How to play an opening?

Firstly, we are now sending the newsletter from another system. We tried ourbest to keep all of our contacts from our database, but due to some technical problems, some of them might have been lost.

• If that’s the case, please accept our sincere apologies and we kindly ask you to subscribe to our newsletter: LINK
• If you are still getting our newsletter, that’s cool and nothing needs to be done. 

Currently, we’re conducting a competition “Christmas Day Bonanza” – Games Festival (LINK), where you your skills in finding the best game in a given topic and your ability to understand the position and annotate the same will be judged.

Since some of our students asked for more time to submit their games, we’reextending the last date for entry/submitting games to 15 December. 

If you didn’t know about this competition till now, then this is the 2nd chance forYOU. You have 5 more days to submit your annotated games!

Don’t miss this great opportunity! More info about the event, prizes: LINK

Let me start the lesson with a question. Do you know what determines yourWIN/LOSS in a chess game?

Whether you win or lose is determined by your:

• opening preparation
• middlegame skills
• endgame technique

It’s quite obvious that the opening phase is MORE important, because if you don’t play it well, you will lose before you can demonstrate your middlegame/endgame skills.

Then, here’s the next question you need to think about – how do you play an opening properly?

In order to play the opening properly, a lot of people believe that one should just study a lot of opening variations and typical ideas/tricks.

Although this is partly correct, there’s actually a huge hole here. Let me give you an example.

White’s turn

Above, we see the starting position of the Scheveningen variation of the Sicilian Defence. What move can White play here?

Almost anything! For instance: Be2, Bc4, g3, Be3, f4, g4, Bg5, f3, Qf3 and the list goes on.

Do you really need to study all these lines? Of course NOT!

The opening stage lasts for 15-20 moves and on every move both opponents can play around 10 different logical moves. Ultimately, this generates many thousands (perhaps millions) of variations.

Obviously, there’s no way for us to analyse and remember them all.

Therefore, we should learn the most logical moves only. For example, in the Scheveningen variation, Black certainly should know some theory in the main lines, like 6.Be2, 6.g4, 6.Be3, 6.Bc4.

But what about other possible options for White? Should Black learn the lines arising from 6.Bb5, 6.Nb3, 6.Qf3, 6.h3, etc.?

 NO! You can’t learn it all anyway. If you dig too deep in your opening study, you will not have time for mastering other vitally importantskills: calculation, tactics, positional play, etc.

Therefore, there can be two situations in an opening:

• You play a theoretical variation based on your home preparation.
• Your game turns into a sideline or your opponent surprises you with an unexpected move. An unknown position appears and you need to find correct moves by yourself.

These two situations will happen equally often. Again, let’s be realistic. You can’t learn all possible opening variations – it’s an unworkable aspiration.

FINAL CONCLUSION: how do you play an opening successfully?

•  You need to choose the right opening variations (your opening repertoire) and learn the NECESSARY lines within them.
• You need to know the general rules/principles of opening play and how you can find correct moves in unknown opening positions.

If you’ve watched the video I published a few years ago, “Professional Opening Preparation” (LINK), that’s good for you!

Regarding the opening variations – there are a lot of existing chess books/DVDs about virtually any opening you can think of.

Some of these tutorials are even pretty good. However, there are still some problems here:

• Studying various opening variations takes a lot of your time.
• As we’ve already discussed, you can’t learn everything anyway.
• Your opponents have access to the same tutorials you have.
• There are opening tutorials about all possible opening variations and you don’t know what will work best for YOU.

As for the general rules/principles of opening play – this topic is almost completely missing!

Yes, there are some well-known opening rules like “develop pieces”, “fight for the centre” and so on, but these are very basic rules. Even beginners know such ideas and, in many positions, they simply cannot help you.

Let me emphasise this with another example.

White’s turn

Above we see a very popular variation of the Ruy Lopez. How should White play here?

As you can see, the basic opening rules don’t help here. For example, it is true that“we should fight for the centre”, but he’s already fighting. So what should he do? 

Most modern openings lead to complex positions, where you need to use moreadvanced rules. Surprisingly, this topic is almost completely missing in opening tutorials.

So what is the solution?

To overcome these difficulties, I recommend you to study the opening courses I’ve prepared for YOU. You’ll find solutions to all these questions in the courses

• GM’s Opening Laboratory – 1 (LINK)
• GM’s Opening Laboratory – 2 (LINK)

Some of my students have already studied these courses. Moreover, after studying them, they had some questions and sent them to me. Therefore, I have answered them all in the BONUS pack (LINK).

If you really want to have SUCCESSFUL opening play, I recommend you to buy the“Opening Bundle” which has both parts of the Opening Lab course, including theBONUS pack.

