August 22d, 2022
You probably know I’m a chess player and a coach. I often meet blunders in my students’ games. And in case if they lose these games, they feel upset. However, some games can be played without mistakes, but you can’t avoid blunders in every game. I recently demonstrated how Anatoly Karpov and Bobby Fischer blundered and lost several important games because of it. In this third video I would like to analyze games of ex-world champion Boris Spassky...
July 25th, 2022
What if I say that even World Champions blunder a lot? You probably watched my previous video where I explained the most epic blunders by Anatoly Karpov. But what about Bobby Fischer? Many people think he was a genius, maybe the most gifted chess player of all time. However, even he blunders. This is the second video where I demonstrate 5 epic blunders, oversights or missed wins by Bobby Fischer. Remember, your task is to decide which one of his blunders is the most epic....
July 15th, 2022
You probably watched the video where Magnus Carlsen was playing blitz with Judith Polgar in a park and lost his game. This video went viral. It’s called "ONLY 19 MOVES! Judit Polgar beats Magnus Carlsen with a Nice TRICK in Sicilian Defense (2022)"
Of course, they played for fun. Magnus was playing black and played Paulsen Sicilian, one of the lines I recommend in my newest course "How to Defeat White with Paulsen Sicilian". And Judith applied a tricky move in order to hook Magnus. He thought she blundered, but it was a trap...
July 8th, 2022
Candidate Tournament 2022 is over. I’m sure many of you followed it and enjoyed the beauty of chess and the games of leaders with almost no mistakes. Now let's sum it up. Well, Ian Nepomniactchi won the tournament scoring 9.5 of 14 with no losses and 5 wins. Ding Liren took the second place with 8 points and Tejmour Radjabov was 3rd with 7.5
Nepo demonstrated an outstanding performance and I’m proud of him. He gave no chances to his opponents to outplay him and started leading from...
July 4th, 2022
I’m sure you always get disappointed when you blunder in a chess game and as the result you lose the game. But what if I say that everyone blunders? Even World Champions. Can you imagine Garry Kasparov blundering a rook? Or Anatoly Karpov missing a win? What will you say after watching a classical game when Magnus Carlsen blundered a piece? Or Bobby Fischer overlooked a simple 2-3 moves combination?
June 19th, 2022
Every chess player enjoys the game where he attacks. It’s even more enjoyable if the attack started with a beautiful combination or includes it. How do club players find such combinations? If we speak about masters – they definitely know what to look for in a concrete position. If you are a club player and sometimes struggle with finding tactical strikes in the game, I will teach you a certain pattern that you will be able to recognize during your own games...
June 16th, 2022
I believe that every chess player should find his own way for playing chess. While some prefer the online world, using various websites and apps, others choose the classic wooden set not only for tournaments but for daily practice.
Many people study chess online, so when they come to the tournament they need to play on a wooden board with real chess. Then the perception of the position is completely different. It takes time to...
June 13th, 2022
Sicilian defense is the most popular defense in chess. And one of the famous variations there is Dragon Variation, where Black fianchettoes their dark-squared bishop and castles kingside.
This opening is played by chess players of all levels including beginners and top grandmasters. Why Dragon Sicilian is popular nowadays? Firstly, it’s easy to learn the basics of it. And if white player doesn’t know the theory Black overtakes the initiative. Moreover, in Sicilian Dragon...
June 8th, 2022
Chess players usually value a bishop more than a knight because of its long reach. The bishop can move from one flank to another one in just one move, when the knight maneuver requires 2 or moves. Many coaches scold their students for exchanging a bishop for a knight. However, sometimes knights are better than bishops.
But how to define if the bishop is good and we should keep it by the end of the game or exchange for the knight immediately?
June 6th,2022
Najdorf Variation is one of the most frequently used lines in Sicilian Defense. This opening became popular after a huge number of strong GMs started playing it successfully. Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov were among them. Najdorf is also popular nowadays – Carlsen, Grishchuk, Ding Liren, Vachier-Lagrave and Aronian play it regularly.
Why do chess players like this opening? Well, there are several reasons. First of all, it’s a complex opening which offers good winning chances for both sides. Secondly...
