Most Are Bad at Calculating — Here’s the Right Calculation Method
Many chess players believe that the right calculation method simply means seeing more moves ahead. But that is not the real problem. I recently gave …
Caro-Kann Defense Explained: Ideas, Traps, and Plans
The Caro-Kann Defense is one of the most practical chess openings for Black against 1.e4. It is secure, reliable, and often much easier to play …
4 Common Mistakes Keeping You Stuck Below 2000 ELO
Scott was stuck around 1400–1600 ELO for years. Then something changed. He did not suddenly memorize hundreds of new opening lines. He did not start …
Barcza vs Tal: Mikhail Tal’s 4 Rules of Attack to Play Brutal Chess
Mikhail Tal could make perfectly normal chess positions look like they were on fire with pieces hanging, material being sacrificed and threats appearing everywhere. At …
14 Practical Positional Chess Rules to Get Better at Positional Play
Tactical positions can sometimes feel easier than positional ones. That’s why in this lesson, I’ll explain 14 practical positional chess rules that can help you …
Tisdall Chess Puzzle: Test Your Chess Level in 15 Minutes
Give me 15 minutes and one chess position, and I’ll show you something interesting about your real chess level. This chess puzzle is a position …
Capablanca vs Bernstein: The Famous Brilliancy Prize Game
Imagine objecting to a young player’s place in an elite chess tournament… and then getting paired against him immediately. That is exactly what happened to …
10 Bad Chess Habits That Are Killing Your Progress
I’ve coached thousands of chess students, and one question comes up again and again: “Why am I still not improving?” Many players are putting in …
Plachutta Theme: Tarrasch vs. Allies Puzzle Tells Your Chess Level
Before we talk about the Plachutta Theme, which is already a clue, I’m going to give you one chess position. And based on how you …
Fischer vs Tal 1959: Mind Games to Destroy Fischer from Move 1
Fischer vs Tal in 1959 were some of the most explosive and instructive games. This particular game that we’ll look at was more than a …
Nimzowitsch vs Capablanca: 13 Positional Rules to Win Easily
Capablanca had a rare ability to make chess look ridiculously simple. No wild complications. No endless calculation. Just one logical move after another until his …
Paul Morphy Bishop’s Opening Masterclass
The Bishop’s Opening is an aggressive chess opening for White after 1.e4 that can catch many opponents unprepared. In this lesson, I break down the …
Magnus Carlsen Tips: 10 Simple Rules He Uses to Win at Chess
If you were to get some chess tips, there might be no better to get them from than Magnus Carlsen. He once went 125 games …
