PREFACE

A chess player goes through many different phases. One learns how the chess pieces
move and know the basic rules. Get fascinated and tries to challenge anyone who knows how to
play the game. He or she challenges his dad, mom, brother, sister, classmate, friend, neighbor to
sit and play. At first there are many difficulties a beginner to remain focused and keep on giving
away his pieces. He then realizes the values of the pieces like the QUEEN is stronger than the
ROOK. Mastered the rules of castling and plays a lot of long games. Then suddenly starts to win
some games, especially against those who just knew the game or to someone who rarely played.
He or she gets more fascinated and discovers chess on the internet. Plays a lot of games
online and tries to join chess tournaments at their school or at their work to those who learned the
game as an adult. Sooner or later he gets stuck at some point and starts to question, "HOW
SHOULD I TRAIN?" and "HOW CAN I IMPROVE AT CHESS?" This point of a chess player
is the focus of this program.

FROM THE CHESS TEACHER

Thousands get stuck, or perhaps millions, find it impossible to reach 1300-1500. I am
sharing here all the things that I can help you my student improve in an efficient way. I was
once like you a below 1300 chess enthusiast. Some information here might also help 1500-2000
level.
Some years ago, I realized how important it is to have a structured chess study program. I
got stuck too at some points of my chess life. I did not have a chess trainer. I researched a lot
and had a lot of late night sleeps searching the internet and asking experts and masters. I
received and read a lot of chess book and chess routine recommendations. Some of them are
partly correct and many are wrong. There are lots of chess books on the market (tens of
thousands of them!). Information overload was my problem.
Random advice from chess experts, many of them did not help when I was at your level.
Worse, a professional chess trainer once advice me reading chess book classics, "Read Reassess
Your Chess by Jeremy Silman!" I followed him, bought such book, and I did not understand
anything.
I really wanted to improve. I kept on researching. The most common advice I could
receive is to solve chess tactics puzzles. I did it almost daily, but yet still I have lost a lot of
games. I realized it myself openings are also very important. All chess games start at an opening!
I collected all very good information and removed all the useless realizations from these master
recommendations. I found out it must be chess books (good books for my particular level
ONLY) and practice, that can improve my game. Good and readable chess books, lessons that
you can really grasp, understand, and learn a lot from it; that a chess enthusiast must read. It
saves a lot of time. I can see a lot of online players play and stays at 1400 for ten years. Most
importantly, it should cater level by level . A 1600 for example, reading a Jacob Aagaard
Grandmaster Preparation book is totally useless.
With these personally chosen (well-researched) chess books, I made myself chess
regimens/chess routines in every particular level I was at. In my humble opinion, it worked. Such
a great self-fulfillment for reaching expert 1900 chess.com and 2100 nearing candidate master
of other chess websites. My journey still continues.
And my dear student, in this program, I am sharing the exact chess book titles and chess
routines I did when I was below 1300. I hope I will bring you to 1400-1500 level. I am teaching
you how to self-train. Good Luck and enjoy improving your chess!

FAMOUS CHESS IMPROVEMENT THAT ARE HALF TRUE-HALF FALSE

Tactics, tactics, tactics.
A chess player who regularly trains chess tactics/ chess combinations rarely miss a
simple checkmate or win a free piece than those who do not train.
Misconception of chess tactics training alone for many hours daily raises your ratings.
Partly true, but, chess tactics flow from a superior position. Losing at the opening stage with a
stronger opponent, checkmate or winning a piece will never occur.
Training chess tactics strengthens your tactical vision only. Not your overall chess.

Study the endgame first.

Studying or training your chess endgames is very important. It saves you half or even a
full point. It also helps your overall calculating ability since endgames need careful analysis one
false move and the tables are turned.
Exerting all your effort studying and practicing the endgame will not guarantee you a
won game. How can you show your endgame expertise if you are already a dead meat at the very
first moves, or at the middle?
Forget the openings.
There are a lot of things to master at the middle game-- chess tactics and positional
play/chess strategy. The middle game needs focus. One needs to train chess tactics regularly.
One needs to understand and grasp chess strategy. Playing openings perfectly does not
guarantee anything.
 Now let's come to a FULL STOP!... How can you reach a superior middlegame position
if you are already completely lost at the beginning?
Studying openings are also very important. Memorize the variations you chose by heart.
At least try to understand the reasons behind every move (like developing the Knight, opening
the Bishop's diagonal, controlling the center etc.). But not too deep. One opening variation can
occupy a 50 page analysis. A playable position that you are familiar with will do make a lot of
sense.
It is only for Grandmasters that studying openings deeply is a must. Their competition
level is very high. But they still make sure it won't eat all their time, since they also need to train
middle game and endgame also.
The opening book I recommend is a great source of preparing the beginning phase and
come up with a playable and familiar position of your choice.

Read the Classics.

Chess classic chess books, modern classics, and bestsellers are great sources for chess
improvement. They are somehow tested to be very instructive. Professional coaches usually
require to read the classics.
Buying chess classic books can also be harmful. Make sure that the book is catered for
your level. Make sure that is readable, fun, and instructive to read. Chess training should always
be fun. I could not understand anything from Reassess Your Chess and Dvorestsy Endgame
Manual when I was a 1300 level. I had headaches and made my game worse. I decided to stop
reading these books. I read simpler chess tactics, simple endgame, and a primer chess strategy
book first instead. When I turned to 1700, I reopened Reassess Your Chess, every word by
Silman became highly instructive!

IMPORTANCE OF CREATING A CHESS STUDY PROGRAM

. A chess player needs to improve every aspect of the game- openings, tactics, endgames,
and strategy/positional play. Nobody can learn chess with just a few lessons and play extremely
well. Chess is a process it may take years to master. Without a study plan, you would be jumping
from one topic to another. Leaping from one book to another without ever finishing anything.
Selecting and deciding what chess books to read first is a great idea. You should be firm
with your chess book choices and willing to read them from cover to cover. These books must
cover all aspects of the game. A knowledgeable chess coach can do this job for you. Three
hundred points stronger than you are good enough to trust a chess coach. A chess coach must
know your current level you are at and give chess book recommendations that are best for you.
 With the selected chess books, you (or your coach) must make a study program. Practice
and learning will be more easier and will be more efficient if you have something to follow. You
accumulate chess knowledge fast. Without a program you might get lost, get tempted to read this
and read that. Without nothing to follow, you might just play chess games without improving
anything. You might be solving chess tactics and studying chess openings a lot for years with
big weaknesses at strategy and endgames.
Chess improvement should be a balance of a bit of everything. A study program is
always designed to improve all aspects of your game--OPENINGS, TACTICS, ENDGAME,
AND STRATEGY!