GM Smirnov
August 27, 2021 2025-11-26 16:55GM Smirnov
I’m Igor — a Chess Grandmaster, coach, YouTuber with 800k+ subscribers, and founder of Remote Chess Academy, where I’ve helped over 75,000 students improve their game.
I earned the Grandmaster title, reached a FIDE rating of 2496, and held a peak ICC rating of 3212 under the username Charodej. One of my proudest moments was winning 1st place at the Kasparov’s Cup in 2009.
One of my most memorable teaching experiences was spotlighted in India’s national newspaper, The Hindu, in a feature titled ‘Russian Grandmaster Shows His Moves.’
The article covered my 40-player simultaneous exhibition and seminar, focusing on my mission to simplify Grandmaster strategy for aspiring players.
In 2009, I started Remote Chess Academy because I saw so many players struggling the same way I had. I realized the real problem wasn’t effort — it was that most players didn’t have a clear path. So I created a system to fix that.
My chess courses are built on a system of thinking — the same one I used to become a Grandmaster.
It’s a system of thinking that helps you stay in control, create winning plans, and build confidence at every stage of the game — exactly what you need to break past plateaus and reach 2000 ELO and beyond.
One of my students, Grandmaster Karthik, said:
“Through the course ‘Calculate Till Mate’, my calculating ability changed completely… I quickly reached a 2276 rating in a few months and eventually became a Grandmaster.”
Stories like his are exactly why I created this system — to help players unlock their true potential.
I also wrote a book, A Promoted Pawn, to share my most valuable lessons from 20+ years in chess.
Students
James Sawaski
"I became Michigan Champion at age 44 after 30 years of trying after studying Igor’s courses."`
Ashwin Subramanian
“I became the ACO World Champion after learning the system taught by Igor.”
Vladimir Dragovic
“8 months ago I just started playing. Now I am 1800, and moving up fast."
GM Karthik
“I quickly reached a 2276 rating in a few months and eventually became a Grandmaster.”
GM Jaan Ehlvest World#6 in his peak
“Talking about Smirnov’s concept – it is more practical. I like that he has a lot of examples from practical games. I myself used some of the materials presented by Igor and I was a very satisfied customer.”
FM Marcos Ortiz
"I’m just a regular person with limited time, but by following simple rules from the videos, I scored 7.5/9 and became a FIDE Master."
3 Simple Chess Rules to Reach 2000 Rating Faster
These Rules Will Change YOUR Chess Forever! Even If You’ve Been Stuck for a While…
