The Takahashi Method — Tier One: Foundations of a Journey

Photo Credit: Javier Grixo on Unsplash

The Beginning

Throughout my life, I’ve been in search of the deeper meaning behind the things I do daily — and how my love of chess permeates my inspiration, passion, and perspective. Day after day, I begin my morning with a sip of warm tea and a hot breakfast, and then go straight into analyzing some of the world’s most complex chess positions. In many ways, this ritual feels meditative — a way to seek profound truth during a confusing time in our world’s history.
Chess has changed forms as I have grown.
What began as a social activity became a field of intense competition, and eventually evolved into my blank canvas. In this place, the duality of black and white becomes harmony and coordination, both in my writing and in my teaching.
Through the guidance of visionaries like Josh Waitzkin, Mikhail Tal, Mark Dvoretsky, and Daniel Naroditsky — and through the mentorship of Mykhaylo Oleksiyenko and Max Illingworth — I present to you my first tiered curriculum: a representation of chess enlightenment from the very beginning all the way to Grandmaster-level understanding, a realm often spoken of only in whispers among the elite.
Over my coaching career, I’ve had the privilege of uncovering some of chess’s great paradoxes and illuminating discoveries — both through my own training and through the brilliance and struggles of my students. Today, I bring them to you for the first time in a way designed to meaningfully reshape your perspective on chess improvement.
Let us step onto the first stone of a long path toward mastery.
Welcome to Tier One — the foundation of the Takahashi Method. Let’s begin at the true starting point of your chess journey.

Tier One – The Foundation (1100-1500 OTB)

There have long been great discussions throughout history on the proper teaching for beginning chess players. As I set out on the journey of working through my very first tier in my curriculum, I noticed many distinct interpretations of how to educate young minds. For one, many coaches began with openings, and without any knowledge of the ideas that create them, kids banged their heads against the wall, unaware of anything they had just learned. Other coaches might introduce rudimentary chess problems, which makes sense at first. Still, it hides a serious problem in the development of young players—one I have witnessed firsthand in mentoring several bright talents.
As you embark on the journey from Tiers 1–5, you’ll notice that everything in my curriculum is interconnected, like the hands of a clock.
And this interconnectedness applies beyond chess as well.
For many of my formative years, I often found myself in environments that never quite matched who I was becoming. But when I was in 8th grade, everything clicked. I felt on top of the world, with incredible social connections and genuine respect among the student body. For a neurodivergent kid who always pushed himself to the limits others feared to cross, I finally felt understood. Teachers loved me. My classmates loved me. And even my principal loved me—someone I still believe was the greatest leader I ever had in my childhood.
What made 8th grade so memorable wasn’t any particular achievement.
It was the environment: an atmosphere where we were both challenged and supported, where teamwork and collaboration felt natural, and where the adults around us truly listened.
Then high school arrived, and the alignment vanished.
The empathy wasn’t there in the same way. I found myself in classrooms where curriculum took precedence over connection, and the environment no longer fit the student I had become. What had once been a journey of self-discovery slowly turned into a search for awards and titles—anything that could restore the sense of belonging I’d had just a year earlier. It wasn’t that I lacked drive or passion. I was simply placed in the wrong ecosystem.
So what does any of this mean for my students?
It means that Tier One is about far more than just tactics or early pattern recognition. It is about returning to the joy and curiosity that beginners deserve. It is about providing a supportive, patient, and attuned environment that aligns with the natural rhythm of learning. Through Tier One, I hope not only to help you grow in your technical skills but also to reconnect with the young kid inside you who loves chess—not for trophies or ratings, but for growth, creativity, and identity. With that in mind, let’s turn to the board.

Are you ready to start the odyssey?
If so, let’s step into Tier One together and explore a couple of beautifully illuminating examples:

Photo Credit: Kikki Starr on Unsplash

Closing Reflections

Tier One is about building foundations — not by staying in shallow waters, but by guiding students right up to the edge of discovery, then showing them the logic that pulls them safely back.
Clarity, courage, creativity, and the first glimpse of what disciplined calculation truly means.
Every journey begins by grounding ourselves. Tier One offers that grounding: simple truths, honest patterns, and the first sense of direction. Carry these lessons with you, and the deeper paths ahead will feel far more navigable.

I hope this tier helps you reconnect with why you love the game and gives you a solid starting point for the journey ahead. I’ll see you in Tier Two, where the real challenges — and the real growth — begin.
If you’d like to follow more of my work, reflections, and deeper stories about this beautiful game, you can find me at @UncleRogerJr.