And then never actually playing it, because your opponent doesn’t do what they’re “supposed” to do?
Do you ever get stuck in the middlegame with no idea what to do next…
So you start playing random moves and end up blundering, making stupid mistakes, and missing obvious tactics?
And do you ever get overwhelmed by all the different openings, tactics, counter-attacks, and complicated chess theory being taught online…
And then never actually playing it, because your opponent doesn’t do what they’re “supposed” to do?
Do you ever get stuck in the middlegame with no idea what to do next…
So you start playing random moves and end up blundering, making stupid mistakes, and missing obvious tactics?
And do you ever get overwhelmed by all the different openings, tactics, counter-attacks, and complicated chess theory being taught online…
If there’s anything I’ve learned after working with 6,000+ students in my online chess courses, plus the feedback I’ve gotten on nearly 130 Million views on YouTube…
It’s that we all go through the same struggles when it comes to playing better chess and increasing your ELO rating.
Chess is super complicated. There are a lot of things you need to know and literally millions of different ways to play the game.
And sadly, because it’s such a challenging game (when you don’t know the principles I’m about to show you)…
I see way too many players getting stuck in the same ELO range for years or giving up altogether because they stop enjoying the game.
When you’re just starting out, all you need is a few openings and getting more games under your belt to quickly move up in the ratings.
But once you hit the 800 to 1000 level and start playing more skilled opponents, memorizing openings and playing more games is not enough.
If you want to break through the 1500+ ELO level and be able to do things like:
The biggest trap I see intermediate players fall into is spending way too much time memorizing random openings and solving chess puzzles:
They spend hours memorizing openings but then once their opponent goes “off script”, they have no idea what to do next and even lose games they were winning.
Or they switch to solving chess puzzles to try to improve their skills but can’t figure out why they miss those same tactics in their games!
Now of course, openings and tactics are a big part of the game. But if you want to play chess at the highest level, you need to understand the WHY behind the moves.
These “Chess Principles” are what enables you to improvise and free flow no matter what your opponent plays…
And when you connect these principles to the openings and tactics you learn, it’s like adding jet-fuel to your gameplay and gives you a much greater vision and control over the board.
This is the key to predicting more of your opponent’s moves, which is what the 2nd key is all about…
When you watch the top players calculating each other’s moves, it’s easy to think they’re these talented geniuses and you could never do the same.
But what you need to realize is, learning how to calculate multiple moves ahead is a skill that ANYONE can develop.
Once you understand the right Chess Principles and how they connect to the openings and tactics, plus learn some strategies for applying them to what I call your “Positional Vision”…
It makes it much easier to spot tactics, blunders, and mates in your games as well as quickly calculating your opponent’s next 3, 5 or even 10 moves.
I’ll show you how in the next section…
Chess has been around for nearly 1,500 years, which has led to countless openings, tactics, and strategies being created to try to get an advantage on your opponent.
But what I see all too often from intermediate players is they pick and choose random things to learn from all over the internet without a clear game plan for getting better.
And even though they’re learning some interesting things, it’s hard to “connect the dots” between the various things and apply it to their chess playing in a practical way.
As a result, many players get stuck hovering in the same ELO range for months or even years – Putting in the hours playing lots of games, but not making any real progress.
After seeing so many players getting stuck at the same level, as well as countless questions on YouTube asking for help…
I’ve decided to create a comprehensive online course distilling down everything I’ve learned over the last 30 years of playing chess, plus nearly a decade teaching it.
With a clear, efficient game plan walking you step by step through leveling up every phase of your game: From opening principles and formations, to middlegame tactics and pawn structures…
To positional strategy, calculation skills, and endgame strategies to CRUSH your opponent’s faster.
After seeing so many players getting stuck at the same level, as well as countless questions on YouTube asking for help…
I’ve decided to create a comprehensive online course distilling down everything I’ve learned over the last 30 years of playing chess, plus nearly a decade teaching it.
With a clear, efficient game plan walking you step by step through leveling up every phase of your game: From opening principles and formations, to middlegame tactics and pawn structures…
To positional strategy, calculation skills, and endgame strategies to CRUSH your opponent’s faster.
