Category: Blog
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What are chess norm factories, and how do you detect a fake Grandmaster?
Chess has titles, the highest being Grandmaster. Having the title means you achieved a certain level of understanding and deserve respect. However, the route to that achievement is not the same for everyone. Out there, a considerable percentage of titled players earned their titles through questionable means, using events known as “norm factories.” In these…
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“How can I improve my chess?”
I hate this question because the answer is simple: get a chess coach and follow their advice. Not working? Get a different one and follow their advice. Repeat until you get good results. And before I forget, stop asking online how to improve your chess. I know some of you are ready to rush to…
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People Will Pay to Watch Chess Games
It sounds ridiculous at first since all chess games are free. Actually, it’s not unusual at all. People all the time pay for a better experience. Listening to music is free too. Yet people pay for Spotify. Since I claim that it is possible, why has no one done it yet? Well, one company, AGON,…
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How to Stop Scholar’s Mate and Other Early Checkmates
Imagine the strongest player in the world, Magnus Carlsen, challenges you to a game. Your goal is simple: survive longer than Bill Gates, who famously got mated in 8 moves (12 seconds total). Let me help you. I’ll explain everything from Black’s perspective, since Black starts with a slight disadvantage. Everything I say also applies…
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A Random Book Made Me a Grandmaster
You might find it surprising to encounter a chapter on luck in a chess book. After all, the beauty of the game is attributed to supreme intelligence, and strong players almost consistently outperform weaker ones over time, making sensational victories rare. This creates the impression that luck plays an insignificant role in chess. However, this…
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ChessEver — A Mobile App to Follow Live Chess Tournaments
I’ve been working on ChessEver, a mobile app built specifically for following live chess tournaments on your phone. ChessEver is a mobile app for following live chess tournaments, built for players and fans who want to track events without distractions. The app is now available on iOS and Android. What ChessEver does: If you’re following the Tata Steel…
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What Is the Best Way to Follow Chess Events?
Following chess events shouldn’t be complicated. Yet many fans and players still struggle to track live games, standings, and tournaments in one place. Common questions come up again and again: How can you follow chess tournaments live? What’s the best way to track chess events in a single app? In practice, the cleanest way to…
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Best App to Follow Chess Events
Today we’re announcing ChessEver Beta 🚀 A pro-grade app to follow chess like never before. Here’s a sneak peek of the app’s unique features: Beta testing opens soon. Sign up now!
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Don’t Concede the Aura
Fischer famously said, “I don’t believe in psychology, I believe in good moves!” Did he really believe that? I don’t think so. Intentionally or not, he kept opponents under constant psychological pressure by being unpredictable about whether he’d show up, what he’d play, or what he’d say. Anyone who has lived inside competitive chess knows…
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You have bread. You have butter… and you want JAM?!’
What’s the greediest chess move you’ve ever played? For me, it was this position from a 2018 game. My knight was on d5, his pawn on f4. I just needed 5 minutes to calculate the crushing Ne7 … But I grabbed on f4 because I wanted JAM too!Technically, White was still winning, but after 1…g5!!, it got…
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“When you see a good move, look for a better one.”
Emanuel Lasker famously said, “When you see a good move, look for a better one.” But does that still apply in today’s fast-paced, engine-driven chess? This post explores the balance between principle, practicality, and intuition.
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What is Fantasy Chess?
I’ve co-founded 64seven.com, a website dedicated to fantasy chess. Since launching the company, we’ve realized that many people aren’t quite sure what “fantasy” means in this context. Some even confuse it with gambling. Let’s clear that up! Fantasy sports are games where participants create virtual teams made up of real-world players. These players don’t actually…