Training in a game like position, under uncertainty, is essential for your chess improvement.
That’s really what drives a lot of improvement.
The question is: how should you train it? What resources are out there?
Real Chess Training is my way of doing it, but currently only out for 1500-2000 Chesscom Rapid players. 1000-1500 is coming soon (click here to get notified once it is out).
So today I want to share a few additional ways of training in game-like situations. As this is a long one, if you only want to see the exact recommendation per rating range, it is at the end of the email.
None of the links below are affiliate links. I recommend what I truly like and create my own products when I believe there is a specific need in the chess market I can fill.
The Different Steps To Game-Like Training
There are different steps to this process. It is generally more effective the more game-like it becomes, but already the early stages are interesting, and definitely better than nothing.
Tactics or Not
When Magnus Carlsen famously said “this is why you don’t do puzzles, Kids”, someone quickly built a homepage called Tactics or Not.
The name really says it all. You get a position, and before attempting to solve it, you need to decide if there really is a tactic.
Over the last few months, many different sites have adapted this idea.
Flawchess is a completely free and open-source way of doing it (and much more).
ChessRiddle is developed by a Simplified Chess Improvement System student and forces you to put in the full line without moving pieces which is a nice touch.
This training mostly does one thing: train you to decide if there is a tactic. It is a nice addition to your general training and as it is free, or extremely cheap (ChessRiddle costs 70 Euros per year), an affordable first step.
What this kind of training does not have is:
- Human selected positions
- Explanations of the non-forcing puzzles
- Directions of how to solve these puzzles or think during a game
- Decision making training
- Training how to use your time wisely
- Forcing you to spot opponent’s threats
Mixed Positions
A next step up are books that have mixed positions in them. There aren’t as many I know of, and most of them have some little drawbacks.
However, I still clearly favor books over most online tools, because the positions have been chosen, and annotated, by proper Coaches. That makes a big difference, especially if the solution is not straightforward checkmate or winning material.
It is also nice to sit down at a board, put up the positions and get lost in your thoughts without any digital distractions, especially for those of you who (plan to) play OTB chess.
Chapter Tests
There are quite a few books that have chapter tests with several positions you are invited to solve. The drawback is that the Chapter often gives away what you should do, so it isn’t as game-like anymore.
There are three ways to go about this.
- In books like Aagaard’s Calculation (only for 2300 FIDE +), you get different chapter tests, followed by mixed tests at the end of the book. The mixed tests can have anything that came up in all the previous chapters, which makes it similar to real-game solving.
- You can build your own tests. Pick a book from Yusupov’s award-winning series, then randomly select positions from different chapters. Put them in a study (you can make tests of 6 like RCT) and forget about them. A month or so later, you won’t know which position was from which chapter. You now have a mixed test.
- Speaking of Yusupov’s series, for his Fundamental part of the series, there is an exam book, which tests you on everything that was in the previous 3 books. Pretty close to a real-game experience, and you’ll be able to go back in case some specific topics are problematic for you.
Books with a task / several possibilities
Test your chess skills by S. & L. Guliev (recommended from 2000-2200) is a good example of a book that tests your decisions, but by giving you a direction. The exercises are presented using a multiple choice format or an open question.
That can go from “was Black’s last move a blunder” to what move are you playing with 3 option listed.
It is a nice way of testing your skills, but notably the one skill it does not train is finding candidate moves. You also aren’t forced to think if there is a clear solution, because with most questions, you’ll pretty quickly understand that there is a right and a wrong.
Still, an interesting approach to not only get “white wins” puzzles in front of your eyes.
Best Move Book(s)
Practical chess exercises is one of the very few books I know of that really don’t give anything away for each position. It is a nice book for players roughly in the 1700-2200 range.
The author does a good job trying to explain different moves you could play.
There is no test format, so every position stands on it’s own.
And the book isn’t about thinking a specific way, or telling you which process to apply to get to a better solution next time, but more about telling you why in each position a certain move is better than others.
Still, a very valuable training resource.
It is exactly this book that made me think: this is very valuable, but ideally I want a few changes to make this really super effective.
That’s when I thought back and remembered that I always solved tests with the coaches I had, and made that training available for adult improvers.
Tests
Tests are the most complete way of doing this training, because you’ll be forced to manage your time well additionally to everything else you train.
Aagaard’s and Yusupov’s books specifically often have tests in them. As I had the pleasure to work with both of them in my career, it is no wonder I landed on this format for RCT.
Just a quick recap for those that don’t know.
My Real Chess Training tests consist of 6 positions. You get 45 minutes and need to write down a decision, with an explanation, for each of the 6 in this time.
Then, you get to watch a video where I explain every position, how you should think about it, why certain moves work and others are a little (or a lot) inferior.
