Tactical Thursday – October Focus: Strategic Calculations and Positional Sacrifices
with GM Swapnil Dhopade
This October, the Tactical Thursday series continues with a sophisticated edition led by elite Indian grandmaster and renowned coach GM Swapnil Dhopade. This time, the focus shifts to two of the most advanced and artistically demanding aspects of chess mastery: Strategic Calculations and Positional Sacrifices.
Many players excel at sharp tactical calculations but struggle when facing positions that demand a deeper blend of strategic understanding and precise calculation—particularly when evaluating positional sacrifices where material is invested for long-term compensation rather than immediate tactical gain. This camp will teach you to bridge the gap between pure tactics and positional judgment, developing the sophisticated evaluation skills that characterize elite-level play.
Through carefully chosen examples, GM Dhopade will help you: – Master the art of calculating strategically rather than purely tactically, understanding compensation factors beyond material – Develop reliable evaluation techniques for assessing positional sacrifices in complex middlegame structures – Understand the critical timing and conditions that make positional sacrifices effective versus premature – Build the judgment and confidence needed to execute non-forcing sacrifices that create lasting positional pressure
This edition is perfect for players who want to elevate their game beyond tactical pattern recognition, learning to evaluate and execute the sophisticated positional sacrifices and strategic calculations that define grandmaster-level understanding and separate strong players from truly exceptional ones.
As usual, the lectures will be held over two Thursdays — 09.10.2025 and 30.10.2025, with two sessions each day. After each lecture, participants will receive 10 test positions to solve independently. At the end of the camp, all test positions and detailed solutions will be included in the final PGN file.
Tactical Thursday is part of the Modern Chess Academy, which means all Academy members receive free access to the live lectures and the complete digital product released afterward.
Technical Details
✅ Dates: 09.10.2025 and 30.10.2025
✅ Training Platform: Zoom
✅ Coach: GM Swapnil Dhopade
Program
09.10.2025 Paris Time | New York Time
17:30 – 19:00 | 11:30 – 13:00 – Strategic Calculations and Positional Sacrifices – Part 1
19:30 – 21:00 | 13:30 – 15:00 – Strategic Calculations and Positional Sacrifices – Part 2
30.10.2025 Paris Time | New York Time
17:30 – 19:00 | 11:30 – 13:00 – Strategic Calculations and Positional Sacrifices – Part 3
19:30 – 21:00 | 13:30 – 15:00 – Strategic Calculations and Positional Sacrifices – Part 4
21:00 – 21:30 | 15:00 – 15:30 – Q&A Session with GM Grigor Grigorov and GM Petar Arnaudov
As with all Modern Chess camps, participants will receive: – Recordings of all lectures – PGN files with all material covered – Free access to the digital product based on the four lectures
This is your chance to master the sophisticated evaluation skills that underlie the most beautiful and effective chess ideas—where strategic vision meets precise calculation. Join GM Swapnil Dhopade this October and develop the advanced judgment that transforms positional understanding into concrete winning advantages.
This event is completed.