Recently the RCA YouTube channel crossed the 100K subscribers’ milestone with more than 12 million views, and we take this …
Tal vs. Fischer: Gladiator battle in the King’s Indian Defense!
First I’d like to remind you of the special offers we’re providing you with on our new course “10 Keys …
Release of “10 Keys to Defense” Course
Today our new course “10 Keys to Defense” is launched and we are happy to collaborate with our new author, …
How to defend a position successfully?
No chess player would like to be put in a situation where he has to find a strong defense against …
Best Attacking Chess Game – Karjakin vs Esipenko
First, let me remind you of the Christmas Special Offer – till Thursday, 31 December, you can get all the …
Christmas Celebration + Golden Chess Rule
The Holiday Season is here and the RCA wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 😊
Kasparov Beat Karpov in WC Final with Double Fianchetto System
It’s been a couple of days since our course “Double Fianchetto System” by GM Sipke Ernst was launched. Let me …
Release of “Double Fianchetto System” Chess Course
Today our new course “Double Fianchetto System” is released, in which the author GM Sipke Ernst will teach you the …
6 Best Chess Opening Traps after 1.e4 (Kasparov and Anand were tricked!!)
Today I would like to share with you the 6 powerful chess opening traps after 1.e4. And most importantly, even …
Celebrate Cyber Monday with RCA!
Do you usually get Monday morning sickness? Well, that’s not the case today – I’m going to help you beat …
3 Important Rules to Defend Successfully!
Today we are going to discuss about an interesting chess topic – defense. Nobody likes to defend the position. We …
Defeating an IM with the Trompowsky Attack!
Today we are going to take a look at a very tricky opening line which can be used as a …
The Strategy of Outposts Part-2
The following is an article written by the RCA guest coach FM Zaur Tekeyev. <<—————————————————————>> In the previous article, we saw …
The Strategy of Outposts
Before getting into the topic, I’d like to inform you that one of our students created an app where you can …
Best Chess Puzzle Ever? | Solve This If YOU Can!
First, let me remind you that you have only 4 more days to register to our course “Calculate Till Mate”. …
Magnus Carlsen’s Opposite-Colored Bishops Strategy in the Middlegame
This is an article written by the RCA guest coach FM Zaur Tekeyev. <<—————————————————————>> It’s well known that endgames with opposite-colored …
Chess Classics – Learn from Capablanca Meeting Amateurs
This is an article written by the RCA guest coach FM Zaur Tekeyev. <<—————————————————————>> One of the best ways to get …
London System Against King’s Indian Defense
First, let me remind you that we’re providing you with a flat 50% OFF on our new course “London System …
Release of “London System Mastermind”
Today our new course “London System Mastermind” by IM Milovan Ratkovic is released. The London System is a dangerous, yet …
Chess Tactics – Deflection
First, I’d like to remind you of the special 30% discount we’re providing you with on our course “Winning Tactical …
How to Find Chess Tactics in Quiet Positions?
In the past few lessons, we discussed about a couple of very interesting topics – opening traps and attack. Although …
How to Attack the Castled King?
When you want to attack your opponent’s king that is castled, especially when you both have castled on the same …
The Most Aggressive Chess Opening (Halosar Trap)
First, I’d like to remind you of the special 50% discount we’re providing you with on our new course “Opening …
Release of “Opening Traps” Chess Course
As a chess player, nothing is worse than the embarrassment of resigning before the 10th move. It doesn’t matter which …
9 Chess Opening Traps in the Center Game [For Black]
Before we get into the lesson about the traps in the Center Game, let me inform you that we’re conducting …
All Chess Strategy Explained – How to Win in Chess
Today we have launched the registration to our chess course “The Grandmaster’s Positional Understanding”. The registration is open for a …
Anand Crushed Karjakin in Sicilian Najdorf + Next Live Stream
First, let me inform you that the RCA will conduct its second YouTube Live Stream on Friday, 10 July. This …
How to Find Plans that Trouble Your Opponent
Here is an interesting question: once the opening stage is over, what do you do? How to find the best …
Planning in Chess by IM Valeri Lilov
A couple of days ago, RCA did its first live stream on the RCA YouTube Channel – it was done …
RCA YouTube Live Stream + the Power of the Bishop Pair
I am happy to announce that the Remote Chess Academy (RCA) will conduct its first ever live streaming on the …
How to Attack in Chess?
First, I’d like to remind you of the special offers we’re providing you with on our new course “Boleslavsky Pawn …
Release of Boleslavsky Pawn Structure
Today our new course “Boleslavsky Pawn Structure” is released. Studying pawn structures is more fruitful than memorizing opening moves. This …
Learn Chess Strategies that Grandmasters Use
In the previous lesson, we learnt the importance of pawn structures in chess; especially how they shape the game right …
How to Find Great Attacking Moves?
