Hard Work + the Right Guidance = Results in Chess

Today, I received a wonderful message from our club member Ying Te. He played with the black pieces, rated 1151 USCF, and managed to win against a much stronger opponent rated 1621 OTB.

Was it deep opening preparation? No.
It was pure understanding of chess principles and consistent work.

Ying has been training with me for 6 months. In that time, his Chess.com rating jumped by 390 points, and he’s gained 840 points over the last year. His progress is not based on tricks or trendy opening novelties—it comes from mastering universal principles and building a solid understanding of the game.

As one of my coaches, IM Vratonjic, used to say:

“It’s not about good or bad openings. It’s about whether you know the position well. The key is to lure your opponent into the kind of position you’ve trained for—your ‘home turf’.”

You don’t need to memorize endless opening lines. You need to understand chess, and that comes with structured work.

 My coaching program is based on 1-on-1 guidance, building a strong foundation through middlegame and endgame principles, and working at least 2 hours a day with clear direction. That’s how improvement happens.

I’m proud to have 6 of my students actively playing and improving in serious OTB tournaments, gaining rating week by week. It’s a joy to witness their growth.

♟️ Chess is not just a game. It teaches patience, strategy, problem solving, and gives you the amazing chance to compete with people from every corner of the world—something you can’t do even in other global sports like football.

With over 200 million players on Chess.com, you’re part of a worldwide family. If you're putting in the hours but not seeing results, it's not your fault—you just need the right plan.

 I currently have 2 open spots in my August coaching group.
If you're ready to make real, lasting progress, send me a message. Let’s work together towards your chess goals.

Happy playing,
Darko Polimac
FIDE Trainer | 25+ Years Experience | 2000+ Students