May 30th, 2022
Everyone likes to attack in chess. Even if an immediate attack is wrong plan, many chess players still prefer to use it. In these cases, the attack may result into several weaknesses into your own camp, so your opponent can take advantage of it...
How to define whether you should attack the enemy king or not? Well, there are several factors to take into account...
May 24th,2022
Every chess player likes to attack. It's always exciting to attack rather than defend your position. When you are into the attack you can look for beautiful combinations and mating nets for the enemy king. If you make a mistake there, you are unlikely to lose the game. In such case your opponent gets out of the pressure and the game continues with equal chances.
It happens quite often in a chess game when...
May 19th,2022
One of the most frequently used lines in Sicilian Defense - Najdorf Defense. The opening is named after the Polish-Argentine GM Miguel Najdorf, although he was not the first strong player who used it...
May 11th, 2022
How is it possible to attack the enemy king with your king?
From chess books and coaches, we know that in a chess game we should secure our own king and try to weaken or expose the enemy king.
So, let me explain what I have in mind by saying “attacking moves” with the king. We can divide king moves for attacking purposes into 3 types...
April 28th, 2022
I’m sure most of you at least once considered changing the opening repertoire. For example, I’ve been playing French Defense with Black pieces since I was 11. At the age of 32 I decided to switch the opening. I feel better in more open, complicated & sharp positions. That’s why...
April 20th, 2022
Here is the list of websites that will help you to improve in chess:
1) Chess.com is the most popular website devoted to chess where you can not only play chess online, but train and improve many of your chess skills...
April 14th, 2022
When your opponent castles usually it means that his king is safe enough, so now he can focus on something else: a queenside play, space advantage or a center control. However, a sense of security in this case is deceptive. The king still may become...
April 6th, 2022
What if your opponent makes a mistake and you get the advantage? How to increase this advantage? Well, there are a lot of options and I’ve already explained them at Webinar 114. That’s why, this time I would like to focus on how to take the advantage of your opponent’s mistakes and initiate a kingside attack!
It happens quite often when...
March 8th, 2022
It is recommended to start playing chess at the age of 5. The next task you have to do is to make a kid interested in chess. How to do it? It would be perfect for dads and moms play by themselves, so he or she sees the clear example. If only one parent plays in the family...
February 28th, 2022
Chess, especially at an early age, is a powerful push for intellectual development. Child learns to think independently, as well as develops the ability to concentrate and think critically, improving his memory at the same time. Even if a child loses the game, he subconsciously analyzes what he did wrong, developing the ability to learn from mistakes...
February 21th, 2022
There are two types of advantage:
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1) Static is an advantage that lasts throughout the game. It remains, when there are no abrupt changes in the position.
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An example of a static advantage: extra material, better pawn structure, space advantage...
February 15th, 2022
I’m sure everyone solves chess puzzles from time to time. It helps you to learn tactical motifs and, of course, improve your calculation skills and tactical vision.
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What tactical motifs are the most common? Probably, pins, double attack, discovered attack, distraction, attraction, x-ray, blockade, annihilation of defence, etc.
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However, I doubt that...
February 8th, 2022
Before making any decision about the chess coach for your kid, it is better for parents to study all details!
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So, what do you need to pay attention to?...
February 3d, 2022
What’s your primary opening for White? Do you play 1.e4 or 1.d4? Or maybe you prefer some closed systems such as 1.c4 or 1.Nf3 which can transpose to already known and well-studied openings or lead to rare variations with a complicated play?
I think nobody would argue if I say that the opening should reflect your playing style? If you prefer playing open positions with tactics and tempo play, you are likely to choose 1.e4. So, if you are a tactical player who prefers sharp play, I’m sure you enjoy playing 1.e4 and you are happy to get into any Sicilian or French Defense lines. Same as me!
However...
January 31th, 2022
These are the basic books that I really recommend, if you’re at the beginning of your journey at chess...
January 28th, 2022
Recently I had a very interesting game with my student Peter from Australia. Watch the video with the free analysis of it!
January 26th, 2022
Time management is really important during the game. Most of the players, including me, struggle with time instead of moves. So, here are some tips that will help you to manage your time...
