Train Like A Chameleon - The Sethuraman Method

GM S.P. Sethuraman

So many ambitious chess players never achieve anywhere near their potential, held back by some unseen
force despite their hard work and dedication.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

In this extraordinary 15-hour course, GM S.P. Sethuraman (2664), one of the world’s Top 100 players, has
put together the definitive training program on his approach to chess mastery.

GM Sethuraman has identified 14 critical areas of chess understanding and strength, explaining exactly
how to improve in each of them.

You will learn both the advanced chess techniques and the psychological strength you need to dominate in
chess competitions. Among them are:

- The best way to study openings

- How to convert your advantage in slightly better positions
- Using the power of pattern recognition
- How to master key psychological moments in chess
The insights and advice contained in the GM Sethuraman Method will save you from years of hit-and-miss
learning and give you key techniques you can put into practice right away.

Study hard and, by the end of the 15 hours, you will be a razor-sharp, mentally tough competitor, ready to
conquer any challenge.

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Summary:

Introduction: About this course

Part 1: Chess Openings

Chapter 1: The Classic Approach to Opening Preparation

Chapter 2: The Modern Approach to Opening Preparation
Part 2.1.: Flexibility in the Opening
Part 2.2.: How to Choose The Right Opening
Part 2.3.: How to Play for a Win with Black
Part 2.4.: Funky Openings – Spice it up a Bit
Part 2.5.: Novelties and New Opening Systems

Part 2: Middlegame Play

Chapter 3: Winning Technique: Converting an Advantage

Chapter 4: Static vs. Dynamic Play
Chapter 5: The Art of Playing with Small Advantages
Chapter 6: Pattern Recognition
Chapter 7: Prophylactic Thinking
Chapter 8: Exchanging Pieces
Chapter 9: Aesthetics of Chess
Chapter 10: Attack and Defense (1) – Go for the Kill
Chapter 11: Attack and Defense (2) – Defend like a Rock

Part 3: Endgame Play

Chapter 12: Classical Endgame Play by Masters

Chapter 13: Pawn Endings and Rook Endings

Part 4: Chess Psychology

Chapter 14: Psychological Moments in Chess

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 Introduction: Train like a Chameleon
Chameleons are special animals as they have the ability to change colors. The react to different
temperatures and other conditions, and also adjust their colors as camouflage.

The ability to stay flexible and to adapt is also vital for chess players. When choosing your opening, your
playing style and your overall strategy for the next game, you are well-advised to take your opponent’s
specific traits into account. Today, with strong engines and huge databases at our fingertips, it has become
more important than ever to be well-prepared to meet your opponent.

That's why, according to GM Sethuraman, a universal style is key. If you only play one opening with one
specific variation against 1.e4, for example, your opponent can easily prepare against you before the game
has even started. If you are a strong positional player, but your tactical abilities are rather weak,
experienced opponents will strive for sharp positions with countless tactical complications in their game
against you. In short, modern technology has also reached the world of chess and allows you to figure out
the strengths and weaknesses of a player before the game actually starts.

In this Master Method, Indian GM Sethuraman provides you with the knowledge and the most important
skills you need to develop a universal style. If you want to become unpredictable in the opening, if you
want to play equally strong in tactical as well as strategic positions, and if you want to become a more
complete player who is also well-equipped for the endgame and psychological battles, this course is for
you.

One of the secrets behind Magnus Carlsen’s success, for instance, is his ability to adapt according to
circumstances. He has no easy-to-identify weaknesses, plays plenty of different openings and performs
well in positional, dynamic, tactical and strategic positions. He is an excellent defender and also has
brilliant attacking skills. His universal style has helped him to dominate the game for a long time.

Part 1: Chess Openings

Chapter 1: The Classic Approach to Opening Preparation

1. When it comes to opening preparation, there is more than one approach. The classical approach to
opening preparation involves studying classical games in the opening of your choice.

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2. Every modern GM stands on the shoulders of giants. Top players immediately recall famous
classical games from the past. Much of their strength comes from studying and copying the great
play of their predecessors. Fischer, for example, studied all of Steinitz’ games. Kasparov, Carlsen,
and Anand have studied many of Fischer’s games. Studying the classics is an essential aspect to
chess improvement. The ability to memorize great games of the past and utilize the ideas in your
own games is paramount. It helps you to broaden your horizons and get more and more strategic
and tactical ideas.

3. As GM Sethuraman shows, studying classical games is an excellent way to learn an opening. If

you want to add a new opening system to your repertoire it is always important to study the
classical games in that particular variation. It is always interesting to note how the legends played
in the past and see how the theory has evolved since.

4. GM Svetozar Gligoric, for example, was the first to introduce a deep subtle rook- and bishop
maneuver in the Mar del Plata Variation of the King’s Indian Defense in 1953. The maneuver was
later copied in millions of games and is still used today.

After the opening moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5
Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.Nd3 f5 11.f3 f4 12.Bd2 Nf6 13.b4 g5 14.c5 h5 15.Nf2 Ng6 16.Rc1 (see the
diagram below), GM Svetozar Gligoric was the very first to introduce a new setup of regrouping
the kingside pieces for an attack.

He played 16…Rf7! 17.cxd6 cxd6 18.a4 Bf8! 19.a5 Rg7 (see the diagram below). Black’s idea
was to bring the rook to the g-file from where it supports the advance of the kingside pawns and

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helps Black attack the White king.

Here again, Gligoric finds an instructive idea to regroup his pieces further – 20…Nh8! (see the
diagram below).

If you look the game now with any strong computer, this move is not in the top three choices
immediately, but once you analyze the position somewhat more deeply, it becomes the computer’s
first choice. This once again proves that the classical players had a great understanding of piece
placement even before the invention of chess engines.

