The Best Way To Approach The Opening, And Other Tips From A 5-Star Chessable Author

NM Robert Ramirez is not just one of Chessable's top authors, he's also a great coach. Although he did not play competitively until he was 12, Robert became a chess master, earning the title in 2013. Now, he imparts his knowledge as a coach and an author, and among his students is Jamaican national chess champion David Thomas, in addition to countless Chessable members.

Interested in lessons? Contact Robert on his Chess.com profile!

At what age were you introduced to chess, and who introduced you?

My stepfather taught me at the age of five.

Which coaches were helpful to you in your chess career, and what was the most useful knowledge they imparted to you?

I've only had one coach for about three years. His name is Jesus Garcia, and he still lives in Cuba. I learned a lot from him, but what I got the most out of those three years was simple chess based on a positional approach and precise combinations. Garcia had studied Jose Capablanca for many years, and he did a great job passing some of that knowledge down to me and the rest of his students.

What is your favorite or best game you ever played?

This is a game I'm always happy to share because I played my favorite setup (Pirc/King's Indian Defense), and even though I did not play it quite right, I got a beautiful attack going.

How would you describe your approach to chess coaching?

I have been teaching chess for over a decade now, but the last three years have been key for me. I feel like I finally have a system that works. After coaching so many students and talking to so many colleagues, I have a handful of resources and methods that have proven to yield the best results.

I believe we are all different, and the learning curve varies from person to person. So, once I get an understanding of where a player is, I like to design a personalized training plan. Then we adjust it as we move along. Some of the main areas I prioritize are tactics under time pressure (speed), precise calculation, and fundamental endgames.

What do you consider your responsibility as a coach and which responsibilities fall on your student?

As a coach, it's important for me to show players a clear path to reaching their goals. It's my job to share what has worked and what hasn't so that they don't waste time and energy. I'm also responsible for breaking down any material they cannot grasp. 

One of the main things my students appreciate is the constant reinforcement. I don't like to assume they know something simply because we have already covered it in our lessons. From time to time, I expose them to the same material just to make sure it's actually under control. 

When it comes to my students, their main responsibility is to be consistent and ask for help. Once they have their training plan in place, it comes down to consistency over an extended period of time. Also, they cannot forget to enjoy their journey!

What is a piece of advice that you give your students that you think more chess players could benefit from?

It's more important to play an opening one enjoys and understands (even if it's not popular) than to play a popular opening that one doesn't really feel comfortable with. 

I once heard that we should try to play our openings against an engine after the theory is over. If we go another 10 moves without damaging the position, then we truly understand our opening.

What is your favorite teaching game that users might not have seen?

After solving a tactics puzzle (assuming it's about winning material), go try to convert your advantage against an engine. It's crucial to learn to win once we have a significant advantage.

What is the puzzle you give students that tells you the most about how they think?

I like this one because it's a rather simple position without many pieces. It allows me to test a player's pattern recognition, endgame knowledge, and ability to think outside the box.

If their tactics are on point, they will quickly find 1.Rxf6. However, the first real test is to see if they consider the fact that Black doesn't have to play 1...Kxf6, which falls for the fork 2.Ne4. What if Black plays the in-between move 1...Rxc3 instead? If the student even considers 1...Rxc3, that shows a different level of experience.

So, after 1.Rxf6 Rxc3, White has to know how to continue. The key is to decide between 2.Rxf7+ and 2.Rxe6+ (both are in-between moves). 

Those who know their basic king-and-pawn endgames quickly realize they have to play 2.Rxf7+, in order to get a two-versus-one advantage on the kingside. After 2...Kxf7 3.bxc3, White will get an outside passed pawn on the kingside thanks to their pawn majority, which should win the game. 

In other words, by the time the black king collects our kingside passed pawn and we collect their e-pawn, our king will be closer to the remaining pawns from the queenside.

2.Rxe6+ allows 2...Kxe6, and there is no pawn majority for White.

Do you prefer to teach online or offline? What do you think is different about teaching online?

I have been teaching exclusively online for the last four years, and I find it to be much more efficient. Of course, it's nice to have in-person interaction, but we save even more time when working online. We don't even have to spend time setting up the board at the beginning of each lesson and when changing positions. And, of course, we don't have to commute. At the end of the day, most of what we do today takes place online. There are too many great resources to not want to make the transition.

Which under-appreciated chess book should every chess player read?

Lessons with a Grandmaster by GM Boris Gulko.

To book a lesson with Robert, contact him via his Chess.com profile!