I ask ChatGPT o3 whether I should buy IM Igor Smirnov's online video series. But I am smart to ask the question to o3 first. Here is the answer:
Overall reputation of GM Igor Smirnov’s courses
GM Igor Smirnov’s “Remote Chess Academy” (RCA) markets a catalogue of video-based, self-study courses that promise to teach a concrete “system of thinking” rather than isolated tips. Fans praise the clear, step-by-step structure and the focus on practical decision-making, saying the material is especially helpful for club players in the 800-1600 Elo band. Critics note that the ideas are not revolutionary—most can be found in classic books—and feel the price-to-content ratio is high once you move beyond the intermediate level. In short: well-organised and motivational, but not magic bullets. chess-teacher.comchess.com
Course
Typical level & why it’s praised
Caveats
The Grandmaster’s Secrets
Frequently recommended as the first RCA purchase because it lays out Smirnov’s “thinking algorithm” in digestible lessons. Reviewers call it “simple to understand and very practical.” reddit.comchess.com
Light on deep theory; stronger players may want more nuance.
Grandmaster’s Positional Understanding
Valued for demystifying pawn-structure and bishop-pair concepts with concrete rules and step-by-step game walkthroughs. chess.comreddit.com
Less opening coverage; some overlap with classic strategy texts.
Calculate Till Mate
Praised for sharpening calculation habits; users like the guided “forcing-lines first” methodology. chess.comonline.chess-teacher.com
Advanced; several forum posters advise tackling it only after Grandmaster’s Secrets.
Level Up Your Chess / Ultimate SuperPack
Bundles that package many courses at a discount; appeals to motivated improvers who want a roadmap. reddit.com
Costly up-front and contains material a la carte buyers may already own.
Student-submitted reviews on sites such as PissedConsumer echo the above: “quality education,” “clear thinker,” but value depends on one’s starting rating and study discipline. remote-chess-academy.pissedconsumer.com
“Better” depends on what you need—interactive drilling, live coaching, or a structured video syllabus. Widely cited alternatives include:
GM Daniel Naroditsky (Chessable & YouTube) – His Jobava London and end-game series earn consistent praise for depth and sheer volume of annotated lines, though some users complain about sparse verbal explanation in early versions. reddit.comreddit.comreddit.com
GM Simon Williams (GingerGM/iChess) – Charismatic attacking style; the GingerGM Method is lauded by a FIDE Master for practicality, but forum users caution that his “unsound gambits” may not suit positional learners. improvingchess.comchess.com
ChessMood (multiple GMs) – Subscription model with 500 + hours of openings-to-endgames video; praised for breadth and community support. chessmood.com
GothamChess / Chessly (IM Levy Rozman) – Highly structured beginner-to-intermediate repertoires, popular for engaging delivery and affordable pricing. reddit.com
Free, high-quality playlists – Naroditsky’s rating-climb or end-game playlists, John Bartholomew’s “Climbing the Rating Ladder,” etc., cost nothing but require self-direction. Many learners mix these with a paid course for breadth. reddit.com
If you value a linear, rule-based framework and like learning by watching a single teacher, Smirnov’s flagship trio (Grandmaster’s Secrets, Grandmaster’s Positional Understanding, Calculate Till Mate) scores the most consistent thumbs-up. For interactive spaced-repetition or grandmaster feedback, Chessable mega-courses, live coaches, or platforms like ChessMood may give better long-term mileage—often at comparable cost.
A pragmatic path many club players follow:
Work through Grandmaster’s Secrets to build a thinking routine.
Complement it with Naroditsky’s free end-game series (for calculation drill) and a modern Chessable repertoire for openings.
Only then consider Smirnov’s advanced packs or a live coach if your rating plateaus.
That hybrid keeps Smirnov’s strengths—clarity and structure—while offsetting his courses’ main weakness: limited interactivity and higher per-hour cost.
Great. Now we have a plan. The plan is to learn everything and put everything into a system.