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It’s interesting to see, for instance, that Super-GM Alexander Grischuk used the same knight
maneuver in a similar position which arose from the Mar del Plata Variation of the King’s Indian
Defense in a recent game against GM Markus Ragger (see the diagram below).

In the position at hand, Grischuk played 27…Nh8!, retreating the knight to make room for the rook
to operate on the g-file.

In fact, one of the reasons why the world’s top players are extremely resourceful is that they have
studied many games from the past and present. Classical themes also pay a huge role in modern
games.

By analyzing classical and modern games, you’ll greatly improve your pattern recognition. When
calculating variations in your own games, these classical patterns will come to your mind and help
you finding the best ideas.

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Chapter 2: The Modern Approach to Opening Preparation

Part 2.1.: Flexibility in the Opening

1. According to GM Sethuraman, the modern approach to opening preparation involves flexibility

and universality. Apart from Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who only plays the Sicilian Najdorf with
Black against 1.d4, all top players in the world play several openings, meaning they can choose the
character of the game and ensure they are not too predictable. Magnus Carlsen is the most
outstanding example. From time to time, he even plays some rarely-seen openings such as the
Scandinavian Defense.

2. Playing various openings not only helps you to become unpredictable and hard to prepare against
but also allows you to choose the character of the game according to your opponent’s likings and
preferences.

3. Anish Giri, for example, is a top player who studied many openings throughout his career and has a
wide repertoire. In a recent game against GM Pavel Eljanov from 2017, he went for a fight in an
open position by playing one of the mainlines against the Queen’s Gambit Declined with White
after the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.0-0 a6 7.Qe2 b5 8.Bd3 Nbd7
9.a4 c4 10.Bc2 Bb7 11.e4 Be7 12.Nc3 b4 13.e5 (see the diagram below).

In another game from the same year against GM Constantin Lupulescu, Anish Giri chose a
completely different approach by playing another opening leading to a closed position. By having
such a flexible opening repertoire, Anish Giri often manages to steer the game into his preferred
direction.

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 After the moves 1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.0-0 e5 7.a3 a5 8.d3 (see the
diagram below), a closed position was reached and Anish Giri managed to outplay his opponent on
this battleground. Of course, playing different openings which lead to different types of positions
only works if you feel comfortable in different types of positions. You need to become a universal
player.

Part 2.2.: How to Choose The Right Opening

1. There are several approaches to openings in the modern era. If you’re flexible in the opening, you
have a lot more options to choose according to your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

When preparing for your opponent, you can check plenty of his games and figure out which
positions he likes to play and which he does not. You can also search for weak spots in his opening
repertoire.

A good illustration of this point is the game Kramnik – Meier from the Chess Olympiad 2016.
Kramnik usually plays 1.d4 or 1.Nf3, but he is also a flexible player who can play many more
openings. GM Georg Meier almost exclusively plays the French Defense against 1.e4. This is a
risky approach at the very top as Super-GMs like Kramnik can prepare against a player with such a
narrow opening repertoire.

In the game, Kramnik played 1.e4 (not his favorite move 1.d4) and surprised GM Meier in a rare
line of the 3.Nc3-Variation.

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 After the moves 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 a6 8.Qd2 Be7,
Kramnik went for the rare continuation 9.a3 (see the diagram below). He was very well prepared
for the game and had a deep understanding of the tactical and positional subtleties in this variation.
Finally, he won the game in convincing fashion and proved that it is not easy to stay at the top level
with a very narrow opening repertoire.

2. You can also choose your opening according to the tournament situation. At the Chess Olympiad
2016 in Baku, for example, GM Sethuraman lost painfully in a winning position against Sam
Shankland – a defeat which was decisive for the outcome of the match between India and the US.
Of course, the loss greatly affected GM Sethuraman’s mood and confidence.

The next day, he went for a simple and direct approach when preparing against the British GM
Nigel Short to take revenge for his loss the day before. With strong preparation, he was able to gain
confidence after his loss by playing fast in the opening and he had a clear view of what to play in
the position. Finally, he managed to outplay Nigel Short who was surprised by GM Sethuraman’s
opening choice.

In the game, GM Sethuraman went for a calm line in the Scotch Opening where White has good
chances for a slight edge. After the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qf6 5.Nxc6 Bc5
6.Qf3, Sethuraman offered to exchange queens which leads to a slightly more pleasant endgame
for White with little chances of counterplay for Black. Yet, GM Nigel Short did not want to
exchange queens, went for some dubious moves to keep the game complicated and soon found
himself in a difficult position.

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Part 2.3.: How to Play for a Win with Black

1. Many chess players struggle to play well with the Black pieces. They consider it especially hard to
fight for a win with the Black pieces against lower-rated players who desperately want a draw with
White.

This topic becomes more and more important in modern chess. Due to the rise of the internet,
every chess player, regardless of where in the world they live, has access to a wide range of good
sources on chess openings for Black and White.

Even average club players are often quite well prepared in the opening – the stage of the game
which is most studied by club players.

2. GM Sethuraman recommends adding chess openings for Black to your repertoire where White has
no solid setup to achieve a simple and solid draw. In must-win situations, he suggests to play the
Pirc Defense (1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6) and the Modern Defense (1.e4 g6).

Both openings promise Black more active play than many other openings. Black is able to enter
unbalanced positions, which allows him to aim for more than equality.

Black can avoid premature simplifications, keep many pieces on the board and go for the full point.
Therefore, the Pirc Defense is the perfect weapon for players who seek a complex strategic fight
with the Black pieces.

3. For players like Magnus Carlsen, it is extremely tough to beat strong 2600-rated GMs with the
Black pieces. Hence, he uses openings like the Pirc Defense from time to time to create unbalanced
positions where the better player usually outplays a weaker opponent.

