Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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🧠 *Most chess players guess. Masters think in SYSTEMS. Learn the thought process to skyrocket your rating—fast. FREE Masterclass* ► chess-teacher.net/masterclassyt

⌛ *GM Smirnov has spent years mastering chess—so you don’t have to.*
*Learn from his courses* ► online.chess-teacher.com/shopyd

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🎬 About this video lesson:

A good chess puzzle does more than test your tactics — it reveals how you think.

In this video, GM Igor Smirnov gives you a puzzle test from the 2005 game between Francisco Vallejo Pons and Garry Kasparov, then explains how stronger players approach the position step by step.

You’ll learn:

* How to analyze a chess puzzle correctly
* What stronger players notice first
* How to avoid shallow calculation
* Why puzzle solving is about thinking process

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📺 Recommended Videos:

🔹Crush Everyone with the Most Aggressive Opening for White - youtu.be/k56f00GD59A

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📚 Games & Other Resources:

Find the complete chess game of Francisco Vallejo Pons vs Garry Kasparov in this blog-post - chess-teacher.com/vallejo-vs-kasparov-puzzle

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⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Chess Puzzle Rating Test (Find Your Level)
00:13 500 ELO Rating
00:41 700 ELO Rating
01:17 900 ELO Rating
02:10 1000 ELO Rating
02:37 1200 ELO Rating
03:56 Strong players calculate less
06:08 1500 ELO Rating
06:21 1600 ELO Rating
07:45 Garry Kasparov's game
08:09 2000 ELO Rating
08:30 2200 ELO Rating
10:44 2500 ELO Rating

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ℹ️ About GM Igor Smirnov

Igor Smirnov is a Chess Grandmaster, leading online educator, and the founder of Remote Chess Academy.

* 1.2M+ learners across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok
* Founder of Remote Chess Academy (2009) — a global online chess school with 75,000+ students across structured training programs
* Author of A Promoted Pawn and creator of the RCA “system of thinking,” helping players break plateaus and reach 2000+ ELO
* Winner of Kasparov’s Cup (2009) and Ukrainian U16 Champion, with deep tournament and coaching experience
* A mentor who has conducted seminars and simul exhibitions in India, featured in The Hindu, and published 1,700+ instructional chess videos

Having earned the GM title through years of disciplined training, he blends classical chess strategy with psychology-based decision-making to help players think clearer, avoid blunders, and take control of their chess growth.

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🌐 Follow GM Igor Smirnov on social media

Facebook: facebook.com/RemoteChessAcademy
Instagram: instagram.com/gm.igorsmirnov
TikTok: tiktok.com/@gmigorsmirnov
X (Twitter): https://x.com/GMIgorSmirnov/

#IgorNation #Kasparov #ChessPuzzle #ChessPuzzles #ChessTactics #GarryKasparov