Coach Dejan Explains
Sometimes the best way to learn is over the board, sitting across from your teacher and analyzing a recent match. GM Dejan Bojkov has had many students excel greatly under his watch. In this series, you'll get to learn vicariously through Coach Dejan's instructions to his own students. In both wins and losses, watch Dejan provide the powerful insight necessary to help his pupils take the next step!
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Coach Dejan Explains: A Champion is Born - Part 1 With his new video series, GM Bojkov intends to provide useful insights into the world of amateur chess by reviewing the games of his own private students. He will also teach the members of Chess.com what he teaches his students -- highlighting their triumphs and failures along the way. Here we learn many critical ideas in the Alapin Sicilian structure (d5 break) and then some interesting "Major Piece Ending" technique. Enjoy!
Coach Dejan Explains: A Champion is Born - Part 2 The second installment in GM Bojkov's new video series brings us another game full of practical lessons for our learning! Many typical and instructive mistakes were made by Ashrita (and her opponent), but she also executed some very nice middlegame plans against white's IQP, arising from an Alapin Sicilian, to gain a small advantage heading into the endgame.
Coach Dejan Explains: A Champion is Born - Part 3 After her opponent makes several nonsensical developing moves, Ahsritha grabs the initiative with an early f4-pawn push and she never looks back! Her coach, GM Bojkov explains all and provides many useful insights into the Dragon Formation, including multiple "Marco Hop" examples of Nd5! Listen in on Dejan's points about technique and her ability to maintain control over her nerves. Enjoy!
Coach Dejan Explains: How To Trap The Rook! Coach Dejan begins his new video series here, reviewing another interesting game from one of his best students! He offers general advice applicable in your own battles, and he highlights the rather "awkward theme" of trapping the "Tower of Power" — even in the middle of the board! His student achieves this feat in the game, but it wasn't easy! Download Dejan's PGN for further analysis.
Coach Dejan Explains: How To Play Dynamically! Bojkov reviews another dynamic game by one of his students; This one is full of lessons for our members to apply in their own games! Coach Dejan tries to provide general advice about the Nimzo-Indian, the transition from the opening to the middlegame, and the difficult topic of maintaining the attack through a complicated struggle.
Coach Dejan Explains: Playing Against The IQP! With his next installment, Bojkov explains how his student captured her first national title — Bulgarian Women's Champion. The game was a tricky one, with IQP strategies dictating the plans for both sides. After a surprise opening choice (the Alapin against the Sicilian), both players venture into one of the sharpest modern variations.
Coach Dejan Explains: Facing Unusual Openings! Sometimes your students have to lose tough games in order to learn critical lessons. When White surprises Black with an ultra-aggressive move in the early stages of the Sicilian Defense, Dejan's student does not take the most proactive approach. Eventually he finds himself staring down ensuing disaster on the h-file! Learn from Pranav's mistakes today!
Coach Dejan Explains: Choosing The Right Plan! Any plan is better than no plan at all! As Bojkov explains, having a plan is often the most important thing in a chess game. His student emerges victorious in today's game, but chances existed for both sides throughout this sharp game. The player who chose the right plan when it mattered eventually came out on top!
Coach Dejan Explains: Dom Gets Out Of A Bad Opening After being tricked from into a Pirc Defense, Black plays the dubious ...e5. He is in good company though as at least one Super-GM did the same. The battle continues on through an unclear rook and multiple-passed-pawn endgame. Watch and learn some new techniques.
Coach Dejan Explains: Dom Comes Back! Facing the Accelerated Dragon, Dom makes his coach proud. Though he fell into an early trap, GM Bojkov's student fought back. Going up the exchange, Dom converts like a professional, finishing things off with a tactic of his own. Watch and learn how to make your grandmaster coach look good!
Coach Dejan Explains: Dom Using The Dark Squares! Bojkov's talented student is back. Today you'll see one of the games that helped Dom gain nearly 500 rating points. Black gets two pieces for the rook and all of the fun. White's major pieces shuffle around listlessly as Coach Bojkov shows Dom constantly improving the worst-placed piece. Sometimes that is even the king! Watch and see the torturous straightjacket that White is forced to wear.
Coach Dejan Explains: Lucas With The Lid Off! Bojkov features another star student's game. You'll see a bevy of dark-squared tactics in Indian Systems, but perhaps more important are the endgame techniques that our author wants you to learn. First, we have a queen endgame, then we eventually transition to a knight endgame. You must also know your king and pawn endgame basics though! Bojkov warns you to always consider, "What is the biggest danger in the position?"
Coach Dejan Explains: Lucas's Perfect Preparation! How far can preparation get you? Well, certain GMs play 40 moves and win entire games from preparation. Today you'll see an amateur player get an advantage from his homework. But beware of Bojkov's warning — Be careful when simplifying into a "winning" position. Sometimes you actually aren't winning at all. It seems no amount of opening preparation can make you skilled at the endgame; you just have to know your basics!