<<Get the Opening Bundle NOW>>

In this case, you will get both of the courses and the bonus pack for just $143 andSAVE $33 – DISCOUNT!

P.S. We’re nearing the festive season – Christmas and New Year. As usual, there will be some huge OFFERS and DISCOUNTS for you.  Stay tuned for the updates.

Chess Engines and a NEW course in Spanish

Nowadays, most chess players learn and practice chess by using COMPUTERS. There are many chess programs like ChessBase, Fritz, etc., and they have a lot of chess ‘engines’ installed (Rybka, Houdini and so on).

Of course, engines are very strong: they calculate a lot of variations and evaluatea position in not more than a minute. The most important question for YOU, though, is: how to use chess engines PROPERLY? How to utilize the great power of chess programs for your benefit?

In order to answer this question, we’ve invited an active chess player – GM Mikhailo Oleksienko – to join us.

He’s the current Ukrainian Rapid Chess Champion, has won a couple of international tournaments and achieved an awesome 2640 rating in 2014.

This Sunday, 12 October, at 4p.m. BST (London time) you can attend GM Mikhailo Oleksienko’s webinar “Chess engines: how to use them properly?”. You can get all the details and sign up here:

Live Webinar

“Chess Engines: how to use them properly?”

by GM Mikhailo Oleksienko

Event:	Chess Engines: how to use them properly?
Host:	GM Mikhailo Oleksienko
Date:	Sunday, 12th  October at 4p.m. (16:00) BST – London time.
Duration:	90 minutes.
Seats:	limited to 100.
Price:	Standard ticket = $15; Premium ticket = $20

*The registration will be closed 2 hours before the webinar.

What is “a webinar”?

During a webinar, you have communication with a coach in live mode. A coach tells you the tasks, while you can ask your questions. This is real TRAINING, which develops your SKILLS. Hence, you’ll be able to improve your chess strength properly during the webinar.

A video lesson or a text article provides some information to you. Any chess player can find tons of information about a chess game on the Internet. So what? Has this overabundance of content made you a strong player? Probably not.

 Information does not affect your play. Only a new SKILL can do so.

Chess engines: how to use them properly?

Nowadays, many chess players learn and practice chess by using computers. There are many chess programs/software like ChessBase, Fritz, etc. and they have a lot of chess ‘engines’ installed.

Of course, engines are very ‘quick’: they calculate a lot of variations and moves and evaluate the position in NOT more than a minute. That said, it does NOTmean that engines are the BEST.

In this webinar, GM Mikhailo Oleksienko will teach you how to use chess enginesproperly (use the core of your computer and pay attention to the depth) and show you some positions where computers evaluate positions completely wrongly.  Also, he will show some positions where computers blunder or do not see the win.

GM Mikhailo Oleksienko

GM Mikhailo Oleksienko was born on 30 September 1986. In 2008, he graduated from Ivan Franko Lviv National University (Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics). In May of 2012, he was awarded a PhD in mathematics.

In 2002, he received the title of International Master and in 2005 became a Grand Master.

Mikhailo Oleksienko’s achievements:

• Current Ukrainian Rapid Chess Champion
• PhD in Mathematics
• Joint winner of 20th Abu Dhabi Chess Festival (UAE) 2013
• Joint winner of David Bronstein Memorial (Belarus) 2014
• Joint winner of ZMDI Open (Germany) 2013
• Joint winner of Pardubice Open (Czech Republic) 2013

GM Vladimir Kramnik (on the left) and GM Mikhailo Oleksienko (on the right) discussing a Kramnik game.

YOUR games and questions.

Students with a premium ticket may submit their own games and questions for the webinar. You can check out the details here: LINK

After you have registered for the webinar, you’ll be given the chance to submit your games and questions.

Options	Standard ticket	Premium ticket
Attend the webinar
Submit your games
Submit your questions
Price	$15 USD Buy Now	$20 USD Buy Now

P.S. Please, note that the seats are limited to 100 students. The questions will be answered on “first come, first served” basis. If you wish to participate – please, register NOW.

<<Sign up for GM Oleksienko’s webinar>>

 

In the recent article “Opening Traps & A New Course in Spanish”, we released a Spanish translation of the course “An Endgame Expert”. It has had MASSIVE popularity! It seems like chess development is now huge in Spanish-speaking countries. This is a very nice fact indeed!

Moreover, we have released another course for you in Spanish! 

NOW you can get the Spanish version of “Your Winning Plan”:

<< Get the course in SPANISH now>>

NOTE: Each additional language pack for a course that you already own is only $7. For example, if you already own an English version of the course,“Your Winning Plan”, you can get its Spanish version for just $7. Get your Language Pack here:LINK

So, now there are a total of 5 courses which are translated into SPANISH. You can check them all here: LINK

If you haven’t even studied an English version of the course, “Your Winning Plan“, this is the right time to do so!

