Free chess lessons

112 lessons, ordered from your first game to master level. Each one explains one idea, shows it on the board and gives you puzzles to practise it.

Beginner (unrated – 800)

Learn the game, the mates and the first tactics. Make chess fun and build safe habits.

Foundation under 400

• The chessboard and its coordinates Rules & board
• Long-range pieces: rook, bishop and queen Rules & board
• Knight, king and pawn Rules & board
• Check and the three ways out Rules & board
• Checkmate and stalemate Checkmates
• Castling Rules & board
• Promotion and en passant Rules & board
• What the pieces are worth Rules & board
• First mating patterns Checkmates
• What did my opponent just do? Thinking process
• Mini-games: pawn wars and queen vs pawns Endgames

Novice 400–800

• Mate with king and queen Checkmates
• Mate with king and rook Checkmates
• Ladder mate and classic patterns Checkmates
• Hanging pieces: take them and don’t leave them Tactics
• The safety check before every move Thinking process
• Double attacks and forks Tactics
• Three golden opening rules Openings
• Scholar’s mate and how to stop it Openings
• Can the king catch the pawn? The rule of the square Endgames
• Your first game review Game analysis
• Pins: pieces that cannot move Tactics

Below 1000 (800 – 999)

Stop giving pieces away. Use every check, capture and threat. Play sound openings.

Class F 800–1000

• Checks, captures, threats (CCT) Thinking process
• Forks with every piece Tactics
• Using and breaking pins Tactics
• Skewers and x-rays Tactics
• Discovered attacks and double check Tactics
• Mate in two Checkmates
• Trapping pieces Tactics
• King and pawn vs king: opposition Endgames
• Italian Game: plans, not just moves Openings
• Answering 1.d4: the Queen’s Gambit Declined Openings
• Passed pawns and promotion races Endgames
• Annotate first, engine second Game analysis

Below 1500 (1000 – 1399)

Win with tactics, convert winning positions, learn the essential endgames and the first plans.

Class E 1000–1200

• Candidate moves Thinking process
• Deflection: pulling a defender away Tactics
• Attraction (decoy) sacrifices Tactics
• Mating attacks in three moves Checkmates
• The Lucena position: building a bridge Endgames
• The Philidor defence: holding rook endings Endgames
• Converting extra material Endgames
• Promotion tactics Tactics
• Meeting the Sicilian with 2.c3 Openings
• Pawn endings: outside passer and breakthrough Endgames
• Tracking your mistakes Game analysis

Class D 1200–1400

• Reading a position: the imbalances Strategy
• Good and bad pieces Strategy
• Outposts and open files Strategy
• Calculating without moving the pieces Calculation
• Clearance and interference Tactics
• Quiet moves and defensive moves Tactics
• Minor-piece endings Endgames
• Active king and triangulation Endgames
• Learning from model games Game analysis
• From moves to structures Openings
• A full thinking routine Thinking process

Below 2000 (1400 – 1999)

Positional understanding, deeper calculation, a real repertoire and technical endgames.

Class C 1400–1600

• The isolated queen’s pawn (IQP) Strategy
• Carlsbad structure and the minority attack Strategy
• Hanging pawns and pawn breaks Strategy
• Prophylaxis: what does my opponent want? Thinking process
• In-between moves (zwischenzug) Tactics
• Practical rook endings Endgames
• Zugzwang Endgames
• Managing the clock Competition
• Attacking f7/f2 and the uncastled king Tactics
• Critical moments in your games Game analysis

Class B 1600–1800

• The art of defence Calculation
• Which pieces to exchange Strategy
• Attacking the castled king Tactics
• The principle of two weaknesses Strategy
• Building a complete repertoire Openings
• Removing the guard Tactics
• Rook endings: rook pawns and the Vančura idea Endgames
• Calculating trees of variations Calculation
• Tournament routine Competition
• Full annotation of a tournament game Game analysis

Class A 1800–2000

• A calculation method for hard positions Calculation
• Static vs dynamic advantages Strategy
• Endgame studies for imagination Calculation
• Queen endings and queen vs pawn Endgames
• Attacks with opposite-side castling Tactics
• Tournament psychology Competition
• Under-promotion and stalemate tricks Tactics
• The personal mistakes notebook Game analysis
• Rook and minor piece endings Endgames
• Recognising critical moments at the board Thinking process
• Preparing for a specific opponent Openings

Professional track (2000+)

Title norms: deep preparation, calculation under pressure, high-level endgames and competition management.

Expert 2000–2200

• Opening preparation methodology Openings
• Decision-making in critical positions Thinking process
• Calculation under pressure Calculation
• Advanced rook endings Endgames
• Bishop and knight mate Endgames
• Opponent preparation routine Competition
• Analysing with engines the right way Game analysis
• Positional sacrifices Strategy
• Setting season targets Competition

Master 2200–2400

• Finding and storing novelties Openings
• Managing the opening file Openings
• Finding the opponent’s resources Calculation
• Endgame analysis at master level Endgames
• Manoeuvring in closed positions Strategy
• Playing for norms Competition
• Season analysis and pattern finding Game analysis
• Attack and defence at master level Tactics

IM / GM track 2400+

• Elite-level preparation Openings
• Competition management Competition
• Practical decisions and intuition Thinking process
• Endgame maintenance Endgames
• Building an independent training system Game analysis
• Keeping calculation at peak level Calculation
• Deep strategy: prophylaxis and restriction Strategy
• Mental and physical preparation Competition