Saturday, January 30, 2016

Online Chess Learning

Chess Courses @Udemy
" Our mission is to help anyone learn anything." - Udemy Team 

How to Play Chess with Black Pieces
In this online course, you'll learn the general ideas behind the Nimzo-Indian defense – the opening choice of the world’s best chess players.
o The six lectures presented will facilitate your future learning, making it easy to understand and digest any particular line.
o  The lessons will guide you through the main plans, ideas and variations. Therefore, you will know how to react properly.
Start Preview: How to Play Chess with Black Pieces
Take this Course -> Nimzo-Indian Defense
The practical part of the course provides a powerful and solid weapon against 1d4.
o Opening variations are analyzed deeply and contain many advanced recommendations that are easy to digest. 
o You’ll learn everything you need with many top level games in one neat course, making your study quick and effective.

Your Top Chess Questions, Answered
The Q&A course contains detailed answers to questions raised by students after reading the digital book - "A Promoted Pawn: My Chess Journey"
The good news, is that you can understand the course without having to read the book. But anyway, i do recommend for chess fans to read the book thoughtfully - it's great stuff!
In each lecture, GM Smirnov answers one question and explains how you can implement key ideas in your games right away.
Start Preview: Your Top Chess Questions, Answered
Take this Course -> Top Questions, Answered
The course contains eight video lessons and three text lessons with interesting examples, tips, and recommendations on various chess topics.
o  Get to know the universal approach in training and mastering chess skills.
Top answers for the most common questions in chess, from starting a game, overcoming psychological problems and achieving success.

Think, Plan and Win
In these seminars, GM Smirnov provides students with a concise "to do list" you can follow easily, to understand chess clearly.
o Understand how to play a chess game the right way and more.
o Get to know the most essential rules for your quick chess success. 
Start Preview: Think, Plan and Win
Take this Course -> GM's Chess Seminar
The seminar covers four major lectures with practical suggestions about the following chess topics:
Time to Win - (Proper time management in chess.) 
Right Thinking in Chess - (Algorithm of thinking while playing.)
Smirnov Gambit - (An opening line against the Sicilian.)
Art of Planning - (Right plans you should follow through all the stages of a game.)

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The Secrets of Strong Chess Players [Complimentary Course]
Learn how strong chess players find best moves easily and implement those techniques in your game.
o  Know the secrets of strong chess players and their way of thinking during the game.
o Discover the powerful techniques for finding strong moves, together with various practical and powerful recommendations that every strong chess players hides from you.
The Secrets of Strong Chess Players
Take FREE Course -> Secrets of Strong Players
During the course, you will learn more about the following key points:
o  To take is a mistake.
o  Offense is the best defense. 
o  Focus on attacking moves. 
o  Keep an eye on attacking responses.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Chess Jewels: Part Two

It's Your Move
" The foundation of chess is the process of 'vision' – the ability to spot where everything under attack, yours and your opponent's, is located."  G. Levenfish 

Solve the following special positions beginning with white to play and black to playSpot the good moves, evaluate them quickly and accurately. Then choose the best one, if you are to play on the board. 

Find the winning move for White & Black


Chess Jewels: Part One
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
(Solutions - 30/Jan/2016)
Chess Jewels: Part Two
White to play – 1.Qg7+! Ng7 2.fg7+ Kg8 3.Nf6+, etc.
Black to play  – 1…Nd4+! 2.cd4 (2.Qd4 cd4) 2...Qg4, etc.

White to play – 1.Qe6+! Kh8 2.Qe8+ Re8 3.Re8#
Black to play  – 1…Qa2+! 2.Ka2 Ra6+# 

White to play – 1.Qa4+! Qa4 2.Rg8#
Black to play  – 1…Rg1+! 2.Kg1 Qe1#

White to play – 1.Qh5+! Kg8 (1...gh5 2.Rh6#) 2.Rag6+ fg6 3.Qg6+ Kf8 4.Qf6+, etc.
Black to play  – 1…Qc1+! 2.Bc1 Re1#

White to play – 1.Qb7+! Kb7 2.Nc5++ Kc7 3.Rd7, etc.
Black to play  – 1…Qh2+! 2.Kf1 Qh1+ 3.Bh1 Rh1#

White to play – 1.Ng6+! hg6 2.Rh1, etc.
Black to play  – 1…Nc3+! 2.bc3 Rb8, etc.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Treasured Chess Jewels

Two-way Puzzles
Tactical skill is one of the crucial conditions for achieving success in chess. It is absolutely important to constantly develop, perfect one's foresight in chess playing."  Maxim Blokh 

During my younger years, i'm used to or simply had this habit of solving puzzles or any chess problem, first by finding the move from winner’s side and then checking as well attacking reply that the loser’s side can play on his turn. 

