Improver Of The Month Update!

Dear Improvers,

We know it’s been a while since our last update, but we’ve been busy running CoachChamps and other events! Thank you for your patience and now it’s time to catch up on Improver of the Month prizes and updates.

August Improver of the Month Prizes

We're excited to share the winners of the August Chess Improvement Challenge. Thanks to everyone who contributed videos, posts, and positive energy to the club—each month the community just keeps getting better.

Here are the winners for August:

1. Post of the Month: read-23 — Your Bishop Unleashed

In this thoughtful and well-organized blog, read-23 takes a deep dive into the power and versatility of bishops. Starting with beginner mistakes (like putting two bishops on the same color), the post builds up to advanced themes including sacrifices, bishop pairs, and practical examples from classic games and personal experience. A solid guide for players looking to understand how bishops can shift the dynamics of a game. Well done!

2. Video of the Month: TrustyMatt — How I Reached 2000 Rapid Elo on Chess.com
In this milestone video, TrustyMatt shares the game that pushed him past a 2000 rapid rating on Chess.com. Along the way, he explains his decision-making with clarity, showing strong tactical awareness and good positional play. The video includes sharp moments, accurate calculations, and a few close calls—but it ends in a convincing win and a well-earned achievement. Congrats, Matt!

3. Improvers of the Month (They participated in CoachChamps!):

Intermediate/Advanced (1200+): masky_chess

Beginner/Intermediate (Up to 1200): JAnderau

Winners will be contacted. Prizes for the winners include a $50 Chessable voucher, a three-month Chess.com Diamond Membership and a personal coaching session with Coach Dane. Big thanks again for your energy and participation! 

Important Update: September–November Prizes

Due to fewer nominations and our busy schedule with CoachChamps, the September, October, and November prizes will be merged. Prize packages will be adjusted accordingly, giving winners an even bigger reward.

Last Call for Nominations!

If you haven’t submitted your improvement journey yet, now’s your chance. Don’t miss out!

Share your chess improvement journey—this can be:

• A video or livestream of your progress
• A blog, forum post, or social media thread showing your journey or starting an engaging discussion
• A study plan or progress report

What We’re Looking For:

• Clear communication
• Your story about chess improvement, at any level
• Creativity and style (humor is a bonus!)

Submit your entry using this form. The deadline is December 10 and we are planning to announce the last batch of winners before the holidays.

We can’t wait to see your entries, so take one step closer to amazing prizes and show the club your progress. Let’s make the last few weeks of this year fun!