December 25th, 2021
There are a lot of people in the world who loves chess and plays regularly. Most of them would like to get better, but don’t know, what exactly to do to become a stronger chess player. That’s why, the total majority just plays chess and believes that it makes them better in chess. Moreover, they mainly play blitz, so their moves are based on their intuition. A developed intuition is a helpful skill in chess, but definitely not decisive.
Unfortunately, playing chess games only won’t make you a better player...
Dear Chess Friends!
Since our last Simul you learned several important topics:
- Secrets of blitz
- The Greek gift sacrifice
- Attacking f7 (f2) square
- Preconditions of the kingside attack
- Bishop sacrifice on h6
And now it’s your chance to demonstrate how better in chess you became. Who wanted to play vs a titled player? Everyone is welcome!
How does it work? You can attend this webinar as a player or just a spectator....
October 29, 2021
An article about me was published this week on Linked In! It briefly tells about my path as a chess coach and player. I share with you an excerpt from it.
“Victor is a FIDE Master with a peak rating of 2305. He was introduced to chess at the early age of 5 by his grandfather. His grandfather was a military man who taught him and his cousin to play the game.
The game on the 64 square became Victor’s whole life. He spent all his childhood learning chess theory, studying from the classics, and becoming stronger at the game each day...
September 14, 2021
What is the most important skill for a chess player? I’m sure most of you will answer that Calculation is. Of course, in order to become a strong club player you also need to learn the openings and to understand the positions you usually get: plans, ideas, enemy threats and typical maneuvers.
That’s why it’s more important to improve your ability to calculate...
September 12, 2021
Want to beat your opponent even with black pieces?
Enjoy playing sharp, complicated and unclear positions, particularly Sicilian Defense?
Then you’re in the right place and everything you need is my Kan Sicilian course! I’m talking about this variation:
August 10, 2021
The Sicilian defense is one of the oldest but also most used opening in chess, as it generally creates dynamic and approximately equal positions. That’s why such aggressive players like Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, and nowadays Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Fabiano Caruana played it a lot.
August 4, 2021
One player we can learn a lot from is Paul Morphy, an American chess player who was considered the greatest chess master of his era.
His games were noted for his aggressive beauty, his combinations, and his enormous ability to attack the enemy king...
August 1, 2021
Nowadays, the opening stage of a chess game is becoming more important, either because of the appearance of chess engines or because almost everything has been studied, everyone is passionate about learning a new line...
July 21, 2021
Nowadays, everyone has a lot of opportunities to learn the theory and try to trick their opponents with a trap or an unsound gambit. For example, Stafford Gambit in Russian Game (Petroff Defense)...
July 21, 2021
Dear chess friends!
I have recently shared my thoughts on the process of becoming a chess GM in several interviews. If you are aspiring to become one, this could be a useful info for you!
March 25, 2021
Dear chess friends!
Solving problems is a necessary component of every chess player's training. Many chess players neglect solving puzzles, preferring to play a game that they see as a good way to practice. But one should not forget..
March 14, 2021
Hello, my dear chess friends!
How often do you blunder your pieces in 1 move? Once, twice or many times during the game? If your answer is more than 2 times per game, you should definitely work on it and make it your first priority...
February 11, 2021
Hello, my dear chess friends!
I want to tell you about the most recent OTB Tournament that I held last February. Due to lockdown, the last tournament I attended was Rapid Tournament. I must say that I played well, although I slightly lowered my rating...
February 3, 2021
When choosing an opening repertoire, it must meet at least two criteria:
The opening should be relevant. It should not be a trap, but a rather strong opening, which is also used by grandmasters today. For example, Grunfeld Defense for black...
January 25, 2021
How often do you pass the game into the endgame? I have to play the endgame in 70% of all my games. In other 30%, I finish the game in the middlegame with a tactical combination or a strong attack and gain extra material.
Do you know how to play the endgames properly?..
December 27, 2020
This is FM Viktor Neustroev and this is the last video devoted to the best player of all time. And in this video, I’m going to introduce Magnus Carlsen. Wait! Magnus Carlsen doesn't need to be introduced...
December 18, 2020
You know tactics and calculation are 2 main aspects of a chess game. You may point out that positional understanding is another good skill and it’s difficult to imagine a strong player who doesn’t understand the position! And I agree with you...