Working on these exercises will allow aspiring chess players to practice their skill in finding attacking moves and also be trained to anticipate aggressive counters from an opponent.

The bilateral examples presented below are highly-critical positions specially composed (or taken/modified from actual game), in which both White & Black gain winning advantage by making a first specific move respectively.

Finding Combinations

Note: (Chess positions have no indication of the turn of the move, hence are to be solved firstly beginning with white's turn and then with black's turn.)

Enjoy solving and put your answers into writing. Don't forget to check the solutions on the next installment.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
(Solutions - 21/Jan/2016)
Chess Jewels: Part One 
White to play – 1.Rh6+! Bh6 2.Qe5+ Bg7 3.Qh2+, etc.
Black to play  – 1…Qa1+! 2.Ka1 Rc1+ 3.Ka2 Ra8+, etc.

White to play – 1.Nd6! Qd6 2.g6 and 3.Qh8#
Black to play  – 1…Rb5! 2.ab5 Qa5+ 3.Kb2 Qb5+, etc.

White to play – 1.Rg7+! Kg7 2.Rg2+ Kf8 3.Qh6#
Black to play  – 1…Rb2+! 2.Rb2 Nc3+ 3.Ka1 Qa3+, etc.

White to play – 1.Qf8+! Kf8 2.Rd8+, etc.
Black to play  – 1…Qg3+! 2.hg3 Rh1#

White to play – 1.Qe5+! Be5 2.Be5#
Black to play  – 1…Qf1+! 2.Rf1 Rf1#

White to play – 1.Qf6+! Bf6 2.Nf7#
Black to play  – 1…Ra2+! 2.Ka2 Qa8+, etc.

Friday, January 1, 2016

The Road to Mastery

Become a Winner, a Champion!
" The secret of getting ahead is getting started." – Mark Twain 

The Remote Chess Academy provides high-quality lessons and structured plans of improvement from amateur to titled player. RCA's main goal is to help aspiring players to become a winner, a CHAMPION.

 All Products

One of the key core of the academy is to equip and enhance practical chess skills through a constant, everyday improvement (Kaizen philosophy). All these undertakings shine through RCA tutorial courses and other educational medium.

Let's kick-start the new year and understand that in chess, "the thin line between success and failure is in WHAT and HOW you train".
1. This excellent course will teach you the main principles of a chess game and the most important rules about pieces and pawns. Everything you need for a good understanding of the whole chess game and its strategy

 GM Positional Understanding

2. Arguably one of the best, if not the best chess course produced by GM Smirnov and RCA team. After studying the lessons, your opening understanding will leave your opponents by leaps and bounds. You'll also be able to practice a powerful and complete opening repertoire against anyone. A must-have!

 GM Opening Lab2

3. Playing chess is fun, winning games is more fun. This unique 3-in-1 training system in tactics, calculation and visualization will surely sharpen your skills and help you win all your games. Clearly explains how strategy and tactics should go hand-in-hand and relate to some playing techniques that are less known to many.
  
 Calculate Till Mate
Quick Look -> Calculate Till Mate

to be continued...


2016 NEW Release!
The seminar covers four major lectures with practical suggestion to understand chess clearly. In each lecture, GM Igor Smirnov answers all students’ questions and provides additional tips to implement in their games.

GM Smirnov's Chess Seminar
Video Preview -> Think, Plan and WIN

Learn the most essential rules for the quick success in chess:
1. "Time To Win"
2. "Right Thinking in Chess"
3. "Smirnov Gambit"
4. "The Art of Planning"
    (The course contains around 100 minutes of lectures by GM Smirnov and a PDF summary of each lecture.)