Top Chess Books for 2024: Expert Recommendations by Grand Master Priyadharshan Kannappan
It’s a New Year and have you made goals to get better at chess? If your goal is to get great at chess this year, I have put together a guide suggesting the best books in multiple rating levels you can read and enhance your chess knowledge and increase your chess rating! If you are […]
Chess Gaja 2023: Achievements, Tech Advancements & Growth Report
Hello Students, Parents, and Chess Enthusiasts! As we step into 2024, I wanted to share our annual report for the year “The Chess 2023 report @ Chess Gaja.” A quick throwback to last year’s report if you haven’t read it last year. We had an exciting 2023 in terms of classes, camps, student performances, and rating growth […]
What you should know before playing your first chess tournament!
I remember playing my first chess tournament in Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu in 1999. I was about 6 years old and was playing in the U-7 category if my memory serves me right. It was a big age category tournament with multiple sections, and my section had about 6-7 participants. Playing in your first tournament […]
Don’t give your 100% on the chessboard
Whenever we finish a chess tournament, we feel completely exhausted and the feeling is even worse if it’s 2 rounds every day and you have played fighting chess and have given your 100% every single game. You might have noticed that in such scenarios, you generally play good chess in the 1st half of the […]
Mastering Ruy Lopez and Sicilian Openings: A Guide to Win
The first few moves (~10 moves) of a chess game are what we normally consider the opening phase of a chess game. Having a good and solid opening repertoire with White and Black is important to get a good start to the game, and that would lead you to good playable positions in the middle […]
Playing for a draw or win against higher rated player -By Grandmaster
As a chess player, when facing a higher-rated opponent, should you take risks or play it safe? This question sparked a vibrant debate among my group of students, including some of the most gifted young minds from the United States. It also led me to contemplate my own experiences and opinions on the matter. Before […]
Theoretical and Practical aspects of Chess Improvement by a GrandMaster
Imagine you are just starting out in chess and the World Champion teaches you chess. Will that help you become a world-class player in days or a few months? Think about it as you read this blog. Let me start with a dose of reality – Chess improvement is tough, and it takes years to […]
How to find a chess coach – 10 Key Factors You Want To Look for
One of the most important things in chess learning and improvement is having a chess coach. A coach can help you improve your chess skills and knowledge and can inspire you to be a better player and human being. So how do you go about finding a great chess coach that suits your requirements? Normally, […]
Chess Habits and The big rating gain by Top-10 program students
Hello Readers, I have always believed in the concept that you have to build a habit for chess training. When you build a good habit and stick to it with discipline, it’s bound to give rewards in the long run. To give you an example, I believe it’s more valuable to do 5 minutes of […]
Which tournament section should I register for in a tournament?
Hello! You are about to register for a U.S chess tournament and see multiple sections in the event, and you need help determining which section to register for. Go ahead and read this article to get some clarity. I get asked the question mentioned above at the minimum twice a month by the academy student’s […]