Sometimes you don’t rush to take back material right away. Instead, you slip in a move that creates an immediate threat - forcing your opponent to deal with it first. And only then you recapture on your own terms.That’s the idea behind...
This week I'm going to show you one of the strongest world champions (in my opinion, a bit underrated nowadays) – Botvinnik. He lost the world title 3 times, and 3 times he won it back. There was a saying: if you play against Tal and he sacr...
A couple of weeks ago, I played in an over-the-board chess tournament – something I haven’t done much lately. I prepared properly: a few days before, I focused on tactics, reviewed my openings, chose the ones I wanted to play, and prac...
Today I want to show you that learning from grandmasters’ games is important - but you can learn from almost any game. The key is analysis. And often, you learn the most from your own mistakes. The position below comes from a game one of m...
Learning ideas from the endgame (and not only from the endgame) is very important. Little by little, idea by idea, you get stronger. Just like penny by penny, you build something big. Master these ideas, like shouldering, and you improve step by s...
In this post, we’ll look at one of the most important chess skills: calculation. To keep it simple, I’ll leave you with one key idea - always compare at least two moves before you decide. That position comes from the game Robert Byrn...
Attack is everywhere. You can find tons of videos, articles, and games about how to attack. Tal, the master of sharp attacks, became a chess legend. But let’s not forget that defense is just as important. Some players became world champions ...
Today I want to share with you one of the most spectacular endgame ideas (by the way, this idea is quite common in many endgames!). The position comes from a game between Capablanca and Tartakower. Capablanca, the 3rd World Champion, is considered...
The position below comes from the game Boleslavsky–Lisitsin. It’s one of the first games where the famous idea of the Boleslavsky Hole in the Sicilian Defense was used. How can White continue the game? You can see that, despite bei...
Capablanca – Fonaroff is a great example of how to bring all your pieces into play. Capablanca slowly builds up pressure, then finishes the game with a clean combination. Want to get more lessons like this? Sign up for my newsletter!Ever...
This position comes from the game Ulf Andersson vs. Karpov (1995). Ulf Andersson is a Swedish grandmaster, and there was a saying about him that he was so good at endgames, if a chess game started without queens, he'd easily become world champion....
If you’re ever in New York, you should visit the Marshall Chess Club - one of the oldest and most iconic chess clubs in the US and the world. It’s in Manhattan and has been running since 1915. A true chess arena where grandmasters, str...
That position comes from the game Aronian - Carlsen. As you can see, Black has a huge material advantage (+8), although White has some counterplay. In this position, there are 3 legal moves for Black:1. one is winning,2. one leads to a draw,3. o...
Have you ever stared at your screen, completely shocked by the move you just made? You're not alone. Blunders happen at every level. The 3 Most Common Types of Blunders 1. You blunder a piece, hang your queen in a winning position, or mis...
The position below is from the Fischer-Panno game (a strong Argentine Grandmaster), played in 1970. White is attacking on the kingside, but how should they continue? Join my newsletter! Every Friday, you'll receive a collection of useful links...
Endgames can have surprising tricks, even in positions that look lost. That position comes from one of the games I saw in last week's tournament. White is ahead in material (by 6 points), and the pawns are not far from promotion (the 1st rank is...
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I have an exciting chance for you! You can win a FREE 1-hour coaching session with International Master Mat Bobula! This is your opportunity to get personal coaching, expert advice, and useful strategies to become a better player. Opportun...
Chess puzzles help players spot tactical ideas during real games. By solving puzzles regularly, you train your brain to recognize these patterns faster. This leads to fewer blunders and stronger play. Solving puzzles helps you: improve ...
Many players want to get better, but they don’t know how to make a training plan that works. Without a good plan, it’s easy to waste time and not improve. In this article, I will show you the most important parts of chess training, the...
The opening phase is a very important part of the game. It’s where you get your pieces ready for battle. At the basic level, there are four key principles to follow: Control the center with your pawns. Develop your minor pieces (knights...
From time to time, you may find yourself facing an opponent with a significantly higher rating. What strategy should you adopt? Is there an option other than simply accepting that you will lose quickly? The truth is that it is possible to increa...
I’m excited to announce that I’ve launched my chess newsletter this January! 🎉 Every Friday, I share my tips, recommendations, interesting links, and answers to readers’ questions. It’s perfect for chess enthusiasts looking...
Fischer Random Chess (Chess960) Fischer Random Chess, also known as Chess960, is a chess variant where the starting positions of the pieces are shuffled. This was invented by Bobby Fischer, who wanted to shift the focus from memorizing openings ...
In this article (and the video below), I share five specific lines White can use against the French Defense (1. e4 e6). Having played the French Defense as Black for almost 30 years, I’m sharing the lines that are most troublesome for Black....
