How to study chess

Chess

A structured plan for improving.

What coaches agree on

  • Make solving tactics and calculation puzzles a regular, even daily, part of your training.
  • Play games regularly and go back through every one afterward, win or lose, to see where you could have played better.
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  • Seek out why a move or plan works — the underlying reasoning is what carries over into new, unfamiliar positions.

Common mistakes

  • Pouring most of your study time into memorizing opening lines and theory, when tactics, endgames, and middlegame understanding give far more return for the time.
  • Reaching straight for the engine or the given answer instead of calculating the position yourself first, which skips the exact practice that builds real over-the-board skill.
My Chess Study Schedule!
Intermediate

My Chess Study Schedule!

Coach's take: Specific, credible, and self-critical - a real schedule with real reasoning behind each piece.

3.8
My Chess Study Routine
Intermediate

My Chess Study Routine

Coach's take: Solid, concrete routine with real reasoning - a bit familiar if you've seen other 'my study routine' videos.

3.6
How I Study Chess Openings
Intermediate

How I Study Chess Openings

Coach's take: A genuine, usable system for building an opening study - not just 'use a database.'

3.2