In his game against GM Dragan Solak (2635) from the Chess Olympiad 2016 in Baku, Magnus
Carlsen, playing Black, went for 1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Nf3 a6 5.Be2 Nf6 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1
Nc6 8.d5 Na7 9.h3 b5 (see the diagram below).

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 After only a few moves, Magnus created an unbalanced pawn structure with plenty of strategical
and tactical ideas for both sides – a perfect scenario if you want to win with the Black pieces.

Part 2.4.: Funky Openings – Spice it up a Bit

1. Another idea to enrich your opening repertoire is to add some unorthodox openings like the King’s
Gambit, the Scandinavian Defense, the Budapest Gambit or the Albin Counter Gambit to it.

Even in the modern days of computers and databases, it is still possible to play surprising openings.
Of course, it is too risky to play the Budapest Gambit in every single game. Once there are some
games with this opening the database, your opponents can prepare against it and probably find a
way to get an advantage.
If you only play these unorthodox openings on a few occasions, the surprise value can be huge.

2. For your opponents, it won’t be easy to immediately refute these dubious crazy openings during
the game. This is what makes them perfectly playable against an unprepared opponent. With the
computer at home, your opponent can prepare deeply, but during the game it is uncomfortable
when someone opts for a surprising opening and the opponent has to find all the good moves over
the board. Practically speaking, it also costs a lot of time in the opening to think about these moves.

3. GM Baadur Jobava, for example, is a creative player who often opts for offbeat openings and fresh
variations. In his game against Super-GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek (2711) from 2014, he successfully
employed the Budapest Gambit with Black.

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 Jobava went for 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.Bf4 g5 5.Bg3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg7 (see the diagram
below).

His opponent was not able to adequately meet Jobava’s opening choice over the board and soon
found himself in a bad position.

As you can see, if this approach works on Super-GM level from time to time, it surely works even
better at club level.

In general, getting in touch with all these approaches on opening preparation helps us to understand
that there are many ways to study openings. You can be a classical player, playing openings with a
good reputation, but you can also be successful with other approaches. It’s helpful to expand your
horizons and think outside the box.

Part 2.5.: Novelties and New Opening Systems

1. You should first acquire a deep knowledge of the openings you play. Later, however, you can also
try to come up with new ideas and your own novelties. You can try out new systems which might
improve old lines. It’s key to keep in mind that you can also catch your opponents off guard with a
small surprise.

2. You can find new ideas even in classical openings. In the recent Candidates Tournament in 2018,
for example, Sergey Karjakin found an interesting and fresh idea against the Semi-Tarrasch in his
game against Vladimir Kramnik.

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After the moves 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5 7.Rb1 Be7 8.Nf3 0-
0, Sergey Karjakin went for the surprising 9.h4 (see the diagram below). Kramnik had severe
difficulties coping with this move and soon found himself in a bad position which he was not able
to defend.

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 Part 2: Middlegame Play
Chapter 3: Winning Technique: Converting an Advantage

1. Winning better positions is one of the most difficult aspects in chess. Due to the rise of computers,
the defensive abilities of players of all levels have improved significantly. This makes it harder to
convert an advantage. With good technique in better positions, you will score a lot more points.
Therefore, you need to focus on several aspects.

2. According to GM Sethuraman, you first of all need to keep your concentration in clearly better or
even close-to-winning positions. Many players make the mistake of thinking about the final result
before the game is actually over. They lose their concentration, start to play carelessly and, more
often than not, throw away valuable points. Even if you have a huge advantage, keep your
concentration up and try to find the best moves just as in any other position.

3. Secondly, there is another psychological aspect which is worth considering when it comes to
converting an advantage. You should aim to prevent any counterplay and break the opponent’s
resistance. You need to keep calm, figure out your opponent’s ideas and prevent them. A good
illustration of this aspect is the following position from the game Skembris – Torre from 1982 (see
the diagram below).

Black has the clearly better-placed pieces and has already brought his queen into the enemy’s
camp. However, it’s still key to consider the opponent’s ideas. If White were to move, he’d like to
play Qb2-e2 with the idea of transferring the queen to b5. If Black exchanges queens on e2, he
loses a huge part of his advantage. Therefore, Torre prevents White’s idea with the strong

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 prophylactic move 1…a6! Now, 2.Qe2? can simply be met with 2…Qxb3 and Black has a
tremendous advantage.

4. Another important rule in converting advantages is not to rush in positions where it is not required.

The following position from the game Giri – Nakamura (Candidates 2016) is a good illustration of
what happens when you try to force matters too quickly when you are well advised not to hurry
(see the diagram below).

Anish Giri, playing White, is clearly better here. With a calm move like 1.Re5!, he could have
improved his position slowly. Yet, Anish Giri went for the concrete 1.Nxg7? His idea was to win
the Black queen after 1…Qxg7 2.Rg3 (see the diagram below).

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 However, he missed a key defensive resource for Black – 2…Rg5!! White can’t simply capture the
rook on g5 as his queen is hanging. After 3.Rxg5 hxg5 4.Qxd5, White lost all his advantage and
the game ended in a draw.

5. In addition, it’s key not to be afraid of ghosts in winning positions. Once the opponent gets some
vague counterplay, many club players suddenly panic and lose all their objectivity. They start
fearing empty threats and sometimes lose the plot.

The game Naiditsch – Efimenko is a good example (see the diagram below).

Black has a winning advantage. White’s attack on the h-file might look dangerous, but there are
absolutely no threats. Black should have simply continued his play on the queenside with 1…a3!
2.g6 (2.gxf6? Qxg1 mate) 2…Re8 -+.

