In the Beginner Course, a move selection process was given for standard chess. This process was simplified in many ways so as to be suitable for beginners. It gave beginners a way to get started on the generally hard problem of how to find a good move to play.
In the Intermediate Course you learned much more about the opening, middlegame, endgame, tactics, strategy/themes, and positional considerations. All of these would affect the move selection process by giving more knowledge for each stage in the process.
The move selection process you use is undoubtedly complex. Its steps would depend on venue, opponent, your style for the game at hand, the stage of the game, the given position, and other factors.
However, these steps have enough commonality among these factors, and among different players, that we can investigate what has been said about how to have a good quality move selection process and how to improve.
This is what is done in the Advanced Course. The main reference is "Think Like a Grandmaster", by Kotov [TLG].
The Advanced Course looks closely at the concept of a plan. Again TLG is used as the main reference. In TLG's sections on planning Kotov describes what he calls the "pawn formation in the center".
TLG presents four categories of these formations and discusses the various kind of plans that are possible for each. They are:
- Closed Center. (No open lines.)
- Open Center. (Center free of pawns.)
- Mobile Center.
- Fixed Center.
Kotov also discusses the case where there is tension in the center and the pawn formation in the center has not yet taken on a definite shape.
Hence, we have 4 categories presented by Kotov, while in the Soltis pawn structures we have 17! According to Wikipedia, Mauricio Flores Rios, further studied the subject, subdividing pawn structures into the 28 most important.
Kotov's book was translated to English in 1971. Soltis's book was written in 1976. Rios's wrote "Chess Structures - a Grandmaster Guide" in 2015.
In the Advanced course I look at what Kotov had to say about his categories.
There is a study in the Advanced Course that covers calculation of variations. This is also called analysis of variations; or just analysis.
In the Beginner Course, I discussed how chess can be solved theoretically. I also discussed how computers play chess, and how humans play chess. I discussed how important it is for humans to generate candidate moves for each position under consideration if they are to calculate at all. I emphasized that in many cases, you do not have to "calculate"!
However, chess is a game of exceptions to any rules of thumb or theories. Hence, unless you just know the position at hand, calculating well gives the best results.
The study explores how you can acquire the skills needed to calculate well. I discuss the advice of several IMs and GMs on this subject, including Jeremy Silman, Alexander Kotov, and Lev Alburt. I also discuss the advice of Wetzell; a master who often times has a different opinion than the mainstream. There is advice on training methods, errors to avoid, and practical considerations.
I present many positions from the references and explain move by move how to apply the techniques from those books. There are many exercises for you to do for practice.
The Advanced Course continues to look at several non rote methods for the opening: 1) Critical examination of openings, and 2) Opening systems. Specifically the course looks at the Colle and the King's Indian. These are the same opening systems from the previous courses, but in the Advanced Course I look at them much more deeply and critically.
See also my tabia threads
lichess.org/forum/team-jomegas-tabia/colle-systemFor the Advanced Course, the endgame material covered is essentially the same material Silman recommends in SCEC for players below 1900 ELO (2000 USCF).
- NBKk. (Not in SCEC at all.)
- Corresponding squares application.
- King destinations and paths.
- King Pawn endgames and races to Queen.
- Interactive lessons on King paths and races.
- Advanced Course Rook and Pawn.
- RPKrk: Rook behind Its 7th rank Pawn.
- RPKrk: Rook in front of its 7th rank Pawn.
- RPKrk: Rook in front of its 7th rank Pawn - Defense.
- RPKrk: Rook defending its 7th rank Pawn from the rank.
- Vančura Position.
- RPKRk: Not a Rook Pawn - Use the King.
- PRKrk: 5th Rank Rule.
- PRKrk: 4th Rank Rule.
- QKpk: 7th rank Bishop Pawn.
- QKpk: 7th rank Rook Pawn.
- 2PBKbk: Opposite Color Bishops. The general cases.
- Fortresses in Bishop-Up Endgames.
Of these, added from what Silman recommended are:
- NBKk.
- R2PKrk: Rook in Front of its 7th Rank Pawn - Decoy.
- RPKrk: Rook Defending Its 7th Rank Pawn from the Rank.
- PRKrk: 4th Rank Rule and 5th Rank Rule: more cases than SCEC.
- QKpk: 7th rank Bishop and Rook pawn : many more cases than SCEC.
- 2PBKbk: many more cases than SCEC.
Instead of ending the Advanced Course with a study containing tests, the course ends with a study titled "Advanced: Application From Real Games".
I wanted to use the Lichess Interactive lesson study facility, but on real game examples. However, real games don't always have a best move at each point, and I wanted to ask questions where the answer is not just a move. As examples, the "puzzles" may ask you why an opponent is playing a move, or what the plans should be for both opponents.
My intent is that in these "puzzles" cover a wide range of topics from the first 3 courses.
In answer to the question "How long does it take to learn the material in the Advanced Course?", I'd say that with 5-10 hrs of study and playing a week, it will take between 2 to 3 years. Hence, if starting with the Beginner Course, a total of 7-9 years. By the time you finish the Advanced Course and know it well, you will probably be 1700-1900 ELO.
These numbers are my best guess. I only have included them because people ask. They may not apply to you at all! There are just too many variables in the process of learning chess and people's learning abilities.
Have fun!
What's coming after the Advanced Course? I'm thinking to make videos for all the Sunday sessions the Adult Improvers Team is doing for Logical Chess Move by Move.
Once the Logical Chess videos are done I should probably fold them into the correct place in the courses I made.
Put the new visualization studies into the courses.