Lyudmil Tsvetkov

Um, GWTR is 500 rating points above me. Also, I’m a kid and he’s and adult.

Is Lyudmil under the mistaken impression that you idolize me, or is he asserting that GWTR will win all of the challenges he put out to demonstrate what he has "learned" from Lyudmil?

So far, my game with GWTR has largely been by the book (with the slight deviation of 10. .. Be7):  https://www.chess.com/daily/game/186479608 (and when I say "by the book", I mean he is following a pretty standard line in the Lion Variation of the Pirc Defense - I have yet to see any application of Lyudmil's theories applied - ironically, that is a good thing for @GWTR )

Maybe, you should play by consultation then: you and SteamGear versus GWTR.

He will beat you like that too, though.

He has read 'The Secret of Chess', you know.

You have not.

In another year, he will be a GM.

If you cannot handle sarcasm being thrown your way, do not throw it out yourself.

I believe GWTR will win.

What is the TC of the game?

Me mentioning that, at your level, you'll likely find insights in all levels of publications (even inferior ones) was not meant as a personal dig at you. I say it because I experienced the same thing, when I was a 1600-level player.

A 2000-level acquaintance of mine had written his own "secret" to chess—a collection of patterns and thematic ideas that he believed to be an algorithm, of sorts, to playing master-level moves.

And I believed in it. After all, he was 2000+ elo! Surely he knew what he was talking about?

For a short period of time, I adopted his approach and saw improvement. (I went up over 100 points, even, breaking the 1700 barrier for the first time). I thought I had "the answer"—the formula to always knowing the best moves to play.

There were obscure mantras to remember "tie the left shoe first, then the right shoe!", and absolutes to keep in mind "a bishop on the c5 and/or b6 diagonal is alway the correct placement, in every position", and so on, and so forth.

But over time, I began to see the flaws in his approach—things that didn't pan out over the board, no matter how hard I tried.

Eventually, I discarded his concepts (which I found too rigid, stifling, and too based on self-made "rules") and went back to more known, fundamental sources (My System by Nimzo, Excelling at Chess by Aagaard, are two which I've already mentioned).

My chess flourished again, as I embraced the idea that there is no "secret formula" to chess—other than identifying the needs of the position, and playing accordingly.

I've since surpassed that old acquaintance. Indeed, we played again a few years ago, and his progress hadn't risen very much at all. He still used his weird theories. I was able to push him around the board, enticing his pawns onto bad squares, provoking his pieces into even worse ones—as I was playing with concrete ideas in mind, while he was still trying to decide whether or not each of his moves checked the boxes of his theory.

So, I apologize if you felt offended—my intention was to merely warn you of not stumbling down that same path.

Stop believing

Even the inventor f the pet rock made millions.  And we have gullible people to thank for that, so allow me the opportunuty to be gullible, and ask the obvious question.  

If someone that bought your book 2 weeks ago can become a GM in 1 year.  Why arent you a GM?

I'm playing GWTR as well, London system. The setup from Simon Williams chess dvd I believe? I don't have the DVD but I'm sure that's the setup he recommends. Naiditsch and Carlsen played an interesting game in that line just last year.

All Lyudmil has to do to make money from his book is to play some OTB tournament chess and prove he's better than all those fish who currently play chess for money. 

The fact that he never broke 2200 FIDE should say something about his real playing strength.

I'm playing GWTR as well, London system. The setup from Simon Williams chess dvd I believe? I don't have the DVD but I'm sure that's the setup he recommends. Naiditsch and Carlsen played an interesting game in that line just last year.