Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player looking to sharpen your skills, countless online resources can help you grow as a chess player. From interactive lessons and puzzles to tools like a chess calculator that evaluates positions, these resources make learning chess both accessible and enjoyable. Here are some of the top online tools and platforms to help you advance your chess skills.
1. Chess.com
One of the most popular chess platforms worldwide, Chess.com offers a comprehensive suite of learning tools. The website includes lessons, daily puzzles, and even master-level games to analyze. Additionally, Chess.com provides:
- Interactive Lessons: Designed for beginners and advanced players alike, these lessons cover everything from basic principles to advanced endgame techniques.
- Puzzles and Tactics Trainer: The puzzles are tailored to your skill level, helping you develop your tactical ability.
- Computer Analysis: After each game, Chess.com provides an analysis feature, giving you a breakdown of each move with explanations. It’s a great way to understand mistakes and improve your next chess move.
Chess.com also has a chess calculator function within its analysis tools that can evaluate board positions and calculate potential outcomes of various moves.
2. Lichess.org
Lichess is a free, open-source chess platform with a strong, active community. It offers many useful tools for players of all levels, including:
- Study Mode: Players can create or join study groups to go over openings, tactics, or endgame theory.
- Puzzles and Tactics Training: Lichess has a large collection of puzzles that get progressively harder, helping you develop a keen eye for tactical plays.
- Endgame Trainer: The endgame trainer offers practice in key positions, like king and pawn vs. king, which is invaluable for beginners and intermediate players.
One standout feature of Lichess is that it’s ad-free and entirely community-funded, which keeps the learning experience smooth and distraction-free.
3. Chessable
Chessable is a unique platform focused on helping you memorize and practice openings, endgames, and tactics. It employs spaced repetition to help you retain what you’ve learned. Some key features of Chessable include:
- Opening Courses: Chessable offers in-depth courses on specific openings, from the Italian Game to the Sicilian Defense, with step-by-step instructions.
- Interactive Drills: These exercises ensure you remember key moves and sequences, building muscle memory for critical positions.
- Science-Based Learning: The spaced repetition approach ensures you retain information over time.
For players looking to build a strong opening repertoire or drill tactics repeatedly, Chessable is a fantastic resource.
4. YouTube Chess Channels
YouTube is a treasure trove of free chess content, with channels that cover everything from beginner tutorials to advanced strategies. Here are a few popular channels:
- ChessNetwork: Known for his “live blitz” commentary, ChessNetwork explains strategies in a straightforward way that’s perfect for beginners and intermediates.
- GothamChess: IM Levy Rozman offers content ranging from beginner guides to commentary on professional games, always with a humorous and engaging approach.
- Agadmator: Known for his coverage of famous games and historical matches, Agadmator’s videos are great for understanding the strategic thinking of grandmasters.
YouTube channels are an excellent, free way to dive into chess analysis, game reviews, and high-quality commentary.
5. Chess Tempo
Chess Tempo is ideal for improving your tactical and endgame skills. It offers customized puzzles, endgame exercises, and a community leaderboard. Some key features include:
- Puzzle Solver: Chess Tempo has thousands of puzzles that can be customized to your rating level, helping you focus on your specific needs.
- Endgame Practice: This feature covers key endgame concepts and allows you to practice with the assistance of a chess calculator to verify moves.
- Training Targets: Chess Tempo’s tools allow you to set targets for improvement and track your progress over time.
With its emphasis on endgames and tactics, Chess Tempo is particularly useful for players looking to build technical skill and precision.
6. ChessBase
ChessBase is a paid tool, but it’s considered one of the best resources for serious chess study. It’s primarily a database software used by professionals to store, search, and analyze games. ChessBase provides:
- Game Database: A massive library of games by grandmasters and other high-level players that allows you to study historic and recent matches.
- Engine Support: ChessBase integrates powerful chess engines like Stockfish, allowing you to analyze any position with the help of a chess calculator.
- Personal Game Storage: You can save and annotate your games, helping you track your progress and analyze your own strengths and weaknesses.
ChessBase is a go-to for players looking to study chess systematically and gain insights into grandmaster games.
7. Play Magnus
Created by World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, Play Magnus is an app where you can play against an AI version of Magnus at various ages (from 5 to 29 years old). Some of its key features include:
- Realistic Gameplay: Playing against Magnus’ AI simulates the difficulty and strategies he used at different stages of his career.
- Lesson Packs: Lessons cover various aspects of the game, including openings, tactics, and endgames, based on Magnus’ own approach.
- Interactive Training Tools: The app is designed to be fun and engaging, allowing players to test their skills against a world champion AI.
This app is excellent for players looking to challenge themselves and learn from the perspective of a top player.
Honorable Mentions
- Fritz Chess: A chess engine that’s great for practice and analysis, with multiple difficulty levels.
- Shredder Chess: Known for its tactical exercises and personalized difficulty settings.
- ChessKid.com: Designed for young players, it offers puzzles, lessons, and games in a fun and friendly format.
With so many online resources available, there’s something for every chess enthusiast. Whether you’re drilling tactics on Lichess, studying grandmaster games with ChessBase, or using a chess calculator on Chess.com to evaluate positions, these tools can help you reach your goals. The key to improvement is consistency, so choose the resources that fit your style, practice regularly, and enjoy the journey. Happy learning, and may your next game be your best one yet!