Most of us are having a hard time during this pandemic. At the Remote Chess Academy, we want to bring …
GM Igor Smirnov Answers Chess Questions | Live Call with a Student
Recently, I had an online session with one of the RCA students from India, GM Karthik Venkataraman. He has been …
English Opening 1.c4 – Ideas for 3 Typical Responses of Black
First, let me remind you of the special offers we’re providing you with during this coronavirus crisis. You can get …
3 Chess Opening Traps + 1 Opening Trick
Today we are going to learn 3 chess opening traps and learn an opening trick from the RCA guest coach …
Chess Mobile App – Chess Puzzle Blitz
Today I am going to tell you about one of the most interesting chess mobile apps I came across recently …
Release of Master Chess Pattern Recognition
Today our new course “Master Chess Pattern Recognition” is released. Knowing what patterns are is pretty simple; all those things …
RCA Next Course About Pattern Recognition
A few days ago we published the video lesson on one of the most controversial chess games in the history …
Introduction to the Best Chess Moves for Beginners
The following is an article written by our partner Stacy and I’m happy to present it you. 🙂 As chess …
Happy New Year + Prophylactic Thinking
First, we’re sorry for the inconvenience caused because the RCA shop was not working. For that reason, we have extended …
Grigory Serper vs Ioannis Nikolaidis – Immortal Chess Sacrifice
First, let me remind you that 3 days have gone by in the special offers period, 24 Dec. to 1 …
Release of “Gambits Against the French”
One of the solid and resilient chess openings for Black is the French Defense, which is characterized by the moves …
Cyber Monday Special Offers + Short-term and Long-term Advantages
As you may know, we are providing all the RCA courses with a huge 30% discount to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. …
Sicilian Defense – Four Knights Variation
The Sicilian Defense is one of the most extremely theoretical chess openings. Today, you will learn about a variation from …
Improve in Chess – Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
First, let me remind you of the massive 50% discount we’re providing you with on our new course “Puzzles 2.0” …
Puzzles 2.0 – Improve Your Tactics and Visualization Skills!
Solving chess puzzles are a lot of fun, but also an excellent tool to improve one’s game. Amongst other skills, …
Mind-blowing Chess Puzzle – The Luzhin Defense
Today, we are going to see a mind-blowing chess puzzle from The Luzhin Defense, which is a romantic drama film …
Material Imbalance – Rook and Pawn vs Bishop and Knight
First, let me remind you of the survey we are conducting to know your opinion about the RCA’s next chess …
3 Main Principles of Attack in Chess
First, let me remind you of the new course that I have created for you “Attack and Win” and the …
GM Igor Smirnov’s Birthday and New Course “Attack and Win”
Today, 28 October, is a very special day for me because it is my birthday! 😊 It’s my 32nd birthday …
Decline the Opponent’s Sacrifice – Make a Counter-Sacrifice
First, let me remind you of the huge 30% discount I’m providing you with our new course “How to Find …
Release of “How to Find Positional Chess Sacrifices”
Today our new course “How to Find Positional Chess Sacrifices” by IM Asaf Givon, the favourite guest coach for most …
RCA Next Course About Positional Sacrifice
“There are two types of sacrifices: correct ones and mine”, said Mikhail Tal, one of the greatest masters of sacrifices …
Top 7 Most Shocking Blunders And Giveaway Winners
First, I would like to inform you that the RCA YouTube Giveaway – a Giveaway contest which was conducted to …
The Trompowsky Attack – Vaganian Gambit
First, let me remind you of the massive discount we’re providing you with on our newly launched course “The Trompowsky …
Release of “The Trompowsky Attack Package”
The Trompowsky Attack begins with the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5, and it is a popular alternative for White after Black’s …
The Main Secret of Strong Chess Players
First, let me remind you of the special offers I’m providing you with on our new course “The Secrets of …
Teaser of the RCA Chess Course “The Secrets of Strong Players”
In our previous blog-post I’d informed you about RCA’s next chess course “The Secrets of Strong Players”, from which you …
What Makes a Strong Chess Player Strong?
I have often said that strong chess players win slowly, but surely. In other words, strong chess players, titled players, …
5 Best Tips for Effective Chess Calculation
First, I’d like to remind you of the special offers I’m providing you with in honour of the International Chess …
Release of “Top Secrets in Rook Endgames” Chess Course
The rook endgame is one of the complex phases of a chess game, even for the most experienced players. They …
RCA’s Next Course + That Deadly Rook on the Seventh Rank!
Rook Endings are one of the most common and most important endings in chess. And since it comes in the …
Rook Endgames: Philidor and Luceana Positions
The Rook and Pawn vs Rook Endgame is one of the most important endgames that every chess player must know. …
Release of “Thought Process Errors” Chess Course
Today the RCA’s new chess course “Thought Process Errors” by Dan Heisman (favourite guest coach for most of you) is …
4 useful tips to avoid blunders
Blunders are always a nightmare for most chess players, even in the top GMs level. It is one of the …
4 Best Tips to Exchange Pieces the Right Way!
First, I’d like to remind you of the special gift I’ve provided you with. You can get our top-recommended courses …
10 ways to improve in chess
There are thousands of the chess tutorials including chess books, DVDs, courses, video lessons, etc. As I often say, it …
Release of the RCA Course “Mastering Piece Coordination and Planning”
In chess, it is important to place your pieces in active squares, to coordinate them together and to find an …
RCA New Course + Magnus Carlsen Crushing Anish Giri
In the last few blog-posts, we have been discussing about a very important topic in chess – piece coordination. And …
Importance of Piece Coordination
In the previous lesson by our guest coach CM Tryfon Gavriel, we learnt about the power of playing our pieces …
Emanuel Lasker Amazing Piece Sacrifice
Today we are going to see one of the greatest chess games ever played in the chess history – it’s …
Pieces Exchanges are more Crucial than You Think!
Let me remind you that the special offers I’m providing you with on our newly launched course “Exchange Pieces like …
Release of “Exchange Pieces like a Pro”
Which pieces to keep and which to exchange is one of the most important questions in chess. Less experienced players …
How to Exchange Chess Pieces Effectively?
A few days ago, we republished one of our video lessons from the past about the strategy of exchanging your …
Chess Strategy: The Exchange Technique
The strategy of exchanges (or the exchange technique) in chess is very often underestimated by the young/inexperienced players. Of course, …
Why Do You Lose Chess Games?
Recently, we published an article written by our Academy Manager, Aggelos Kesaris, about the middlegame strategy and how to break …
What can we learn from the games of RCA Students?
