GM Igor Smirnov offers over 30 premium chess courses through his platform, Remote Chess Academy . While his full "Super Pack" bundle can cost approximately
His philosophy is a major part of his appeal. He argues that the sheer volume of chess tutorials, books, and DVDs available is practically impossible to follow, and that true improvement comes from a "less is more" approach that focuses on key principles and practical skills. This principle, along with his down-to-earth teaching style, forms the foundation of his Remote Chess Academy.
Ultimately, no course can do the hard work for you. Whether you pay for Smirnov’s structured ecosystem or curate your own free training regimen, your chess growth will always depend on your willingness to sit down, analyze your mistakes, and play competitive games. If you want to tailor your study plan further, tell me: What is your (and on which platform)? How many hours per week can you dedicate to studying?
| | Primary Focus | Format | Price (MSRP) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | The Secrets of Strong Players | The 9 key differences between Masters and amateurs | 9 Video Lessons + 120 pg. eBook | $99.00 | | Winning the Middlegame | A single, clear guide to middlegame strategy | 9 Videos + eBook + PGNs | $119.00 | | Attack and Win | A step-by-step tutorial for launching attacks | 9 Video Lessons | $89.00 | | Endgame Expert | Practical endgame strategy, not just theory | 9 Video Lessons | --- | | The Grandmaster's Openings Lab | Practical opening repertoire building | Video Lessons | --- | | Your Winning Plan | A system for formulating and executing plans | 10 Video Lessons | --- | | My Thinking System | An algorithm for finding the best move | Video Lectures + Tasks | --- | | Play Like Fischer | Fischer's thinking system and techniques | 11 Video Lessons + Puzzles | --- | | Think, Plan and Win | Practical instruction manual for 1600-2000 players | Video Seminars | $40.00 | gm igor smirnov all 9 chess courses better free
(down from over $1,600 during sales), he provides several high-quality free resources that serve as a bridge to his paid content. Remote Chess Academy Top 9 Core Chess Courses
The chess landscape has transformed radically. The quality of free chess education available today is unprecedented, making it entirely possible to reach a Master rating without ever spending a dime.
Before you spend money, take these four free courses. They cover approximately 60% of the strategic content of the paid courses. GM Igor Smirnov offers over 30 premium chess
Pieces are only as good as their activity. Maximize the mobility of your least active piece. 3. The Grandmaster's Openings Laboratory
The ghost grinned. "The problem isn’t knowledge. You have more openings than Magnus. The problem is noise . You memorize variations but don’t recognize a single human mistake over the board. Watch."
Lichess has a fantastic, organized video library where you can find over 15 full video lessons by GM Igor Smirnov. These are categorized by topic, such as openings (English, Queen's Gambit, Italian Game) and specific defenses (Scandinavian, Petrov). It is an excellent resource for structured, free learning. This principle, along with his down-to-earth teaching style,
If you spend 20 hours working through The Grandmaster’s Positional Understanding and gain 200 ELO, you have saved 180 hours.
Lichess.org is 100% free and open-source. The "Studies" tab features thousands of master-level interactive guides created by titled players. You can practice opening repertoires, analyze positional concepts with a free built-in Stockfish engine, and test your knowledge with interactive quizzes.