Imagine how much more fun the game will be when you’re playing chess at the highest level – Spotting brilliant moves in every game and crushing higher ranked opponents.
Imagine having dozens of new tactics and strategies you can immediately unleash in your games – Knowing exactly what to do in any position and how to quickly punish your opponent’s mistakes.
And imagine seeing your ELO rating jump 200+ points in a matter of weeks, not months or years – With a customized game plan to consistently improve your skills no matter how far you climb in the ratings.
Chess is my passion. I’ve been playing for over 30 years and in the process have won multiple state and national championships and reached the level of National Master. (2200 ELO rating)
In 2020 I started teaching chess strategy on YouTube, and there’s no way I could’ve imagined just a few years later I’d have over 500,000 subscribers on my channel and 6,000+ students in my online chess courses…
Which has given me a unique view into how challenging it can be for players to break through the 1500 level.
And what I’ve learned after helping so many people, is the fastest way to improve your skills…
Is by following a well-crafted, progressive game plan that walks you step by step through every phase of the game.
Which is why, after many months of work, I’m incredibly excited to introduce…
With 15+ hours of video trainings housed inside a private members area, showing you the WHY behind the best moves…
And distilling it all down into rules, principles, and strategies that you can immediately use in your games.
Holding your hand every step of the way as we move from opening principles, to mastering the middlegame, to efficient endgame strategies.
Giving you an efficient game plan to level up every phase of your game as fast as possible – And turning it all into a fun “game” with chess puzzles, quizzes, and exercises to complete after every level of the course…
Giving you an efficient game plan to level up every phase of your game as fast as possible – And turning it all into a fun “game” with chess puzzles, quizzes, and exercises to complete after every level of the course…
That’s right! This course isn’t just some data dump teaching you dozens of openings and tactics that you need to memorize…
After each level we’ll immediately apply what you learn – Ingraining the principles into your subconscious and making the moves automatic.
Step by step learning how to improvise your openings, go on the offensive in the middlegame, and quickly CRUSH opponents with faster mates.
So if you’re ready to take your game to the next level, then click the button below and join Breaking 1500 today!
So if you’re ready to take your game to the next level…
Then click the button below and join Breaking 1500 today!
“I’m really happy with Nelson’s course, it has definitely opened my eyes to the way that I was making many mistakes.
Much of the course is about the right way to think in a given position, and since taking on board Nelson’s recommended thinking-process I find that I always know what I’m supposed to be doing, so the path forward is that much clearer.
This is showing almost immediate results in my rating too! I’ve had the course for just over 1 month, and in that time I have added over 100 rating points to reach my best chess.com ever! Great value.”
Minneapolis, MN
“As a former 900 rated player, Nelson’s course vastly improved my playing strength, allowing me to swiftly and accurately capitalize on the mistakes of intermediate players who would have once crushed me.
Nelson explains key concepts in a style that makes the learning process very straightforward and I was seeing instant results across all stages of the game from the moment I completed the course.
I strongly recommend this course for any player enthusiastic to develop their playing skills and take them to the next level!”
Perth, Australia
“Before I took your course, my ELO rating was around 300. After the course, I’ve managed to boost it to 1200!
The strategies and insights you provided were invaluable, especially the focus on middle-game tactics and endgame principles.
Not only did my rating improve, but my overall understanding of the game deepened significantly. I feel much more confident in my ability to analyze positions and make strategic decisions.
I’d definitely recommend your courses to anyone serious about improving their chess skills.”
Mauritania, Africa
We’ll start with an overview of the course, and then jump right into the chess with a quick review of the fundamentals.
I’ll also share some of the most common roadblocks players hit on their way to reaching 1500 and how to maintain a positive attitude as you start playing more challenging games.
Here’s some of what you’ll learn:
We’ll finish Level 1 with a story of the time I quit playing chess because I was frustrated with my progress, and how you can avoid the same mistakes as you improve your game and start playing higher ranked opponents.
And now that we’ve got the “inner game” handled, it’s time to start playing some chess!
The better you start your games, the more likely you are to force your opponent into weaker positions, blundering, and making costly mistakes…
Which is why we’ll spend two full Levels studying this critical part of the game!
