is perhaps the most famous component. It rejects the "solve 100 puzzles a day" dogma.
| Aspect | GM Smirnov’s Courses | Free Alternatives (YouTube, Lichess, Chessable samples) | |--------|----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | | Sequential, step-by-step, building skills logically. | Fragmented. You must design your own curriculum. | | Depth | Each concept is drilled with examples & exercises. | Often superficial or scattered across multiple creators. | | Time Efficiency | High. No filler; distilled grandmaster experience. | Low. You sift through thousands of hours to find gems. | | Psychology | Dedicated course on mindset, tilt, concentration. | Rarely covered systematically for free. | | Exercises | Tailored to each lesson with solutions explained. | Generic puzzles (Lichess) or none. | | Updates | Paid users get new versions & support. | None. | gm igor smirnov all 9 chess courses better free
While GM Smirnov has produced over 30 courses, these nine are frequently cited as the foundation for breaking through to the 2000 ELO level: is perhaps the most famous component
He brewed coffee, opened Course #1 ( Positional Domination ), and began. Three hours later, his eyes crossed. The principles blurred: "Activate your worst piece… restrict the opponent’s knight… trade bad bishops…" He knew the rules. He just couldn’t feel them. | Fragmented
Smirnov’s materials often score highly on several of these criteria, especially in structured progression and practical orientation, which can make them particularly effective for motivated learners.