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

Ratings serve as significant indicators of personal and professional success for chess players. Ranging from 1000 to 2800+, the ultimate goal for many enthusiasts is to achieve an 1800 Elo rating. Surpassing this milestone places a player statistically better than 95% of all others. The pursuit of 1800 Elo is indeed an attainable ambition for any dedicated chess player armed with the right training and strategic approach.

Olympic Secrets For Club Players: I have been a member of my country’s Olympic team for more than a decade. In the last year, my job also included “the other side” as a coach of the women's national team. These two roles gave me a unique perspective on the preparation a national team does before the most prestigious team event in the world. The chess-related preparation for an Olympiad consists of two parts: improving the opening repertoires of the players and improving their form just before the start of the event.

For most chess players a tournament is a chance to show what they’ve learned and proved those hours spent in training. However, competitions don’t always go as planned and this usually depends on many factors, some of which will have absolutely nothing to do with chess. It could, of course, also be that your training hasn’t been consistent or focused on improving your chess weaknesses and this can all be identified after a thorough analysis of your own games. But besides adjusting your training plan, what else could you do to enhance your tournament performance? From my experience as a chess player and a trainer, there are a few things that can affect your play.