Focuses on choosing correct moves and avoiding random play. Key courses include Level Up Your Chess and 3 Steps to 2000 Elo .
Will find the strategic depth in Your Winning Plan and Positional Understanding vital for breaking through to the expert level.
The course reveals , teaching you when—and how—to attack effectively. With 9 video lessons totaling 180 minutes, this course is concise yet powerful.
: “I’m just a regular person with limited time, but by following simple rules from the videos, I scored 7.5/9 and became a FIDE Master.” gm igor smirnov all 9 chess courses new
Instead of presenting a rigid repertoire, this course teaches the underlying structural themes of opening play, ensuring you never get lost if an opponent plays a novelty.
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How many can you dedicate to focused training? Focuses on choosing correct moves and avoiding random play
Smirnov teaches a specific, reliable technique to calculate lines without wasting time or mental energy. It focuses on identifying candidate moves and checking them in a logical order to reduce blunders. 4. How to Beat Titled Players and Stronger Opponents
Recently, the curriculum has been updated and streamlined into a definitive collection: the all-new 9 core chess courses bundle. This comprehensive guide breaks down each course in the new collection, explores the unique Smirnov pedagogy, and helps you determine how this complete training system can elevate your rating. The Smirnov Philosophy: Why These Courses Are Different
Every course includes companion PGN files. Load these into a chess database program (like ChessBase or Lichess) to review the structural variations and notes. The course reveals , teaching you when—and how—to
Recently, the chess community has been buzzing about the consolidation and update of his life’s work. The phrase is trending for a reason. Smirnov has either completely overhauled or systematically packaged his core curriculum into nine definitive digital programs.
Rounds out a player's repertoire with Grandmaster’s Openings Laboratory , An Endgame Expert , and How to Beat Titled Players . High-Impact Courses for 2026