Today, I’m going to share my super secret formula that makes you improve your chess like nobody else. The lucky few who learn this super secret formula will have more rating points and money and be happier than anyone else.
Have I got your attention? Then, let’s go from dreamland to reality.
The Boring Truth
There is no secret formula. Success is boring. It is simple. Most of us know what we should do. The only difference is if we actually do it or not.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Derek Sivers:
If more information was the answer, then we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.
It is really not about more information. Success is about executing the simple, mostly boring things. Here are a few fields and their super simple ways to become successful:
- Chess: Solve tactics, play + analyze your games, and you’ll improve.
- Running: Get proper running shoes, train 1-3x per week, and increase the speed/distance a little every week.
- Finances (not financial advice!!!): Save a little monthly, invest it in a boring ETF, and use the compound effect.
- Writing: Write every day, put your stuff out there, and improve over time.
- Fitness: Exercise a few times a week. Walk more often. Eat less crap.
Justin Welsh, one of my favorite writers online, has recently written a newsletter called “The Hidden Power of Being Boring.” In it, he shares the same point. Here is a short extract:
I see this in my inbox every day: “What’s your secret to growing your newsletter?” or “What’s the one thing that made your LinkedIn account take off?” And the real answer is always the most boring one. I write. I write every single day. Even when I don’t feel inspired. Even when nobody seems to care. And even when it feels like I’m talking to an empty room. I’ve now written for over 2,100 consecutive days without missing. But, of course, that’s not what people want to hear.
Becoming Grandmaster – The Boring Truth
So, how did I become a Grandmaster?
I played and improved my Chess for over a decade. My first rated classical game was in 2006 (10 years old), I got my GM title in 2017 (20.5 years old). That’s 11 years of playing, improving, struggling but sticking to the game.
Some years, I was more motivated; some others, I didn’t do as much. But I stuck to it. On my way to Grandmaster, I passed hundreds, if not thousands of kids and teenagers that were at some point higher rated than me.
Either they got frustrated by the lack of results, got distracted by other things in their life, or quit chess altogether.
Are there things I could have done better? Hell yeah!
Are there any secret shortcuts that make you improve at chess without putting in any effort? Hell no.
Why Nobody Wants To Believe the Boring Truth
Justin shared an amazing reason why we all hate this boring reality and try to escape it.
Here’s what makes this truth so uncomfortable for people: It strips away the best excuses.
Once you accept there is no secret sauce, no hidden magic pill, no “best opening to crush everyone forever and never have to learn anything else again, just memorize these moves and win all of your games,” you ain’t got no excuses anymore.
If you don’t improve your game, it is not because you lack talent or age, because you started late or because you haven’t gotten a juicy sip of that secret sauce (insert any other excuse). You don’t improve because you aren’t doing the right work (often/good enough). That’s it.
But once you accept the boring truth, you unlock the ability to achieve success without the need for magic pills. You see your growth, and it’s empowering. You stop searching for shortcuts and start taking control of your journey. It’s not about waiting for something to change; it’s about consistently doing the work and seeing the progress unfold.
Does it hurt to read that? Well, you now have two choices:
- Get upset at the messenger (me), curse me, unsubscribe from this list (please do it if you get annoyed at this, I can’t do the work for you), and live in dreamland.
- Wake up, change something, and start doing the boring stuff that works.
For everyone that chooses step 2, here’s what you can do:
The Solution
You will get better at chess if you follow the 3 Do’s of Chess improvement
- Do what matters
- Do it well
- Do it consistently
In a nutshell, here is what that means:
- Work on Tactics and play games + analyze them
- Any time you study chess, focus as well as possible, eliminate distractions and mindless games
- Stick to a simple plan for 3+ months to see really amazing results
If you look at it through that lens, all of my work, that’s soon 200+ articles, 2 courses, 30+ podcasts, and many more newsletters, focus on these 3 things. There will be a lot of challenges along the way. But if we come back to the three Do’s of chess improvement, we will be able to improve our chess – much more than we think is possible.
Here is a graph I recently got from a Next Level Training student:
Pretty impressive, right? Here is what they wrote:
The method is working. On the occasion of new year, I gifted myself NLT. Just started solving simple tactics. And automatically graph is becoming steep.
Start doing the simple, boring stuff on a daily basis, and soon you’ll share your personal success story with me.
Keep improving,
GM Noël
PS: This article was initially sent out to my Newsletter list. If you want to get chess improvement advice for free in your inbox, join 17,000+ chess improvers by signing up for Friday Grandmaster Insights here.
Whenever you’re ready, here is how I can help you:
- Want to know How to train chess well? Check out Next Level Training – The Chess Training Blueprint for Adult Improvers. This course taught 800+ students the How of Chess Training. Create your high-quality chess plan and learn how to study each part of Chess, from tactics to openings & endgames. Click here to learn more.
- Rated below 1200 Chess.com? Need to refresh your fundamentals? Check out my course, Beginner Chess Mastery. You’ll learn all the fundamentals, from strategy to how to get the most out of your pieces, tactics, and endgames. You even get a full opening repertoire for free. Click here to learn more.
