up of the century, removing more than 200,000 chess players and their games from our extensive 10.3 million game collection, bringing the total down to 10,111,107 games in our OM OTB (Over-the-Board) database.

Why the Purge?

Quality is what defines Opening Master since last three decades. We are committed to curating a database that represents the true human chess history—not one cluttered with irrelevant, low-quality entries. Many players with just one or two games in the database, often using usernames like Highlander9999, have been removed. While online play has its place, OM OTB is about real-world competitive chess, and only serious players and their games belong in this database. Why did we have Highlander in the chess database? We constantly clean and index players but the rules are always subjective. Should we keep players below 1300? (e.g. kids tournaments), should we keep players who have one game there (i.e. either statistical error or sneak in), should we create objective rules? We may never have size of Lichess or Chess.com internet games with gazillions of games. We don't need to. We focus on over-the-board, chess analysis, statistics and chess improvement.

Download the world's biggest quality human chess database OM OTB with 10,1 million chess games.

The Grand Return of OM OTB 2500+

In an exciting development, after nearly a decade, we are bringing back the legendary OM OTB 2500+ database! This elite selection, a subset of OM OTB, will be available in both OM OTB and OM GOLEM programs, offering an unparalleled collection of high-level chess battles.

What’s Inside OM OTB 2500+?

487,942 human chess games
Played in official FIDE tournaments
Featuring 7,822 elite players with an ELO rating of 2500+ (or at least one player had 2500+ during the game)
Covering 25,460 tournaments across chess history

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Why It Matters?

If you’re a serious chess player, coach, or analyst, OM OTB 2500+ is the strongest Chess Masters database available on the market. It focuses on high-level strategy, opening innovations, and deep theoretical battles, giving you access to the best games ever played over the board.

At Opening Master, we are not just a database—we are the guardians of chess history. This is chess curation at its finest, ensuring that players, past and present, have a reliable and clean database for analysis, preparation, and inspiration.

Stay tuned for more updates, and as always—keep playing, keep learning, and keep mastering the game!

Calling All Chess Masters in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) graduate degree students

Participate in Cutting-Edge Predictive Analytics Research with Opening Master and FIDE EDU!

Are you a STEM graduate degree student with a passion for chess and a minimum of ELO 2000? Here’s your chance to combine advanced analytics with the art of chess in a groundbreaking project with the renowned Opening Master database, holding 10.3 million human chess games! Plus, compete to win a grand prize of $1,000 and making true chess history

We’re looking for skilled and ambitious players to dive deep into predictive analytics and contribute to pioneering research in chess strategies. As a participant, you’ll work on one of three specialized projects using real-world chess data to uncover hidden insights into openings, player development, and game outcomes. This is an extraordinary opportunity to merge your analytical expertise with your chess mastery and make a signature to Chess Education perhaps once taught in schools.

FIDE announcement

https://www.fide.com/news/3419

Cooperation with International Chess Federation Education Commission (FIDE EDU)

Are you lucky one and just completed the teachers education from FIDE? We have good news for you. According to the Global contract with FIDE, Opening Master provides free access to the teachers who completed successfully the FIDE Preparation of Teachers course. Please consult with your instructor and FIDE EDU representative how to obtain the free license.

Today, Opening Master is more than just a database; it’s a community that spans the globe, connects non-profits, funds projects or is official educational tool for Global FIDE. We provide monthly updates to players from Slovakia to the USA, Nigeria to Australia, Germany to the UK, and over 160+ countries. Our database is an invaluable resource for players, coaches, and enthusiasts at all levels.