Live Masterclass: The Thinking Trap

by Kasparov Chess Foundation
4/4/2026 – We have an exciting new live lecture coming up! On April 5, 2026, KCF Academy welcomes GM Mykhailo Oleksienko to host a live masterclass for what promises to be a deeply practical lecture: thinking too long in a complicated position and what to actually do about it.
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FRITZ 20 is more than just a chess engine – it is a training revolution for ambitious players and professionals. Whether you are taking your first steps into the world of serious chess training, or already playing at tournament level, FRITZ 20 will help you train more efficiently, intelligently and individually than ever before. 

The clock is ticking, the position is sharp, and the more you think, the less sure you feel. GM Mykhailo Oleksiyenko knows exactly what that's like, but more importantly, he knows how to get through it. As a grandmaster since 2005 and Ukrainian Chess Champion of 2016, he has navigated countless high-pressure moments at the board. Add to that his experience coaching national teams from Ukraine, Egypt, and the Netherlands, and you have someone who understands both the player's struggle and the coach's perspective.

Mykhailo comes from the renowned Lviv chess school “Debut”, where he now gives back to the game as a trainer himself. He has also made a major mark in the online chess world through his highly acclaimed courses on Chessable. Beyond the board, Mykhailo holds a PhD in mathematics, making him one of a rare handful of active GMs to have reached the highest levels of both chess and academia.

This is your chance to sit down with our guest expert and work through one of the most universal and frustrating challenges in chess. Mark your calendar:

April 5th, 17:00 CET - Live at KCF Academy.
JOIN us any time at www.kcfacademy.org

Embark on a complete chess training journey with KCF Academy, guided by an elite team of international Grandmasters and various guest stars, along with Garry Kasparov: Fabiano Caruana, Veselin Topalov, Levon Aronian, Peter Svidler, and many other surprise star guests. The 2026 season is the most comprehensive yet, featuring weekly workshops, four progressive training levels, and a dedicated Expert Group designed for advanced players (2200+ FIDE or Level 4 graduates).

As a member of the KCF Academy, you’ll join a global chess community, train with some of the best minds in the game, and gain exclusive benefits for our flagship in-person event - the Kasparov Chess Foundation Friendship Festival in Slovenia (June 25 - July 5, 2026), where students, trainers, and chess enthusiasts from around the world come together.

Join special Saturday Academy lessons, designed for four skill levels and built on the legendary Botvinnik School training system. Unlike many modern programs, this approach preserves the timeless, systematic teaching of classical chess principles.

The Botvinnik School shaped nearly all the great champions of the 20th century, including Karpov, Kasparov, Yusupov, Beliavsky, Shirov, and many other grandmasters. Now, you can train in that same world-class tradition and meet chess stars online!

Visit www.kcfacademy.org for more details.

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The vision of the Kasparov Chess Foundation is primarily to use the many benefits of chess to help children worldwide. KCF does this through a variety of different programs, which you can find at KasparovChessFoundation.org
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Video

60m The Two Knights

This entry into the 60 minutes series concentrates on the Modern variation of the Italian game where White opens the centre early : 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 d4 exd4 5 e5!. This line can be reached by various move orders, most frequently from the Scotch 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4. It's a sharp variation and Grandmasters such as Evgeny Sveshnikov have used it frequently,with very good results. It's a perfect line for club players to adopt which is relatively easy to learn and which contains many traps. All the main responses are covered here, including 5...d5, 5...Ng4 and 5...Ne4 and the conclusion is that is is difficult for Black to equalize in a straightforward way. Problems are being posed, which over the board might prove tough to solve.