Instead he started to play on the wrong wing with 1…fxg5? 2.Rg4 Qf1 f6! Suddenly, White’s
light-squared bishop springs to life. 3…Qf3+? 4.Kh2 Qxf6 41.Qxf6 Bxf6 (see the diagram below).

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 Black is still clearly better, but he has lost a huge part of his advantage. The game ultimately ended
in a draw.

6. Finally, there are also positions where you need to strike while the iron is hot. If concrete action is
required, you must not be too lazy to calculate a concrete winning combination.

This time, the game Giri – Svidler (Shenzhen 2017) is a good example. Peter Svidler, playing
Black, defended a lost position and played the desperate 1…g5!? (see the diagram below).

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 Here, it was time for Anish Giri to calculate precisely and to finish the game with 2.Nc6! (bringing
the stranded knight on a5 back into the action) 2…Nxf4 3.Ne7+ Kh8 4.e6+ f6 5.Rxf4 gxf4 6.Nf7+
Rxf7 exd7 and the pawn queens +-).

Yet, Giri did not see the danger coming and played the careless 2.h3? This move allowed Peter
Svidler to execute a nice combination with 2…Nxf4 3.hxg4 Ne2+ 4.Kf2 Nxd4 (see the diagram
below). Black has regained his pawn and managed to hold a draw.

Chapter 4: Static vs. Dynamic Play

1. The concept of static vs. dynamic play goes back to the French GM Josif Dorfman, a former
second of Garry Kasparov and a writer of some influential chess books. According to this concept,
there are static elements (pawn structure, a weak square, material) and dynamic elements
(development, initiative).

When you have a strategically worse position (the static elements of the position are against you),
rather than playing normally, you have to seek out dynamic and concrete play in order to change
the nature of the position.

The following position from a game between Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov is an
educational example of this aspect (see the diagram below).

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Garry Kasparov, playing Black, has a strategically worse position. Karpov has a protected passed
pawn on d6 and Black’s bishop on g7 is boxed in. According to GM Dorfman’s concept, Kasparov
had to watch out for dynamic possibilities to complicate the game.

18…g5! was a good chance to change the character of the position. After 19.Bxg5 (19.Bg3? f4 -+)
19…Bxe5 20.c5 (White protects his passed pawn) 20…Bg7 (see the diagram below).

Black has managed to free his dark-squared bishop which acts as an unopposed monster on the
long diagonal. Black has counterplay.

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 In the game, Garry Kasparov missed this option and started with 10…c5? Anatoly Karpov reacted
with 19.h4! (see the diagram below), stopping Black from breaking open the kingside open with
…g5. White was clearly better and ultimately won the game.

It’s important to note that if you’re the player with a static advantage, you should try to avoid
letting your opponent muddy the waters.

2. If you have a dynamic advantage, you need to play energetically to not allow your opponent to
consolidate his position. Dynamic chess is all about momentum and a dynamic advantage is
temporary. With a dynamic advantage, you don't have time to play slowly. A long time ago, the
first World Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, said: “If you have an [dynamic] advantage, you must use
it immediately, or it will disappear”.

Here is an example (see the diagram below):

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 A pawn down but with Black’s king still in the center, White has a static disadvantage, but a
dynamic advantage. Therefore, he needs to strike while the iron is hot.

17.f4! White tries to open the position as fast as possible before Black has the time to play …Nc6
and …0-0-0. Black is under pressure and finally lost the game.

Chapter 5: The Art of Playing with Small Advantages

1. An important aspect of chess is how to play when you have a small, but stable advantage. Many
club players mistakenly want to force matters too quickly when they have a slight edge. However,
this approach often backfires as they are not ready to go for the kill.

A much better strategy is to simply keep putting the maximum pressure on the opponent by
keeping control and gradually improving the position. When your opponent has no counterplay at
all, you can just keep on shuffling your pieces. One advantage of prolonging the game and trying to
grind the opponent down slowly is that it’s gets tougher and tougher to defend in the 5 th and 6th
hour.

Magnus Carlsen is a great example of a player who has won many games from equal or slightly
better positions by simply continuing to play and not agreeing to a draw in equal positions.

A good illustration of this technique can be seen in the game Vachier-Lagrave – Carlsen (Biel
2011). This time, it is Magnus Carlsen who has to defend a worse position with no chances of
counterplay (see the diagram below).

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 There is no immediate way to collect material for White. Therefore, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave took
all the time in the world, slowly improved his position and kept the pressure up. First of all, he
pushed his queenside pawn forward and opened the a-file. After that, he occupied the file with his
rooks and brought his king all the way from the kingside to the queenside. Only when all his pieces
where ideally placed, he opened the position with f4.

The whole winning procedure, starting from the position at hand, took Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
more than 60 moves. In the end, however, he succeeded and broke Magnus’ resistance. In the
course, GM Sethuraman analyzes this instructive game closely.

In essence, we can summarize that top players grind out slightly better positions to the maximum
extent and put tremendous pressure on their opponents. They keep fighting and posing problems
for their opponent, not letting their opponent escape with an easy draw.

Chapter 6: Pattern Recognition

1. Pattern recognition is an important aspect in chess. The more games you study and the more chess
puzzles you solve, the more patterns you can later use in your own games.

2. There are strategic patterns that you need to study and later recognize in your own games. This is
one of the reasons why it is so important to study the classical games.

The game Coehn – Rubinstein is a famous example to show the importance of pawn structures in

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the endgame. With reduced material in the endgame, pawn weaknesses like doubled pawns,
isolated pawns, backwards pawns, many pawn islands etc. can turn out to be become decisive
factors. Good endgame technique allows you to exploit these pawn weaknesses in your opponent’s
position. In the Coehn – Rubinstein game, Black managed to easily win an endgame with equal
material only because White had a worse pawn structure (see the diagram below).

