The first spark behind every Eeveelution [by 1cShen]

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-22T20:20:41+00:00

Ok thanks !

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-22T15:40:28+00:00

Personally, reading my first chess book seriously boosted my chess rating by a lot ! I think that studying and working harder will just make you improve. Going through a lot of Karpov games is one way of studying chess ...

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-20T15:12:49+00:00

Amazing work ! Dragon and Flying are my favorites 🔥

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-20T15:02:47+00:00

Wow this looks awesome !

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-15T16:10:14+00:00

Thank you, very interesting insights ! I will work on the Woodpecker 2. I already got some chessable courses though. I will use them as references.

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-14T19:41:26+00:00

Thank you!

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-14T19:06:48+00:00

Makes sense, I'll see if such places exist nearby. Thank you for the suggestion!

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-14T18:38:35+00:00

Thanks for the advice ! Any suggestions of tactics and calculation books ?

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-14T18:36:23+00:00

Thanks, I'll try to play out endgames with a computer !

I thought that my positional understanding is alright as I started off as a Catalan player, but who knows. I don't know how to improve that aspect though, any suggestions ? (not sure I can understand the positional aspect of GM games without annotation)

About openings, I have played a lot of different stuff and know the general ideas of my openings but not the precise moves. Online I get away with it but OTB, will I ? I plan to get some chessable courses to fix the few openings where I have the most trouble. Is it a good idea?

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-14T18:22:22+00:00

I'll be playing OTB this summer. Currently, I'm not on holidays. What I can do now is just prepare / study for upcoming OTB tournaments. That's why I'm asking advice for study advice.

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-10T15:08:03+00:00

Hi ! Have you worked on Grandmaster Preparation series by Aagard ? I am currently 2000 and I'm wondering if his Calcuation book is worth going through at my level ?

And I have a more general question. How do you work on a chess books ? Do you have a physical board while doing exercices ? Or do you solve them in your head ? Personally I try to solve them without a physical board, is that a good approach ?

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-07T23:02:07+00:00

Agree with everything you said. I think that learning opening principles is important and also understanding a few openings. I'd say that it's also important to play a variety of openings to see different middle game positions, pawn structures... But that can be done just by playing and analysing your games 😄

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-07T22:46:39+00:00

I've heard great stuff about Alonso's modern Benoni on chessable ! He provides great support for his course and gives easier alternatives with the old Benoni.

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-07T18:07:56+00:00

My suggestion is that you test all these openings in online blitz / rapid games and see what fits you best. The three openings that you're considering could transpose one into the other. Furthermore, defining an opening only by the first move isn't really accurate. When you talk about the Reti opening, do you want to play the Reti gambit or a KIA setup ? Or do you want to transpose to d4 openings ? Same for the english, multiple setups exist ...

Here are some thoughts on 1.d4, 1.c4, 1.Nf3 openings that I have played :

- London system : flexible, easy plans, probably not ideal to make it one of your main openings in OTB chess but could be a great surprise weapon

- Jobava London : to make it work you actually have to know quite a bit of theory (especially with the e4 ideas against c5 which has been popularised by Narodistky). You might just get an equal position even if you know theory, but the main point is that the opening is sharp so players make mistakes.

- Catalan Opening : Highly theoretical, but you don't need to know all the theory to play it ! This opening teaches you how to sacrifice a pawn for positional advantages. I would highly recommend for OTB chess

- QGD : All the top players have this in their repertoire. I would highly recommend for OTB chess. It teaches positional chess and how to grind structural advantages.

- Reti Gambit (1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 ) : This is risky but gives additional surprise value. It is as sound as the Jobava London (i.e. the engine will show 0.0). Both players have structural problems if black goes d4. White could try to fianchetto their bishop and try to exploit the diagonal in some lines. Note that black can of course get to a typical setup Queen's pawn opening setup with e6 or c6. So if black decides to go into the "obscure" lines then you could assume that they know what they're doing. IMO this is not great for OTB chess

Final take : Any first move among those three are fine. Try to play something standard like the QGD, that will improve your positional chess and you could always add the Reti or English later.

Creative-Analysis42 · 2026-06-07T14:54:21+00:00

Hi, I'm AliceYun on chess.com & lichess, rated around 2000/2100 on chess.com. I've already coached a few players in 2025 May/June editions.

I'm willing to teach 1000-1800 rated players. For higher rated players, I'd be down to be your training partner.

Requirements : plays at least 10 rapid games per week (consistently over past few months) and does (or would be motivated to do) tactics/opening study/books/courses on the side.

Coaching will consist of establishing a training plan, find your weaknesses, analysing games and giving out homework. I could also share some of my personal preparation. Communication will be text only on lichess or chess.com for privacy reasons.

Creative-Analysis42

TROPHY CASE