Opening preparation is a very important step in any player’s career. It is next to impossible to play high-level chess without a proper opening preparation. Almost all players realize that, but nevertheless they miss some very important yet extremely powerful ideas when it comes to the openings. The good news is you won’t need to spend more time on your openings or forget everything you play and start from scratch. Using the following opening preparation “secrets” you will be able to take whatever you already know and have in terms of opening preparation and take it further. Let’s begin.
Becoming a chess champion is not an easy road. History shows us that in order to get to the top one needs to work hard and invest a lot of time into chess training and preparation. Some people support the idea that everyone can become a chess champion. While this is partially true, not everyone is fit with the same conditions and willingness to make it to the top. For example, everyone wants to achieve a high rating and the Grandmaster title, but the question we should ask: is everyone willing to do what it takes? In this article, we are going to list some of the traits every chess champion has.
Every chess journey is different and every chess player chooses the path that fits them best. Some have a coach to guide them in their training, while others create their own working schedule.
However, there is probably always something every chess player wishes he/she had done or studied sooner. In this article we have tried to gather a list of these things; some are from our own experience and some from our colleagues’.
If you have done most of what is listed below, we can only congratulate you!
When club players think of improvement they always talk about tactics, openings, and possibly game analysis. Those are no doubt important factors, however, one very important part of chess is often being neglected. I think you know what I’m talking about…
Endgames are where the major part of improvement hides. Grandmasters know that. Titled players know that. They also have a few tricks up their sleeve that allows them to play endgames near-perfectly with a minimum memorization.
This is how it’s done.
Mistakes can happen at all levels, from beginners to strong Grandmasters. Even recently we have witnessed a few unexplainable moments from top Grandmasters in the prestigious Sinquefield Cup that’s taking place in Saint Louis.
Knowing that mistakes can happen even at the highest level might come as a relief for the rest of us, but it is nevertheless something we’d like to avoid as much as possible. Blunders are usually unexplainable; it feels as if our brain suddenly stops cooperating. However, there are a few things you could try to do in order to minimize such moments.
Here are a few tips.