In this pawn endgame, Black is clearly better because of his superior pawn structure. Black
marched with his king to h3, attacking the weak pawn on h2 and forcing the White king to defend
it passively from g1 or h1. Afterwards, he pushed his pawns forward to reach a winning position.
GM Sethuraman analyses the game in detail in the course.

More than 100 years later, the former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik used the exact same
technique to win an endgame against GM Saleh Salem (2586).

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 Here, Kramnik damaged White’s pawn structure on the kingside with 17…Bxf3 18.gxf3 and then,
after some preparatory moves, started to bring his king over all the way to h3.

3. On the other hand, there are also tactical patterns you need to study and later recognize in your own
games. Tactical pattern recognition helps you to improve your calculation as patterns you’ve
noticed in the past come to your mind in your games.

A nice example of the importance of tactical pattern recognition can be seen in the diagram below.

The position at hand occurred in a game of the World Championship Match between Alexander
Alekhine and Max Euwe in 1937.

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Here, Alekhine, playing White, had a tactical shot which would have secured him a winning
advantage. 27.Qh8+! Kxh8 28.Nxf7+ Kg8 29.Nxe8 (see the diagram below). White has won back
the queen with dividends.

Alekhine missed this option and played 27.a3. The game ended in a draw.

At the Sinquefield Cup 2015, Fabiano Caruana had the chance to execute a nice combination
against Wesley So where it was key to spot this motif (see the diagram below).

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In the game, Fabiano Caruana played 21.Rxd6? and the game became rather complicated. Instead,
Fabiano could have played 21.Bxd6! Bxd6 22.Rxd6 (see the diagram below).

Fabiano probably rejected this variation in view of 22…Rxc4. It seems like Black wins back a
pawn as the rook on d6 is hanging. However, White has the stunning 23.bxc4 Qxd6 24.Qh8+!
Kxh8 25.Nxf7+ Kg7 26.Nxd6 +- (see the diagram below).

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Chapter 7: Prophylactic Thinking

1. The concept of prophylactic thinking is one of the most important ways of thinking in chess. Most
amateur players are too much concerned with their own position, only think about their own plans
and how to improve their own pieces. One key positional concept which helps you to become a
better player is the concept of prophylactic thinking.

2. Basically, prophylactic thinking means that you always have to consider what your opponent is
trying to do. The goal is to get into the habit of considering your opponent’s ideas and preventing
them while simultaneously improving your own position. There is a famous chess quote that says it
doesn’t matter if your position isn’t that great as long as it’s a bit better than your opponent’s.

Prophylactic thinking works at all stages of the game – in the opening, in the middlegame, in the
endgame, in attack and defense and so on. Therefore, it’s a key concept you need to take seriously
to improve as a chess player.

A classical example which illustrates the concept of prophylactic thinking is the game Kholmov –
Geller from 1957 (see the diagram below).

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It is White to move. White’s position looks slightly better as he has the chance to play d4-d5 at an
appropriate moment. Yet, White needs to take Black’s plans into consideration. Black wants to
play …Qf5, forcing an exchange of queens. Without queen on the board, Black has no problems at
all. In fact, the d4-pawn even tends to be a weakness.

Therefore, Kholmov played the strong move 1.g4!, preventing …Qf5. As Black’s plan does not
work anymore, White can focus on his own plan to push d4-d5 in the center.

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 If you want to improve in this area, you can work with several instructive books that deal with this
topic. You can also study the games of some great players like Tigran Petrosian or Anatoly
Karpov, two of the biggest experts on prophylactic thinking.

Chapter 8: Exchanging Pieces

1. Which pieces to keep and which to exchange is one of the most important questions in chess.
Weaker players often think of exchanging pieces as swapping pieces of equal value and do not take
strategic factors into account.
2. To be able to exchange the right pieces, you first of all need to understand the key elements of the
positions. Only then you can assess which pieces you should swap and which pieces you should
keep on the board.

One of the most striking examples to illustrate the importance of the right exchanges is the
following position from the game Fischer – Petrosian (see the diagram below).

It is obvious that Bobby Fischer, playing White, is much better here. White has a number of
interesting moves at hand. He can start centralizing the king with 22.Kf2, he can play 22.g4,
threatening g4-g5 or he can try to transfer his passive rook from a1 to a more active square like a3.

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Fischer, however, thinks prophylactically. Black's bishop on d7 might be passive at the moment.
However, Black's next move will surely be ...Bb5!, activating the bishop and defending the weak
pawn on a6. If White takes on b5, Black loses his weakness and a6 and Black's rooks become
extremely active, eyeing White's weak a2-pawn. Of course, Fischer could have stopped Black from
playing ...Bb5 by playing 22.a4. However, Petrosian could have continued with ...Bc6, followed by
...Nd7, trying to exchange knights.

Fischer found a surprising, but brilliant, solution – 22.Nxd7+!

Fischer gives up his strong knight for Black's passive bishop. However, by doing this, he takes
away any hope of counterplay for Black.

There is one key rule about exchanges in chess: It's not the pieces that get traded that are important,
but the pieces that stay on the board. If you look at Fischer's decision from this perspective, the
move 22.Nxd7 is absolutely logical. All of White's remaining pieces are clearly superior to Black's.

The game continued 22…Rxd7 (22…Nxd7? 23.Rxd5 +-) 23.Rc1! Fischer takes control of the
open c-file - active piece play! 23…Rd6 24.Rc7 Nd7 25.Re2 (see the diagram below). Black's
pieces are completely dominated and it is tough to make a sensible move here with Black.

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Chapter 9: Aesthetics of Chess

1. There is a famous quote by Anatoly Karpov which goes: “Chess is everything: art, science and
sport.” Although this statement is undoubtedly true, it is important to know that these three
characteristics of the game are not equally important in different situations.

