Year 2 - What Do You Think?

Just curious now that year 1 is coming to a close for me. Are you satisfied the the second year material now that it's been out a while?

I think it depends on whether the material covers the openings you play.

My impression is that the material is kick-ass (with 12 annotated games and 8 videos each month), but the selection of openings is somewhat random....

Coverage in first six months:
Month 1: Nimzovich Defense
Month 2: Queen's and Bogo Indian Defense
Month 3: Sicilian Defense - Najdorf
Month 4: Queen's Gambit Declined
Month 5: Spanish Opening
Month 6: Grunfeld Defence

Seems so!

There was a link with the month 12 update which I received today. It includes two sample files plus two sample video files.

They put a hook in this fish's mouth

Oh dear, i'm way late on study...

I'm a bit further on in year 2 than BDK (I bought it earlier I mean, I haven't actually studied it yet) and I'm up to month 11.

The remaining months are

Month 7: French Defence
Month 8: Kings Indian Defence
Month 9: Caro Kann Defence
Month 10: Slav Defence
Month 11: e4 e5

It seems to me the only major opening not yet covered is the English and maybe other flank opening systems but going on the reportoires in Year 1 it seems ICS don't recognise the existence of any openings that don't begin either 1.d4 or 1.e4 so it will probably be d4 d5 or else maybe a look at e4 c5 and other lines other than the Najdorf.

Well I got the final update today. It is the English Opening! Finally the ICS team have recognised that not every game begins 1.e4 or 1.d4.

Also, for the first time ever I got all 12 games instantly. Usually I get 4 or 6 then the others get added a couple weeks later.

I'm not sure if that's because they liked to offer it gradually or if because I joined as soon as they started the course that they were still writing it.

But regardless, all 12 English Opening games are up.

I'm now wondering what will happen next month. When I pay each month it says it's for ICS years 2 & 3 so let's see if Year 3 starts next month...

Worth the waiting, because the only openings i'm good at are french and anti-caro kann, and i got them yesterday (yes was little late at downloading...) months 7 to 9!

I was eager to see these video and i must admit i take more benefit than with the previous openings.
Of course i have to play also a lot of QGA/QGD simply because many people like this, but i find it really tricky on the long term.

I find it easy, knowing already some plans for the opening to have a course on it. Although some posters here said that explanations were not very fluent on english language, but personnally i find it ok, let me time to think at the position :-)

I see this discussion is labeled as YR 2. But I'm a little confused on what Yr 2 contains:

From the sound of it, most people here have purchased the "Pawn Structures" course, is that right? That seems to be the course that discusses openings and pawn structures... but that is advertised as a course for 2100 rated and above! So I have a few questions:

Did you all choose that course specifically when you purchased or is that what they send you as Yr 2? Did anybody purchase the other course "What really matters?"

I think I'm more interested in the other module : "What really matters". I like the idea of the bonus videos: they advertise about 150 bonus videos -- some are on Attack, and some on Endgames... sounds pretty cool but I want to purchase once they are already available...

thanks!

The year 2 has the same format for all months :

10 games with comments and analysis in chessbase format + 8 games in video with audio comment.

All the games of a specific month deals with the same opening, so there is a lot of discussion about pawn structures that arise depending on the chosen variation.

Thanks for your answer -
That sounds like the description of the "Pawn Structures" Course.
They also advertise another course: "What really matters". It's a strategy course and they promise bonus videos, up to 150 videos. That's the course I'm wondering about.

Any info on whether those bonus videos are all up?

Here's what I see on my "Course Page"

Chess Master School
MAIN CHESS COURSE subscribed

Additional Courses
"What Really Matters" not subscribed
"Pawn Structures" not subscribed

Thanks again!

year 1 = main course
year 2 = pawn structures
year 3 = what matters

Till now, they have created up to y2m11 i think, they more or less create new material every month but y3 does not even exists yet, so we cannot tell what's in it...

The course is created in the same time you will receive it at home !

It seems odd they would deliver "pawn structures" before the strategy course, because their ad says the structures course is aimed at 2100 rated and above.

But thanks again for your answer -

i think the value is outstanding. the amount of content is amazing.