10 Chess Principles That Actually Matter

Opening theory gets all the attention. But according to GM Loek van Wely, a player who has played in 14 Olympiads, is eight-time Dutch champion, and has decades of experience against Karpov, Kasparov, Anand, and Carlsen, most of what separates strong players from the rest has nothing to do with memorised lines.

Free sample video: Introduction

Free sample video: Don't Bluff the Donkey

In this course, Van Wely breaks down ten practical principles he's used throughout his career, and that he still sees even grandmasters get wrong. Among them: managing your clock around the real turning points of a game rather than reacting too late, knowing when to simplify instead of complicate, staying objective about your own mistakes as well as your opponent's, and recognising the one moment to take risks before it's too late to matter. He also addresses the psychological side of the game: not being intimidated by a strong opponent's body language or time pressure, and trusting your own calculations even against higher-rated players.

This isn't a course on lines or theory. It's a look at how decisions actually get made (and also mishandled) at the highest level, and how to apply that awareness to your own games.

What you'll get:
• Ten practical principles drawn directly from a top grandmaster's tournament career
• Guidance on time management, risk-taking, and staying objective under pressure
• Real examples and stories from decades of play against World Champions
• Insight into the psychological side of chess that opening books never cover

The part of chess that opening theory can't teach you.

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This is what is delivered:
  • Fritztrainer App for Windows and Mac
  • Available as download or on DVD
  • Video course with a running time of approx. 4-8 hrs.
  • Repertoire database: save and integrate Fritztrainer games into your own repertoire (in WebApp Opening or in ChessBase)
  • Interactive exercises with video feedback: the authors present exercises and key positions, the user has to enter the solution. With video feedback (also on mistakes) and further explanations.
  • Sample games as a ChessBase database.
  • New: many Fritztrainer now also available as stream in the ChessBase video portal!
That's what the FritzTrainer App can do for you:
  • Videos can run in the Fritztrainer app or in the ChessBase program with board graphics, notation and a large function bar
  • Analysis engine can be switched on at any time
  • Video pause for manual navigation and analysis in game notation
  • Input of your own variations, engine analysis, with storage in the game
  • Learn variations: view specific lines in the ChessBase WebApp Opening with autoplay, memorize variations and practise transformation (initial position - final position).
  • Active opening training: selected opening positions are transferred to the ChessBase WebApp Fritz-online. In a match against Fritz you test your new knowledge and actively play the new opening.
Even more possibilities: Start FritzTrainer in the ChessBase program!
  • The database with all games and analyses can be opened directly.
  • Games can be easily added to the opening reference.
  • Direct evaluation with game reference, games can be replayed on the analysis board
  • Your own variations are saved and can be added to the own repertoire
  • Replay training
  • LiveBook active
  • All engines installed in ChessBase can be started for the analysis
  • Assisted Analysis
  • Print notation and diagrams (for worksheets)

Sample video

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Active or Passive?
  • Van Wely - Van der Wiel
  • Time Management
  • Van Wely - Carlsen
  • Vidit - Van Foreest
  • Van Wely - Klein
  • You have to Calculate!
  • Van Wely - Cvitan
  • Don't Bluff the Donkey
  • L'Ami - Van Wely
  • Van Wely - Svidler
  • Ivanchuk - Van Wely
  • Stay Objective
  • Sokolov - Van Wely
  • Mamedyarov - Sokolov
  • Sometimes being overly objective can cost you.
  • Van Wely - Giri
  • Systematic Thinking
  • Becerra Rivero - Van Wely
  • Don't try to force the win at all costs.
  • Sevian - Van Wely
  • Endgame Knowledge
  • Carlsen - Aronian
  • Caruana - Carlsen
  • Polzin - Van Wely
  • Do or Die! Go Active
  • Hou - Van Wely
  • Morozevich - Van Wely
More...
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