When you’re at home, searching for an opening novelty with a strong chess engine, your database
and the latest chess books and chess DVDs, you are more like a scientist than a sportsman. When
you are sitting at the board for 5 hours or longer, playing a tense fighting game, you are – above all
– a sportsman.

Finally, when you solve a beautiful chess puzzle or spot a brilliant combination, you might feel like
an artist.

2. Nowadays, in a time where strong computers can show us the best continuation in any given
position, we should not forget that chess is a game played between humans. There are many
breathtaking combinations which have been played over the board, underlining that chess is art.
Although modern engines rain on the parade and show that there have been better ways to defend
or attack, we should not underestimate the value of these fascinating games from the past and
present with aesthetically pleasing moves and combinations.

According to GM Sethuraman, you sometimes just need to enjoy these games that show us the
beauty of chess. Analyzing such games helps you to become more creative in your own games.
You learn unusual and unique ideas and discover the rich possibilities and hidden resources for
both sides in complex positions.

The point is not to calculate out all the variations in detail in such complicated and beautiful
games, but to spot and enjoy the many resources. This also helps us to understand that it’s not
always easy to be accurate over the board. Some positions are just too complicated for the human
mind.
Looking at such complicated games can inspire and motivate you before tournaments and help you
to get into a creative mood.

Chapter 10: Attack and Defense (1) – Go for the Kill

1. To develop a better sense of when to start an attack, how to build up an attack, when it's better to
not start an attack, and to improve your attacking abilities you can study the games of the famous
dynamic players like Kasparov, Topalov, Aronian, Nepomniachtchi, Jobava and Rapport.

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2. In order to successfully attack your opponent’s king, there are certain beneficial circumstances to
keep in mind. A space advantage, a closed center or the absence of your opponent’s pieces from his
king are some of them.

3. Firstly, before you commit yourself to attacking the opponent, it is important to evaluate the
opponent’s chances for counterplay. Your attack will be a lot more effective if you manage to
prevent any chances for counterplay by your opponent first.

4. Secondly, you need to look for your opponent’s defensive resources. Strong chess engines
constantly show us various ways to defend, even against seemingly crushing attacks. If you
spot a relatively easy defense for your opponent, don’t weaken your position by going all-out
for the attack.

5. Don’t rush with your attack if there is no urgency. Try to improve all your pieces first and only
then play committal moves. It’s key to include all your pieces in the attack. Don’t play with only
half your army.

6. Pawns can also turn out to be strong attacking units. Sometimes, a well placed pawn is a lot
stronger than a badly placed defending piece.

7. Always ask yourself: What is the intention of my opponent’s last move? Even when you’re
attacking, you sometimes need to slow yourself down and make prophylactic moves in order to
prevent your opponent’s ideas.

8. For human beings, some moves are harder to spot than others. When you’re attacking, for example,
it’s easy to overlook strong backward moves as they seem counterinituitive. However, there are
many situations where these moves can fuel your attack. Don’t limit yourself to all-out attacking
moves, but also consider these calm but effective quiet moves.

9. Finally, it’s key to consider all your candidate moves. Not all attacking ideas are immediately
obvious. Identify all the targets in the opponent’s position and look for hidden resources to exploit
them.

10. Let’s take a look at a classical game (Lasker – Bauer, Amsterdam 1889), where Emanuel Lasker
executes a brilliant combination (see the diagram below).

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Most of White’s pieces eye Black’s kingside. Hence, it’s the right time to start an attack. Lasker
played 14.Nh5! (trying to exchange one of Black’s key defenders) 14…Nxh5 15.Bxh7+! (see the
diagram below).

Now, Lasker is ready to execute the famous double bishop sacrifice. 15…Kxh7 16.Qxh5+ Kg8
17.Bxg7!! Kxg7 18.Qg4+ Kh7 19.Rf3 (see the diagram below).

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Black has no satisfying defense against 20.Rh3+.

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Chapter 11: Attack and Defense (2) – Defend like a Rock

1. Strong chess engines help us to understand how difficult the game of chess is. A lot of games from
the past might have looked very smooth for one side. But computers often find amazing defensive
resources.

2. The ability to defend under pressure is an asset that every chess player needs to improve at a
certain level. Don’t panic if your opponent puts you under pressure. Keep calculating and try to
find strong defensive moves.

Psychologically, it is hard to defend positions where you have no counterplay at all and have to
defend for a long time. You need a lot of patience to defend well. Even If your position looks
completely hopeless, don’t give up. You might have a hidden resource.

3. A key psychological component of becoming a tenacious defender is to have the right mental
attitude. You must not be disappointed about your position and the mistakes you made earlier, but
you need to accept the situation you’re in. In some positions, achieving a draw feels like a win. If
your opponent is too ambitious, he might even overstretch his position and you have the chance to
get even more than half a point. Yet, defending like a rock only works when you don’t lose your
confidence. If you keep finding the only defensive moves, your opponent (who desperately wants
to win) will also feel the pressure.

4. You can learn how to put up the maximum resistance in extremely bad position by looking at the
top players. Good defense is one reason why it’s not easy to win games at the top level. A good
illustration is the game Svidler – Kramnik from the Candidates Tournament 2014 (see the diagram
below).

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Peter Svidler, playing White, is clearly better and should have simply captured the b4-pawn with
41.Qxb4. However, he played the tempting 41.Qc6?, attacking the rook on d7 and threatening to
push his passed d-pawn further.

Kramnik showed excellent defensive skills over the next few moves. 41…e4! The idea is that
42.Qxd7? can be met with 42…exd3 and suddenly Black also has a dangerous passed d-pawn
which is even faster than White’s. Hence, Svidler had to eliminate this pawn with 42.fxe4.
Kramnik continued with 42…Qe2! (see the diagram below), attacking the rook on d3 and the pawn
on e4.