We’ll start by learning the principles behind a great opening, so you’re better able to make the right moves even if your opponent doesn’t do what they’re “supposed” to do.
Here’s some of what you’ll learn:
By the end of Level 2, you’ll already have dozens of new strategies to play during the opening phase of the game, which will lead to a much stronger position as you transition into the middlegame.
But we won’t stop there! Next it’s time to learn…
After working with over 6,000 students in my online chess courses, I’ve discovered the fastest way for a student to break 1500 is by learning ONE opening for white and black.
This way you can spend more time mastering every aspect of the opening, instead of learning multiple openings on a superficial level.
So in Level 3, we’ll dive deep into one of the best openings for white, then do the same for black, and show you how to use each as your ELO rating rises.
Here’s some of what you’ll learn:
By the end of Level 3, you’ll never again question if you’re using the right opening, and be able to confidently start your games with a game plan to crush your opponent faster.
And with the opening phase dialed in, it’s time to move on to…
If you want to master the middlegame, learning how to spot and implement tactics is a key skill of the game.
So next we’ll fine-tune your focus by learning 22 of the most effective middlegame tactics to go on the offensive after the opening.
Here’s some of what you’ll learn along the way:
By the end of Level 4, you’ll have an arsenal of new middlegame tactics to play in your games and know exactly how to spot and unleash them on your opponent!
But sometimes your position doesn’t lead to an obvious tactic, which is why you also need to learn…
The second key to mastering the middlegame is knowing how to strengthen your position while weakening your opponent’s – Which is what positional strategy is all about!
So next we’ll learn how to create a game plan that gives you the perfect balance between going on the attack and defending your position as the game evolves.
Here’s some of what you’ll learn:
By the end of Level 5, you’ll now have a rock-solid foundation in both tactical and positional strategy and never again get stuck in the middlegame wondering what to do next.
The final piece of the middlegame puzzle is getting better at…
No matter how good your game is going, all it takes is one critical mistake where you lose your queen or miss a mate and the game is over!
Which is why Level 6 might be the most important of them all! You’ll learn my step by step process for avoiding blunders and costly mistakes.
Here’s some of what you’ll learn:
We’ve all experienced the chess rollercoaster of having the advantage in a game, seeing the end in sight… Only to miss an obvious mistake and lose the game!
But by the end of Level 6, you’ll now have a crystal clear game plan to confidently make each move without the risk of losing key pieces or missing mates.
If there’s any skill in chess that feels like a “seeing the matrix” type superpower, it’s being able to predict your opponents next 3, 5, or even 10 moves ahead.
So in Level 7, I’ll show you how to develop this powerful skill and give you some practical tips for planning your next attack.
Here’s some of what you’ll learn:
When I’m streaming my chess games online, I always get comments from people saying how easy it seems for me to predict my opponent’s next move…
And by the end of Level 7, you’ll now know exactly how to develop this chess superpower for yourself and be well on your way to calculating multiple moves ahead.
When you’re under 1000 ELO, you don’t need to worry too much about the endgame…
But by the time you’ve reached Level 8, you’ll be playing much better chess, rapidly climbing the ratings ladder, and be ready to level up your endgame strategies as well!
Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this Level:
Boom! By the end of Level 8, you’ll now have a much better understanding of every phase of the game, and be winning many more games as your ELO rating rises.
Next it’s time to bring all these concepts together and see it in action…
By this point in the program, you truly have everything you need to play chess at the 1500+ level and beyond…
Now it’s time to see these chess principles and strategies in action, as I walk you through 5 games that highlight many of the concepts we’ve been learning throughout the course.
Here’s what to expect in these entertaining and educational games:
After watching each of these games, you’ll now have seen the same chess principles in action again and again, with dozens of examples of each at a variety of skill levels…
We’ll engrain these foundational tools into your subconscious and making the moves automatic when they come up in your games.
Which leads us to the final level…
Congratulations! You’ve made it!
You’ll now have everything you need to play better chess than nearly 97% of players, and enjoy the thrill of playing highly accurate, great moves, in every game you play.
