Coaching + In-class Practice Tournament + Reward,  Our Unique ichesswhiz.com Training Methodology

ichesswhiz.com utilizes our unique chess training methodologies that emphasize improving students' tactical and strategic thinking abilities instead of memorizing preset or existing best moves as other chess training programs use. The coaches working with us are top-rated professional chess players with many years of success in chess coaching experience. They are using a variety of in-class training methodologies such as classical GM chess game analyses, students' in-class game analyses, puzzle racers/rush, simuls with coaches, etc.  Most of our classes will have a one-hour in-class practice tournament among the students in the class. The students are awarded for their performance in the class tournament to motivate them to excel in their chess studies.

Entry-level Topics:

• Set Up The Chess Board
• Learn To Move The Pieces, Basic Chess Rules
• Discover The Special Rules
• Learn Who Makes The First Move
• Check Out The Rules On How To Win
• Study The Basic Strategies
• Practice Playing Lots Of Games

Opening Principles:

• Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5.
• Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key.  Centralized piece control more squares.(King Safety)
• Connect your rooks. There should be no pieces between your Rooks.
• Move each piece only once
• Protect the King.
• Don’t bring the Queen out too early.

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles (Piece Activity). Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.

Most Important Middlegame Principles:

• Centralize your pieces
• Trade your flank pawns for the central pawns
• Avoid pawn weaknesses
• Avoid creating weak squares in your position
• Always blockade your opponent’s isolated pawn with a knight
• Occupy open files with your rooks
• Keep the bishop pair.
• Always look for your opponent’s threats or ideas
• Look for in-between moves
• Improve your pieces

End Game Strategies:

• Master the basic checkmates
• Master the basics of technique
• Promote to queen
• Activate your king
• Find and use the pawn majority
• Push passed pawn
• Use the principle of two weaknesses
• Calculate and Win!
• And more...

End Games Topics Include:

• Rook Endgames
• Bishop Endgames
• Knight Endgames
• Pawn Endgames
• Queen Endgames
• Bishop against knight
• How to use the advantage of the pair of bishops.