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43.Rf3 – Peter Svidler keeps the rooks on the board. 43…Rxd6 44.Qe8! White attacks Black’s
pawn on f7 which is tough to defend. 44….f6 45.e5 (see the diagram below).

Peter Svidler might have aimed for this position as Black is still under severe pressure. 45…f5!
(45…Qxe5? 46.Qxe5 fxe5 47.Rxf8 Kxf8 48.Bc5 loses for Black) 46.gxf5 Rf6!! (see the diagram
below).

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Another brilliant defensive resource by Vladimir Kramnik which Peter Svidler probably
overlooked. The rook can’t be captured as the e-pawn is pinned. The game lasted a few more
moves, but Black is fine here and Kramnik finally got a draw.

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 Part 3: Endgame Play
Chapter 12: Classical Endgame Play by Masters

1. If you are unsure how to approach a certain aspect of the game like the endgame, it is always a
great idea to look for a role model, a chess player with superb endgame technique. We can learn a
lot by simply analyzing their games. Two of those chess players with outstanding endgame
technique are Anatoly Karpov and Magnus Carlsen. Whenever possible, these two players superbly
seize their chances and squeeze wins out of seemingly equal endgame positions.

2. Generally speaking, there are several general strategies which are important in all practical
endgames.

3. First of all, the concept of piece activity is extremely important in any practical endgame. Try to
aim for an active setup of your pieces and avoid passive positions. Even at the cost of a little bit of
material, this can greatly improve your position and help you to win games that may not have
seemed winnable at first. Material is often not as relevant as the initiative in endgames.

4. Centralization of the king is one of the main principles of endgame play. The changing role of the
king is one of the most important characteristics which separates endgames from middlegames and
openings. In the middlegame, we’ve got a protective mentality about the king. In the endgame,
however, you need to have a switch in your mind. An active king can protect weaknesses and
control important squares, so that more valuable pieces like rooks can be more actively placed and
don’t have to fulfill defensive tasks. As a rule of thumb, the king is usually considered to be worth
4 points in the endgame.

If you haven’t castled in the middlegame already, you need to think twice before castling in the
endgame. Although today there is the tendency among many young players who are influenced by
computers to castle in the endgame, the king is usually better placed on a more central square.

5. Slow but consistent play is key in the endgame. Do not hurry in quiet positions: If the opponent is
deprived of active counterplay, try to improve your position to a maximum extent before starting
concrete action. Don’t try to win as quickly as possible. Look for the qualitatively best way to win
the game.

6. Don’t make any committal moves without good reason. Play patiently and improve your position
slowly. Patience is a great virtue in endgames – be patient enough and wait until the opponent
makes a mistake himself instead of trying to force a decision too quickly.

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 7. Some decisions are irreversible. Piece exchanges, for example, can’t be taken back. Hence, you
have to think twice about which pieces to exchange in the endgame. Due to the reduced material in
endgame positions, it is even more important than in middlegames to exchange the right pieces.
The key decisions of whether or not to trade and which pieces to trade is what separates average
players from great players.

8. Trade off your opponent’s most active piece. A key endgame technique is to identify the
opponent’s most valuable and active piece and to exchange it.

9. Another good practical try in endgames is to regroup your pieces to more valuable squares. Often,
your opponents won’t be able to handle your slow and patient play and soon weaken their positions
even more.

10. In order to coordinate your pieces and make them work together, the concept of segmented
planning is vital. You can’t improve all your pieces at once. If your opponent has no immediate
counterplay, improve your pieces step by step. Many moves might be needed to reach your goal,
but it is necessary to take your time to do that.

11. In endgames, technique becomes of primary importance. In the majority of practical endgames, it
is essential to think in terms of plans. Pure calculation of variations does not help to handle most
endgames. Many endgames are about small plusses like slightly more active pieces, weak squares,
pawn weaknesses and so on. Therefore, it is key to play extremely precise in the endgame in order
to not let your advantage slip.

12. The principle of two weaknesses is key to building up a winning advantage. One weakness in our
opponent’s camp is usually not enough to win the game. Sometimes, we have a clear advantage,
but still can’t find the way to convert it into victory; the opponent is still able to resist. In such
situations, we need to create a second weakness for the opponent.

Chapter 13: Pawn Endings and Rook Endings

Pawn Endgames

1. Pawn Endgames tend to be one of the most difficult types of endgames as they require very
accurate calculation skills. In order to play practical pawn endgames well, it is absolutely essential
to learn theoretical pawn endgames first. You also need to be familiar with key principles in pawn
endgames like zugzwang, triangulation or having the (distant-)opposition.

Knowing many theoretical positions allows you to profit from this knowledge when calculating
long lines more effectively.

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 The concept of the opposition and distant opposition is key in the endgame, for example. If you
know such concepts, it is much easier to find the right move in positions like the following (see the
diagram below):

The only move that hold the draw for White is 1.Kh1! White has the distant opposition and Black
can’t make progress. 1…Kd2 is met by 2.Kh2, keeping the distant opposition. If Black comes
closer to the pawn with 2…Ke1, White takes the normal opposition with 3.Kg1!=.

2. Due to the fact that all the other pieces are exchanged, the activity of the king becomes of
paramount importance.

3. Avoid careless pawn moves in the endgame. Remember: pawns can only move forwards, and
never backwards. This is especially important in pawn endings as there are no other pieces (except
for the king) who can compensate for badly placed pawns.

4. Leave assumptions at the door in pawn endings. You can’t judge pawn endings by its appearance
but you have to calculate move by move.

5. In pawn races, promoting the pawns at the same time is not enough to secure a draw. Make sure
your opponent has no immediately winning tactics like skewers, winning queen exchanges or
mating threats.

