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Eighty percent of players never find this move.
Tactical motifs, positional ideas, endgame technique and endgame theory, in one structured curriculum that adapts to your level. You learn concrete ideas, and you know you are improving.
The line
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.Nc3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5? 6.Nxe5!!
Brilliant
6.Nxe5!!
Your queen for mate in eight.
A lesson, previewed
Each lesson takes one theme, shows both sides’ plans, then asks for your move.
Positional · Pawn structures
Level 1400-1800
The Carlsbad structure
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Qc2 Nbd7 9.Nf3 Re8 10.O-O Nf8 11.Rab1
You took on d5 and they took back with the e-pawn. Your c-file is half-open, so is their e-file, and on the queenside your two pawns face their three.
- 1
The minority attack
Rook to b1, then b4 and b5. If they take, d5 is isolated. If they let you take on c6, the pawn left there is backward on your half-open file.
Rab1 · b4 · b5 · bxc6
- 2
The central break
Put the king's knight on e2 instead of f3, then f3 and e4. You build a broad pawn centre and gain space.
Nge2 · f3 · e4
- 3
The knight on e5
Plant a knight on e5, back it with f4 and turn to their king. It is known as the Pillsbury attack.
Ne5 · f4
- 1
The knight on e4
They jump in on the half-open e-file, trade the dark-squared bishops and play on the kingside.
11…Ne4 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.b4 a6 14.a4 Ng6
- 2
The block with …b5
They answer b4 with …b5. Your lever is gone, and a knight heads for c4 to cover the weak pawn on c6.
b4 b5 · …Nb6 · …Nc4
- 3
The break with …c5
When your pawn reaches b5 they push past it. They accept an isolated d-pawn in return for active pieces.
b5 c5 · dxc5
Your move11…Ne4 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.b4 a6. Playing b5 at once now loses material. Pause and find the move.Show the move
14.a4. The a-pawn backs up b5, so the lever goes ahead next move and c6 is still the target.
This is a preview. In the real lessons you move the pieces yourself.
The curriculum has four kinds of lesson.
Tactical motifs
The in-between move
Forks, pins and discovered attacks, one pattern per lesson, until you spot them in your own games.
Positional ideas
The pawn lever
Pawn structures, space and weak squares, for the positions where nothing is hanging.
Endgame technique
Cutting off the king
How to convert the extra pawn, and how to hold the position when you are the one a pawn down.
Endgame theory
The bridge
The exact positions you need to know by heart, starting with rook endings.