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The art of calculation is the backbone of every successful chess game. It allows players to dive deep into variations, find tactical shots with precision, and support strategic decisions with concrete analysis. Yet as fascinating as calculation in chess may be, it can also be highly demanding: a single mistake in a long line can turn a masterpiece into a disaster. Grandmaster Surya Shekhar Ganguly, long-time second to World Champion Viswanathan Anand and an experienced grandmaster with a peak rating of 2676, takes on this challenging discipline in his course.
Over the course of the training, Ganguly covers five key areas that are essential for accurate calculation. Each of these topics is explained in detail and illustrated with instructive examples.
These areas are:
The course is designed to be worked through actively, with challenging exercises throughout that demand full concentration.
The following example is taken from the chapter "Short Calculation":
White to move, and in the absence of tactics his position would be slightly preferable. However, with 1.Rxg4!! and, after 1…Qxg4, the follow-up 2.Qxa6!!, White can first lure the queen to g4 and remove the defender of the f6 square.
Once you spot these moves, it is very tempting to stop calculating and play 1.Rxg4. However, it is crucial to look for possible defensive ideas, and in this case Black has the counter 2…Qxe4!.
Now both the rook on e1 and the queen on a6 are hanging. After 3.Rxe4, 3…bxa6 would follow, leading to an equal endgame. However, White has a resource that both defends the rook and saves the queen: 3.Qa5!
The ball is now back in Black’s court, as both the queen and the rook are under attack.
In this position, Black has two further tries. The move 3…b6?! launches a counterattack, but this can be easily met with 4.Qg5+. With 3…Qd5, Black withdraws the queen from the attack and defends the rook on d8, but White still has one final resource.
4.Re8!
After 4…Rxe8, 5.Qxd5 follows, and after 4…Kg7, 5.Qxd8, leaving Black a rook down.
The calculation may only go four moves deep overall, but it requires a great deal of self-control. Once you spot the tactic, it is tempting to play Rxg4 immediately, yet it is essential to keep looking for defensive resources. At the same time, the task also demands creativity, as the necessary ideas often involve moves that seem counterintuitive at first glance.
The videos also frequently include practical advice on calculation and training methods, as in the following clip on the topic of Elimination.
In his course “Calculation 1,” Surya Shekhar Ganguly focuses on five essential areas of calculating variations. He presents demanding exercises that require a high level of dedication, but in return offer a significant training effect. Alongside chess-specific explanations, he also shares occasional anecdotes and general training advice that stay with the viewer even after completing the course. Ganguly teaches the importance of discipline in training and helps the viewer identify their own weaknesses. I can recommend this course to any player who is highly motivated to improve their game.
Surya Shekhar Ganguly is one of the most decorated Grandmasters that India has produced. His best achievements include winning the National Championship a record six consecutive times from 2003 to 2008, the Asian Continental Championship in 2009, and such monumental open events as the Fujairah International Open in 2012 and the Belt and Road Open in 2019. He has also represented India in as many as six Olympiads and clinched individual golds at the World Teams Championship twice, in 2010 and 2019. Moreover, he has worked in the team of seconds that assisted Vishy Anand to victory in three World Championship Matches, against Kramnik, Topalov, and Gelfand, in 2008, 2010, and 2012, respectively.