December 11, 2020
This is FM Viktor Neustroev and we continue our series of 5 videos devoted to the unofficial title “The Best Player of all time” this is the fourth video devoted to the best Indian player Vishwanathan Anand. Anand is a national hero in India where chess is quite popular...
December 7, 2020
You know, in chess, success is important for every player. Many of us, including myself, are terrified of failure. But if you plan to be successful, you must learn to respond to failures accordingly, and restore your spirit...
November 29, 2020
This is FM Viktor Neustroev and this is the third video devoted to the best player of all time. And in this video, I’m going to introduce Garry Kasparov. I’m sure many of you would say that Garry is the best chess player of all time!
November 27, 2020
This is FM Viktor Neustroev and this is the second video devoted to the best player of all time. Who deserves this title? Please, let me know what you think. However, I choose 5 candidates who in my opinion deserve this title...
November 23, 2020
Have you ever sacrificed material being unable to calculate all the lines and be sure that you can gain material back or checkmate?
November 23, 2020
I am glad to announce that we have finished our Honest Chess League 1 Tournament, and I congratulate everyone who participated...
November 22, 2020
In these video series I’ll try to answer the most complicated question in chess – who is the best player of all time? Is it Garry Kasparov? I’m sure many of you would argue with this statement, because at least Magnus Carlsen deserves to get this title...
October 29, 2020
Chess fans everywhere have their favorite chess movies. Here are my top picks, enjoy!
October 5, 2020
I'm glad to announce that we start our Honest Chess League Tournament. I'm sure that all measures I took, will prevent cheating in this tournament. Anyway, I want to ask you play FAIR...
October 9, 2020
I want to share with you where to play for IM or GM norm and how to get these norms. You know that during the time of COVID-19 it is not easy to participate in offline tournaments, but this one is among them...
October 3, 2020
What will the world of chess look like after the Covid-19 pandemic? Of course, the pandemic has made adjustments in almost all areas of human life, and even when it is completely over, many things will remain with us forever...
September 30, 2020
I'm starting a new tournament, but before doing it, I would like to share some analysis of some of the games played in my previous tournament...
September 23, 2020
The game between Alexander Hoffman and Alexander Petrov
September 23, 2020
In 1826 Evans created a sensation in the chess world by introducing his opening in a famous game in London...
September 23, 2020
Alapin Variation is a good Anti-Sicilian opening that can help you to score more points against Sicilian and at the same time doesn't require much knowledge...
September 16, 2020
Cappadocia is a wonderful and special place. There are no all-inclusive hotels, but there is certainly a mystery...
August 24, 2020
We finished our Online Summer Tournament and I'm glad to congratulate everyone (who didn't cheat, of course).
And let me introduce the winners! However, before doing it, let's look at the results of the 7th (last) round!
August 22, 2020
Today I want to share a story of me participating in a tournament in Tunisia after 15 years of a chess break.
I decided to resume playing in tournaments under the auspices of FIDE.
I had a choice of where to go: Crete or Tunisia. And, of course, I chose Crete, but...
August 11, 2020
This article is written by Jason Huot - a member of online tournament that I organized recently.
It has been a busy week in chess, making this blog a couple days later then normal. I played 5 games of 15+10 for a CFC rated event earlier this week, continued puzzles/study/review, and played the 5th round of the Online Summer Tournament...
August 7, 2020
This article is written by Jason Huot - a member of online tournament that I organized recently.
Week 4 of FM Neustroev's Online Summer Tournament is wrapping up tomorrow, and week 5 pairings should be up soon. My winning streak came to an end...
July 31, 2020
This article is written by Jason Huot - a member of online tournament that I organized recently.
Today is Sunday which means round 4 pairings will be published around midnight here. Round 3 went well, working up another positive result...
July 30, 2020
This article is written by Jason Huot - a member of online tournament that I organized recently.
Happy to say week two's match had another positive result...
July 22, 2020
People have been playing chess for more than 1500 years. The game is known all over the world, and has long been considered not only a sport, but also an art. Today the popularity of chess is growing. Not only children, but also adults learn to play, participate in tournaments.
Why is this trend observed? How do I teach a child to play chess? I have recently given an interview about this and much more...
July 20, 2020
I know that most chess players prefer to capture the material rather than to sacrifice. But sometimes you can’t really exploit your advantage without sacrifice.
