Finding The Best Tactics Courses On Chessable

Few things rival the rush of finding a beautiful tactic on the board. Online or at the chess club, every player remembers the satisfaction of doing a great combination, the kind that makes you want to replay it again and again. But tactics aren’t just pretty; they are necessary. They are the bridge that connects good positions to victories. A Greek gift, a smothered mate… if you’ve ever felt that spark and wanted to sharpen your tactical vision, this list is for you.

Chessable, and its equivalent Chess.com Courses, trains your tactical eye in a much different manner than the traditional puzzle apps you’re probably familiar with. First, Courses include annotations from the author, so you learn why the solution is the solution, instead of just seeing what it is. Then, you’ll repeatedly solve the same problems again and again with a spaced repetition training algorithm. It might sound a little crazy at first to solve the same puzzles as before, but it's a scientifically-backed learning method to build pattern recognition and help spot similar tactics in your own games.

Here are some great courses to get you started.

• The Best-Seller
• The Cult Classic
• The Most Accessible
• The (Literal) Challenge
• Hardcore
• Honorable Mentions

The Best-Seller: The Checkmate Patterns Manual

Checkmating isn’t just a flourish at the end. It’s the goal of every game! Knowing your checkmate patterns is like mastering the jump shot in basketball: it’s a fundamental skill that wins games. In The Checkmate Patterns Manual, author Raf Mesotten explores over 30 named checkmate patterns such as the Arabian Mate, Greco’s Mate, Boden’s and back-rank mates. Then, he leads you through a hefty set of exercises (about 1,000 positions) designed to help you recognize and execute these motifs consistently.

The course is enhanced by the video instruction of IM Christof Sielecki. Watch GM Magnus Carlsen taking on the final test of the course:

The Cult Classic: The Woodpecker Method

Authored by Swedish GMs Hans Tikkanen and Axel Smith, The Woodpecker Method has become a modern classic. More than a set of puzzles, it is a training method that turns tactical reps into a systematic path for improvement. The core idea aligns well with Chessable’s MoveTrainer technology: by solving the same set of puzzles over and over again (each time faster and with less mistakes) you train your brain to recognize patterns almost instantly, very much like a woodpecker persistently hitting the same spot until the tree yields.

Watch this video where Smith explains the method.

The Most Accessible: Crawl, Walk, Checkmate!

Crawl, Walk, Checkmate! is authored by GM Mykhaylo Oleksiyenko, a Ukrainian Champion with a PhD in Mathematics and a stellar coaching track record. He brings precision and depth into the course, aiming to build your tactical vision from the ground up.

Rather than expecting you to leap straight into combinations, the course guides you progressively through common oversights and essential tactics, emphasizing board awareness, forcing moves and the execution of winning patterns.

The (Literal) Challenge: 50-Day Tactics Challenge

The 50-Day Tactics Challenge is structured as a 50-day program in which you tackle 10 tactical puzzles each day from a curated set drawn from real games. The idea is similar to The Woodpecker Method in that consistent daily practice, rather than random grinding, will help build pattern recognition, calculation speed and tactical confidence. The authors, GM Valeriy Aveskulov and FM Sergey Tugaj, aim to build habits: by giving you the same manageable dose each day, you form a routine of facing tactical challenges and reflecting on your thought process. 

One reviewer observed that the course helped him internalize the question “what are the forcing moves?” and look for all the checks and captures. See if you can solve this tactic in the course, from a game between GMs Peter Leko and Alexander Morozevich.

Hardcore: Improve Your Chess Calculation

Improve Your Chess Calculation was created by GM R.B. Ramesh, one of the world’s most respected coaches and the trainer behind India’s new generation of elite chess players including Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa. 

Drawing on decades of experience, Coach Ramesh breaks down the elusive art of calculation into a course with challenging exercises in five different levels. Not only does he teach you how to adjust your thought process, but he is also keen on helping you adjust your psychological mindset so you can deeply calculate under pressure.

In the words of one reviewer, it’s a “very difficult but rewarding course”.

Watch this review by IM Andras Toth:

Honorable Mentions:

• 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know
• Calculation: A Complete Guide for Tournament Players
• Attacking Hotspots in Chess 
• Zwischenzug! A Comprehensive Guide to Intermediate Moves
• Secrets of Chess Geometry
• 1001 Chess Exercises for Beginners
• 1001 Chess Exercises for Club Players
• 1001 Chess Exercises for Advanced Club Players

How do you like to learn and practice tactics? Let us know in the comments!