Most chess players train randomly, inconsistently, or without a plan. That means if you train the right way, you can outperform 99% of players—even those who seem naturally gifted.
And that’s incredible news for you.
Being part of a sports class in high school and working for the Swiss Olympic Athletes Commission gave me unique insights into how elite athletes train. Over time, I realized something that most chess players never even think about:
Chess players don’t train like athletes.
Compared to other sports, the competition in chess is weak.
This means if you train smarter, with the right focus and intensity, you can achieve results most people wouldn’t believe possible.
I Was the “Lazy Guy” in My Class—And Still One of the Best Players in the Country
Most chess players think improvement means grinding 6–8 hours a day. But let me share a secret:
Even when I became an International Master, my training was a mess.
Actually, it was so disorganized my athlete friends called me the lazy guy.
- While my swimmer friends were waking up at 5 a.m. to train 90 minutes before school, I was still in bed.
- While they trained in the gym at lunchtime, I ate whatever food I felt like eating – no matter how unhealthy.
- While they completed a third night session, I watched trash TV.
Yet somehow, I was still one of the top junior chess players in Switzerland.
My swimmer friends trained 25–30 hours weekly, pushing their limits daily—and still weren’t among the absolute best.
That’s when it clicked: Compared to other sports, chess competition is relatively tame.
In most sports, you have to train like an elite athlete just to compete.
But in chess, the average competitor plays some online blitz, watches random opening videos, and solves puzzles inconsistently.
If you commit to training the right way, you’ll outperform 99%.
The Moment It Clicked
Everything changed in 2014 when I placed 5th in the U18 World Championship—missing the medal podium because of worse Buchholz. I was both incredibly frustrated and super motivated.
I realized, “If I can finish top-5 globally with random training, what would happen if I actually trained like an athlete?“
That’s when I decided to become a professional Chess player.
But initially, I made the same mistake most ambitious players do:
I started grinding for 10 hours a day, mistakenly believing more training = more improvement.
I wasn’t training smarter—I was just training more.
I risked my health, improvement, and sanity by training too much and without the right focus.
How I Accidentally Discovered the Most Effective Way to Train
In 2017, everything changed dramatically.
I suffered a brain injury that limited my training from 10 hours down to just 2–3 hours per day.
At first, I was devastated. I thought everything I worked for was lost.
However, this limitation forced me to focus with incredible clarity and intensity.
And suddenly, something remarkable happened:
With just 2–3 hours per day of highly focused training, I saw better results than I ever had training 10 hours.
I cut out everything that didn’t matter and focused only on the things that really decided games.
The lesson was clear:
It’s not about how much you train—it’s about how well you train.
Even at a Grandmaster level, focused training produced astonishing improvements.
And the exciting part? The lower your current rating, the faster your improvement can be.
Going from 1500 to 1600 is far easier than from 2500 to 2600.
What Most Chess Players Get Wrong
Most players believe chess improvement has to be complex.
They think they need a complicated system or to be a genius.
This false belief holds them back.
The truth? Chess improvement is actually simple:
- Do what matters.
- Do it well.
- Do it consistently.
That’s it.
However, one thing no system can give you is “easy,” immediate results.
The chess world is full of absurd promises. I recently saw a YouTuber promote their monthly membership with this promise: “Gain 300 rating points in one month!“.
For a long time, these false promises frustrated me.
But now, I see them as a huge opportunity—for you and for me.
Most of your competitors chase quick, effortless gains. They click on the video that promises them easy results. And join courses that focus on quick hacks but make you stuck long-term.
If you commit to training the right way, you will outperform them.
For me, it’s a chance to stand out with an honest, simplified system that really works.
Introducing: The Simplified Chess Improvement System
Two years ago, I launched “Next Level Training,” a course that helped over 800 students transform their chess improvement.
Now, after learning from hundreds of success stories and feedback, I’m relaunching the course as The Simplified Chess Improvement System.
You’ll learn:
- How to train smarter, not harder.
- How to simplify your training plan and eliminate overwhelm.
- How to consistently improve your skills—which will, in the long run, convert into rating gains.
I have re-filmed all the videos to provide a smoother learning experience and integrated everything I’ve learned over the past 2 years. Instead of working on other courses, I’ve committed to expanding the course further in the coming months. Modules on time trouble, and a simplified thought processes are being worked on right now.
If you’re already a Next Level Training student, this upgrade is free, and you’ll get early access in the next few days.
For everyone else, you have two options:
- Keep training randomly, waste time, and risk another year of frustration.
- Start training with a proven, simplified system designed to consistently boost your rating.
Do Something You Can Be Proud Of
Most players will read this and do nothing.
They’ll keep training randomly, hoping things magically improve and stay stuck.
But a few will make a different choice.
They’ll decide today to stop being average and start training the right way. Not only will they achieve better results, but they can also finally be proud of the way they study chess.
If that’s you, stay tuned—because next week, you’ll have everything you need to finally achieve the results you’ve always dreamed of.
Ready to train like an Athlete?
GM Noël Studer
PS: As I outlined in my guest article for ChessMood this week, one key ingredient to outperform others is thinking long-term. If you are searching for a magic pill to instantly improve, I’m not the right guy for you.
