How does one become a chess master?
Many club players get stuck at 1500–2000 (Lichess) and wonder: “I play a lot and watch grandmaster streams, but I don’t improve.” Sound familiar?
The problem isn’t lack of talent. It’s that you play a lot but learn little. Blitz games, streams, and automatic engine evaluations create an illusion of study. Seeing a grandmaster move doesn’t mean you understand why they played it. An engine gives an evaluation but doesn’t teach human reasoning.
What actually works on the road to master level (1st...