Chess Tips, Articles and Guides to Help You Win Chess Games

Gain ELO Points: Believe it or not, the title of this article is a frequent question among club players and aficionados. I’ve been asked this on several occasions while hanging out at the chess club. I couldn’t help but notice certain hopes for a “quick fix answer” as if there was a magic trick. Well, obviously, there isn’t any shortcut to a higher ELO rating. It takes general improvement, specific training, and most importantly: constant learning. This means that you need to be always learning, not just train for a week with a master to get a result. In one word, consistency.

Over 99% of chess players play way under their maximum performance rating. Wouldn’t it be great if you could simply flip a switch and your chess performance goes up? Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that, otherwise, everyone would’ve been a Grandmaster already. Don’t get upset though, because there are some things that I cover that act exactly as that magic switch. You won’t become a grandmaster or even a master overnight, but if you implement even some of the advice given here you will notice you start making progress [especially if you are stuck and not improving].

There is no chess player who has not asked himself that question. And it is not about ratings or titles, because, let us be honest about this, we all think we are better than what those two parameters suggest. The question is a serious one because it does not only determine our current strength but it should also give some idea of our own potential, how good we can be. So how to answer that question?