New Users Guide to ChessVideos.TV

ChessVideos.TV is a community driven site dedicated to chess discussion and training. What sets us apart from other chess sites is that we have an extensive (and free!) video training library. To help first-time users explore this content, the ChessVideos.TV team has gone through our more than 300 videos and 16,000+ forum posts to create a guide to our best content.

The first step toward taking full advantage of this site is registering for the forums. Not only will you gain access to an additional forum, the Off Topic forum, you'll also be able to comment on your favorite videos and post positions for group analysis.

If you're a beginner, you might want to check out our "Basic Rules of Chess," and then read "8 Simple Rules for the Most Complex Game Ever Devised," our guide to the basics of chess strategy. Then you can move on to our videos explaining the basic checkmates.

If you're an experienced player, or a beginner who understands the basics, check out the best of our video content. But remember, this is only a fraction of the total material on our site (great new content is added daily).

Our Training Videos From the Masters forum features free lessons from NM Dennis Monokroussos, popular chess trainer and chess blogger, as well as IM Luis Coelho. Dennis' video on "Exploiting the Uncastled King" is a great place to start, and after that you should watch IM Coelho's excellent discussion of one of his most exciting games.

Another great resource for videos from top level players is the Master Hangout. IM Curtains has recorded and posted more than 40 videos analyzing his games. These videos are especially engaging as Curtains offers a fascinating look at both the way he analyzes his games and the methods he uses to develop his opening repertoire. Beyond Curtains' videos, several other masters have also contributed content.

But you don't have to be a master to produce a great video. We have an excellent collection of Dual Commentary matches where members have played each other and recorded their thoughts during the game.

One of our best analysts is Bkildahl, an expert level player known for his excellent game analyses. He even recorded an exquisite commentary of a game between ChessVideos.TV members TrialAndError and Armis.

If you're looking for pure chess enthusiasm (and top-notch instructions), check out The Chess Gym's videos. A member favorite is his lesson on Rook-file tactics.

In addition to our opening and middlegame material, we have an excellent collection of endgame videos. We have an entire forum dedicated to the endgame. Here is some of its best content:

Also, if you're looking for an excellent overall introduction to chess training and the chess community as a whole, watch Kingsblade's video Chess for Beginners: Tips and Resources. It's one of the best introductory videos we have on the site, and one which earned its producer second place in the ChessVideos.TV Chess Video Lesson Contest.

Beyond all these videos, we lessons on dozens of other topics. So if you're interested, browse the video forums or use our video search. Also, remember that players of all strengths are encouraged to record and upload videos. It's one of the best ways to get feedback on your play.

Finally, we have much more than video instruction at ChessVideos.TV. We also offer a wide range of training tools. Our endgame simulator is a hugely popular feature. Using the simulator, you can hone your skills in key endgame positions. A chess computer will play the other side (it has already made more than 480,000 moves against people using the simulator!). If you're looking for tactics training, we have loads of tactics puzzles, but even better is our visualization trainer. This tool uses a variety of exercises to dramatically improve your calculation. Beyond our videos and training tools, we have lively discussion forums.

Our General Discussion forum is for any chess related topic you'd want to discuss, ranging from "Introductions to the Forums" to questions about specific opening variations.

In the Game Replays forum, you can post your games in a replayable format (this can be done using our replay generator). Posting here is a great training resource... many members are willing to offer feedback.

If you're looking to solve some chess puzzles, or even post some of your own, check out the Puzzles forum.

Another popular forum is the Training Journals forum where users can post their training regimens and tournament schedules. Members ranging from beginners to masters have training journals, and it's a great way to keep yourself motivated.

Hope you enjoy the site. Remember: one of the best ways to improve your chess is to register for the forums and join the fun.