In one of our last articles, we were giving you some practical advice on how to play in worse/ losing positions. Today we are going to talk about a perhaps even more difficult situation – positions where you are much better or even winning. We say more difficult because it is when most mistakes happen and the position can suddenly turn around and we find ourselves on the difficult side. Many players tend to relax when they feel like they are winning and a moment of loss of concentration can prove very dangerous. The influence of a bad move in a winning position is most of all psychological; many players are not able to get over the fact that they have gone from a completely winning position to one that is only slightly better or even equal and they quickly collapse as a result.

Every player has a different style of play and types of positions he/she likes or manages better.

From our own and our students’ experience, most amateur players like to attack and they usually try to start an attack in every game they play.

While there’s nothing wrong with having an aggressive style, not every type of position is suitable for such play.

Before starting an attack it is important to assess the position and pay attention to a few details that usually tell you should handle it.

In a game of chess, we are usually confronted with many critical moments where we need to find the right plan to getting or even maintaining an advantage. It is very comfortable to play when we find the right answer in such situations or our opponent simply makes a mistake that we are able to take advantage of. However, things don’t always go our way and even the slightest misunderstanding of the position can put us in an uncomfortable place.

Attacking chess and the tactical combinations are perhaps some of the most important topics a club player should learn. There are plenty of resources available to improve, from tactics trainers to books and video courses.

Nevertheless, it seems like club players cannot get enough of it and always strive to improve further. And that’s understandable because tactics on under 2000-2200 level decide most of the games.

A game of chess is full of emotions. We give our best over the chess board and try to play well and win, but it doesn’t always go according to the plan. Especially after having played a good game for many hours a loss can feel painful and disappointing. It is perfectly normal and there’s probably no chess player who hasn’t felt that way at least once. The important thing is to get back on your feet before the next game and continue the fight.

So, what should we do after we lose a chess game? Here are a few things you could try.

Magnus Carlsen needs little introduction; he has shown great determination and talent from an early age and has quickly established himself as the strongest player of our times [and here is why]. He is a universal player who can handle well any type of position, but he prefers strategic play – positions with a slight plus where he can slowly increase the pressure without risking anything. His games are a source of inspiration for any aspiring chess player who looks for improvement.

Here are a few things we could all learn from him.

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 beginners are just starting out with chess, they make many simple mistakes which could easily be avoided. In this article, I want you to know them and learn how to prevent these mistakes in your own games.

Preventing most common mistakes will help at accelerating your progress, avoiding stagnation and saving you from many disappointments chess players usually face when they fail to improve.

Let’s go ahead and dive right in!

Chess has many personalities, from World Champions to famous writers and strong Grandmasters who never won the supreme title.

All of them have contributed to the chess world with their games and ideas put in practice, as well as with in depth analysis and material to help chess players improve.

It is difficult to say who had the greatest influence in chess, but if we had to decide, this would be our list.