Next year, I am improving my chess skills. Here’s how

I recently decided to get better at chess. I was on the school team back in the day, but I was the lowest-ranked board, and our side was generally rubbish. I then didn’t play for a couple of decades.

Recently, I started playing chess on my iPad and realised I was godawful at it. I paid for an app called Dr Wolf, which taught chess and some of the principal moves and set defences and so on. It was pretty cool. I still play on it now. I went from beginner to advanced pretty sharpish and am finishing off the final few lessons.

At the same time, I wanted to play people online and did a bit of research. That sounds like I made a bit of an effort but it was only a few minutes. Literally everyone recommended Chess.com.

Why Chess.com Stood Out

Chess.com isn’t just another chess site. It’s the chess site – I checked all this out on Reddit, so it must be true – and it even has the most memorable URL. It’s where casual players and, apparently, even grandmasters hang out. Magnus Carlsen, one of two chess players I can name, has an account. Although I don’t know how often he is on there. I doubt he struggles for opponents. (Kasparov is the other, in case you’re curious.)

I have it on the iPad as well as using the webpage, and both have a slick interface, an enormous pool of players, and a load of learning tools and lessons. The free version is also really solid, so you can check it out and see if you like it. You can play games against others, enjoy a few puzzles, and even watch some top-level matches for free. But I get a bit obsessive and after a while, I just wanted to have access to everything. You might not need that.

Another thing is that the while free version is great for casual play, if you really want to improve, the premium tools are really handy. And trust me, for anyone serious about getting better, they are worth every penny. I am on the diamond tier for now, and it’s a lot of fun.

The Game-Changing Premium Tools

Once I signed up for Chess.com Premium (just have a look), all the learning stuff was available and it seemed really handy. I am still exploring them. Here are the tools that stood out the most and how they helped me level up my game:

1. Unlimited Puzzles

Puzzles are like mini chess challenges designed to sharpen your tactics and improve your pattern recognition. On the free plan, you get a limited number of puzzles per day, but with Premium, you can do as many as you want. This became part of my daily routine. A few puzzles in the morning, a few more at night. They are mostly fun, and only 10% are really annoyingly hard.

2. Game Analysis

After every match, you can run a detailed game analysis. Chess.com’s engine shows you where you blundered, missed opportunities, or – and this is still fairly rare – made a brilliant move. Seeing my mistakes highlighted with clear explanations helped me identify patterns in my play. I tend to get over-excited and launch what I think are genius attacks – which turn out to be not so great.

3. Lessons and Videos

The Premium membership unlocks an extensive library of video lessons from chess masters. The instructors break down concepts into manageable chunks, from basic openings to advanced strategies. I’ve particularly enjoyed videos on openings like the Sicilian Defense and learning how to control the centre of the board effectively. Inspired by the TV show, I am also trying to master the Queen’s Gambit and responses to it.

4. Drills and Practice Scenarios

Chess.com offers specific drills to hone particular skills, like checkmating with two rooks or avoiding stalemates. These drills give hands-on practice and build confidence in tricky endgame scenarios.

Playing Stronger Chess Opponents

The Chess.com rating system is pretty cool – although it can be a bit depressing if you’re rubbish. As you play more games, you get matched with opponents at your level. With Premium, you get more insights into your rating progression, and there’s even a feature to practice against bots that mimic various playstyles—including ones that match your weaknesses. I have plenty of weaknesses apparently.

After grinding puzzles, analysing games, and watching lessons, I started to see improvement. My rating crept up, and suddenly, I wasn’t getting destroyed or making laughably bad moves. Not as much, anyway. I began to hold my own, even against opponents who once would’ve mopped the floor with me.

Is It Worth Paying For?

You can absolutely enjoy Chess.com for free and there are a ton of people on there. If you just want to play the occasional game, it’s fantastic. But if you’re serious about improving—whether to crush your friends, climb the online ranks, or just enjoy the game on a deeper level—Premium is worth the investment. The tools are incredibly useful, the lessons are engaging, and the unlimited puzzles alone make it worth it.

It’s like having a personal chess coach at a fraction of the price. I had bought a year’s subscription for the Dr Wolf app, and that was really helpful. But I’ve done all the lessons there, and Chess.com has a ludicrous amount of helpful content.

Final Thoughts

Since I started using Chess.com Premium, I’ve not only improved as a player but also deepened my love for the game. Chess is a beautiful mix of strategy, tactics, and creativity. It also makes you look smart occasionally. My plan is to become brilliant and not tell anyone – this article doesn’t count – and then surprise someone cocky with how great at chess I am. This somewhat petty ambition is still a while away.

If you’re on the fence, try it for a month and see how much you improve. It was a no-brainer for me—and I’m now beating players I wouldn’t have stood a chance against before. Me feel smart now.

You can check it out with this link (it’s an affiliate link, but it just links to the site). (There are a couple of other affiliate links above.)