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Hey there! 👋 I'm WGM Dina Belenkaya and I will get you from 0 to 2000 🚀


You’re One Fork Away from Winning the Game
You’re low on time, down a piece, things are looking rough... and then — boom! Your opponent hangs a fork, and suddenly you're back in...
Apr 114 min read
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😡 Why Do People Cheat Against Me in Online Chess?!
Hey there, Ever caught yourself playing an online game thinking, "Wait a second... am I playing a human or a sneaky engine?" - Yeah, me...
Mar 282 min read
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🧐Why do I participate in my own tactical marathon?!
Let’s be real — chess is tactics. Period . You can have the best opening prep, a killer endgame technique, and still lose because you...
Mar 262 min read
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Are U stuck?
Hi there! This week, let’s talk about something we all deal with at some point: hitting a rating plateau. You know that moment where no...
Mar 262 min read
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Isolated Pawn (Isolani): A Blessing or a Curse?
Let’s talk pawns! But not just any pawns — let's dive into the world of the isolated pawn (also known as an isolani ), that lone...
Feb 234 min read
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Zugzwang: When Your Opponent Moves... and Loses!
Ever been in a position where you just wish your opponent had to move—because no matter what they do, they’ll make their position...
Feb 173 min read
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Mastering Open Files
Understanding open files is a key skill that can take your chess game to the next level! This week, let’s explore why open files are so...
Feb 178 min read
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Let’s Talk Fischer Random Chess
So, Fischer Random Chess (a.k.a. Chess960) is getting some major buzz lately, thanks in part to Magnus Carlsen’s ongoing beef with FIDE....
Feb 173 min read
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What is "En Passant"?
We’re highlighting this rule because "En Passant" is one of the most commonly overlooked yet essential chess principles, especially among...
Nov 20, 20243 min read
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How To Analyze Your Games
I usually ask my students to analyze their games right after they play. In this newsletter, I want to dive into the best ways to approach...
Nov 20, 20242 min read
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Train Like Magnus
How does the highest-rated chess player in the world study? In this letter, we will look at some of the ways he's trained in the past....
Nov 9, 20243 min read
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Play Like Tal
Who was Mikhail Tal? Mikhail Tal was a Latvian Grandmaster known for his sharp attacking chess and wild sacrifices. Born on November 9,...
Oct 26, 20242 min read
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Can Adults Really Improve at Chess?
There's a lot of talk about whether adults can really improve at chess. Instead of giving a motivational speech, I'm just going to...
Sep 27, 20243 min read
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How to get over rating anxiety
"But what if I lose rating?" I've heard many excuses over the years from friends, family, and colleagues on why they don't want to play a...
Sep 27, 20243 min read
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