In the last RCA survey we asked you to send some of your chess games in order to include them …
Mikhail Tal’s Greatest Game vs British Women’s Champion
First, I’d like to remind you of our new course “Mikhail Tal’s Magic Revealed” and the awesome offers we’re providing …
Feedback from an RCA Student
Recently, I received a message from an RCA student, Albrecht, and I would like to share it with you today. …
Kasparov’s Masterpiece in the Sicilian Najdorf Against Dominguez Perez
First, I’d like to remind you of the Christmas special offers – you get a really huge 40% discount on …
WC 2018 Carlsen vs Caruana: Decision Making in Critical Moments Part-2
This is the second part of the lesson about the World Chess Championship 2018 between Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana. …
WC 2018 Carlsen vs Caruana: Critical Moments, Decision Making, Time Management
Magnus Carlsen won the World Chess Championship 2018 last month, successfully defending his title against the American Fabiano Caruana. All …
Planning in Various Stages of a Chess Game
First, I’d like to inform you about something really cool –from now on, you can comment on our blog-posts from …
4 Tips for a Successful Attack
Attack in chess is one of the best (and most important) ways to checkmate your opponent and to win the …
Fabiano Caruana’s Fantastic Victory Against Magnus Carlsen!
First, I’d like to remind you of the special and massive 40% discount we’re providing you with on our courses …
Beating the Isolated Pawn: Playing Around the Isolani
In the previous article, our guest coach IM Larry Evans taught you how to play against the isolani (isolated queen pawn). …
Beating the Isolated Pawn: Playing Against the Isolani
An isolated pawn is a pawn that has no friendly pawn on an adjacent file. Isolated pawns are usually considered …
5 Lessons I Have Learned from 25 Years in Chess
First, I’d like to remind you of the special offers I’m providing you with in honor of my birthday (on …
Planning Ahead in Chess
Today I’d like to present to you an article from our guest coach IM Larry Evans. IM Evans founded Mountain Lake …
Release of “Master Sicilian Pawn Structures”
The day is finally here – the launch of RCA’s new chess course “Master Sicilian Pawn Structures” by IM Mateusz …
Chess Tactics in the Sicilian Defense
Today I’ve some great news for you – the RCA’s next chess course is in its final stages and it …
The Mighty Sicilian Dragon Bishop!
The Sicilian Defense is the most popular opening and one of the best responses to White’s first move 1.e4. The …
Chess Tactics: Fork, Pin and Discovered Check
What is meant by Chess Tactics? Chess Tactics means a sequence of mostly forced moves, where one side takes over …
The RCA Student Ashwin Subramanian becomes ACO World Champion!
Ashwin Subramanian is a 40-year old engineering manager in Intel Corporation. He participated in the World Amateur Chess Organization (ACO) …
The Greatest King Walk in Chess by Nigel Short!
A king walk in chess, also known as a king march, is when the king travels up around the board, …
Does Castling Really Make Your King Safe?
I’m sure you’re aware that castling your king is a very important part of the opening strategy, since it moves …
How to Complicate a Position and Win?
The FIDE World Cup 2017 in Tbilisi featured 128 players in a series of knockout matches. Levon Aronian won the …
12-year-old Girl Sets a Deadly Chess Trap!
Judit Polgar is considered the strongest female chess player of all time. In 1991, Polgar achieved the title of Grandmaster …
How to Defend like Paolo Maldini
Paolo Cesare Maldini is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a left-back and central defender for A.C. Milan …
Mikhail Tal’s Fantastic Victory against the 16-Year-old Bobby Fischer!
First, I’d like to share with you something really cool – the RCA YouTube Channel has achieved a milestone of …
Stalemate: Getting a Draw in a Losing Chess Game
The Stalemate is a very important and extremely unpleasant defensive weapon. This is a tactical motif (mostly in the endgame) …
Amazing Piece Sacrifice to Get a Powerful Central Pawn Storm
Before going to the lesson, I’d like to inform you about something. RCA is growing and we’re looking for a French …
Adolf Anderssen’s Best Attacking Chess Games (Part – 2)
This is the second part of the article about Adolf Anderssen (1818–1879), a German chess master and the world’s leading …
Adolf Anderssen’s Best Attacking Chess Games
Adolf Anderssen (1818–1879) was a German chess master and he’s considered to have been the world’s leading chess player for …
Test Your Skills on Positional Chess
It’s always extremely important and instructive to follow positional principles in chess. Below I’ve presented a number of chess puzzles. …
A Unique Chess Pattern Which Will Help You Win Grandmasters!
I hope you are familiar with the oldest checkmate ever invented, the Arabian Mate. This fatal attack performs with the …
3 Ideas to Play Better in Open Center Positions
Sometimes, it’s quite confusing when both you and your opponent do not have any pawns in the central d- and …
The Best Chess Strategy (simple and powerful)
Let me start this article with a question. What is the best chess strategy? Reading this, several important chess rules …
Are there any Key Elements to Victory in Chess?
A few days ago, we published a video lesson by CM Tryfon Gavriel about a game between Vassily Ivanchuk and …
5 Key Ideas that Can Help Defeat Garry Kasparov!
It’s time again to brush through some classics from the past – today we’re going to learn from one of …
5 Principles to Effective Middlegame Planning
Today we’re going to discuss about an interesting topic. How does the opening structure affect your middlegame plans? What middlegame …
Release of “Mastering the Middlegame in Kasparov’s Style”
Garry Kasparov is one of the best players in the world, or probably the best. He dominated in chess for …
Positional Pawn Sacrifices of Garry Kasparov
Today we are going to have a look at some of the greatest positional pawn sacrifices of Garry Kasparov. The …
Weak Squares in Chess
Today we have an interesting topic to discuss. It is called the weak squares in chess. And the immediate question …
Chess Traps and How to Avoid them?
