Leo was a decent club player. His rating hovered stubbornly around 1200 Elo. He knew the rules, had a few favorite openings, and could spot a one-move fork. But against stronger players, he felt like a boxer sparring with their hands down—slow, reactive, and predictable.
He owned ChessBase but used it mostly as a fancy database to look up grandmaster games he didn't fully understand. His problem wasn't a lack of effort; it was a lack of targeted training. He’d watch random YouTube lessons, solve a few puzzles, then lose the same way again: to a simple tactical shot or a positional squeeze he didn't see coming.
One evening, a titled player at his club, WGM Elena, watched him throw away a winning endgame. She didn't criticize. She just said: “You’re studying knowledge. Not skills. Try the MONSTER series on ChessBase.”
The next day, Leo opened his ChessBase program and searched "MONSTER." He found the Fritz Trainer series by GM Jan Gustafsson: “Your Chess Monster Vol. 1: Tactics.” The description promised something different: “Stop solving random puzzles. Learn how to smell a tactic before it exists.” ChessBase Fritz Trainer MONSTER
He bought it, downloaded the 4-hour video + the interactive training database, and began.
Let’s be blunt: The MONSTER series is not for beginners.
If you are a 1200 player who struggles with basic forks, buy a tactics book first. If you are a 2000 player stuck in a rating plateau because your openings are too passive—buy the MONSTER. Leo was a decent club player
| Feature | How It Helps | |---------|---------------| | Interactive video | A grandmaster explains not just the solution, but the thought process of suspecting danger. | | "Try it out" mode | You can play any reply on the board before watching the solution—essential for training calculation. | | High "surprise factor" | Many puzzles have 2-3 layers. You find the first defensive move, then the next, then a counter-sacrifice. | | Database-backed | Every position is from real GM games (2000–present). No artificial compositions. |
Most tactics trainers show you a position and ask: "White to play and win." The MONSTER does the opposite. It often asks: "You are about to play Nxe5. What is Black’s hidden refutation?"
This is the chess equivalent of a horror movie jump-scare. You feel confident. You spot a knight fork. You reach for the piece... and then the trainer reveals that the square was poisoned. If you are a 1200 player who struggles
The Fritz Trainer software tracks your score. Go back to the positions you failed. If you solve them easily now, you learned. If you fail again, add them to a spaced-repetition tool (e.g., Chesstempo, Anki).
After finishing a volume, play 10 rapid games (15+10) with a single goal: Before every capture or attack, ask: "Where is the monster hiding?"
Do not pause. Just listen to the GM explain the theme. Take notes on patterns (e.g., "In this volume, the monster hides on the back rank").