GMs Ramesh and Aagaard share a laugh (courtesy of GM Aagaard)
This week we feature a double attack from two of the premier chess trainers in the world! GM Jacob Aagaard is the co-founder of Quality Chess Publishing, is an award winning author, and has worked with many elite grandmasters including GM Boris Gelfand and GM Sam Shankland. GM R.B. Ramesh, is an award-winning trainer and author, who has coached the India National Team many times, and has worked with many young talents including GM Pragganandha. GMs Aagaard and Ramesh are both return guests to Perpetual Chess, as they visit to discuss their new project, 365ChessAcademy.com. This new site offers dedicated chess students worldwide the ability to access daily lectures from a cadre of high level trainers, including themselves. In addition to explaining the vision behind this new project, they fielded many chess-improvement questions from Perpetual Chess listeners and provided many insights about common issues faced over the board. As always, you can find more details and timestamps below.
Click here to download the episode.
0:00- We kick off by discussing the vision behind GM Aagaard and GM Ramesh’s new initiative, an online chess academy, called 365ChessAcademy.
Mentioned: GM Sam Shankland, GM Ivan Salgado-Lopez, GM Julen Arizmendi Martinez, IM Renier Castellanos Rodriguez, GM Sabino Brunello
16:00- What have been the unexpected challenges of launching this website?
19:30- This episode is brought to you part by Chessable.com. You can check out the first two volumes of GM Arthur Yusopov’s acclaimed Fundamental chess series on Chessable, here: https://www.chessable.com/the-fundamentals-1-build-up-your-chess/course/19145/
https://www.chessable.com/the-fundamentals-2-boost-your-chess/course/14534/
20:30- We dive into some questions from the Patreon mailbag, beginning with Jacob and Ramesh tackling the age-old question of how to allocate one’s chess study time. Is it better to focus on improving your weaknesses or building your strengths in your game? As a baseline for club players, GM Ramesh recommends spending 60% of study time on middlegame, 20% on endgame, and 20% on opening.
Mentioned: GM Elizbar Ubilava
35:30- The next Patreon question relates to chess study. How does one know when to switch areas of focus in study, and how to draw up chess training plans.
Mentioned: GM Sam Shankland, GM Boris Gelfand, GM Viswanathan Anand, Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual
45:00- Another Patreon supporter writes to ask how he can work to limit tactical oversights in his games.
Mentioned: Quality Chess’s Yusopov Build up Your Chess Series, 365 Chess Academy’s Youtube Channel
54:30- Another Patreon question: How can one structure studies such that they acquire actual chess skills instead of just chess knowledge?
Mentioned: Quality Chess Academy Camps: https://qualitychessacademy.com/june2020/
1:00:00- One more question: Should we change our study approach as we get closer to a tournament?
Mentioned: John Hartmann, GM Jan Gustafsson
1:02:00- Why is it that GM Aagaard has said that he doesn’t believe in goals?
Mentioned: TheBestChessBooks.com, S.M.A.R.T. goals, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big
1:06:00- Would GM Ramesh or GM Aagaard be interested in working on a World Championship prep team if an opportunity presented itself?
Mentioned: GM Boris Gelfand, The Anand Files, IM Christopher Yoo
Thanks again to Jacob and Ramesh to share so much of their wisdom about chess improvement. To find out more about their academy head on over to https://365chessacademy.com/