Going Above and Beyond: Sebastian Mihajlov

Some people’s lives are marked by careful planning, others by a series of coincidences that feel almost too unlikely to be true. For the Norwegian IM Sebastian Mihajlov, the story leans towards the latter. Back in 2014, obsessed by Costa Rica’s improbable run in football’s World Cup, he was determined to speak to someone from the Costa Rican chess team at the Tromsø Chess Olympiad. By chance, he did, and that fleeting encounter turned out to be the meetcute with the woman who would become his wife and the mother of his two children.

His very existence, Mihajlov reflects, was itself the product of a happy coincidence, with a Norwegian mother meeting a Bulgarian father on a trip. But being open to serendipity and ready to go “all-in” has been a constant variable in Mihajlov’s chess journey. What began as a hobby making “funny videos” grew into editing work for Magnus Carlsen’s YouTube channel, a role at chess24, and ultimately his evolution into one of Chessable’s most ambitious and relentless authors.

It’s hardcore dedication that propelled Mihajlov to create courses on an almost unimaginable scale. The 26-year-old poured his heart and soul into his Energetic 1.e4 courses, a work that stands as the largest Chessable course ever created with a combined 822,384 words and, perhaps more impressively, over 340 hours of video. It was a formidable task that required not just knowledge, eloquence and creativity, but persistence and the willingness to leave no stone unturned for his students.

With Going Above and Beyond we celebrate the authors who push past expectations. Today, we give the spotlight to IM Sebastian Mihajlov for the record-breaking scope of his work at Chessable and the spirit behind it: a will to dive in fully and create something lasting for the chess community. 

What are you most proud of in your courses?

That would be the depth of the lines and some of the ideas that I've discovered. If I had to highlight one line, it would be my work against the Winawer in the French. Since that variation is highly complicated and very theoretical, I was very pleased when I came up with something against it! :)

What made you decide to make your courses so massive?

My love for chess books, particularly opening books. I have always dreamt of becoming an author, so when I finally had the opportunity, I had to give my best and go all-in to deliver a product that I was proud of. I do think that opening books should cover "as much as possible," and it was important for me to be thorough. Since creating a 1.e4 repertoire is such a huge undertaking, the courses became incredibly huge. It wasn't my intention, but the lines just never ended And again, I wanted to deliver something I was proud of. Additionally, writing these courses has been a perfect way for me to keep my chess "alive," as I'm still competing in tournaments but hardly have time to study with a full-time job and two small kids.

hey babe, it's time to cancel netflix for the foreseeable future 👀 pic.twitter.com/NM0IZB3A70

— Chessable (@chessable) August 30, 2024

What's your philosophy for course creation?

That's a great and tough question. I think the most important thing is that you actually enjoy the work and find it interesting. When you enjoy writing a course, it's not only easier to write, but the quality also increases. The readers can tell if you're deeply passionate about a subject. 

What else are you working on these days?

I'm working on Part 4 at the moment, since 1... e5 still has to be covered! :D After that, we'll see! I am interested in doing something different - like showing an interesting idea against a specific line instead of creating another huge repertoire.

The Energetic 1.e4 Courses

IM Sebastian Mihajlov’s magnum opus is a fighting 1.e4 repertoire that aims to leave nothing unexplored. A renowned blitz streamer, Mihajlov has a knack for seizing the center and launching dynamic attacks. Those motifs are prevalent in the lines he recommends. Across three massive courses, the author combines cutting-edge preparation with practical explanations giving club players and above a weapon they can rely on for life. And the journey isn’t over yet: a fourth installment covering 1…e5 is already in the works.

Mihajlov’s courses (and other opening courses on Chess.com Courses) are now on sale for Black Friday.

Check out Mihalov’s author page!