Introduction to my Year of Study

As an adult chess improver, I’ve often wondered what it would be like to approach chess improvement with the same structure and focus as a formal curriculum. Inspired by Noel from NextLevelChess and his thoughtful discussions about how players study, I decided to embark on a year-long journey of deliberate chess study. Over the next 52 weeks, I’ll be following a carefully crafted study plan and sharing my experiences here on the blog.

The idea is simple but ambitious: start with the basics and build a solid foundation, then progressively tackle more challenging aspects of the game. To keep it focused, I’ve divided the year into four quarters:

  • Foundations – Mastering tactics, honing calculation skills, and reinforcing key patterns.

  • Positional Play – Developing a deeper understanding of imbalances, pawn structures, and strategic plans.

  • Middlegame & Endgame – Studying the transition from opening to middlegame and sharpening endgame precision.

  • Psychological Aspects & Competitive Play – Learning how to handle tournament pressure, develop resilience, and perform under real-game conditions.

This blog will serve as my accountability partner, as well as a resource for anyone who might be interested in crafting their own structured study plan. Whether you’re curious about what works, what doesn’t, or just want to follow along, I invite you to join me on this journey.

Week 1 Plan

The topics I wanted to cover this week as part of my yearly plan were:

  • Basic opening principles

  • Fundamental tactics

  • Basic endgames

Basic Opening Principles

  • Goal: to review the basic opening principles of:

    • Control the center
    • Develop your pieces
    • King safety

  • Resource/Tools: Chess.com lesson: Opening Principles

This feels pretty basic to me, but I wanted to start with a simple foundation. In the first game I played after doing this I got an early advantage by not following my opening lines, but instead taking control of the center early since my opponent let me put two pawns in the center. This makes me think it was a good idea to review this.

Fundamental Tactics

I did a combination of reviewing the ideas with the Chess.com lesson, then using Lichess puzzles by category for specific drills. I specifically picked Lichess because of the puzzle dashboard feature, which lets me see how I did on the different types of tactics at the end of the week. Chess.com also has puzzles by category, but I find it slightly harder to navigate to those and there isn’t a “review by type” feature.

Basic Endgames

Next week I’ll be focusing on basic endgames, but I wanted to get a start this week. I’ve read about half of Silman’s Complete Endgame Course in book form, but I wanted something I could drill on Chessable, so I un-archived my copy of the CEC course, reset the progress, and started over. Part 1 is focused on players under 1000 and is mostly about the staircase mate

Schedule

  • Monday: General tactics, opening principles lesson, Silman part 1, rapid game

  • Tuesday: General tactics, double attack lesson, rapid game

  • Wednesday: General tactics, forks lesson, 20 fork puzzles

  • Thursday: General tactics, pins lesson, 20 pin puzzles

  • Friday: General tactics, skewers lesson, 20 skewer puzzles, rapid game

  • Saturday: General tactics, discovered attack lesson, 20 discovered attack puzzles

  • Sunday: General tactics, review puzzle dashboard, plan for next week

For the “general tactics” part, I’m currently working on Tactics Time 2. This week I hit my 1200 day streak on Chessable. I spend 15-20 minutes a day on tactics on Chessable.

Reflections

As I wrap up the first week of my Year of Study, I’ve already noticed a few key takeaways that are shaping how I approach this journey.

Rapid Over Blitz

This week confirmed something I’ve always known but struggled to act on: rapid games are far better for improvement than blitz. By forcing myself to step away from blitz, I’ve been able to focus more deeply during games. However, I still catch myself playing too quickly—a habit I need to break. Keeping a game log has been eye-opening; the most common issues I’ve faced over the past few weeks are playing too fast and skipping calculations. Unsurprisingly, these two problems are closely connected. As I move forward, I’ll need to keep reminding myself to slow down and calculate properly.

The Power of Having a Plan

One of the biggest changes this week has been the structure that my study plan provides. Before this, my chess efforts were often aimless, which led to unfocused or meaningless games. Now, even though the first week was intentionally designed to be easy, the clarity of having a roadmap has made a huge difference. Starting strong with a clear direction feels incredibly motivating.

Tracking Progress

To stay on track, I started a daily log where I outline exactly what I want to accomplish each day. This small addition has been a game-changer. Not only does it keep me accountable, but it also gives me a sense of satisfaction as I check off completed tasks. Seeing my progress documented in real-time is a great reminder of the long-term commitment I’ve made.

Patience Over Quick Fixes

In the past, I’ve been guilty of chasing quick fixes, hoping for instant rating gains or breakthrough results. This time, I’m taking a different approach. I know this year-long plan is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s refreshing to focus on long-term growth instead of obsessing over short-term results. For the first time in a while, I feel like I’m building something that will last.

This first week has been all about laying the groundwork, and I’m already seeing the benefits. It’s exciting to think about what the coming weeks—and the year as a whole—might bring.

Next Week

Next week I’m focusing on more basic endgames using Silman’s Endgame Course and Chess.com lessons. I’m also going to drill the basic simple checkmates with rooks and queens

Other Resources

Here are some other ideas for resources that I considered:

  • Chessable: Learn Chess the Right Way, Tactics Time 1, Common Chess Tactics

    • I’ve done all these tactics courses already, but I would highly recommend them all.

  • Chess.com Introduction to Tactics

  • Book: Bobby Fischer Teaches Check - Fischer

  • Book: Chess Fundamentals - Capablanca

  • Book: Chess Tactics for Students - Bain

    • I went through this book multiple times when I was just starting out and it does a really good job of walking you through each type of tactic.

  • Chessable: Endgame Studies 101

  • Chess.com Custom Puzzles

    • As I mentioned above, I prefer Lichess custom puzzles over Chess.com mainly for the puzzle dashboard feature that tells you how you do on each type of tactic.