Because the main recommendation are to look up his games in a database ( which 1700-2000 are to be found in a good chess database ?) and then to analyse his games to point out his weaknesses and strengths, drawing at the same time his style of play. For my rating, the lessons about how to prepare against tournament opponent are pointless.

In his course GM secrets, Mr Smirnov gives 5 videos lessons.

One of the most important being how much time do you have to put in the study of the game and studying the right topic regarding your playing strength. It’s really hard to tell you if my last progression is mainly due to his course or not, but it certainly helped, and in which extent is also hard to tell, a bit ? a lot ? I personally think that it has to do with a combination on factors. I didn’t found on the web any objective review of it and I decided to give it a try and judge by myself one of his “cheapest” course The Grandmaster’s secrets. In the same period I bought Mr Smirnov course and began working on it. I didn’t played a lot last year and began to study again in September this year, playing 10 OTB slow control time games with a progression of around 45 points, breaking in the 1700+ club J Then I discovered Mr Heisman’s and I worked VERY HARD to follow his recommendations (don’t think just read it is enough) and saw my ELO going constantly up for 18 months before going a little step back and stabilize around the 1660.

I played and studied for approximately 4 years and went to 1450 ELO. Going from my first rating of 1300 ELO to my actual one, my biggest leap in rating was due to Mr Heisman’s recommendations that I found in his chess café articles and his book(s). So… there are many questions about the courses of Mr I.Smirnov and i understand that in regard of the price he ask to download his lessons, and in a certain extent, it‘s also true that the marketing-thing around his products are in my humble opinion… a little too much regarding his target audience J (I’m a marketeer)Ī few words about me to set the chess-background of my following comments… I’m a 1750 fide player, 1700 belgian national ELO, and play now in a club for 7 years.

Igor smirnov chess wiki