Chess traps are always fun and exciting as long as you’re the one who sets it and it’s even more …
3 Important Principles to Win Knight Endgames
Today we’re going to discuss about some of the most important rules and principles regarding the knight endgames. The knight …
4 Ideas to Squeeze a Win in an Equal/Drawish Endgame
Winning an endgame that looks equal or drawish is not a walk on the cake. We have to push and …
Release of RCA Chess Course “How to Beat Stronger Opponents”
At a certain stage of your chess development, you are faced with the question “How to beat a stronger opponent?” …
How to Beat Stronger Opponents?
Today, there is an overabundance of chess books, DVDs, and other educational materials. That’s why almost every chess player knows …
Summary of the Top-3 RCA Lessons in 2017
Today I’d like to provide you with something special – a PDF that contains the summary of the Top-3 RCA …
How to Calculate Variations Efficiently?
Today we have an important topic to discuss about – how to calculate variations efficiently? Many chess players often start …
Typical Ideas and Plans in the Sicilian Sveshnikov Variation
The Sicilian Defense is a very popular chess opening, as it can be often seen in several chess games, from …
GM Igor Smirnov Answers Students’ Questions from the Live Event (Part-2)
A few days ago, I shared with you the first part of my live stream on 7 November, celebrating the …
GM Igor Smirnov Answers Students’ Questions from the Live Event
I hope you remember that during the beginning of this month, on 7 November, we celebrated the 8th anniversary of …
Interesting Games from the FIDE World Cup 2017, Tbilisi
The FIDE World Cup 2017 was held from 2-27 September, 2017, in Tbilisi. In the final, after the four classical …
How pawn majority helps you win endgames easily?
I’m sure you have come across the term “pawn majority” during your chess career. Do you know what it means? …
Release of RCA chess course “Practical Endgames”
Today our new course “Practical Endgames – play endgame like a titled player” is released! In this course, IM Asaf …
Is it possible to play endings like a titled player?
Really, is it possible to play the endgame stage like a titled player (or a Grandmaster)? Over the last few …
Carlsen’s missed opportunity against Karjakin in a crucial endgame!
Today we’re going to take a look back into one of the most epic games in the history of World …
Hikaru Nakamura’s dramatic and adventurous win in Dutch defense against Jovana Vojinovic
Today our guest coach, CM Tryfon Gavriel, has a very instructive game to show you, which he considers one of …
3 most important middlegame principles
After the opening stage, when you have developed your pieces, you need to find the right way to proceed in …
How to create a solid plan in challenging/passive positions?
Planning is one of the most important skills in chess. But how do we create a solid plan in a …
How to exploit imbalances in chess?
Today we’re going to talk about a very interesting topic: exploiting imbalances (weaknesses). Most often, we don’t know how to …
How to Succeed in Chess? (FREE E-book)
Nowadays, it is quite easy to find information about almost anything on the Internet, including chess. However, not all the …
Interesting games from Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz (Part-2)
This is the second part of the article “Interesting games from Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz”. If you missed the …
5 best chess games of Bobby Fischer
Today we’re going to look at something spectacular – 5 best chess games played by Bobby Fischer! 🙂 But before …
Interesting games from Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz
The highly-anticipated return of the chess legend Garry Kasparov is real. The king of kings was back in real action …
Best aggressive chess openings for Black against 1.e4
I know how difficult it is for most of you, as a club level player, to pick up the right …
How to win endgames like Magnus Carlsen?
Have you ever found yourself in an endgame where it was so boring that you could not find any good …
Magnus Carlsen: World Chess Champion for a reason!
Is there any chess player in the world who wouldn’t be curious to learn from the Norwegian chess prodigy, the …
6 best chess games of Magnus Carlsen
Have you ever wondered what could Magnus Carlsen’s best chess games be? Today, I’d like to share with you a …
The most powerful ideas in chess (part-2)
In the previous article, we’ve been talking about the most powerful chess tips about defense. I’ve told you why many …
15 most powerful chess tips about defense
Today we are going to discuss about an interesting topic: the most powerful ideas or tips in chess. Here we …
Test your tactical skills
Tactics is a very important element in a chess game. You should always keep your tactical vision sharp in order …
Release of the course “From opening to middlegame”
The day is finally here – our new course “From opening to middlegame” is released today! This course deals with …
Transition from the opening to the middlegame
One of the biggest problems many chess players face is that they often fail to realize the transition that occurs …
Learn how to analyze chess games like a PRO!
Recently we encouraged you to submit your chess games in a blog-post and informed that we’ll analyze the game(s) that …
Everything you need to know about the Sicilian defense (Dragon variation)
The Sicilian defense is the most popular opening and one of the best responses to White’s first move 1.e4. It …
5 tips taken from the best chess courses on the Internet
This article contains 5 important tips that will facilitate your chess learning and advancing. The material is prepared by a …
Nerves of steel while playing chess (Part-2)
If you live in Malaysia, we may meet soon. 🙂 I plan to visit Malaysia and would gladly meet with …
Nerves of steel while playing chess
How not to feel nervous while playing chess? People usually avoid discussing this topic, although it’s very important. Let’s be …
Calculation and Evaluation in chess
Often during a chess game, you have so many different choices of moves in a position (especially, in a middlegame …
4 simple ways to deal with time trouble!
Recently, I have received a couple e-mails from my students who are having a hard time dealing with time trouble. …
Basic conditions for a successful attack
In the previous article, we discussed about 5 biggest problems in attack and how to solve them. Today we’ll move …
What obstructs 95% of chess players?
