How to get better at chess: a simple study plan for every level
How to get better at chess without studying everything: play longer games, review your own mistakes, train tactics and learn a few endgames. A weekly plan by level.
The Chess X-Ray blog
Practical articles on improving at chess: how to stop blundering, how to train on your own games, what an AI chess coach can and cannot do.
X-ray attack in chess: what it is, with 3 examples
An x-ray in chess is a piece that attacks or defends a square through another piece. See how it works in 3 real positions, and how to spot it in your games.
Why am I good at puzzles but bad in real games?
A puzzle tells you there is a tactic. A game never does. Here is why your puzzle rating sits far above your game rating, how to close the gap, and what to do on the days you have no time to review.
My rating dropped 200 points this week. What happened?
A big drop in a few days is often just variance, but sometimes it has a real cause. Here is how to tell the difference, what to look for in your last games, and how to stop the slide tonight.
I don’t know what to do after the opening
You know your first moves, then the middlegame starts and you shuffle pieces. Here are the simple questions that give you a plan, why your openings already contain one, and what to do when you have no time to study them.
Why am I always low on time in chess, even in 15 or 30 minute games?
Running out of time is rarely about thinking too slowly. It is about thinking in the wrong places. Here is how to find where your clock goes, a simple budget to fix it, and what to do when you have no time to review your games.
Which endgames should I learn first?
A clear order for players under 2000: the basic mates, king and pawn endings, the two famous rook endgames, and what you can safely skip for now. With a short video lesson for each one.
How do I actually improve from analyzing my games?
Finding your mistakes is the easy part. Here is the method that turns them into better moves in your next games, why it takes so long, and what to do on the days you have no time for it.
Scandinavian Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 1000-1200 Elo
How players rated 1000 to 1200 really play the Scandinavian Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
Pirc Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 1200-1400 Elo
How players rated 1200 to 1400 really play the Pirc Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
How to stop blundering in chess: 5 opening traps beginners fall into
Beginners blunder in the same opening positions game after game. Test yourself on the 5 most common opening traps under 1000 Elo, then learn how to fix your own.
French Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 800-1000 Elo
How players rated 800 to 1000 really play the French Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
Sicilian Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 800-1000 Elo
How players rated 800 to 1000 really play the Sicilian Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
Lichess to Chess.com rating: real conversion table (2,882 players)
I compared the ratings of 2,882 players active on both sites. A blitz player rated 1500 to 1599 on Lichess is around 1160 on Chess.com, around 1230 in rapid and around 1020 in bullet (beta). Full tables, band by band.
Why do I keep losing at chess? Usually, it is the same mistake again
If you keep losing chess games, the cause is rarely bad luck. Most club players repeat the same few mistakes in the same positions. Here is how to find yours and stop.
Italian Game traps: 6 mistakes at 600-800 Elo
How players rated 600 to 800 really play the Italian Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Italian Game traps: 6 mistakes at 800-1000 Elo
How players rated 800 to 1000 really play the Italian Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Caro-Kann Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 1000-1200 Elo
How players rated 1000 to 1200 really play the Caro-Kann Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
Caro-Kann Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 1600-1800 Elo
How players rated 1600 to 1800 really play the Caro-Kann Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
French Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 1200-1400 Elo
How players rated 1200 to 1400 really play the French Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
French Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 1800-2000 Elo
How players rated 1800 to 2000 really play the French Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
London System traps: 6 mistakes at 1200-1400 Elo
How players rated 1200 to 1400 really play the London System on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
London System traps: 6 mistakes at 1400-1600 Elo
How players rated 1400 to 1600 really play the London System on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
London System traps: 6 mistakes at 1600-1800 Elo
How players rated 1600 to 1800 really play the London System on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
London System traps: 6 mistakes at 1800-2000 Elo
How players rated 1800 to 2000 really play the London System on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
London System traps: 6 mistakes at 2000-2200 Elo
How players rated 2000 to 2200 really play the London System on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Sicilian Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 1400-1600 Elo
How players rated 1400 to 1600 really play the Sicilian Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
Sicilian Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 2200-2400 Elo
How players rated 2200 to 2400 really play the Sicilian Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
Queen’s Gambit traps: 6 mistakes at 1000-1200 Elo
How players rated 1000 to 1200 really play the Queen’s Gambit on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Queen’s Gambit traps: 6 mistakes at 2000-2200 Elo
How players rated 2000 to 2200 really play the Queen’s Gambit on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Ruy Lopez traps: 6 mistakes at 1600-1800 Elo
How players rated 1600 to 1800 really play the Ruy Lopez on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Philidor Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 600-800 Elo
How players rated 600 to 800 really play the Philidor Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
King’s Gambit traps: 6 mistakes at 800-1000 Elo
How players rated 800 to 1000 really play the King’s Gambit on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Dutch Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 1800-2000 Elo
How players rated 1800 to 2000 really play the Dutch Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
Slav Defense traps: 6 mistakes at 2000-2200 Elo
How players rated 2000 to 2200 really play the Slav Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
Nimzo-Indian traps: 6 mistakes at 2200-2400 Elo
How players rated 2200 to 2400 really play the Nimzo-Indian Defense on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
Scotch Game traps: 6 mistakes at 800-1000 Elo
How players rated 800 to 1000 really play the Scotch Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Scotch Game traps: 6 mistakes at 1000-1200 Elo
How players rated 1000 to 1200 really play the Scotch Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Scotch Game traps: 6 mistakes at 1200-1400 Elo
How players rated 1200 to 1400 really play the Scotch Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Scotch Game traps: 6 mistakes at 1400-1600 Elo
How players rated 1400 to 1600 really play the Scotch Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Scotch Game traps: 6 mistakes at 1600-1800 Elo
How players rated 1600 to 1800 really play the Scotch Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Scotch Game traps: 6 mistakes at 1800-2000 Elo
How players rated 1800 to 2000 really play the Scotch Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Scotch Game traps: 6 mistakes at 2000-2200 Elo
How players rated 2000 to 2200 really play the Scotch Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Scotch Game traps: 6 mistakes at 2200-2400 Elo
How players rated 2200 to 2400 really play the Scotch Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Vienna Game traps: 6 mistakes at 800-1000 Elo
How players rated 800 to 1000 really play the Vienna Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
London System traps: 6 mistakes at 1000-1200 Elo
How players rated 1000 to 1200 really play the London System on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Alekhine Defence traps: 6 mistakes at 1200-1400 Elo
How players rated 1200 to 1400 really play the Alekhine Defence on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
King’s Indian Defence traps: 6 mistakes at 1400-1600 Elo
How players rated 1400 to 1600 really play the King’s Indian Defence on Lichess: three White mistakes you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.
English Opening traps: 6 mistakes at 2000-2200 Elo
How players rated 2000 to 2200 really play the English Opening on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Scotch Game traps: 6 mistakes at 600-800 Elo
How players rated 600 to 800 really play the Scotch Game on Lichess: three Black mistakes you can punish, and three White mistakes to stop making.
Three mistakes to avoid and three more to punish when you play the Scandinavian at 1500-1700 Elo
How players rated 1500 to 1700 really play the Scandinavian on Lichess: one trap and two errors from White that you can punish, and three Black mistakes to stop making.