The puzzles in this article are a bit advanced, but don’t let that spook you. In general, these puzzles are about verbal recognition of what is going on. These kinds of puzzles help a player look beyond the usual mentality of “I go the...
The recent super-tournament in Bilbao is a part of chess history already. It will be remembered for many different things. While Hikaru Nakamura will always cherish the memory of his first win over Magnus Carlsen, many chess enthusiasts will ...
ih8sens (real name: Matt Nicholson) is a national master rated 2329. He asked the following: “I have a position that I’m curious about. The majority of players I’ve asked believe that Black should not play 18…Bxg3.&...
In all sports, you play much differently when you are winning easily. In baseball, if you are leading 8-0 in the 8th inning, you would not pull your fresh relief pitcher out of the game to pinch hit and try to get another run. In soccer, if y...
In our article last year, we talked about how to improve your positional chess. Today, I want to give you an opportunity to test your strategic skills. The game we'll use for our quiz is quite remarkable. Anatoly Karpov is...
This week, we’ll take a look at a young Indian player, Sakshi1234567. She had this to say: “I am 13 years old. My father taught me chess when I was 10. I’ve been taking the game seriously from October 2015. I want to become a g...
There are basic rules of chess strategy that we learn as soon as we start playing chess. One of the most fundamental premises is the importance of the center. We quickly learn that one of the major goals of positional chess is control ov...
The Chess.com member kergnou said: “Can you take a look at my games and give me some advice?” Jeremy Silman: Okay, I’m going to review one game that shows many of your weaknesses. However, this game is actually one of the ...
The Chess.com member Mornarben wrote: “My question is about the initiative. I seem to be able to play well in the beginning, getting positions with good central control, but [I] never see a good way to launch an attack to seize the initiativ...
When you see a good move, don't play it. Look for a better one. This is the number-one principle in chess. Over the years, I have also told my students: You are trying to find the best move you can in a reasonable amount of time. I...
What is dynamic chess? You'll find out here as GM Melik Khachiyan teaches you to compound your advantages and really put pressure on opponents. There's nothing like learning from in-game examples. Watch a great teacher break down dynamic chess fro...
Defense wins championships! The old cliche may not always apply to chess, but great defenders have certainly made a name for themselves. Tigran Petrosian and Vladimir Krammnik knew one thing for sure, if your opponent keeps crashing into a brick w...
We all have our favorite areas to study. In this series, you'll get to enjoy two of IM Keaton Kiewra's favorites: kingside attacks and queen endgames. As usual, coach Keaton has found some of the more exciting games on Chess.com for his lectu...
Seizing the initiative is not something that just happen. There's a strategy to gaining the initiative. However, the importance of playing aggressively doesn't justify reckless abandon. In this series, learn how to properly fight for the init...
Sometimes the best way to learn is over the board, sitting across from your teacher and analyzing a recent match. GM Dejan Bojkov has had many students excel greatly under his watch. In this series, you'll get to learn vicariously through Coach De...
If you're reading this, chances are you've been trying to crack the rating threshold to finally claim the "expert" title. This series is designed to help you do just that. Learn from one of chess' most accomplished coaches what it takes to re...
Have you ever wondered how grandmasters know when and how to attack? The key is pawn structure! Pawn chains are some of the most important attacking structures. In this series, learn the core concepts of furious pawn chain assaults in s...
In last week's column we talked about the chess heritage of Francois Andre Danican Philidor. While his three endgame positions are truly a cornerstone of the endgame play, Philidor's most quoted saying that pawns are the soul o...
The chess heritage of Francois Andre Danican Philidor is enormous. There is an opening named after him (1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6) and three endgame positions all called "the Philidor Position"! The Philidor position in rook endgames is o...
When you think of the word "threat," what comes to mind? A threat of checkmate, perhaps? A threat to trap your piece? An indirect threat against your queen? Whatever your specific mental representation, it is most likely tactical...
People spend too much time reading opening books. There you go, I have said it. Think what you may of this statement, but it seems to me that the chess market is saturated with opening books. So many people will blindly buy a book, add to their ...
You may be winning, but you haven't put the game away yet! In this series, you'll see what might lead you to fall short when possessing a material advantage. Make sure you've fine tuned your technique and are accurately evaluating your oppo...
You've pushed relentlessly to gain an advantage. Finally, you're in the endgame and slightly better, but you are facing a strong opponent. How do you sustain the mental toughness to close it out? Use the principle of two weaknesses! In this...
The Chess.com member JN wrote: I took up chess about a year ago when a friend introduced me to the game. Since then, he and I have taken to playing quite often; we typically play about four or five days a week, two or three games in a sitting. ...
