Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

It was heartbreaking to hear that GM Daniel Naroditsky passed away yesterday. I could hardly sleep.

I never knew him personally, but he always came across as incredibly kind and genuine. The reactions from the chess world, especially from those who knew him, only confirmed that.

What always struck me was his gift for teaching and his passion for the game. He had this rare ability to break complex ideas down to their core and explain them with such clarity. In many ways, he was like the Richard Feynman of chess: making deep concepts simple, memorable, and joyful to learn.

I listened to his episode from 2020 on the Perpetual Chess Podcast today. He said that teaching was his true passion, the part of chess that lay closest to his heart. Even as his Twitch channel grew, he kept giving lessons to his students. You could see that he never stopped exercising his “teaching muscle”, and I think that made him unique in the chess world.

He also had an amazing way with words. His analogies were brilliant, and I loved how he coined phrases like asking whether you can “see a follow-up to your sexy move, or if you’ve fallen into “one-move-itis.”

His passion for chess and teaching was one of a kind. It cannot be replaced. But we can all honor him by carrying his spirit forward by teaching, learning, and sharing this beautiful game with clarity, humility, and heart that he did.

Rest in peace, Danya. ❤️

1 week ago | [YT] | 347

Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

❤️ 25,000 Subscribers ❤️

Thank you so much for helping me reach a new milestone with your great support, dear great players! ❤️ I am receiving amazingly motivating feedback from you almost daily. They truly mean more than any number on this platform.

My goal is to keep growing without ever losing quality.
If you’ve enjoyed the videos, please help spread the word so I can keep creating more in the future! ♟️

We are hopefully just getting started!

Wishing you all the best,
Can

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 127

Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

CoachChamps is live this week! ♟️🔥

As some of you may know, I was participating in the CoachChamps event last month. www.chess.com/events/info/2025-coachchamps

Each coach drafted four students and trained them for a month. Now it is time for the students to play in round robin tournaments.

Schedule (CET):

Today, Tue Oct 7 — 19:30

Wed Oct 8 — 17:00 (I’ll be live commentating on chess.com)

Thu Oct 9 — 17:00

Fri Oct 10 — 17:00

Watch my commentary (Oct 8, 17:00 CET):

YouTube: youtube.com/@chess/streams

Twitch: www.twitch.tv/chess

Event info & full schedule:

www.chess.com/events/info/2025-coachchamps

www.chess.com/events/2025-coachchamps-coach-result…

I’m also planning post-event videos/podcast episodes with other coaches. Please drop your questions below.

Wish us good luck! ☺️

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 35

Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

Hello dear lovely community,

I just wanted to bring to your attention a recent offer from Chessable.

Now through Sunday, August 17, if you spend $100 or more on any Chessable courses (from any author), you’ll automatically get my course The Art of Exchanging Pieces WITH VIDEO for FREE.

The Art of Exchanging Pieces was my very first Chessable course, so it has a special place in my heart ❤️. Studying exchanges is so important — they’re one of the most committal decisions you’ll make on the chessboard. Each trade connects to other parts of the game (for example, a queen trade often ties directly to king safety).

In this course, we explore how each exchange links to broader strategic themes, creating connections between key topics. This leads to higher-order learning and deeper consolidation — so you’re not just memorizing, you’re truly understanding. Please also read the course reviews to see how other students found the course: www.chessable.com/the-art-of-exchanging-pieces/cou…

And for a limited time, you can get it for free just by picking up courses you already wanted: chessable.com/exchange

Wishing you all the best, and hope to see you in tomorrow's long video!

2 months ago | [YT] | 45

Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

Hi friends,

All of my Chessable courses are discounted (for 9 days) for International Chess Day—take a look here: www.chessable.com/author/Can_Kabadayi/

I’d also love your input. Several viewers have said it’s tough to keep up with two video uploads each week, so I’m thinking of switching to one. Would that schedule work better for you? Let me know in the comments!

3 months ago | [YT] | 35

Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

Mini‑Challenge for Nimzo Fans!

In one crisp sentence, how would you explain Black’s entire game plan in the Hübner Variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense?

Use this template: “Black willingly ___ so that ___.”

Drop your best punch line in the comments—and up‑vote the summaries that hit the nail on the head. I’ll pin the winner when the new video goes live on Friday.

🗓 Premiere this Friday:
“10 Essential Nimzo Indian Patterns”
Let’s see who comes closest. 😎

3 months ago | [YT] | 22

Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

Happy summer to the Northern Hemisphere! I hope you're enjoying long, sunny days. I’ve started a much-needed vacation after recording four (!) courses during 2025. I can't completely detach from chess—I’m still studying Slav structures—but I also enjoy a variety of sports, including swimming, cycling, and the amazing Mediterranean food. I’ve also promised myself to lead a more active life for the rest of the year.

YouTube videos will be posted twice a week during this time. Thank you for being part of this amazing journey. Each and every one of you is important to me. You don't know how much joy I feel when I hear about your progress after studying my videos and courses.

Wishing you a relaxing and inspiring summer—both on and off the board!

4 months ago | [YT] | 160

Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

Big News! My Chessable Courses Are Now Also on Chess.com!

You can now study my courses on both Chessable and Chess.com—whichever platform fits you best.

This means you can now train with my material directly on Chess.com, without having to log in to Chessable.

www.chess.com/courses

Tomorrow, I'm dropping a brand-new podcast episode with world-renowned cognitive scientist and chess Candidate Master Prof. Christopher Chabris! 🧠

We dive deep into the fascinating connection between cognitive science and chess decision-making—don’t miss it.

Wishing you all the best folks,
Can

5 months ago | [YT] | 51

Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

🎉 20,000 Subscribers! 🎉

Almost two years ago, I started this channel with one goal: to create real, honest, high-quality chess content—without false promises or BS. I refuse to make chess sound as easy as tic-tac-toe to chase views. While other channels that do just that have rapidly surpassed me, I’ve stayed committed to something I believe in: teaching chess the right way.

That’s why hitting 20K subscribers feels like such a big deal. It means there are thousands of you out there who value depth over shortcuts, and substance over hype. Your support, your feedback, and your stories of hitting new rating highs after discovering the channel or studying my courses—that’s what keeps me going. Truly.

If you believe in this kind of chess content, help me spread it. Share the channel with friends, teammates, or your club. And remember—liking and subscribing really does help push this kind of content forward.

Thank you for being here. I’m just getting started. ♟️❤️

6 months ago | [YT] | 219

Dr. Can's Chess Clinic

🎙️ New Podcast Episode Featuring Me!

I recently joined the Chess Experience Podcast hosted by Daniel Lona to talk about my chess journey and how I became a coach and course creator along the way.

🎧 Give it a listen here: www.adultchessacademy.com/blog/ep-123-cm-can-kabad…

If you’ve ever wondered about my background, what drives my teaching, or how I think about chess improvement, this episode is a good way to get to know me better.


Catch you soon, folks!
Can

6 months ago | [YT] | 36