As we step into the new year 2024, it's time for chess enthusiasts to set ambitious yet achievable resolutions to elevate their game. Chess is a timeless game which has been here for more than 1000 years but our goals and resolutions should be shorter. For example take one year. Can you do that? And hey, we updated our chess databases for January 2024

First things first, the long awaited January 2024 updates. 

OM CORR 2024 01 has 2.1 million games

For OM CORR we have added 14,113 games. However as it goes with correspondence chess games they are long term, sometimes lasting more than a year. We found approx 50K games as doubles and we had to kill them. So the the new OM CORR has 2,166,782 human correspondence chess games. It is true masterpiece collection of all human correspondence chess games which people play on popular portals such as ICCF or FICS. 

OM OTB 2024 01 has 9,8 million chess games

OM OTB is getting it's new shape too. Incredible increase of 93,554 games since last issue totalling now 9,836,067 human chess games officially played over-the-board (OTB) since 1800. You won't find greater collection elsewhere. This chess databases has been work and collection analysis of many chess masters since last 20 years. We are currently working on the subset of THE 1995 which will be the cleanest historical chess database released organised by tournaments with investigated and clean games from Argentina, Spain, Hungary, USA. Stay tuned this week.

OM GOLEM is the biggest out there with 31 million chess games

Yes, with 31,024,938 human chess games we call it the greatest. Of course internet has bigger collections with computer games but we still focus around human chess although computer with their 4000 ELO are already unbeatable (greatest human chess masster minds score ELO 3000 these days). Although OM GOLEM is the greatest, people who wish to have a complete human chess memory go for this. And maybe you should too.

 

 

Meeting Gift of Chess co-founder Russell Makofsky

Imagine snowy January, Times Square, New York City, very cold, almost -4 (25F). One block away, with great smile and humble look meeting co-founder of the greatest chess initiative out there - The Gift of Chess. The US based foundation to provide 1,000,000 chess set to outreach communities where it is most needed. We discussed various way of cooperation, the life in the poor villages and towns in Africa, where chess is one of the ways how to get out of the slums. And many kids have done it. The Gift of Chess already delivered 150,000 chess sets for prior years and continue its way to deliver 1 million by 2030. They need your help, they are constantly looking for donations and sponsors. 

More at: https://www.thegiftofchess.org/

 

Photo: Alexander Horvath, CEO Opening Master and Russell Makofsky, Co-founder The Gift of Chess

 

Partnership and discount

By partnering with Opening Master, Gift of Chess seeks to offer even more benefits to its members and affiliates. Opening Master has been in the business of publishing chess databases since 2004, with a focus on education and chess growth, especially for children and young players. The chess databases are used globally by many IMs and GMs too. Their commitment to the growth of the chess community aligns perfectly with Gift of Chess's mission, making this partnership a natural fit.

"Opening Master is thrilled to be partnering with Gift of Chess," said Alexander Horvath, CEO of the company. "We believe that our expertise in chess education and growth, combined with Gift of Chess's experience in distributing chess sets globally, will help to make the chess community stronger together."

We are inviting all chess players to use the special coupon code during Opening Master purchase checkout „giftofchess“ to be eligible for immediate discount of 20%. Opening Master will add 30% from each sale and make monthly donations to GOC to support their projects in globally.

Download biggest chess database OM OTB with 9.8 million official human chess games. 

Gift of Chess's Board Member, Russell Makofsky, echoed this sentiment, saying "We are excited to be partnering with Opening Master, and we believe that this partnership will help us to achieve our goal of making chess more accessible to people around the world. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of children and communities through the game of chess.

10 New Year's resolutions

To guide you on this journey, we present a set of ten chess New Year's resolutions, each accompanied by a practical plan to help you navigate the complexities of the board. Whether you're a novice or an experienced player, these resolutions aim to enhance various levels of your chess expertise, from tactical acumen to strategic games. Embrace this roadmap, foster consistency, and watch your chess skills evolve throughout the coming year. May the chessboard be your canvas, and the pieces your allies, as you work on a fulfilling and enriching year of chess improvement.

Resolution 1 - Improve Tactical Awareness

Solve a set number of tactical puzzles daily (e.g., 10-20). Use online platforms, chess apps, or books to find puzzles of varying difficulty. Consistency is key.

Resolution 2 - Develop a Solid Opening Repertoire

Choose a main opening for each color and study the key ideas and typical positions. Play these openings in your games to reinforce your understanding. Use online databases to explore master games in those openings.

Resolution 3 - Enhance Positional Understanding

Read a positional chess book or watch instructional videos that focus on strategic concepts such as pawn structure, piece activity, and weak squares. Analyze your own games to identify positional mistakes.

Resolution 4 - Study Endgames Regularly

Dedicate specific time each week to study endgames. Focus on fundamental endgames like king and pawn versus king, and gradually progress to more complex scenarios. Use books, online resources, and practice in actual games.

Resolution 5 - Play Regularly in Competitive Settings

Set a goal for the number of games you want to play each week, whether it's online or over-the-board. Participate in tournaments to experience a more competitive atmosphere.

Resolution 6 - Analyze Your Games Thoroughly

After each game, regardless of the result, review it to identify mistakes and missed opportunities. Use chess engines to analyze critical positions. Learn from both wins and losses.

Resolution 7 - Learn from Grandmaster Games

Regularly study games played by grandmasters. Choose a player whose style you admire and analyze their games. Understand their strategic ideas and tactical nuances. Downloading the biggest chess database with 9.7 million rated official human chess games is a good start.

Resolution 8 -  Work on Time Management

Pay attention to your clock during games. Allocate time wisely for each move, especially in critical positions. Practice time management in faster time controls to improve your overall speed.

Resolution 9 - Join a Chess Club or Online Community

Connect with other chess enthusiasts. Join a local chess club or participate in online chess forums. Discuss games, seek advice, and learn from the experiences of others. You can always join our Unstoppable Chess Academy and we will provide you with best 1:1 tutors. Starting with $20 per hour. https://www.unstoppablechess.com/

Resolution 10 - Maintain a Positive Mindset

Recognize that improvement takes time, and setbacks are part of the learning process. Focus on the joy of playing and learning rather than just winning. Keep a chess journal to note your progress and positive experiences. Checkout our podcasts where we discuss the chess positive mindset and even provide chess meditation lessons.

OpeningMaster is now available on all three major podcast platforms

We are glad we can provide this service totally for free on all major podcast platform Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you can now enjoy the chess meditations whether you are fan of either of the three.

Visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel  to learn chess openings and much more. Listen to our Spotify Podcasts on weekly basis.