The video format gives me the chance to go deeper and not only show things with lines, but explain in words how you can improve your thought process next time.
That’s really the biggest difference I see with the few books that offer the same test format.
Just by reading some solution, you often don’t understand how you can improve your process.
What you get is a line, an evaluation, and maybe a small explanation.
That’s also why for now, I haven’t put RCT into a book format. With the 5-10 minutes I spend on a position in the video, the book would become gigantic.
Or it would lose much of its value by stripping down most “how to spot this move” explanations.
But if you ask me what to do if RCT is not an option for you, then my answer is absolutely a book with the same test format that is in your rating range.
My Recommendations
Speaking of recommendations, here are mine for each rating range.
As always, the ratings I mention are Chesscom Rapid, for the simple fact that the most players have such a rating. You can find an online rating converter if you need to convert it into lichess, blitz or OTB ratings.
Recommendation for 0-1000
On this level, you don’t need sophisticated positional understanding. What truly matters is to see simple tactics + hanging pieces, for both you and your opponents.
Ideally you train your own tactical opportunities with the Step Method books, especially the mixed ones.
On top of that do some “Tactics or not” styled training.
Why not proper test formats?
You might rightfully ask.
Because I don’t know of anything simple enough for your level. If I’d do it in the future, it would be something like:
- Shorter time than 45 mins (maybe 15-30 for 6 positions)
- Only either simple tactics for you, threats from the opponent or developing a piece
If you can find that somewhere, let me know.
The key for you is: build a habit to check for these simple tactics, and play a lot. When analyzing, only focus on these basic things, otherwise you quickly overwhelm yourself.
Recommendation for 1000-1500
I wouldn’t create RCT 1000-1500 if I didn’t believe it was the best training in that area. That’s my top recommendation as soon as it is out. ETA is end of October, subscribe to the newsletter to get notified once it is out.
I sadly also don’t know of a book written for your level in the exact test format I like. Yusupov’s series starts at reach 1500 DWZ, but that was before elo inflation and online ratings. It more is for players 1500-1800.
So, as a build up to RCT, I recommend going with something like ChessRiddle to practice seeing lines ahead of time and figuring out if there is a tactic or not.
Mixed Step Method books are a great way of getting a little bit challenged, because occasionally, Step Method also has non-tactical chapters, even a few pages that focus on stopping opponent’s threats.
Recommendation for 1500-2000
Same as above, I truly believe RCT is the best thing you can do to train in game-like situations, so that’s my top recommendation. For you guys it is already out and 500 players are training with it every week.
As an alternative, or on top of RCT, you can now go for Yusupov’s Fundamental series (the last one, Revision & Exam is the test book).
Also Practical Chess exercises by Ray Cheng is good.
I’ve got several RCT students who want more than one test a week, and those are the things I recommend them on top of it.
The online trainers mentioned at the beginning can be a nice switch-up, especially if you don’t have a full 45 minutes of focused time. As you get used to deeper solutions with clear takeaways, you just need to lower your expectations when getting these online solutions and take them with a grain of salt.
Recommendation for 2000-2200
Jacob Aagaard has an online Membership, with which you can get his homework which is the same Test format he taught me with his books and in a training camp I attended.
Jacob is mostly coaching very strong young players and GMs, so his exercises are really tough. RCT students often tell me my positions are hard, “but not as hard as Jacob’s homework”.
So for those above the RCT range, I highly recommend checking out Killer Chess Training.
Test your chess skills by the Guliev Brothers is now a good book in your rating range.
Step Method and Yusupov books are still great, with the small drawbacks mentioned above.
Recommendation for 2200+
Welcome to dreamland. This way of training is most known for strong players pushing for titles and beyond.
Aagaards Killer Chess Training is still great, arguably even more fitting now. The lessons you get with the memberships will be great value, too.
Think like a super GM and Perfect your Chess are great books, pushing you to the limits.
Calculation by Aagaard is the gold standard in my opinion for chess books that push you and help you improve by doing really hard stuff. You now earned the right to get hundreds of hours of headache with it.
His whole Grandmaster series is phenomenal work, even though not fully in the test format I write about here.
You are now also ready to tackle all of Dvoretsky’s work, which is phenomenal, albeit rarely in the exact test format.
Pick One And Do It
Perfect is the enemy of good.
The way to get better is to actually do the training.
So pick one resource and start training properly.
If you want to do a test, you can get one free RCT 1500-2000 test here.
Plan 45 minutes in your calendar.
Do the work.
Then enjoy the solution video.
It is worth it.
Keep improving,
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 18,000+ 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 The Simplified Chess Improvement System. This course taught 1400+ 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.
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- Rated between 1500-2000 chesscom Rapid? Ready for a hard challenge every single week? Check out Real Chess Training, my membership with weekly 6 position tests. Train your skills under game-like conditions.
