Chess Tips, Articles and Guides to Help You Win Chess Games

Regardless the level of play or strength, there is one thing that every dedicated player can achieve and that is the ability to “think like a grandmaster”. Very often we struggle with problems such as poor calculation skills, lack of opening preparation, little endgame knowledge or even handling the time pressure that prevent us from reaching a higher level.

I’ve beaten a few, so I should know, right? It used to be so easy. I would go on an open tournament and breeze through the first several rounds, without preparation or anything. Those days were only a bit busier than the rest days. In the 1990s club players didn’t know anything. They didn’t know openings, they didn’t know middlegame plans, they had no positional understanding, and they didn’t know endgames. Beating them was basically a matter of showing up and waiting for them to mess up, sooner rather than later. Things slowly started to change in the new millennium...

No matter what your level is in chess, there is one thing every chess player wants: to become better and better. Every chess personality is different and everybody has a different approach. In order to improve you have to find a self-balance and try every possible method until you discover what works best for you. Remember that not only do chess players differ on the playing style, but also the circumstances around everyone are different. You must be realistic about your goal, but most of all about your capacities. In other words, make a plan according to your available time, your style of play and go ahead with it without changing it.