improvement

In particular, we’re going to discuss the same-color bishop endgame. The attacking side has one pawn, and the defender has none. If the defender can sacrifice their bishop for the last pawn the game is drawn, so the attacker must proceed carefully. What the Defender Wants in this Ending The position is completely drawn if … Read more

When chess players find out someone is new to the game, they try to beat them as fast as possible. Scholar’s Mate (the “four-move checkmate”) is a big part of that. Be that as it may, if someone tells you they’re so gifted they’ve never lost a chess game within ten moves, don’t believe them. … Read more

Empire Chess is the long-running magazine of the New York State Chess Association (NYSCA). It published my article How to Increase Your Rating Fast on pages 23-24 of its Fall 2020 issue. An earlier version was published on this blog on August 26. You can download the entire issue of Empire Chess magazine here.

Chess strategy and tactics are intertwined … but ask yourself this: which side of the equation receives most of the focus in lessons and classes? Definitely tactics. And for a lot of coaches, it’s not even close. However … What does it take for a student to gain proficiency in tactics? I only know one … Read more

The Czech Open, held annually in Pardubice, CZE. Playing in a few tournaments does not commit you to becoming a “serious” chess player. There is no requirement to study extra (or at all) if you don’t want to. I recommend trying at least a couple of events to see if you like it. I tell … Read more

One side of the equation will likely have a bigger impact on your overall chess progress. Many people are experiential. They learn best “by doing.” Such chess players are able to learn from their mistakes, and don’t repeat their errors so much. When coaching, I can recognize such players very quickly. Other players, like me, … Read more