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Going Above and Beyond: Alex Colovic

Going Above and Beyond: Alex Colovic

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When GM Alex Colovic became the first grandmaster to publish a Chessable course in 2016, he set a precedent that has only grown stronger in time. Since that debut, he has established himself as not only one of the platform’s most prolific authors, but also one of its most beloved. His dedication to his students shines through in every course he creates. And it’s evidenced by the awards, rave reviews, and the loyal following of players who rely on his work to improve their game.

What makes Alex’s courses stand out is his deeply human approach to chess instruction. Rather than obsessing over engine-approved perfection, he builds repertoires for practical players who need memorable ideas that are also sound. His recommendations might differ from the engine’s top choices, but behind every one of his moves lies rigorous analysis checked with both the engine and a seasoned teacher’s instinct for what will help students thrive.

That same dedication is on full display right now: Alex has recently updated not one but six of his courses - a remarkable effort that underscores his ongoing commitment to his students, one which is best summarized by the user who wrote “Instead of "Support level: high," there should be a new category: "Support level: Alex" :). Thank you very much."

GM Alex Colovic at the 2022 Candidates Tournament in Madrid, Spain. Photo: Chess.com

We had a chat with Alex about his massive update efforts for our new edition of Going Above and Beyond, where we celebrate the authors who go the extra mile to keep their Chessable courses the best they can be.

What is your philosophy for content creation?

The courses should be good enough for me to use for my own preparation. In a way, they serve as the "summaries" that Peter Heine Nielsen was/is preparing for Magnus Carlsen - they contain the most relevant information (variations) that one needs to remember, with ample textual explanations that aid the memorisation. Just like with the Carlsen preparation, there are millions of variations that need to be analysed in order to reach the conclusions from the "summary," but only a selected few are absolutely necessary. The courses consist of exactly those absolutely necessary variations and explanations - they are only the tip of the iceberg of the work required to create them. 

What are you most proud of in your courses?

It's always the responses from the students. I've read so many of them that say that they've learned so much, they've improved their understanding, they've improved their results, they've played a great game in the given opening, and each and every time I feel the same - I've made a positive difference in the lives of these people. And these come not only from club players, some GMs have also said complimentary things about my courses!

What made you decide to update these 6 courses?

Theory is never at a standstill and no matter how much one wants to future-proof a course, ultimately it's impossible. So while I was pleasantly surprised that the vast majority of the lines in my courses are still holding up without problems, some new lines and developments had to be addressed. I never abandon my courses, I take care of them like living beings, so I thought showing the students they can still rely on material they have bought years ago shows mutual trust and knowledge on their part that I will always be there for them (like in the comments and forums).

What else are you working on these days?

One of these days I need to start recording the videos for my course updates! I like recording videos because in them I'm not constrained with space so I can talk freely and expand on the material that is in the courses. So I cover all the clickables, sometimes I talk about lines not covered in the courses, with the idea to give even more added value to the students who opt for the videos. After these recordings, I will need to start thinking about my next course, My First Opening Repertoire for Black: The Caro-Kann! 

GM Alex Colovic has written 24 courses in English, Spanish and German. Recently, he updated the following courses:

Check out his author page to see his full catalog!