You Know How The Pieces Move. What Should You Study Next?
Dear Improvers,
While many of you are very familiar with chess and have long since surpassed your beginner phase as chess students, others have recently picked up the game or started taking it more seriously. And while learning the rules of chess is important, we're sure you're still hungry for more chess wisdom.
But let’s face it: Knowing where to begin your improvement journey when you don’t have a coach can be intimidating. Do not fret. Covering a wide range of topics, Chess.com Courses are a great way for anyone to train at their own pace.
Here are five Courses recommended by our staff to help those budding chess players:
Everything You Need to Know About Chess by IM Danny Rensch
Before you’re taking down world champions, you need to fully grasp the fundamentals of the game. You’ll learn each of the major pillars of chess—openings, tactics, strategy, and endgames—with this popular course. You'll also learn how to 'keep score' and bring all your knowledge together to play real opponents. This free primer is authored and presented by none other than Chess.com’s own Danny Rensch.
Everyone’s First Chess Workbook by FM Peter Giannatos
The book’s title is no exaggeration: This is an indispensable workbook for beginners. With more than a decade of coaching experience, FM Peter Giannatos discovered that board vision, or the ability to recognize when a piece is unprotected or there are checkmate possibilities, is the most pivotal skill that beginners can acquire. In his bestselling course, Giannatos deconstructs board vision into manageable sub-skills you can train with focused exercises.
Introduction to Chess Calculation by CM Azel Chua
You probably know by now that chess is all about thinking ahead. “If they go here, I’ll go here. If I go there, what happens if they go there?” In chess, this ability to see positions in your mind and anticipate your opponent’s moves is called calculation. It’s perhaps the most fundamental skill in chess, so you want to get it right, and CM Azel Chua has written possibly the best book for beginners to build a solid foundation to improve that skill.
Total Board Vision for Beginners by GM Sam Shankland
GM Sam Shankland is a two-time gold medalist at the Chess Olympiad. He credits his success as a player to his hard work, with his courses also serving as a testament to his penchant for excellence. Although he plays in the big leagues, his course, Total Board Vision for Beginners, was well received by new players and was voted the 2024 Best Beginner Course by the Chessable community. By focusing on common pitfalls found in amateur games, Shankland aims to help beginners enhance their board awareness and reduce blunders.
I'm Not a Beginner Beginner but I'm a Beginner
Written by a Chessable community member, this course is tailored for players who are not complete beginners but still feel like they don't know much about the game. It has been praised for its clear and concise explanations, making complex concepts accessible to learners. The author focuses on not only teaching the "what" and "how" of chess but also delving into the "why," helping learners develop a deeper understanding of the game's principles. This approach encourages players to think critically and make informed decisions.
Bonus: 50 Essential Chess Concepts - An Improver's Blueprint
Kamryn Hellman is a popular streamer. She has created this course as a roadmap to improvement based on her very own inspiring journey. An adult improver, Kamryn took on chess in 2021, and in two years, she reached a 2000 rating on Chess.com, putting her in the top 1% of all players. She rounded up 50 rules and lessons with a very relatable voice.
These six courses offer a well-rounded path to improve your chess, whether you want to sharpen tactics, master calculation, or build board vision. Try a few (or all!) of them and see what works best for you.
And when you do, come back and tell us! We’d love to hear which course helped you the most and what you’ve learned.
Good luck, and enjoy the journey!
