Vlad Chess

For the past 2 weeks, I played the European Championship in Slovenia. My first participation at such a big event had many wonderful (and teachable!) moments, some of which were captured by the official photographer. "The many faces of a chess struggle" - from joy and content before to panic and despair during the game.

I stand with Ukraine

New version of website is up! Includes updated wording on intended audience, clarification on teaching methodologies used, a FAQ section, and recent testimonials. Please forward to anyone interested! Thank you! https://www.vladchess.com

Private Coaching | Vlad Chess Tailored chess lessons for adult improvers under 1800 Elo

Over the past week, I have had the unique opportunity to visit the site of the European Women's Championship in Iasi, Romania. Here's a photo gallery from the event:

🧭 WHY GET A COACH? There are so many available resources out there, and most of them are free!

🧐 A GOOD COACH will identify your weakest area and provide continuous support even with minimal input from the student, such as a collection of recent, annotated games.

🧠 A PROFESSIONAL COACH will never try to impose their playing style or opening repertoire on you, but rather work in sync with your preferences to build a solid foundation, as well as openings that suit your personal style!

🔥 Chess is NOT 99% TACTICS! That's just a gimmick - you cannot obtain superior positions full of tactics if your strategic understanding is lacking. Positional understanding comes from watching Master-level games.

✔️ IMPROVE YOUR RATING - it requires work on your part during your spare time, but the presence of a competent coach can help minimize frustration and maximize the return on investment. Whether you have a demanding job or a busy schedule otherwise, if you are committed to improve, there's an action plan for everyone!

💭 PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH: As a chess coach, I strongly believe that working on endgames is the best way for a student to improve their overall understanding, and therefore see big rating gains! I have increased 200 points in raw strength after studying endgames for only a few months. It DOES work!

🧠 THE 80/20 RULE: A big increase in your chess understanding can be achieved by simply allocating more time to your weakest area! Often times, that's the endgame. My book recommendation is Jeremy Silman's "Complete Endgame Course". You can find it on Amazon, or even on Chessable.

⚠️ DON'T MEMORIZE OPENING MOVES WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING: You will spend a lot of time for minimal gains in your chess level. This is a pitfall many players fall into. Don't do it and it will save you time and frustration. Instead, watch Master games featuring the openings you like best and see how they continue in the middlegame.

BONUS: Black to move and draw. See if you can find the solution and write it in the comments ;)

Biro piece set at the Romanian National Championship in Iasi. One of the absolute best designs, in my opinion. Wishing all a fabulous chess week!

🙋"WHAT IS MY ACTUAL CHESS STRENGTH?" I receive this question from several people every day. The answer is not obvious, as even established OTB ratings cannot give a full picture of a player's strength. Relying on online blitz ratings and trying to convert them into actual FIDE ratings is merely guesswork.

💡 THEREFORE, I RECOMMEND to all prospective/new students that they take the FREE initial assessment at https://sixtyfoursquares.com/

If you'd like to, paste the link to your report in the comments below once you are done!

Home | Sixty Four Squares Sixty Four Squares is developing an online chess training platform called the Chess Understanding Knowledge System or ChUnKs that will enable players to reach their full potential.

⚠️ TIP OF THE DAY: STUDY ENDGAMES! When you don't know what to study, study endgames and practice them consistently. Each type of endgame can train specific skills:

♟️(Pawn) endgames are all about the most precise calculation. One inaccurate move easily turns the evaluation bar upside down, even if the natural move seems fine at first. Obviously, the skill of precise calculation is decisive in all phases of the game.

♞(Knight) endgames teach you maneuvering and the importance of active vs. passive squares. You will become a better player in closed positions and be able to time your pawn breaks better!

♝(Bishop) endgames teach you better perception of color complexes, pawn chains, and usage of open diagonals. You will learn how to use the power of the bishops on the long diagonals and even launch a kingside attack against fianchetto structures.

♜(Rook) endgames are best at displaying the concept of piece activity, which is often a critical factor when evaluating a middlegame position. An active rook can fully compensate the loss of 1-2 pawns. Some rook endgames can get very complex, but even basic understanding is helpful.

If you want a solid book recommendation for endgames, here's mine: Silman's Complete Endgame Course.

For more tips like these, join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/chess

❓ WHO AM I? A tournament player, streamer, and coach from Romania. My main platform is Twitch, where I have been streaming for more than 1 year under the handle Vlad_Chess. I am a top 1% player worldwide in online blitz, with a rating hovering around 2400-2500. My philosophy in chess is "ATTACK, ATTACK, WIN!"

♟️ MY TARGET AUDIENCE is improving tournament-level chess players of any age and with Elo anywhere between 1000 - 1800. My commitment is to see you improve and help in the best way I can, but keep in mind this requires effort and discipline on your part as well!

✔️THE PROCESS: You fill out the Google Form on my website, then we meet for a quick and FREE video call to discuss your goals and aspirations in chess. Then, we create an action plan and start working together!

✌️ HOW OFTEN DO WE MEET? For serious students, a minimum of 2 hours per week is needed. This way, you don't fall behind in your preparation and can progress steadily.

💲 HOURLY RATE? Affordable. Contact me in private. Discounts available for long-term bookings and client referrals.