It’s fine when you are able to calculate the line from the beginning to the very end. But what if the position is too complicated and you can’t?...
July 13, 2020
This article is written by a member of Online tournament that I organized recently. And It reflects his impression about the tournament!
Just finished playing my first game of FM Viktor Neustroev's Online Summer Tournament...
Jun 30, 2020
This is FM Victor Neustroev and I'm glad to announce that I conduct our next tournament! I'm sure you were waiting for it. I received several questions about when it starts and...
July 10, 2020
This is FM Victor Neustroev and I'm happy to announce my next webinar!
I believe every chess player prefers to attack rather than to defend his position. However, usually one player attacks, the other one defends the position. If the player, who attacks, succeeds with his active play, he might be able to deliver a checkmate...
Jun 21, 2020
This is FM Viktor Neustroev and in this video I’m going to tell you my chess story. How I started playing chess, how I became a title player and then a FM. This is the first part of my story where...
Jun 10, 2020
This is FM Viktor Neustroev and in this video I’m going to tell you about 5 things (or facts) that you probably didn’t know about chess. I’m sure you’ll find them interesting and what is more important, a knowledge...
jun 7, 2020
I believe every chess player wants to know what happens in his opponent’s mind: what plans he has, what ideas he wants to realize and, of course, what lines...
May 28, 2020
When to sacrifice pieces. Good question! And usually a strong player (Master or Candidate Master knows the answer). However, for many club players the answer is not clear. That’s why I decided...
May 26,2020
My Dear Chess Friends!
We are about to finish our 2nd Online Tournament! 7 rounds were played and what we...
May 19, 2020
Have you ever heard such a phrase “controlling the center is to control the game”? I believe yes, because it’s absolute...
May 13, 2020
Hi! This is FM Viktor Neustroev.
You know, it’s a real pleasure to get your opponent trapped into an opening (that you preparedwell) or just create a trap during...
Apr 12, 2020
Dear Chess Friends!“Chess is a game of unlimited beauty, but it’s not just checks and attacks, you have to be creative.” This is what Garry Kasparov said on his Master Class and I 100% agree with him...
Apr 18, 2020
Dear Chess Friends! People sometimes ask me if there is a certain strategy that helps to win regardless of what your opponent plays. Have you ...
Mar 30, 2020
Dear Chess Friends! You know every chess player wants to play better, but it’s very often when he repeats the same mistake many times, because he ...
Mar 24, 2020
Dear Chess Friends!I created a video where described top 7 aggressive chess openings that I played in my games! 3 of them are for white and 4 ...
Mar 20, 2020
Dear Chess Friends! This is FM Victor Neustroev.You know many chess tournaments all over the world are cancelled due to coronavirus ...
Feb 5, 2020
My Dear Chess Friends! Do you like to play against 1.d4? As for me, I really enjoy the positions I can get there. After 1.d4 white usually has 2 options: To play ...
Jan 28, 2020
My Dear Chess Friends,On Sunday I conducted a Master Class for Beginners and for those who missed it I would like to show a fragment where I ...
Jan 24, 2020
Dear Chess Friends, I’ve already posted 2 articles: About mistakes that beginners make (and, of course, I shared my ideas of how to avoid these ...
Jan 20, 2020
Dear Chess Friends, I decided to continue the topic about beginners’ chess progress and this post is devoted to how to solve puzzles. I’m absolutely sure v...
Jan 17, 2020
Dear Chess Friends, Nowadays chess becomes more popular among adults. Let’s say if, for example, 20 years ago chess coaches had to teach ...
Dec 2, 2019
My Dear Chess Friends! In this post I want to share with you where to play for IM or GM norm and how to get these norms. Everything is based on my own ...
Oct 17, 2019
My tournament in Budapest has finished!Let’s summarize the results. I scored 6 points of 9 what is a really good result and got the 2nd place.I didn’t get an IM norm (7 of 9), but increased my rating by 26 points!If not a stupid loss in the fi...
Aug 30, 2019
Hi There! This is CM Victor Neustroev and let me tell you about my chess adventures in Europe. I live in Novosibirsk, but there are no strong tournaments. That’s why I decided to go to Europe in summer and play in a few. I also took my daughter Al...