World Chess Champion Strategy Training For Club Players

World Chess Champion Strategy Training for Club Players by Thomas Willemze is an English-language paperback chess training book for ambitious club players who want to sharpen their strategic understanding and make better plans over the board. Built around 100 strategic exercises drawn from games by world champions, it focuses on practical thinking rather than passive reading.

What this book covers

Good strategy starts with seeing the position clearly, judging what matters and choosing a plan that fits the position. Willemze uses games by the strongest players in history to train exactly that skill, turning each example into an exercise you can work through on your own. Instead of a dry lecture, you get structured tasks that help you understand why one plan is better than another.

The exercises touch on recurring practical themes, including:

• improving your worst-placed piece,
• using a lead in development,
• knowing when a piece exchange works in your favour,
• creating and using a strong square,
• building a plan and carrying it out consistently.

Who it is for

This is a strong choice for club players who already play and analyse regularly, but want to deepen their strategic understanding. It works well for self-study, for training with a coach, or as material for club sessions. The exercise format encourages active learning rather than simply browsing through games.

About the author

Thomas Willemze is an International Master from the Netherlands and an experienced coach of players at different levels. He has also served as the national youth coach for the Dutch Chess Federation. His other books published by New In Chess include The Chess Toolbox, The Scandinavian for Club Players and 1001 Chess Endgame Exercises for Beginners.

Publication details

• Language: English
• Format: paperback
• Page count: 264
• Product type: chess training book
• Author: Thomas Willemze
• Exercise count: 100 strategic exercises
• Source games: games by world champions, from Bobby Fischer to Ding Liren
• Audience: club players