To help you make the most of this program, and continually develop your skills as fast as possible, I’d like to cover a few more lessons in this final level:
We’ll finish this Final Level by creating an action plan to help you break through a 1500+ ELO rating as fast as possible…
And I’ll show you how to continually come back to this course and use it as a tool as you climb the ratings ladder and play more skilled opponents.
The first bonus you’ll get is my Chess Skills Tier List – which has over 200+ skills ranked from beginner to grandmaster.
So whenever you miss a tactic or find a new weakness in your game…
You can quickly scan through this excel sheet and know exactly what you’ll need to learn next.
But the only way to get this Chess Skills Tier List for FREE is by joining Breaking 1500 during this special launch period!
If you’re not analyzing every game you play, move by move, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to improve your skills faster.
Which is why I’m also including my “Online Chess Mastery” program as a special bonus training.
Giving you an in-depth tutorial on how to use some of the best analysis tools online including:
These tools can be a bit intimidating for beginners, but I’ll show you step by step how easy it is to analyze your games like a grandmaster!
I could easily sell this as a stand-alone course, but when you join Breaking 1500 today, you’ll get the entire video training included with your purchase for free.
And finally, when you join Breaking 1500 today, you’ll also gain access to the recorded Group Coaching Calls!
With over 10+ hours of Q&A sessions with customers…
Where I’ve time-stamped each question so you can learn from your fellow students and get all your side hustle questions answered.
Normally if you wanted to get this level of feedback from me, it would cost you $100 a session…
But when you join Breaking 1500 during this launch, you’ll gain access to these exclusive calls for free!
On top of that, I believe in this course so much, I’m also including a no questions asked 30 Day Money-Back “ELO Increase” guarantee.
This gives you a full month to try out the course, apply what you learn…
And if you don’t see an immediate impact in your games, if you don’t have a new-found confidence and excitement every time you start a new game…
If after 30 days, you don’t see a significant improvement in your ELO rating, just shoot my team a message and I’ll send you 100% of your money back!
No questions asked, no hoops to jump through…
Just make an honest attempt at applying what you learn in this course, and I will literally guarantee a tangible increase in your ELO rating!
With my 30 Day 100% money-back guarantee, you literally have no risk!
But you must get on this now, because enrollment is closing down this Friday at midnight Eastern time!
Once that timer hits 00:00:00 your chance to work with me and get all the bonuses is gone for good!
So click the green button below to join now, and let me help you take your chess playing to the next level.
You’ll instantly be redirected to the checkout page, where you can enter your credit card details with 100% secured 32-bit encryption.
Followed by immediate access to the Private Members area, where you can start watching the Level 1 videos right away!
You’ll instantly be redirected to the checkout page, where you can enter your credit card details with 100% secured 32-bit encryption.
Followed by immediate access to the Private Members area, where you can start watching the Level 1 videos right away!
After 30+ years of playing chess, I can confidently say:
There are few things in life as thrilling as playing a near flawless game against a high ranked opponent…
Calculating their every move, forcing them into tough decisions, and CRUSHING THEM with a brilliant final move.
I’d love to be your guide along the way.
Instead of wasting months (or even years!) stuck at the same ELO rating, this is your shortcut to success.
It all starts by clicking the “Reserve Your Seat” button below, and I’ll see you on the inside!
Nelson Lopez
Creator of Breaking 1500
Founder of Chess Vibes
This course is designed to be a comprehensive, step by step course, where each level builds off of the last one and includes exercises and action items you need to complete before moving on…
This isn’t just some data dump of information, instead you’ll be applying what you learn each step of the way which will immediately impact the decisions you make in your games.
And even if you tried to find similar information online, you’d have to sift through years of blog posts and videos that can easily lead to overwhelm or wasted time because it’s not organized into a step by step process – And wouldn’t include any of the exercises or action items.
This is my first course that covers every phase of the game. My goal was to create a comprehensive course that anyone can use without needing to buy 15 different courses all over the place.
It’s super comprehensive, but also cuts out all the fluff so you don’t get overwhelmed, and gradually baby steps you into more complicated principles and strategies as you build confidence and progress your way through the course curriculum.