There are literally millions of chess books and tutorials that are available to us these days and all chess learners …
4 typical chess mistakes in defense you should never make!
In this lesson about defense, you will recognize and understand those mistakes. It will help you avoid those mistakes in your future games and it will drive you in cloud nine!
What can you learn from our chess course "Defending Champion"?
In my previous article, I wrote that we’ll be launching a new chess course called “Defending Champion” soon. The authors …
How to use your rook effectively?
First, let me remind you of our survey – help us create an opening chess course tailored to your needs, …
Magnus Carlsen’s immortal chess game (and his birthday)!
First, let me remind you of the special offer we’re providing you with, in honour of the World Championship match …
Carlsen-Karjakin Game-3: Over 6-hour long battle!
What a game, what a marathon! 🙂 Magnus tries to give his best on the subject which he knows the …
Everything you need to know about Carlsen vs Karjakin
We’re exactly one week away from the biggest chess event of the year – the World Chess Championship Match between …
Top three amazing chess sacrifices (by GM Smirnov)
Finally, I’d like to thank you all for wishing me well on my birthday; therefore, I’ve prepared a gift for …
GM Igor Smirnov’s birthday – special offers
It’s my birthday today – a really special day for me, as I am in a very positive and happy …
Unknown stories about ‘Viktor the Terrible!’ (Part-2)
This is the second part of the article about the four-time USSR chess champion, Viktor Korchnoi! If you missed the …
Unknown stories about ‘Viktor the Terrible!’
Viktor Korchnoi: if he won a game, he was very polite with you and would analyze it happily. If he …
Everything you need to know about openings!
Let me share with you a few interesting quotes: “I had to spend countless hours, above and beyond the …
How to win with opposite-colored bishops?
First, let me remind you of the survey we’re conducting to know your opinion about the next RCA course. The …
Best game from the Baku Chess Olympiad
After a dramatic last round, the United States of America won their first Olympic gold medal since 1976. The Ukrainian …
Upgrade your “Thinking System”!
Today we have some really great news – one of our top-selling (and cheapest) products “My Thinking System”, a premium …
Decision making in critical positions – part 2
By IM Sagar Shah and myself (GM Igor Smirnov) In the first part of this article, we discussed what …
Decision making in critical positions
First, let me remind you of our new vacancy for the post of “YouTuber”. If you like to record videos …
Crossword contest winners and special discount
I’m very glad to say that the first ever “RCA Crossword Contest” went really well. We had over hundreds of …
Breaking chess rules – defying chess strategy
Being a good chess player is not only about following every single chess rule and guideline: it is about understanding …
Highlights of GM Igor Smirnov’s “Ask Me Anything Event”
First, let me remind you of the “RCA Crossword Contest” – we’re conducting a crossword contest that will run till …
GM Igor Smirnov answers students’ questions
As you may already know, I conducted a live “Ask Me Anything (AMA) event” on the RCA Facebook page on …
Interesting games from the Sinquefield Cup 2016
Today, we analyze the most interesting games from the recent Sinquefield Cup 2016. This tournament took place in St Louis, …
Launch of “Winning the Middlegame”
Today is the day – the much-awaited course “Winning the Middlegame” is released today! 🙂 This course was born after …
What exactly should you do in the middlegame?
Now, let me ask you a question: what EXACTLY should you do in the middlegame? Well, in the …
Chess Tactics – Knight Fork Part-2
In the first part of this lesson, we had a look at a few examples of the “knight fork” and …
Improve your middlegame skills
Almost every chess player would have come across this question – “What to do in a middlegame?”. While the question …
Chess Tactics – Knight Fork
The knight fork is nothing more than a simultaneous attack on two or more pieces. The fork also occurs as …
Exploiting your opponent’s bad piece Part-2
A few days ago, our guest coach IM Boroljub Zlatanovic prepared a video lesson for you on the topic “Exploiting …
Best chess openings and how to pick one for you [Infographic]
Picking the good chess opening is important if you want to be successful in your chess career. Due to the …
How to exploit your opponent’s bad piece?
“Help your pieces so they can help you”, said Paul Morphy, one of the greatest chess masters. Indeed, that’s true …
Deadly attacks in chess: opposite castling
Opposite-side castling games are usually very exciting. Because both kings are on opposite wings, each player takes this opportunity to …
Power of centralised pieces in chess
There are several important advantages that come from centralising your pieces and aiming to have strong control over central squares. …
What are the consequences of neglecting the centre in chess?
The centre is the most important part of the chessboard, as pieces from the centre can easily move to either …
The ultimate chess guide for beginners
Learning basic chess rules will help you build a strong foundation in chess. At their beginner stages, many students do …
The advantage of space in chess
The advantage of space in chess enlarges your influence over the board and provides options that can be exploited tactically …
A unique chance to get GM Igor Smirnov’s premium video for FREE
First, let me remind you of the massive 30% discount we’re providing you with, to celebrate the launch of the …
How to use an open file in chess?
Basically, an open file is one with no pawns of either colour on it. And a file with pawns of …
The power of the bishop pair in chess Part-2
In the previous article, we published the first part of the lesson “The power of the bishop pair in chess”. …
The power of the bishop pair in chess
The bishop, by itself, is a powerful piece. However, its value is more than doubled when another bishop is added …
Three ways to improve in chess
Nowadays, there are lots of chess tutorials out there, including books, video lessons, courses, DVDs and the list goes on. …
Basic Chess Rules for Beginners Part-2
A few months ago, we published an article called “Basic Chess Rules for Beginners”. If you missed it, you can …
Weak Squares in Chess Part-2
In recent times, we have published several lessons for you on the topic of “Weak Squares”. In case you missed …
Chess Strategy: Weak Squares
A few weeks ago, we published an article “Transforming advantages in chess” which was prepared by one of the RCA …
Get a 30% discount on our opening products
A few days ago, we launched a FREE e-book for you called “Chess Opening Fundamentals”. This e-book is a collection …
New E-book: Chess Opening Fundamentals
When you come to play a chess game, it’s important to start it properly. Otherwise, you risk falling into an …
Initiative in Chess
Today we have an interesting subject called “Initiative”. I’d like to recall a famous quote, “Only the player with the …
Who will it be – Carlsen or Karjakin?
