Chess Academy - January 2025 

General Information

The Modern Chess Academy is a long-term project designed to provide continuous, high-quality chess training each month, featuring four key components:

1. Strategy Wednesday – A deep dive into strategic play, held twice per month, focusing on key concepts to strengthen your positional understanding.

2. Tactical Thursday  – Similar in structure to Strategy Wednesday, but dedicated to tactics, dynamic positions, and improving calculation skills.

3. Guided Practice – Each week, participants receive 15 test positions to solve, with annotated solutions provided the following week. By the end of the month, members get access to a PGN file containing all positions and a video analyzing the most instructive examples. Throughout the month, you will receive a total of 60 test positions, with annotated solutions provided weekly. You’ll also gain access to a comprehensive PGN database and a 2-hour instructional video highlighting the most instructive positions.

The December Guided Practice will focus on the Hanging Pawns, covering:

• Stage 1: Attacking Play
• Stage 2: Positional Play
• Stage 3: Fighting against the Hanging Pawns
• Stage 4: The Structure with Pawns on c3 and d4

4. Opening Lab – A monthly session focused on opening theory, where members submit questions in advance. Responses are delivered via a video recording, ensuring personalized, expert guidance.

November 2024 Schedule

1) Strategy Wednesday
Strategy Wednesday: January Focus - Must-Know Strategies with a Fianchetto Bishop by GM Ioannis Papaioannou

• 15.01.2025:

  • 17:30 - 19:00 (Paris Time) / 11:30 - 13:00 (New York Time) – Must-Know Strategies with a Fianchetto Bishop - Part 1
  • 19:30 - 21:00 (Paris Time) / 13:30 - 15:00 (New York Time) – Must-Know Strategies with a Fianchetto Bishop - Part 2

• 22.01.2025:

  • 17:30 - 19:00 (Paris Time) / 11:30 - 13:00 (New York Time) – Must-Know Strategies with a Fianchetto Bishop - Part 3
  • 19:30 - 21:00 (Paris Time) / 13:30 - 15:00 (New York Time) – Must-Know Strategies with a Fianchetto Bishop - Part 4

2) Tactical Thursday
Tactical Thursday: January Focus - Advanced Calculation Techniques by GM Davorin Kuljasevic

• 16.01.2025:

  • 17:30 - 19:00 (Paris Time) / 11:30 - 13:00 (New York Time) – Advanced Calculation Techniques - Part 1
  • 19:30 - 21:00 (Paris Time) / 13:30 - 15:00 (New York Time) – Advanced Calculation Techniques - Part 2

• 23.01.2025:

  • 17:30 - 19:00 (Paris Time) / 11:30 - 13:00 (New York Time) – Advanced Calculation Techniques - Part 3
  • 19:30 - 21:00 (Paris Time) / 13:30 - 15:00 (New York Time) – Advanced Calculation Techniques - Part 4

3) Guided Practice

• 05.01.2025: Receive 15 test positions (Stage 1)
• 10.01.2025: Receive annotated solutions for Stage 1 and 15 new test positions (Stage 2)
• 17.01.2025: Receive annotated solutions for Stage 2 and 15 new test positions (Stage 3)
• 24.01.2025: Receive annotated solutions for Stage 3 and 15 new test positions (Stage 4)
• 31.01.2025: Receive a PGN file with solutions for all 60 positions and a 2-hour video analyzing the key positions.

This month the Guided Practice will be led by IM Siegfried Baumegger.

4) Opening Lab

• 24.12.2024: Deadline to submit opening questions.
• 31.12.2024: Receive a video recording with expert answers to submitted theoretical questions by GM Grigor Grigorov and GM Petar Arnaudov.