<< Get the course in ENGLISH now>>

Planning is a core element of a chess game. This is also one of the most complextopics to understand. That’s why you might suffer from facing those positions where you did NOT know how to proceed.

The course, “Your Winning Plan”, gives you an integrated system of middle-game planning. Using this method, you will be able to find the right plan in any position.

Unlike average “wood-pushers”, you will not need to remember numerous “typical plans”. Instead, you will UNDERSTAND positions and will KNOW which plan to take.

Below are some of the experiences of my students.

In the course “YOUR WINNING PLAN”, you get clear practical recommendations to help channel your thoughts in each position. It is a systematic approach that guides your thinking process. There is not only attention for pure technical aspects but also for psychological skills. For practice these planning skills there a lot of relevant and varied tasks.

Before I had studied this course, I was not sure in complicated positions when and where I would advance my pawns. Now I know exactly what to do. The 18th century chess master Philidor once say “The pawns are the soul of chess”.

Thanks the concrete recommendations of the course ”YOUR WINNING PLAN” I can give my pawns a soul in my games.

Werner Poets

I bought all your courses in a small period of time. I liked it. No surprise there.It has a great effect on my game. I play stronger and better chess than before.You really seem to know what’s important and what’s not.You have the ability and the knowledge to teach good chess. Loving every bit of it!

Erik Bandsma

I wanted something that will guide me to the right plan without eating up my time. And this is where Your Winning Plan excels!It gives you easy to remember guidelines for planning. Each phase is taken apart in a chapter – Igor takes the time explaining what to look for and why…in a way that’s NOT overwhelming for the student.

At the end of every chapter, Igor gives a summary that the reader can print out and review before a tournament game. (That’s exactly what I did)

Jassen Esguerra

LINK SUMMARY

• Webinar “Chess engines: how to use them properly?”: LINK
• “Your Winning Plan” in English: LINK
• “Your Winning Plan” in Spanish: LINK
• All SPANISH courses: LINK

Opening Traps & A New Course in Spanish

NOW it’s the last chance to sign yourself up for the upcoming webinar“Chess Opening Disasters and Traps” (Sunday, 21 September).

• You’ll learn how to eliminate opening troubles in your games.
• IM Alex Kundin will reveal some of the most effective opening traps your opponents will likely fall for!

•  You can read all the details, and sign up for the webinar here:LINK

Let’s have a little test of your skills right now.

After the moves 1.e4-e5 2.Nf3-Nc6 3.Bc4, Black – seeking simplification – can blunder away a pawn with 3…Nd4. What would be your initial impulse with White?

How would you play here as White?

Although this trap is pretty simple, you can’t imagine how often White players fall right into it! According to my database, 4.Ne5 is the 2^nd most popular choice! 198 Players played 4.Nd4, while 155 overly optimistic guys captured the pawn with 4.Ne5.

After 4.Ne5-Qg5 White realizes what’s wrong, but now it’s too late…

Surprisingly, White is lost!

I will not analyze the position thoroughly – it’s pretty simple and you can work out the details yourself. The most natural game continuation is 5.Nf7-Qg2 6.Rf1-Qe4 7.Be2-Nf3#

White was mated in 7 moves!  

Being a chess coach, I must teach students to play properly and avoid tricky lines. However, I do agree that some opening traps work very well, especially in blitz games and/or against club players.

You can learn another nice example of an opening catastrophe from a free video lesson, “Chess Opening Disasters”, prepared by our guest coach IM Alex Kundin:LINK

If you wish to get some nice victories right at the starting phase of a game, you may join our Sunday’s webinar: LINK

There’s good news for Spanish-speaking students. The course, “An Endgame Expert”, is now available in Spanish language:

<< Get the Course in SPANISH Now >>

I’m not sure why, but very often I receive messages from Spanish-speaking students, who ask me to provide the courses into their mother tongue. Hence, I’m glad to present this new translation for you.

By the way, three other courses have been translated to SPANISH already:

• “The Grandmaster’s Secrets“: LINK
• “The Grandmaster’s Openings Laboratory“: LINK 
• “How to Beat Titled Players“: LINK 

Each additional language pack for a course that you already own is only $7. For example, if you own an English version of the course, “The Grandmaster’s Secrets”, you can get its Spanish version for just $7. Get your Language Pack here: LINK

If you don’t even have an English version of the course, “An Endgame Expert“, this might be a good time to study it!

<< Get the Course in ENGLISH Now >>

With this one course, you’ll learn everything you need to become an expert in endgames. 

