The Grandmaster's positional understanding, by Igor Smirnov

I'll drink to that Andy..... people who try to learn new words, yearning for more manipulative fodder, vex me indelibly....

It's sesquipedalian is what it is! (dang tatterdemalions).

After watching the all the videos in this course I have come to the conclusion that it is overpriced. It does have some value but I think there is more value in the videos that are available right here on this site.

I agree andy.  It's pretty lame to go out of your way to use obscure, ridiculous words such as prostituting to describe something.  Its basically a cry to all of us screaming look at me....look how smart I am.  When its really just a stupid attempt to appeal to a higher intellect.  As for Smirnov "prostituting" the game of chess, (for all you people that have inferior intelligence to kiwi, it means to corrupt).  How is he corrupting the game?  He is an accomplished player and he is selling his material.  I personally don't like his material.  Listeneing to him is like listening to some strange sounding Russian robot.  And I will agree his material is way overpriced.  But frankly, chess lessons in general are super expensive.  You can make an argument that many chess coaches are overpriced.  You can't find too many titled players out there who charge less than $50/hr for lessons.  It is what it is.  I wouldn't waste my time spending all that money on igor's stuff especially when he's received many negative reviews.  But I don't blame him for advertising his material.  It's what any business man with half a brain would do.  Nor is he corrupting the game of chess.  The argument that he does holds no water.

Let us not gribnity the phenolomorphins!

Yeah, I did way too much of that in the 70s.

Anytime you want to challenge me Kiwi, you just feel free to do it. And we'll see how sanctimonious your ideals hold up over the board. I'm waiting. (I sometimes play a serious game depending on the circumstance) But if you're afraid of losing, just block me.

Uh-oh...let the Grudge begin...

Let's all play King of the Hill.  Smirnov could turn that into yet another hot selling video for 3-easy payments of $19.95.    

How about Tic Tac Toe. Send me all your money and I can teach you to play a great game of Tic Tac Toe.

This is why I argue that being a great calculator is more import than having a great memory...

this is one reason I think Bobby Fischer was so good... great calculation, no matter what

True, but let's not forget Fischer's ridiculous chess memory. Total recall of any game he played, saw, or read about. Confirmed by many reputable sources. But yes, an awesome calculator, too.

certainly....when you put the two together....along with an iron will to win and an intimidating demeanor that silently screams... go ahead...make your move, I am modern chess theory...it's hard to defeat that...

There is not any secrets on chess , There is all over the board waiting to be learned like the mistakes too. I don't like the word "SECRET" . People is looking for magic solutions but there is not. If You make a Chess course and You put this words on the title maybe nobody buy it.  STUDY,DEDICATION,SACRIFICE,HARD WORK, A LOT OF TIME.

@ Aletool

That is what Fischer did, but the intangibles of a sponge-like long term memory for overall positional recollection, spatial reasoning and short term memory for calculation that was second none, an iron will to win and his intimidating demeanor couldn't really be taught. He was just being himself...

Well it's written in size 50 font so it must be true.

I think critical positions is when many of the most elusive cheats use engine help...that is because as I just told someone else after they made one small error...it is often the difference between players once their level of play gets good enough... we dont often see the ramifications of what happens 10 ply or more...

Not sure about that. GMs also win in non-critical positions. There is no doubt that they do much better in critical positions than non-GMs. Well dah! xD

Here is my take on "the secrets" of chess: threats and being thorough. I have been doing Heisman's thought process on chess positions. He asks to look for: checks, then captures, then threats. I'm about 1700 otb rating and I realized from testing myself on chesstempo than threats is where I fail. I see some threats but not others. In the case where I do see all threats I just don't calculate thoroughly enough to see the right solution. Incidently, this is what I train now. That and calculating variations blindly from a book etc.

There is certainly some truth in the viability of prophylaxis. If you don't believe me ask Petrosian .  Avoiding critical situations is perhaps more important than how you handle them...

Ah...books books books love em and hate em.