As a chess enthusiast andavid student of the game for over 10 years, I‘m always exploring resources that can level up my play. From books to lessons to online courses, finding instruction from the all-time greats is the dream.
So when MasterClass released a course from Garry Kasparov himself, I knew I had to dive in deep to provide a definitive review for my fellow chess addicts. After studying the lessons and analyzing feedback, here is my take on the value proposition, format, experience level fit and more.
Why Listen to Garry Kasparov?
Before assessing the course itself, it‘s worth detailing Kasparov‘s mastery of the game that makes him arguably the #1 chess instructor on the planet:
- Became World #1 ranked player at age 19
- Youngest ever World Champion at age 22
- Dominated competitive chess for 20+ years
- Widely considered the greatest player of all time
- Has coached current #1 rated player Magnus Carlsen
- Possesses one of the highest chess IQs ever recorded
- Legendary calculation, creativity and intuition skills
Kasparov has also been a long-time advocate for the cognitive benefits of chess: enhanced memory, IQ boosts, improved analytical thinking and problem solving abilities.
Over 605 million people play chess worldwide. Studies show playing chess can raise IQ scores by 7 points on average while mastering the game can increase one‘s intelligence quotient by as many as 12 points.
So by learning from perhaps the sharpest strategic mind ever to play the game, we as students receive rewards both on and off the board.
Chess participation and benefit statistics [source: BBC]
Now let‘s get into the course itself and see how effectively Kasparov is able to transfer his genius through the MasterClass platform.
Course Curriculum Overview
The MasterClass features nearly 8 hours of Kasparov lessons structured into 29 chapters:
Beginner
- Chess Fundamentals
- Basic Tactics
- Piece Development
Intermediate
- Advanced Tactics
- Attacking the King
- Building an Opening Repertoire
Advanced
- Complex Positional Play
- Endgame Technique
- Opening Theory
General
- Calculation and Pattern Recognition
- Decision Making Principles
- Tips from Kasparov‘s Famous Games
- Computers and Chess Evolution
The curriculum provides instruction suitable for students ranging from complete beginners up to tournament level players. With clear explanations augmented by animations and footage from historic matches, the production quality is truly first rate.
As an amateur player rated around 1450, I found the lessons on tactics, positional principles and opening ideas appropriately challenging and helpful for improving practical results. Lower rated players may struggle with some of the more theoretical endgames but can certainly build an excellent foundation from the fundamentals.
Let‘s analyze some sample lessons to better understand Kasparov‘s presentation and teaching style.
Screenshots highlighting the MasterClass lesson production value
Applying Lessons On and Off the Board
While I‘ve spent 10 years studying chess, Kasparov quickly taught me ideas I had never considered. For example his framework on prophylaxis – taking preventative measures to cut off your opponent‘s ideas.
Rather than purely focusing on executing your own plans, he demonstrated how anticipating the full range of possibilities several moves ahead allows you to strategically limit counterplay. Pure beginners may miss some of these complexities but they undoubtedly will start developing their planning muscles.
Beyond technical chess improvements, Garry artfully conveys universal lessons about handling pressure, confidence, intuition, analyzing mistakes and more that apply well beyond the 64 squares. Watching him break down both wins and losses was hugely insightful into maintaining composure in high leverage situations – skills useful across competitive environments be they sports, business or otherwise.
I firmly believe any motivated student willing to actively engage with the lessons rather than passively watch will experience shocking rating jumps over a relatively short timeline.
Comparable Instruction Mediums
Now the MasterClass platform carries some innate advantages over traditional instructional mediums. The video format helps concepts spring to life as Garry dynamically explores ideas on the chessboard in a way pages of text simply cannot capture.
Supplemental materials like pdf workbooks and class community discussion boards help reinforce ideas between lessons. And the streamable nature makes dipping into world-class instruction possible during spare minutes rather than solely reserving large blocks of study time.
But chess books still offer some advantages in terms of concrete reference materials you can easily annotate. And for higher level players, opening databases with cutting edge computer analysis dig deeper than Garry can reasonably cover across a broad curriculum.
Instructional sites like Chessable and YouTube channels catering to various rating levels also provide alternatives, but in my opinion none match Kasparov‘s delivery and entertainment value as an engaging teacher.
In all, Garry‘s MasterClass excel at providing inspiration, frameworks for self-improvement and high level concepts rather than exhaustive technical details. It serves as an unparalleled supplement rather than replacement to focused study resources.
Recommendations by Rating Level
Here is my take on which students would gain the most value from Kasparov‘s course based on their experience level:
Absolute Beginners – 2000 rating and below: Kasparov provides excellent frameworks to accelerate your development but additional basic instruction likely required
Intermediate Players – 2000 to 1700 rating: Perfect student profile. Learn principles to rapidly translate tactical and positional comprehension into rating points.
Advanced Students – 1700 to 1400 rating: Gain strategic insights from an all-time great. May need supplemental resources on modern opening theory and niche endgames.
Expert Players 1400+ rating: Review games from a fresh master-level perspective. Less directly applicable to highly theoretical elite GM preparation.
So while wider rating ranges can extract value,competitive amateurs seeking to seriously strengthen their candidacy prospects are the prime fit.
MasterClass Cost
Access to Garry Kasparov‘s MasterClass plus 100+ courses across topics like design, writing, cooking, sports and entertainment costs $180 per year.
Pricing is quite reasonable and comparable to alternatives:
- Chessable Lifetime Diamond: $159
- Private chess lessons: ~$50-100 per hour
- New chess books: $15-30 one time cost
For everything included, MasterClass offers excellent value, especially if you have interest across multiple skill verticals. Of course the streamable video course differs fundamentally from written literature or interactive problem sets.
Overall for serious chess students, gaining insider access to one of history‘s creative geniuses for just 15 bucks a month should provide true competitive value that outweighs any abstract price tag.
The Final Call: An Essential for Chess Enthusiasts
After thoroughly reviewing curriculum, teaching style, production quality and value analysis, I must wholeheartedly recommend Garry Kasparov‘s MasterClass chess course.
Watching arguably the Greatest of All Time unpack his legendary matches while relaying critical thinking principles provided some of the most enjoyable and rewarding training of my career.
Lower rated players should take care not to get overwhelmed, but with focus and diligence the lessons can build an incredible foundation. And mid level competitors like myself now have an invaluable asset to continue our ascent up the rating ladder.
For true chess devotees, access to a bonafide Mozart‘s inner world is priceless. Considering affordable subscription rates, I believe signing onto MasterClass remains an essential step for student looking to realize their potential in the greatest game humankind has ever known.
Thanks for taking the time to read my in-depth review. Let the lessons and the winning begin!
