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Chess improvement, distilled

Practical guides and tools for chess players looking to climb from 800 to 1800 ELO.

OpeningsTacticsEndgamesMiddlegameStrategyBlunder PreventionGame AnalysisRating ImprovementLondon SystemSicilian DefenseItalian GameCaro-KannQueen's GambitTactics TrainingFrench DefenseRuy LopezStudy PlansKing's IndianScotch GameRating PercentileChess NotationEnglish OpeningELO CalculatorOpening TrapsScholar's MateLegal's MateRating ConverterChess.com to FIDELichess vs Chess.comRook EndgamesLucena PositionPuzzle TrainingPuzzle RatingCheckmate PatternsBack Rank MateSmothered MateBoard VisionKnight SightSquare Color

Free Tools

Opening Recommender

Get a personalized opening for White and Black

Chess Style Quiz

Discover your chess personality

ELO Calculator

Calculate your new rating after a game

Time Management

Budget your clock for any time control

Opening Explorer

See which openings win at your rating

Blunder Identifier

Find and fix your worst blunder pattern

Study Plan Generator

Get a personalized weekly chess study plan

Rating Percentile

See where your rating ranks among all players

Opening Traps

12 classic traps every club player should know

Rating Converter

Convert between Chess.com, Lichess, FIDE, USCF

Puzzle Estimator

Find the right puzzle difficulty for your rating

Board Vision Trainer

Three drills for square color, knight sight, coordinates

Improvement Plans by Rating

Step-by-step plans tailored to your current ELO.

800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800

Stuck between levels? How to break the 1200 ELO plateau →

Opening Guides

Practical guides for the most popular openings at every level.

New to openings? Best openings for 1000 ELO players →

Skill Guides

Build each chess skill systematically.

How to Get Better at Chess How to Read Chess Notation Opening Principles Choose an Opening Repertoire Study Openings Without Memorizing Study Tactics Effectively Pattern Recognition Training Calculate Variations Middlegame Strategy Pawn Structure Guide When to Trade Pieces Study Chess Endgames Use Engines to Improve Stop Hanging Pieces Analyze Without a Coach Chess Time Management Tournament Preparation Best Chess Books

Tactics & Patterns

The recurring shapes that decide most games under 1800.

10 Essential Checkmate Patterns Pins, Forks, and Skewers Discovered Attacks & Double Checks Why You Keep Blundering Pieces Why You Keep Losing Won Positions What to Do When You're Losing Top 10 Opening Traps to Know

Endgame Mastery

Convert winning positions and hold drawn ones.

King and Pawn Endgames Rook Endgames Bishop vs Knight Endgames Fortress Positions

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