ChessNuts Classroom
A Note to the Student


If you are like most other chess players facing the start of yet another "Chess Improvement Course", you are asking yourself two questions... "What makes this course different than the others that I've tried?" and more importantly, "Will this work for me?"

"What makes this course different than the others that I've tried?" - Most chess courses (books, computer programs, DVDs) give the impression that the student really only needs to master the one magic secret contained within that course in order to become a better chess player. In my quest to improve my own chess game, I've come to the conclusion that there is no one thing that if mastered, "solves chess". If it were only that easy, the chess world would be comprised solely of absolute beginners and varying degrees of Masters! Instead, the course I've laid out leads the student systematically through all the topics related to playing chess well (Tactics, Strategy, Endgames, Opening Theory, etc.) with the idea that while some of these topics are indeed used more frequently, a well rounded training/study regimen leads to a better understanding of the entire game and results in a stronger player.

"Will this work for me?" - Every student learns at different rates, and every chess player has different strengths and weaknesses. I believe this program will help any student learn how to play chess better. Some will benefit more than others, but any student learning along the path recommended in this course should learn to play better chess. I can say this with confidence because this is how I've improved my own game. During the time periods that I have followed this training method, my rating has improved and I've gotten better results. During those periods that I've "strayed" from this course of study, my rating has dropped or been stagnant and my results have been poor in comparison.

Let me explain how this course is put together, how I chose the materials that went into it, and why it works...

I designed this course based on the problems I've had over the years. Many times I would read a great book and learn a new chess concept. I mean, I really understood this new idea and got excited because I had learned a valuable lesson about chess. Yes SIR! I was on my way! Then, I would notice a disturbing trend... After I finished playing a game of chess and reviewed it with my opponent, we would both realize that I had missed a perfect opportunity to apply this wonderful new idea. What happened? I had improved my knowledge of chess, but had not changed the way I played. I was not using this new idea that I had learned.

It turns out that although I understood this new concept, I had not made it a part of my chess "thinking process" because I was missing a step... Practice. This course incorporates a heavy dose of practice in order to take the comprehension of a new idea and turn it into a learned skill.

So then, the basic format of this course is to first learn new ideas, and then through practice develop these ideas into skills. In order to do this well, I've undertaken to identify what ideas are most important, who does the best job at teaching them, and finally, what is the most effective way to practice these ideas to turn them into chess skills.

Finding Ideas. Through my own study of chess, I have come to believe that certain topics are more important than others during different stages of the learning process. I believe the most critical topic for beginning players to study is Tactics. After Tactics, the student should invest time to play through well annotated Master games using a process outlined by the famous chess teacher C.J.S. Purdy, with the focus on learning the principles and characteristics of high level play. You'll find elements of these first two training elements in every ChessNuts Classroom level, as I believe they form the foundation of the learning process at every level of play. Third, a basic understanding of chess Endgames is required. Fourth, an introduction into chess Strategy is needed. Fifth, the study of chess Opening Theory should be explored. It has been my endeavor to match the chess student with well taught lessons on those topics that are most appropriate for their current level. Primarily, this means books but in some cases there is excellent material published on the internet. For my course it is not enough that a lesson be taught using high quality (Master) games. Equally important is that the lesson be taught by a top-notch chess educator, one who's work has stood the test of time and is easy to understand by the student in the level that the lesson is to be taught.

Practice for skill. There are many tools available to practice chess skills. I have chosen those that do the best job, have the fewest problems, and multi-task whenever possible. As I find more useful tools, I add those to the Classroom levels for which they are most appropriate. When a tool fails, I remove it. By far the most useful tool in the ChessNuts Classroom project is the Chessimo chess trainer. Able to assist with Tactics, Endgames, Strategy, and Opening Theory, Chessimo is a training workhorse that is equally helpful to the chess Beginner and Tournament Player. Chessimo is more than just "drills"... It teaches patterns that become a part of the student's "chess vision", and actually helps the student change the way they think and play chess. There are other tools in the ChessNuts Classroom, but if you feel that you only have time for one, Chessimo is my tool of choice.

Finally, I recommend the use of a chess coach (or mentor). Most of the time that I've been learning chess, I have had no coach of my own. During the few times that I have had a coach to guide me and keep me focussed, I've made more progress in less time. Having a coach, tutor, or mentor is a valuable learning asset. This is why my course requires more experienced players to become a coach or mentor to the students in the lower ChessNuts Classroom levels.

Why does this course work? This course doesn't do just half the job. It doesn't dump great ideas in your lap and say "Good luck and have fun!"... It finishes the job by teaching both the "book learning" and the "street smarts", giving the student both knowledge and experience.

I hope you have as much fun learning chess as I do! I'm still trying to get better, hoping one day to develop my skills to reach the Expert level. Hope to see you on my journey of chess discovery!

Brian (The ChessNut)