Courses (1099)

Most players know their rating but not their actual chess profile. A 2300 might calculate like a 2500 in tactical positions, then drop to 2100 when handling strategic imbalances. A 2450 converts technical endgames at 2600 strength but freezes in critical moments, playing more like 2250. GM Alexey Dreev and GM Pier Luigi Basso built 100 Moves to 2700 – The 2026 Edition to expose these hidden discrepancies—turning vague self-assessment into concrete, actionable data about where your chess truly lives.

The Catalan has earned its reputation as one of White's most refined weapons—a setup that squeezes Black positionally without offering clear tactical targets. Traditional responses either accept long-term passivity or aim for quick exchanges that lead to plain equality. The fundamental challenge remains: can Black create genuine winning chances without drifting into positions where White's superior structure and piece placement gradually tell?

GM Mahammad Muradli answers this question with a system that flips the script entirely. His course on 4...dxc4 5.Bg2 Nbd7 presents Black's most principled counterattacking approach—a line that has become the choice of world-class players including Carlsen, Nakamura, and Mamedyarov.

GM Baadur Jobava and IM Dragos Ceres have produced Part 2 of their Sveshnikov project with a specific mission: to arm Black players with a complete, deeply analyzed repertoire against White's most dangerous modern tries. Where most databases offer superficial coverage of one or two variations after the critical position following 9.a4 Be7, this course dedicates six full chapters to this single branch alone. The authors dissect 10.Be2, 10.Be3, 10.a5, 10.b4, and 10.Bd2—each requiring distinct defensive setups and counterattacking ideas.

When top players like Anand began employing 3.f3 against the Grünfeld and King's Indian, they weren't searching for a tactical refutation. They were reclaiming White's most fundamental asset: the ability to establish a classical pawn center without committing to a rigid piece configuration. This flexible approach, systematically explored by IM Kushager Krishnater, offers White a coherent repertoire where strategic clarity replaces the encyclopedic memorization demanded by mainline theory.

When Alekhine, Capablanca, and Botvinnik approached the Carlsbad structure, they were not seeking tactical fireworks—they were testing the fundamental principles of positional chess. Over a century later, this structure remains a proving ground for understanding pawn minorities, piece coordination, and endgame transitions. While opening theory has shifted and engines have reshaped preparation, the Carlsbad endures because it is built on long-term strategic logic rather than concrete variations. GM Vladimir Malakhov and GM Pier Luigi Basso have created Understand the Carlsbad Structure not as a repertoire course, but as a study of chess thinking itself—an exploration of how one pawn formation has shaped elite practice from 1927 to the present day.

International Master Kushager Krishnater addresses this challenge with 3.Nc3—the most principled and ambitious response. While 3.e5 and 3.Nd2 certainly lead to playable structures, Krishnater's philosophy is clear: developing the knight to its most active square immediately allows White to apply maximum pressure and dictate the character of the game from the very start. This direct approach keeps all options open, supports central expansion, and challenges Black in the most concrete way possible. The course emphasizes what Krishnater calls "the human element"—practical lines designed for real tournament play rather than theoretical perfection.

When GM Alexey Dreev introduced 6...Qa5+ against the Advance Variation in 2016, the move seemed like a quiet theoretical footnote. His student at the time, GM Pier Luigi Basso, tested it at the European Championship against GM Andriasian—and it held. Nearly a decade later, that same partnership has produced something more ambitious: a complete Caro-Kann system built on fresh paths and independent thinking. The Caro-Kann for Black - Part 1 isn't about learning another opening repertoire. It's about understanding why certain positions work, where theory is vulnerable, and how to maintain a critical edge when everyone else is still following the mainline.

When Pavel Eljanov began developing his English Opening repertoire, he noticed that 1.c4 e6 2.g3 represented a distinct challenge requiring its own dedicated treatment. While his previous courses had covered Black's symmetrical responses, King's Indian structures, and direct central challenges, the setup with ...e6 and …d5 demanded a separate approach. His solution centers on 3.Bg2 followed by Nf3, O-O, and (depending on how black continues) b3—a flexible formation that maintains White's opening advantage while adapting precisely to Black's chosen structure.

The Sveshnikov Sicilian carries a paradox at its heart. Black accepts what textbooks call "structural concessions"—the d5 square becomes weak, the pawn formation looks compromised—yet the opening has powered World Champions to victory for decades. Kramnik wielded it during his prime. Carlsen deployed it in crucial games. Most recently, Gukesh employed it to defeat Hovhannisyan at the 2025 Grand Swiss, breathing fresh life into classical lines. The secret? While White fixates on that d5-square, Black launches attacks. This course by GM Baadur Jobava and IM Dragos Ceres teaches you to turn supposed weaknesses into winning weapons.

The Reti–Catalan hybrid is one of the most flexible and conceptually rich systems in modern chess. Starting with
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3, White keeps maximum flexibility, avoids early theoretical commitments, and steers the game toward structures that reward deep positional understanding rather than memorization.