This April, the Tactical Thursday series continues with a special edition led by renowned Indian grandmaster and elite trainer GM Swapnil Dhopade. In these sessions, GM Dhopade will guide participants through one of the most subtle and powerful aspects of modern calculation—identifying hidden defensive resources, anticipating threats, and expanding your search horizon through structured thinking.
When calculating variations, many players rush toward forcing lines or focus only on their own ideas. However, the strongest players pause to ask critical questions:
What does my opponent want? What are my alternatives? What haven’t I considered yet?
These questions help uncover “invisible moves” and bring clarity to complex positions. The result is stronger calculation, better decisions, and more confidence at the board.
GM Dhopade will present a practical method for incorporating “Option Awareness” and Prophylaxis into your thought process. This structured approach will help players:
Recognize hidden defensive and counterattacking resources
Improve decision-making in unclear positions
Avoid premature commitments
Solve calculation tasks with greater accuracy and depth
As always, the lectures will be held over two Thursdays – 17.04 and 24.04, with two sessions each day. After each lecture, participants will receive 10 test positions to solve independently. At the end of the camp, the final PGN file will include all exercises with detailed solutions, creating a valuable and reusable study resource.
Tactical Thursday is part of the Modern Chess Academy, giving all academy members free access to these lectures and the corresponding digital product to be released afterward.
Let me know if you'd like a shorter version for email or visuals as well!
✅ Dates: 17.04.2025 and 24.04.2025
✅ Training Platform: Zoom
✅ Coach: GM Davorin Kuljasevic
17.04.2025
Paris Time New York Time
17:30 - 19:00 11:30 - 13:00 - Looking for Options and Prophylactic Thinking in Calculation - Part 1
19:30 - 21:00 13:30 - 15:00 - Looking for Options and Prophylactic Thinking in Calculation - Part 2
24.04.2025
Paris Time New York Time
17:30 - 19:00 11:30 - 13:00 - Looking for Options and Prophylactic Thinking in Calculation - Part 3
19:30 - 21:00 13:30 - 15:00 - Looking for Options and Prophylactic Thinking in Calculation - 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 have full access to: