When I first started playing chess it was all about the practice games for me. I was
convinced learning all the different moves possible would make me an expert. Should I
follow the same methods that legendary players before me had done? Or should I
invent ways to defeat my opponent? Analyzing games by esteemed players gave me a
thrill that was almost akin to sharing the board with them.
What I didn’t know then was that a lot of these players relied on their intuition. Many
grandmasters rely on their gut feeling to make moves they cannot fully explain. They
feel the position, sense the right move, and trust their instincts to arrive at profound
conclusions without detailed explanations. They trust their gut and get duly rewarded.
In real life though, how many of us trust our instinct? We have, unfortunately, been
trained from a young age to quell that inner voice and to simply trust hard facts.
However, my outlook on both intuition and analytical skills have evolved over the years.
From being a naïve young player who analyzed every game I came across, to believing
in my grandmaster years, that my instinct would never let me down.

As a coach and mentor I ask myself this: Are analytical skills and intuition opposite
poles that can never meet? Or are the two simply two sides of the same coin? While
intuition offers valuable quick thinking and innovative solutions, analytical skills provide
a rational and methodical approach. It would be amiss to overlook that intuition and
analysis are not opposing forces but complementary tools. The greatest achievements
often emerge when these two ways of thinking are harmoniously blended.

John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach who led the team at U.C.L.A to 10 national

championships, believed in starting with the basics. Each season, his coaching lessons

began with teaching his players how to properly tie their shoelaces. His method was

meticulous: pull up socks to avoid blisters, tie laces snugly to prevent stumbling, and

always tuck in shirts.

When I first read this story, it made me reflect on its equivalent in chess. What is the

fundamental principle I would like to instill in my students who compete and dedicate

countless hours to the game. After much thought, I realized it could be summed up in

one phrase: “Enjoy the game.” Not the wins, the awards, or the accolades. But the

simple pleasure of discovering moves on the board that is familiar yet new every time you

play.

It is a sentiment often expressed but rarely emphasized as a core principle. For me, this

is the key ingredient to success. One of my first goals with any student is to understand

what they enjoy about chess. Discover the moments that bring them joy or excitement.

Once I uncover this, I teach them to reflect on those moments

and the love it led towards the game.

Approaching each game with excitement and love for playing transforms the

experience. Rather than being consumed by the pressure to win, players should embrace

the challenge and fully engage in the process. True competitive spirit lies in the joy of

playing—a passion for the journey and the lessons learned along the way.

The art of maintaining joy in the game, however, requires conscious effort. Here are

some practical ways to do so:

 Reflect on your best games and identify what made them enjoyable.

 Experiment with new openings or positions that excite you.

 Play casual games or solve puzzles purely for fun, without any pressure.

Without the desire to engage fully, the opportunity to compete meaningfully diminishes.

As chess players, we should go to the board with the intention of being present and

immersed in the game, not burdened by anxiety or frustration. A chess game, at its heart,

should never feel like suffering; conversely it should feel like an adventure.

The next time you sit at the board, take a moment to appreciate the opportunity to play.

Find joy in each move and remember why you started this journey in the first place.

So let us take inspiration from Coach Wooden and his meticulous shoelace lesson. By

focusing on the fundamentals—and for chess, that fundamental is finding joy in the

game— we can build a foundation for growth, resilience, and success. After all, the love

for the game is what drives us to keep coming back, move after move.

Fabiano Caruana

Strength/Form

I hope Fabiano Caruana doesn’t need a particular introduction. For more than a decade, he has been considered to be one of the strongest chess players in the world. Many regard him as the 2nd best player of our generation. He came close to rivaling Magnus Carlsen on several occasions – most notably in 2018, just before their World Championship Match, when the difference between the two consisted of just a few rating points. No other player in the tournament came even remotely close to Caruana’s peak rating of 2844 ELO.

Caruana has not only historically been the 2nd best player in the world. But he is also entering the Candidates tournament as such. He is currently the only person – apart from Magnus Carlsen – to belong to the exclusive 2800+ ELO Club, with his rating sitting comfortably at 2803,2.

Such a high rating is the consequence of the fantastic form Caruana has been for the larger part of 2023. He won several elite events in which he participated (Superbet Chess Classic 2023, US Chess Championship 2023, Sinquefield Cup 2023) and had a very good performance in the World Cup 2023 (3rd place, securing the qualification spot) and Norway Chess 2023 (2nd place) and reasonable performance in FIDE Grand Swiss (+4-1=6, 7/11) and American Cup (3rd place).

What about playing bullet (1+0)?

It’s really fun playing chess with this crazy time control.
Lots of emotions, lots of adrenaline…

But if you talk to any experienced Grandmaster or a coach, they’ll tell you that if you want to destroy your chess, playing bullet games systematically can be the fastest way.

You may have already had an experience when you started playing 1+0 games, and after you came to your normal time controls, you felt how badly you started to play chess.

My advice – unless you’ve bought a new mouse that you want to test, don’t play bullet games.

My favorite time control

When I played professional chess, I used to play lots of friendly matches and I almost always played 5+3.

I recommend playing this time control to all of my students too, when they play online chess or when they have a friendly match.

5+3 is a time control between blitz and rapid.
You have time to think during the game. But at the same time, you don’t have enough time to sleep over the board.

Also, it helps to develop your intuition, ability to make fast and practical decisions, and many other important skills for becoming a better chess player.