GM Jesse Kraai

GM Jesse KraaiGM Jesse Kraai

GM Jesse Kraai currently resides in Berkeley, California.  His most notable chess achievements are winning the Denker Tournament of High School Champions in 1989 and 1990, and competing in the US championship from 2002-2006. Jesse received his final GM norm at the Foxwoods Open 2007 and has a Ph.D in Philosophy from the University of Heidelberg.

Jesse took three years off from playing and teaching to write.   In 2013, Jesse  published Lisa, A Chess Novel  (more details below) and has now returned to playing, winning in his comeback tournament, the Western States Championship in late 2013.

Jesse’s blog

 

FIDE: 2526
TITLE: International Grandmaster

LESSONS with JESSE:  gmkraai@gmail.com

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To see a list of Jesse’s lectures, click here

 

Watch one of Jesse’s lectures now, click here

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Jesse’s books

Lisa, A Chess Novel –  The chess pieces knew how they moved. They knew what they wanted too. It wasn’t like school, where kids pretended they were masters of the teachers’ game. The adults didn’t know anything anyway. The real world was a big push to nothing. But Lisa escaped from all that. She found Igor Ivanov. He taught her how to play.

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Some of Jesse’s DVD Collections

 

50 YEARS OF TAL-BOTVINNIK50_years_of_tal_botvinnik_volume_1_front_cover

In 1960 Mikhail Botvinnik was the pillar of “scientific chess” and champion of the world. Then a young genius, Mikhail Tal, the “Wizard of Riga”, put the magic back in the game by defeating Botvinnik with spectacular tactics in one of the most dramatic and celebrated world championship matches of all time. This was just the beginning of an historic rivalry that was to last for half a century. These historic games are clearly analyzed by Grand Master Jesse Kraai, who then presents a game of his own. 

 

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CONCERNING CHESS

Grandmaster Jesse Kraai examines objectivity in a series of two lectures, calculation in a series of 2 lectures and a bonus on rapid chess. Chess psychology, intuition and practical thinking.

 

 

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BALANCE OF TIME, MATERIAL AND QUALITY OF POSITION

GM Jesse Kraai explains Kasparov’s fundamental theorem of chess with which any position can be evaluated.Jesse gives us examples of near perfect games, and analysis tools to evaluate your own game.

 

 

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FRIED LIVER ATTACK AND VARIATIONS, THEORY AND EXAMPLES

GM Jesse Kraai shows you the ins and outs of the Fried Liver Attack for beginners all the way up through how advanced players can use this to their advantage. He then goes on to show you how it was employed in 2 high profile games.

Jesse says, “The Fried Liver is not just for beginners!”

 

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A MODERN TAKE ON NIMZOWITSCH

GM Jesse Kraai gives us a modern look at the strategy and tactics of Aron Nimzowistch. Aron Niemzowitsch ( November 7, 1886 – March 16,1935) was a Russian born, Danish leading chess master[and a very influential chess writer. He was the foremost figure amongst the hypermoderns. Nimzowitsch is considered one of the most important players and writers in chess history. His works influenced numerous other players, including Savielly Tartakower, Milan Vidmar, Richard Reti, Akiba Rubinstein, Brent Larsen and Tigran Petrosian.  His influence is still felt today.

 

slav_exchange_for_whiteTHE EXCHANGE SLAV FOR WHITE

GM Kraai explains how white can use an often underestimated variation for white against the trendy Slav. This line definitely contains a drop of poison! Used by such top players as : Gm’s Lajos Portisch and Vadim Milov,, to crack the defenses of Black’s most popular Defense to the Queen’s Gambit.

 

 

smyslov_engames_1SMYSLOV ENDGAMES 1

GM Jesse Kraai reviews Vassily Smyslov, his favorite player of all time. Jesse believes studying Smyslov’s endgames helped him become a Grandmaster. Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov (Russian March 24, 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian Grandmaster and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight times.  Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record.

 

smyslov_engames_2SMYSLOV ENDGAMES 2

GM Jesse Kraai reviews Vassily Smyslov, his favorite player of all time. Jesse believes studying Smyslov’s endgames helped him become a Grandmaster. Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov (Russian March 24, 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian Grandmaster and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight times.  Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record.

 

smyslov_engames_3SMYSLOV ENDGAMES 3

GM Jesse Kraai reviews Vassily Smyslov, his favorite player of all time. Jesse believes studying Smyslov’s endgames helped him become a Grandmaster. Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov (Russian March 24, 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian Grandmaster and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight times.  Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record.