The biggest obstacles to progress in chess are the habits and mistakes that players do not even realise they are making. After six years of coaching, IM Nikhil Dixit has identified several recurring issues among players, particularly those rated between 1400 and 1900. In this article, he shares 10 common problems he has observed and explains how players can address them to make their training more effective.

Goals give direction to a chess player's journey. They fuel motivation and push players to sit at the board even on the toughest days. The dream of improving, of reaching new milestones, is what keeps the game alive and deeply personal. But when ambition runs ahead of reality, it can also lead to frustration, burnout, and self-doubt. That’s where perspective matters the most. In this thought-provoking piece, Nikhil Dixit breaks down the gap between aspiration and reality with honesty and clarity.

When Nikhil Dixit started his chess journey, he used to play in a lot of tournaments in Pune. He would often see many 2200–2300 rated players, who are now his friends. At that time, as a young kid, he used to feel that one day he had to reach 2200, and that felt like the best-case scenario for him. It was his biggest dream back in 2009 or 2010. He got his initial rating of 1787, and it quickly jumped to 1850. It was a good boost, but he didn't think he was that strong at the time. It took him a long time to cross the 2000 barrier, and in this article, he is going to discuss his journey from 1900 to 2400, hoping that some points can benefit other players. Photo: IA Vivek Sohani

FM Nikhil Dixit is from Pune, Maharshtra. He is currently rated 2358, holds two IM-norms and looks forward to secure his final norm. This is his first blog post ever. where Nikhil helps you with the best chess solving book recommendations for professional players especially for above 2000 rated players. The book links are attached so you can see preview and buy them too. In this article, Nikhil explains which solving books he likes, his honest review about those books, the contents of the books and some selected positions from a few of the books to get an idea about it. Photo: various sources