How to make a good chess training plan
Build a chess training plan that fits your schedule: tactics, strategy, endgames, openings, review, and progress tracking.
Start with balance, not volume
A good plan is balanced, measurable, and sustainable. Focus on the few activities that drive results: tactics, game review, endgames, and practical play.
Define your goal and time budget
A plan must fit your calendar, or it will not last.
- Pick one primary goal (rating, tournament, or mastery of a theme).
- Set weekly hours and lock a recurring study window.
- Choose a cadence: 5x30 minutes or 3x60 minutes both work.
Diagnose your current weaknesses
Use recent games and puzzle stats to target the biggest leaks.
- Review 10 recent games and label each loss cause.
- Note recurring tactical motifs you miss.
- Identify endgame or opening positions you avoid.
Build a simple weekly structure
Use a repeatable split; adjust minutes but keep proportions.
- Tactics and calculation: 35-40%.
- Game review and analysis: 20-25%.
- Endgames: 15%.
- Openings and middlegame plans: 15%.
- Play and practical training: 10-15%.
Train tactics every day
Tactics drive most results below expert level.
- Do slow, accurate sets for calculation depth.
- Add fast sets to build pattern speed.
- Track mistake types and revisit them weekly.
Study plans and structures, not just moves
Learn typical pawn structures and piece plans from your openings.
- Pick 2-3 common structures you reach often.
- For each, learn key squares, trades, and endgames.
- Use model games to see plans in context.
Own the essential endgames
A small set of endgames yields the biggest gains.
- King and pawn basics: opposition, outside passer, triangulation.
- Rook endings: Lucena and Philidor ideas.
- Minor piece endings: good vs bad bishop, knight outposts.
Keep your opening repertoire tight
Choose systems that give similar structures and plans.
- One main opening as White, one as Black vs 1.e4 and 1.d4.
- Learn 6-10 key lines, not 40.
- Build a quick anti-gambit response.
Review games and close the loop
Every game is training if you extract lessons.
- Annotate without an engine first, then check.
- Save 1-2 key positions for future puzzles.
- Turn each mistake into a short corrective note.
Automate the plan with ChessMind
If you want a ready-made schedule, ChessMind can build one from your level and goals. The automated program maker creates sessions and keeps the routine consistent. Sign in to save your plan and track progress.
Measure, recover, and adjust
Review results every 4-6 weeks and tweak the mix.
- Track puzzle accuracy, review notes, and game outcomes.
- Deload on busy weeks to avoid burnout.
- Keep consistency higher than intensity.