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Becoming a Chess Master

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Author: Becoming a Chess Master

Understanding Chess Endgames John Nunn
Book Reviews Endgame 

Book Review – Understanding Chess Endings by GM John Nunn

26th August 20203rd October 2020 Becoming a Chess Master Book Review, chess improvement plan, endgame

Regular readers will know that I think endgame study should form a major part of every improving chess player’s routine. One of my favourite authors on the subject is GM John Nunn. GM Nunn is not just a prolific chess …

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Mastery 

Putting the hours in

10th November 2017 Becoming a Chess Master Mastery

Malcolm Gladwell popularised Anders Ericsson’s work on deliberate practice in his book Outliers: The Story of Success. Incidentally, I found Ericsson’s Peak a better read.

Whichever version of the idea you read, I believe nobody could master (not ‘be …

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Visualization 

A chess visualization exercise

9th October 201710th October 2017 Becoming a Chess Master chess visualisation

This visualization exercise is linked to this tactics post, but that’s as much of a clue as I’ll give!

Click through the game below, consider the position after 24…h6 (even better if you set up the position on a …

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Visualization 

Protected: Visualisation exercise solution

9th October 20179th October 2017 Becoming a Chess Master
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. Read more
Game Analysis 

Master Game Analysis – Capablanca-Ragozin, Moscow 1936

25th September 20173rd October 2020 Becoming a Chess Master Game Analysis

This master game is another from one of my chess heroes, José Raúl Capablanca. Here he takes on the Soviet Grandmaster Viacheslav Ragozin in the Moscow tournament of 1936.

This was the third of the Moscow tournaments organised by Nikolai …

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Tactics 

Tactics – Removing the Guard

15th September 20175th September 2017 Becoming a Chess Master chess tactics

The tactical device of removing the guard is also known as removing the defender. The name of the tactic is almost sufficient in itself to describe how it works.

The opponent has a piece which is defending another piece, or …

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Tactics 

Tactics – Mating Patterns involving Bishops

3rd September 20175th September 2017 Becoming a Chess Master tactics

Two bishops, or a bishop and another piece, can work together to cut off the king’s escape squares, protect the mating piece and deliver mate. The long-range impact of the bishop is often the key to these patterns.

The mating …

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Book Reviews 

Chess Books – New Releases

31st August 20175th September 2017 Becoming a Chess Master Book Review, chess improvement plan

In this round-up of recently published chess books we look at:

  • Axel Smith’s opening book, e3 Poison;
  • A full-repertoire book for Black by the team at Everyman Chess;
  • From the same camp, an endgame book by Cyrus Lakdawala, whose work
… Read more
Tactics 

Tactics: Beware the Red Herring

20th August 20173rd October 2020 Becoming a Chess Master tactics

This problem presented itself recently while I was doing tactics training on ChessTempo.

The three features which jumped out were the semi-exposed king on the g-file, the unprotected knight and the awkwardly placed queen. I quickly dismissed the opportunities …

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Blogpost Study Plan 

Lessons from my up and down tournament

15th August 20175th September 2017 Becoming a Chess Master chess improvement plan, chess study plan, OTB Play

Following a recent up and down tournament, I reviewed my play and decided to make some adjustments to my study plan. Here is what I learned in my review. In a later post I will show how I …

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Categories

  • Blogpost
  • Book Reviews
  • Chess History
  • Chess in General
  • Endgame
  • Game Analysis
  • Lessons
  • Mastery
  • Opening
  • Strategy
  • Study Plan
  • Tactics
  • Visualization
Chess Pieces

Recent Posts

  • 3 Best Indications for a Chess Rochade or Castling 16th January 2021
  • 5 Reasons Why Chess is the Best Game for Your Brain 11th January 2021
  • 8 Tips on How to Advance in Chess from Basic Level 6th January 2021
  • Master Game Analysis – Capablanca-Tartakower, New York 1924 22nd December 2020
  • The Orangutan Opening in Chess 1st December 2020

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  • Cal on Putting the hours in
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