Breaking 1500 was specifically designed for the intermediate chess player (800-1200 ELO) who wants to break through the 1500 ELO barrier as fast as possible…
But no matter what skill level you’re at today, ANYONE can use this course to rapidly improve your chess skills:
If you’re just starting out, this course will teach you the fundamental principles of chess so you can stop blundering and start winning more games.
If you’ve reached the 800-1000 level, this course will teach you the tactics to master the middlegame and help you break through your plateau to reach the 1500+ level faster.
And even if you’re a 1500+ player, this course will help you fill in the gaps, uncover blindspots, and give you those 1% improvements to keep climbing the ratings ladder and play chess at the highest level.
After purchasing you will receive an email that includes login details and a link to sign into a private members area that houses all the videos.
There you will also find the schedule for all the LIVE group coaching calls, and be able to directly join the call and access the past recordings inside your members area.
Breaking 1500 is a self-paced online course, so you can go through the lessons at any time that is convenient for you, and because you get lifetime access when you join, you don’t need to worry about your schedule getting busy.
The bonus LIVE group coaching calls will take place on the first Tuesday of the month at 8pm EST, but even if you can’t attend one of the calls, you’ll be able to ask questions inside the members area and I’ll make sure to answer them in the call recordings.
Yes! I’ve included a full members area with an activity feed and messaging platform so you can interact with your fellow players, ask questions, and celebrate wins together!
Once enrolled, you will have lifetime access to the Breaking 1500 videos.
I’ve created a custom learning platform on our own server so that you’ll never lose access to the training videos and bonus content. (As well as any future materials I may add to the course down the road)
Yes, there are payment plans available. After clicking the big “Reserve Your Seat” button, you’ll be redirected to a checkout page where you can choose between paying in full for $297 or 3 monthly payments of $119.
Currently “Breaking 1500” is open for enrollment, but once the timer hits 00:00:00 I’m closing down access to focus on the customers who join.
I do plan to re-open the course in the future, but have no set date and expect it to be months from now. So if you’re at all interested in joining, I’d highly suggest doing it now while you still can. (Especially since you get lifetime access to all the materials!)
The honest answer is: It depends!
There are a lot of factors that go into how soon you’ll hit the 1500 ELO rating, like how much experience you have before joining the course and how often you play.
But if you have a solid grasp of the fundamentals, and apply what you learn in this course, there’s a good chance you can hit 1500 within the next 3 months!
(And when you do, I’d love a testimonial! 😊)
Yes! That’s why I created my 30 Day Money Back “ELO Increase” Guarantee.
Here’s how it works: Join the program, and if you don’t see a significant increase in your ELO rating by the end of this course, you can get your money back!
Just shoot my team a message and we’ll send you a prompt and courteous refund.
For level setting, I am a Senior that started playing chess a year ago. Just finished the lessons and have tried implementing some of the lessons in my games. Not sure that I have seen a rating improvement yet (ELO range 700-800) but the last dozen games I have felt I am playing better. I have even won some games I should have lost because of noticing some tactics I learned in the course.
My neighbor, who is a Dr. from Spain, got me interested in chess after a 50 year lapse. Started watching Nelson Lopez rating climb on YouTube. Easy to understand and learn from. Then his 'Breaking 1500' course came out and I jumped on it! What a great learning experience. 'BTW' I just had my 80th birthday a month ago! ELO -800 & climbing.
Loved the layout of the course and the structure of the lessons. I've tried reading books but they're so dry and time consuming. Nelson makes learning chess principles and analyzing games fun. One thing I would have liked to see in the course was Nelson playing some games against 800/1100/1500 rated players using the Owen's defence and Stonewall as that would have been extremely helpful.
Somewhat over my head as a 500 player at times but with practice and concentration, I expect to improve in time. My bigest bugaboo is how complicated chess is and avoiding those fatal blunders! I only wish I could ask the team what to do in certain situations. Stockfish almost always predicts what the book moves would be for each situation and my opponents aren’t normally book perfect.
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I have a fair amount of experience as an instructor (not connected to chess). And to me the single most important thing key to success was to be relatable. This is why I found Nelson's course to be truly valuable. He has a very conversational style, and he does a great job of using stories about his own games (wins and losses) that helped me understand certain points better.