GM NoelStuder's Blog
One of my subscribers beat me - here is how
When filming for Alessia's YouTube channel in London, I realized a key difference in chess improveme…
Why Bother? What Running Taught Me About Improving at Chess (and Life)
A question that comes up a lot whenever one tries to improve a new skill is: Why?
From Bullied Kid To Grandmaster - How Chess Saved My Life
This article is a special one, and one that I thought about never publishing.
Supercharge Your Chess Improvement in 2025 - Part 3
Want 2025 to be your breakthrough chess year?
Supercharge Your Chess Improvement in 2025: Part 2
Understanding the "What" in Chess Improvement
Supercharge Your Chess Improvement in 2025
Improving at chess can feel like running on a treadmill—you’re working hard, but getting nowhere.
The Secret to Loving Chess Even During a Plateau
Many chess improvers are frustrated. If you were fully satisfied with your progress, you wouldn’t be…
The Simple Path to 1500: Lessons From My Dad’s Chess Journey
When I started, chess improvement was simpler—not just for kids like me but for adult improvers too.
How to Save Money (and Time) This Black Friday
How many chess courses and books do you own that you haven’t finished?
From Thinking to Doing: Your most important move
I’ve committed to running my first Half-Marathon in 2025.
Why CEOs have a hard time improving their chess
How many hours have you wasted studying chess the wrong way?
The Chess Skills That Truly Matter
Many of my readers and students are overwhelmed.
I won 200 rating points with a simple challenge
At the end of July, I set myself a challenge: 30 days, each day 6 games of 3+2 Blitz with full focus.
The simple way to learn a new opening
Studying a new opening doesn't have to be overwhelming.
Exceptional results - simple training
We all want exceptional results. So how can we get them?
The right people for success
The people around you have a bigger influence on your chess than you would think.
How to make chess easy (not what you expect)
Imagine playing a poker tournament for 7 days straight for 12+ hours a day. $10,000 of your own mone…
Why system openings are bad for black
Many chess improvers love system openings. If you play the London, you can develop in nearly every g…
How to prepare like a Grandmaster
Next week I will prepare my fiancée WFM Alessia in her OTB tournament in Maia, Portugal. The goal is…
How to handle toxic chess opponents
Sadly, most of us had an experience with a toxic chess opponent. It can throw you off the game. Inst…
How much chess improvement is possible?
I get asked all the time a question along the lines of: "I'm 45 years old, started 3 years ago, now …
How to procrastinate less
YouTube videos, opening courses, the latest Chess Drama - no matter your chess vice, it is hard to a…
How little experiments make things fun
Many readers have requested it, and now I finally did it: my own chess improvement Podcast.