The hottest news in these past few weeks is undoubtedly Sergey Karjakin winning the Candidates Tournament 2016, earning the right …
Chess battles of the past between Candidate players
As competition is fierce in the 2016 Candidates Chess Tournament, today we’ll have a look at some interesting games played …
Tactical shots at the Candidates Chess Tournament 2016 and important news
First, I have some good news. For chess fans from Hong Kong, I’m going to visit it soon. If you …
What happens when coordinated pieces occupy weak squares?
Recently, our guest coach IM Boroljub Zlatanovic published a video lesson for you on “Weak Squares”. In that lesson, Boroljub …
Informative feedback on the new course by an RCA student
So you want to get better at chess and need proper training that can move you to the next level. …
The Grandmaster’s Secrets – second edition
When the Remote Chess Academy (RCA) started some years back, the first course I created was the “Grandmaster’s Secrets”. Thousands …
How to make use of important chess squares?
Some time ago, our guest coach IM Boroljub Zlatanovic prepared a lesson for you on the topic “Weak Squares”. If …
Bobby Fischer’s greatest chess game – game of the century
Today, we’ll have a look at the greatest chess game played by Bobby Fischer – the game that is also …
Chess, Life and Happiness – Summary
About two months ago, we published an article prepared by an RCA student, Luca Valsecchi, and it was called “Chess, …
The greatest chess game everyone MUST know
Millions of chess games have been played over the history of chess. But there is only a small percentage of …
Creating ideas in chess
This is the final part of the series of articles “Interpretation of chess moves” prepared by Srikanth G., a friend …
How to approach a position from a different angle?
A few days ago, we published the first part of the article “Interpretation of chess moves” prepared by Srikanth, a …
Interpretation of chess moves
Some time ago, we published an article about stress during a chess game and lots more. It was prepared by …
Important news regarding the new course
Today, I’d like to inform you that my seminar in Vellore, “The Art of Planning”, has been added to my …
Useful story of an RCA student – Part-2
A few days ago, I shared with you the story of my friend and student, Ram S. Krishnan. If you …
Top chess lessons of 2015 and how to study courses in Udemy
First, I want to remind you of the special offers. During this Holiday Season, we have released two new courses …
Happy New Year and release of new course
First, on behalf of the entire Remote Chess Academy (RCA) team, let me wish you a very happy and prosperous …
“Think, Plan and Win” – preview and more news
First, I’d like to share some important information with you. Today, we’ve released our new course, “Think, Plan and Win”, …
Chess for Females
Today, I’d like to share with you a lesson for FREE from my new course “Your Top Chess Questions, Answered”. …
Merry Christmas, release of the new course, and special offers
Finally, it’s Christmas time! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 🙂 And the new course, …
“Your Top Chess Questions, Answered” – preview
First, let me remind you, for the LAST time, of pre-registration for my upcoming course “Your Top Chess Questions, Answered”. …
Chess, Life and Happiness (Part-2)
This is the second part of the article, “Chess, Life and Happiness”. The author is Luca, an RCA student. If …
Chess, Life and Happiness
Today, I’m glad to present to you a very special article. This time, it’s not written by me or any …
The Big Clash: Anand vs Carlsen
This is the second part of the article prepared by IM Saravanan, featuring the first game of the World Chess …
Indian National Premier Chess Championship 2015, Round-9 Highlights
In this article, you can watch the highlights of the ninth round of Indian National Premier Chess Championship, annotated by …
Indian National Premier Chess Championship 2015, Round-8 Highlights
As the competition gets tough, IM Valeri Lilov continues to provide you with the highlights of the key games from …
WC 2014 Sochi: Anand vs Carlsen – the Grunfeld Defence
Today, we’ll have a look at the first game of the World Chess Championship Match 2014, Sochi between Vishy Anand and …
In what way can chess training help you?
Recently, I came across some very interesting news and I’m very happy to share it with you: Spanish schools have …
Feedback from a student who attend my seminar in Vellore
Recently, I received feedback from one of my students, Joshua, who attended my seminar in Vellore, India on 17 October. …
Evaluation of a position – Part-2
This is the second part of the lesson “How to evaluate a position in chess?” by GM Petr Velicka. To …
New chess opening mini-course – Nimzo-Indian Defense
I’m very happy to announce that we have released a new mini-course. It is called the “Nimzo-Indian Defense” and was …
How to evaluate a position in chess?
Today, I’d like to share with you a very interesting article on the topic “How to evaluate a position in …
A 75-year-old chess teacher who fought off knife-wielding attacker during class
Today, I’d like to share with you an amazing story which involved a chess teacher. I just found it very …
Review of “Killer Endgames Part-2” by the RCA Academy Manager
First, let me remind you of the special 30% discount I’m providing you with, in honour of my birthday (28 …
My birthday and exciting offers!