The following example illustrates this point (see the diagram below):

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At first glance, it seems that both pawns promote at the same time and the game ends in a draw.
Yet, White has a tricky winning idea at hand. 1.f4 b5 2.f5 b4 3.Kc4! b3 4.Kc3! (see the diagram
below).

White forces the Black king to move to the a3-square where it will be in check when White’s pawn
promotes. 4…Ka3 5.f6 b2 6.f7 b1Q 7.f8Q+ and Black loses. 7…Ka2 is mate after 8.Qa8 and
7…Ka4 loses the queen after 8.Qa8+ Kb5 9.Qb7+ +-.

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 Rook Endgames

1. Rook endings are the most common types of endgames and frequently occur in practice.

2. The evaluation of a rook endgame mainly depends on three factors:

- The Position of the Rooks
- The Position of the Kings
- The Pawn Structure

3. Activity is key in rook endgames. If you’re on the defensive, try to activate your rook – even at the
cost of a pawn. An active rook can be worth much more than a single pawn. It is important to
mention that rooks are often best placed behind the opponent’s pawns.

4. Theoretical endgames are nobody’s favorite topic, but knowing the most important theoretical
endgames is vital to playing endgames accurately. Only if you know the most important theoretical
endgames, you can aim for certain positions. If you don’t know the Philidor Position or the Lucena
Position, you can’t actively aim to reach those positions when required.

5. Precision is of paramount importance in rook endgames. Even in winning looking endgames it is

key to be precise as there is a lot of room for mistakes. Small details make the difference. Try to
avoid superficial play under all circumstances.

6. You can also make use of small details and hidden resources when defending worse positions. For
example, when you realize that your king has no moves and your pawns cannot move either, your
brain should be immediately alerted that there might be stalemate ideas to play for.

7. In the following position, for example, Black can save himself with a stalemate trick (see the
diagram below).

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Black’s pawn on g6 is under attack and trying to protect it with 1…Kf5? runs into 2.Rf7+ Ke6
3.Rf6+ and the pawn is lost.

Yet, Black has the saving resource 1…Rc6! Now, 2.Rxg6+ Kf5! 3.Rxc6 (3.Rg7 Rc3+ =) is
stalemate.

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 Part 4: Chess Psychology
Chapter 14: Psychological Moments in Chess

1. Chess psychology is as important as studying openings, endgames or tactics. Yet, it is often

neglected by aspiring players in their training routine. If you are unable to think clearly in pressure
situations, such as in important tournament games, all that training will be for nothing. We may be
more reliant on chess computers nowadays, but we are still human players, prone to crack under
pressure and blunder away equal positions, or worse!

It is important not to underestimate this side of the game and make sure we work on psychology.

2. First of all, many average club players frequently struggle with time trouble in their games. When a
player is forced to play quickly, the probability of making blunders is extremely high. That’s why
good time management is a very important aspect in chess. Time is one of the most important
indicators for the evaluation of the game. A player may have huge material/positional advantage,
but that would be useless because of time trouble.

It is interesting to note that the top players only rarely find themselves in time trouble. Of course,
there are some exceptions like Alexander Grischuk who still plays extremely well in time trouble.
Yet, it he would be able to get rid of his time trouble problem, he could be even better.

If you often get into time trouble, you should aim to play faster. Being well prepared for a game
helps, for instance, to avoid ending up in time trouble. Moreover, many players make the mistake
of thinking too long about natural moves which need to be played anyway.

However, it is also important to note that in some games, you can’t avoid time trouble because of
the complex nature of the position.

So, there are a few things you can do when you are in time trouble:
- Think during your opponent’s time.
- Try to guess what he is planning to do and prepare the answer.
- Avoid complicated lines and try to simplify the position.
- Repeat moves when it’s possible, as you get a time increment after each move (usually 30
seconds).
- Keep your concentration in order to maintain a quick reaction against your opponent’s moves.
- Place your pieces on protected squares.

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3. Many players struggle to accept their mistakes during a game. If they play a bad move, they often
regret their decision too much and can’t focus on the current position anymore. In fact, they get too
disappointed and often completely spoil the position. This is a big psychological mistake. Chess is
a game between human beings and it’s only natural that mistakes will happen. Therefore, it’s key
to not let your mood be affected by previous mistakes. You need all your energy and concentration
for the position on the board. You can deeply analyze your mistakes at home. In the game,
however, all that matters is to play the best move in the position.

4. Many club players have a problem playing against higher-rated opponents. The low-rated player
often feels helpless against the more experienced rival, and is psychologically defeated without
even playing the game. This is a big psychological mistake. You must not affect your own
confidence by the opponent’s rating. It’s key to never give up and to be resilient. Understand that
the higher-rated player may also be under psychological pressure while playing with a lower-rated
opponent. It happens because of everybody’s expectations that the higher-rated player is supposed
to win. In the beginning, these expectations may help the high-rated player maintain a very positive
mood, but if a low-rated player shows himself to be a real fighter and does not let the rival take an
easy point, the situation changes.

The higher-rated player starts feeling uncomfortable, as he faces the danger of making a draw or
even losing. As a result, he becomes emotional and sometimes starts pushing too hard in an equal
position as he wants to win at all costs. This is the chance for the lower-rated player to catch the
opponent on the counter attack.

It's also key to note that in games between human beings, it is extremely rare that the player with
the better position plays a game in which he does not allow his opponent any counter-chances at
all. While analyzing chess games with strong chess engines, we can see how often we miss hidden
tactical opportunities. Therefore, you need to be constantly aware of the possibility of finding a
tactical idea which can transform the game. Be alert and try to take advantage of your opponent’s
mistakes. Don’t think that your opponent does not make mistakes only because he has a higher
rating.

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