I do receive messages from students all the time. In the past I used to publish them regularly, but then I stopped because there were simply too many of them.

Still, it might be interesting for you to know about the experiences of other students. Hence, I’ll provide a few right here.

I bought my first course back in November, and I was immediately hooked. I own dozens of chess books, read dozens more, and I learned more in that one course than all of them combined…

 This week I beat an opponent 250 rating points higher than me, and in doing so I achieved my highest online rating ever. Before my rating was padded from playing lots of weaker competition; now I’m doing it against players I never thought I’d consistently beat!

 Johnathan Petit

I have purchased and trained every course and I am now enjoying the benefit of no-nonse chess knowledge. So far I have only lost a single serious game last year and none this year, so my rating will raise as I continue to win. The courses by Igor Smirnov is by far my best investment.

Richard

Hello sir,

I am a chess player from India rated 2250.

I have studied your Dvd’s and improved a lot in all stages of the game. Last time after studying Endgame Expert, I improved a lot and won some games too in serious tournaments.

Praneeth Surya, India

 LINK SUMMARY

• Webinar “Chess Opening Disasters and Traps”: LINK
• Free video lesson “Chess Opening Disasters”: LINK
• “An Endgame Expert” in English: LINK
• “An Endgame Expert” in Spanish: LINK 

 There’s simply NO way for you NOT to become a strong chess player… 

Chess Opening Disasters and Traps

Our guest coach IM Alex Kundin has prepared a new lesson for you: “Disaster in the Opening”. You’ll learn useful opening concepts while enjoying a really nice attacking game!

Watch the video here

Have you enjoyed the final position of the game from the video? It’s really cool, doesn’t it? 

Have YOU ever experienced huge troubles right in an opening? That’s quite normal actually, even strong players fall into opening traps from time to time. Club players fall apart in an opening on a regular basis 

In this lesson you’ve observed 1 interesting example of an opening catastrophe. If you wish to train and improve your practical skills in this area, you are welcome to join Alex Kundin’s webinar “Chess Opening Disasters and Traps”on Sunday, 21 September at 4pm BST.

In this training session you will improve your opening skills, preventing opening disasters in your games. In addition to that, Alex will reveal the most effectiveopening traps beginners always fall for!

Live Webinar

“Chess Opening Disasters and Traps”

by IM Alex Kundin

Event:	Live webinar “Chess Opening Disasters and Traps”
Host:	IM Alex Kundin
Date:	Sunday, 21st  September at 4p.m. (16:00) BST – London time.
Duration:	90 minutes.
Seats:	limited to 100.
Price:	Premium ticket = $10. (note: only premium tickets are available for this event)

*The registration will be closed 2 hours before the webinar.

 

What is “a webinar”?

During a webinar, you have communication with a coach in live mode. A coach tells you the tasks, while you can ask your questions. This is real TRAINING, which develops your SKILLS. Hence, you’ll be able to improve your chess strength properly during the webinar.

A video lesson or a text article provides some information to you. Any chess player can find tons of information about a chess game on the Internet. So what? Has this overabundance of content made you a strong player? Probably not.

 Information does not affect your play. Only a new SKILL can do so.

“Chess Opening Disasters and Traps”

In this webinar you’ll train the following skills:

• Exactly how to eliminate mistakes in an early stage of a game.
• How to handle opening complications?
• How to eliminate unnecessary risk from your play?
• Chess opening traps beginners always fall for.

Host: IM Alex Kundin

• International Master.
• Former Europe youth champion.
• An experienced chess coach who has prepared a lot of strong players all around the world.
• Alex specializes in chess openings where he has extensive knowledge.

You can learn free Kundin’s lesson about “Disasters in the Opening” here: LINK 

YOUR GAMES

You may send 1-3 of your games related to the webinar’s topic. We guarantee that at least 1 your game will be analysed:

EITHER

During the webinar;

Or

You will receive a pgn file with comments for your game after the webinar.

Please, note that your games Unrelated to the webinar’s topic, may be ignored.

YOUR QUESTIONS

You are welcome to submit your ANY questions. You may send your questions related to the webinar’s topic, or any other questions you have.

Please, note that the time of the webinar is limited. We can’t answer all students’ questions. Hence, we will select the questions based on:

• First come, first served basis
• Additionally, we’ll pick the most popular questions amongst the students.

After you have registered for the webinar, you’ll be given the chance to submit your games and questions.

Options	Standard ticket	Premium ticket
Attend the webinar
Submit your games
Submit your questions
Price	Not available	$10 USD Buy Now

*Only premium tickets are available for this event

P.S.Please, note that the seats are limited to 100 students. The questions will be answered on “first come, first served” basis. If you wish to participate – please,register NOW.