It’s 28 October – my birthday, and ironically, I’m turning 28 today! 🙂 As usual, in honour of my birthday, …
More news and photos from my past seminars
As I promised, today, I am going to share with you, more information and photos from my past seminars in …
GM Igor Smirnov’s seminar in Thrissur
Firstly, I’d like to invite you to my upcoming live seminar in India. It will take place in Thrissur on …
GM Igor Smirnov's seminar in Thrissur
Firstly, I’d like to invite you to my upcoming live seminar in India. It will take place in Thrissur on …
World Chess Cup 2015 final: Karjakin vs Svidler – highlights
Today, I’d like to share with you an interesting article prepared by Srikanth G, a professional chess player and a …
Corner Pawn Attack in Chess Part-2
In the previous lesson, GM Levan Aroshidze gave you an introduction to the “Corner Pawn Attack” (CPA), along with a …
The Corner Pawn Attack: a new way to attack in chess
Even though the pawn is the smallest piece in chess, both in size and in power, it is good enough …
Giraffe – a self-taught computer that became an International Master in 72 hours
It’s been almost 20 years since IBM’s Deep Blue supercomputer beat the reigning world chess champion, Gary Kasparov, for the …
The Right Thinking in Chess – my seminar in Chennai
I’m very happy to let you know that my seminar in Chennai is confirmed. It will take place on Sunday, …
What is the best chess opening for beginners?
I have come across this question many times from my students. Hence, I have decided to contribute something to this …
Lecture details and how to register in Vellore paying by cash
First, let me remind you of my upcoming seminar in Vellore. As I’ve informed you already, it will be a …
Get your ticket for GM Igor Smirnov’s seminar in Vellore
As you might be aware, I am going to host several of my seminars in different cities in India. I’m …
Attend GM Igor Smirnov's seminar in India
Today, I have some great news for you. I’m going to bring my seminars to India. 🙂 It’s a great …
Two chess opening mistakes you should never make
I’ve prepared a chess opening lesson for you! 🙂 In this lesson, you’ll learn about two mistakes you should avoid …
Pre-registration for my book and the Art of Planning in Chess
To start with, I’ve great news – my upcoming book, A Promoted Pawn: My Chess Journey, will be released within …
Master the art of the exchange technique in chess
A few days ago, our guest coach GM Levan Aroshidze prepared a lesson for you about the “Exchange Technique” in …
How the course “GM’s Opening Lab” helped win a game against a FM
In my previous article, I informed you of my live seminar in India (for both students and coaches), which will …
My live seminar in India
Today I have sudden but pleasant news: I’m going to conduct my first live seminar in India soon. 🙂 I …
GM Igor Smirnov’s review of “Killer Endgames” and “Killer Grand Prix”
First, let me remind you of the special 40% discount that I’ve provided you with on the latest releases – …
Piece coordination and maneuvering in chess Part-2
Recently, we published a video lesson “Piece coordination and maneuvering in chess” prepared by our guest coach GM Levan Aroshidze. …
Piece coordination and maneuvering in chess
Today we have an interesting topic to discuss. It’s called “Piece coordination and maneuvering in chess”. As you may know, …
How GM Igor Smirnov helped win a game against a Grandmaster
First, let me remind you of our new chess opening course, the “Bogo-Indian Defense” (LINK) and the special offers. You …
New chess opening course – Bogo-Indian Defense
Some time ago, we released the course “The Grandmaster’s Openings Laboratory – 2” (LINK). It received mixed feedback from our …
RCA Student’s Feedback
Recently, I received feedback from one of my students. The student has shared his amazing experience after he studied my …
GM Igor Smirnov AMA event highlights
About a week ago, on 20 July (International Chess Day), I conducted an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) event on Reddit. …
Paranormal chess endgames with different-coloured bishops
Generally, there are certain rules and principles that are followed in the endgame stage of a chess game. But in …
Happy International Chess Day and GM Igor Smirnov’s AMA event
Today, 20 July, is the 91st anniversary of the founding of FIDE in Paris, France, in 1924. Since 1966, this …
Bobby Fischer’s pawn sacrifice
About a month ago, I wrote in an article that I had watched the trailer of the movie “Pawn Sacrifice”, …
Webinar in Defense by IM Valeri Lilov
A first-time experience is always very special for us. In this vein, I conducted the first-ever RCA webinar on the …
Mechanical Reactions in Chess
Today, we have an interesting topic to talk about. Normally, the term ‘mechanical’ refers to something that is operated by …
Chess calculation training
First, let me remind you of the recent survey that I published for you. Please help us understand your needs …
GM Smirnov’s new mini-course (FREE)
Today, we have a topic I’m bringing to your attention a bit suddenly, for I’d like to ask your adviceabout a …
Play like Mikhail Tal
As of now, I can inform you that we’ll be adding the premium video “Play like Tal” by GM Simon …
RCA Student's Success
I’m very excited today, as I’m going to share with you the “hot news” from Remote Chess Academy. Before that, …
Special discount reminder and Pawn Sacrifice movie
First, let me remind you about the special 30% discount that I’ve provided you with on our new premium video, …
Middlegame Pawn Structures by GM Ivan Sokolov
In my previous article, I informed you that we’d have some new and interesting material in June. That’s why, today, …
Game Festival – top 3 games of RCA students
Recently, I made the announcement that I’ll be conducting my webinar “Play like Nakamura” on Saturday, 30 May at 3 …
RCA Game Festival winners and my next webinar
It’s been a great month here at the Remote Chess Academy – yes, I’m talking about the RCA Game Festival. …
How to beat Super GMs in Blitz Chess?
First, let me remind you of the massive 30% discount on all RCA products. We’ve extended the discount coupon validity …
Mini-course – The Secrets of Strong Chess Players
I’m very happy to talk to you again after a while. As you may know, stage-1 of our Game Festival …
Chess – a look at sharp tactics
Firstly, I’ve an important announcement about the game festival. (If you don’t know about our game festival, please see here: …
RCA Game Festival and Next webinar
Recently, I made the announcement that we’ll be conducting our next game festival in the following days. As promised, I’m …
A to Z about Isolated Pawns – Introduction
Recently, I made the announcement that the next webinar “A to Z about Isolated Pawns” would be conducted for you …
How to play with or against an isolated pawn?
Before getting into this topic, let us(Remote Chess Academy) ask you a simple question. Have you ever played with or …
Release of my new book – Champion Psychology
NOW is the FINAL reminder for you to sign up for the upcoming webinar, “Press your opponents like Carlsen”, which …
Champion Psychology – Teaser
In the previous article, I made the announcement that my new book Champion Psychology – A book for future champions …
Survey – private coaching
Today, I’ve some good news for you. Recently, we conducted a survey and I’m glad that many of you took …
Effective Training
I have received a lot of feedback from you guys about the new course, “Unlocking the Grandmaster’s Mind” (LINK), both …
Unlocking the Grandmaster's Mind – Teaser
In the previous article, I made the important announcement that the new course is called “Unlocking the Grandmaster’s Mind” and …
My advice for your chess improvement
I’m glad to talk to you again after a little while. I hope your chess training is going well and …
How to use tactics in YOUR games – Part 2
In the previous blog-post, I shared with you the video lesson “How to use tactics in YOUR games?” (if you …
Najdorf with 6.Bc4
This article was written by a young IM (18 y.o.) from Cannes (France) named Gary GIROYAN. He was French youth …
The Art of Defense in Chess
On Sunday 6th July, I made a live webinar, and I would like to thank all students who were present. But …
Tactic of the Day
Please take some time to think about the following position and determine for yourself what Black’s strongest continuation would be. …
How to Become a Titled Player (part-2)
Here you’ll learn some techniques that will make your transition to an international chess title (FM / IM / GM) …
Finding the Best Moves; Quickly
“Finding the Best Moves; Quickly” You can enter the full-screen mode by pressing the square icon at the …
Intellectual Sport
Recently I gave an interview to a Ukrainian TV channel. The 2 most popular questions that non-chess playing people asked …
How To Grow A Champion
Today I’d like to provide some advice on chess training for kids. This will be especially important for both the …
Chess + 2nd Language
Have you ever thought about studying a 2nd language? Perhaps you’ve heard that Bobby Fischer learnt the Russian language in …
Ukraine Wins Women’s World Championship
Several days ago, the Women’s World Team Championship finished. The final results were: Ukraine China Russia A useful question we …
How to Eliminate Blunders? (PART-2)
We keep revealing the most effective anti-blunder techniques for you. On 21st November “Chess Mate” published the 2nd part of …
How to Eliminate Blunders?
Recently “ChessMate” (which is the biggest paper chess magazine in India) published my new lesson “How to Prevent Blunders”. If …
How to find a good chess coach?
“How to find a good chess coach?” – This is a VERY IMPORTANT question. Let’s be realistic: without a good …
Birthday Cake-2 & Another Weapon For You!
First of all, I’d like to THANK everyone for your greetings! It’s a pleasure for me to communicate with such …
Birthday Cake
This issue will be unusual and maybe a bit crazy, but read it until the end! Today is my BIRHDAY, …
What obstructs 95% of players? (part-2)
In the previous issue we talked about the typical problems many chess players have. You may want to refer to …
What obstructs 95% of players?
There are literally millions of chess books and tutorials that are available to us these days and all chess learners …
The Story of Karjakin
A few days ago the 2012 Chess Olympiad concluded. Armenia won the gold medal and continues to get great results …
International Chess Day
Today, July 20th is the 88th anniversary of the founding of FIDE in Paris, France in 1924. Since 1966, July …
Stages Of Improvement
In this lesson, I’ll discuss and outline the typical stages of improvement that a chess player goes through. But, why …
Misguided Techniques
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Who becomes a Champion?
Regularly, I receive emails and questions and they, more or less, sound like this: “I study chess almost daily / …
How can they do it?
I’m sure you have watched a video or perhaps read a book, where a Grandmaster analyzes his game. Most likely, …
The Secret of Success
I constantly receive feedback from my pupils. That’s why I can easily see who gets better results and why. One …
Caution! Maniacs!
I’m sure you have heard something about mad and obsessive people before. Modern chess players share some of these traits. …
Chess TALENT – 3
Recently we discussed chess talent. Also I gave you the task: Black’s turn Now you can download the solution here: …
Chess TALENT – 2
Some time ago I wrote to you about chess talent. There was the definition: You say “chess talent” when you …
Chess Talent
In this issue I’d like to discuss chess TALENT. You know I receive lots of e-mails from my pupils, customers …
Lasker’s advice – 2
First let’s recollect the task I gave you: White’s turn. It was the calculation task mainly. You can download the …
Lasker's advice
Recently I looked over my chess books and found an interesting article of Emanuel Lasker. It calls “Final Reflections on …
Blitz
Recently I have received a lot of questions about blitz games. Here I will answer them all. –> Is it …
Your Chess Goals – 2 (Creativity)
In the previous issue we’ve been talking about your past achievements and future goals in chess. I gave you 3 …
Your Chess Goals
In the end of a year it is time to sum up and to set the new goals for the …
How to become an Olympic Champion?
It will be interesting for you to know “how it is possible to become an Olympic Champion?”. This is what I will be telling you in this issue.
The necessary factor of your progress – 2
OBJECTIVITY (part 2). Let me give you some examples of personal bias in chess. Please, read carefully; just to ensure …
The necessary factor of your chess progress
In this issue I would like to discuss an important aspect of chess, which can determine one’s success or failure …
Children and adults in chess
Today I have received an e-mail from one of my pupils. He asked me “Why children usually have better progress …
