CM Azel Chua - Mastering Chess Calculation with the Burger Technique

Azel's Chessable Courses: www.chessable....
Azel's Course on Calculation: www.chessable....
We probably need to sit down again and talk with Azel in the future, don't you think guys?
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02:01 Why His Calculation Course Was a Huge Success
05:13 Checks, Captures, and Threats: Why It Falls Short
11:03 The Burger Technique
12:10 Position 1
21:00 Position 2
26:24 Position 3 Enters Magnus the Superhuman
29:26 Position 4
38:26 Position 5
42:39 Position 6
50:06 Position 7
54:25 Position 8
58:35 Transfer of Patterns to Different Contexts
1:04:40 Conceptual Patterns - Position 9
1:06:48 Position 10
1:11:30 Visualization
1:31:48 How Best to Learn Patterns
1:33:34 The Endgame Riddle
In this episode, I sit down with Candidate Master and Chessable author Azel Chua to dive deep into the intricacies of chess calculation and thought processes. Azel's Calculation course broke records on Chessable. He shared concrete positions and concepts to clarify his "Burger Technique"-a systematic approach that breaks down calculation into three essential steps. We explored why traditional approaches like "checks, captures, and threats" (CCT) can often fail, and how context-driven techniques provide a more robust, scalable method for players of all levels.
Throughout the discussion, Azel showcased several illustrative positions that demonstrated the power of identifying loose pieces, critical squares, and exposed lines of attack. We learned how chess targets-whether pieces, squares, or alignments-can continually expand in complexity as players improve.
Azel concluded with insightful exercises on visualization, introducing the concept of "visualization decay" and how to overcome it. He demonstrated that improving calculation involves spotting patterns and expanding one’s ability to recall and connect conceptual similarities across seemingly different positions.

[@AdviceCabinet]

Thank you for hosting, Can! And to the viewers, here’s the short and sweet of what I hope you get out of this episode: In the long run, a target-driven approach to calculation (e.g. The Burger Technique) will outperform a move-driven one (e.g. Checks, Captures, Threats). You don’t spot a back rank mate by constantly looking for checks throughout the game until one of them is mate. Instead, you spot the target (three pawns in front of the King), and that serves as the trigger for you to arrive at the checkmating move with ease. And this concept can be extrapolated to EVERY tactic possible in chess. All tactics start with a target. You can get a huge head start in learning a robust repertoire of targets with my Chessable courses, but the best part is that it isn't an absolute necessity. The Burger Technique is pseudo open source. There’s nothing stopping you from discovering all the targets on your own, and this episode with Can is the first time I’m publicly demonstrating what the progress of such a chess improver would look like. So enjoy the process of discovering every type of target, and learn to embrace mistakes. That’s how you stack and redesign your personal burger to take you to Master level and beyond. All the best! Azel

[@Maceeh2009]

Azel great info you've made another fan! Looking forward to your content on chessable and/or any chess related content you might have. Thank you sir!

[@omamoka63]

This episode is primus inter pares. Other episodes are also good, but this is absolutely phantastic! It not only introduces Azel Chua and his system, but confirms the validity of Dr. Can's approach to calculation, too. This is a Christmas present much valued. Thank you both for it!

[@dkrmcelligott]

So true. I’m only halfway done here and already feel like it’s a firmware upgrade for my chess brain

[@jarchdm]

Of all the hundreds of chess videos I've watched this is the most impactful. Thank you

[@FredPlanatia]

fantastic episode! I have long admired CM Azel Chua's clear incisive approach to chess education. Here I learned that he also has vivid imagination, and unique theoretical concepts. This episode went beyond my already high expectations. I started watching, and thought I'll watch this in chunks" but no, you two kept my attention all the way to the end. Thankyou both for taking the time to do this.

[@Scmonk]

What a suprise to see one of my favourite chessable authors here. His course on calculation has helped me so much in my chess journey.

[@tychay]

which one? there are two chessable authors with three calculation courses between them, all three are excellent!

[@jaybingham3711]

Nice job powering through this! Hope you enjoy a full recovery soon.

[@s1mon_234]

my favourite episode so far, together with the one with coach andras. This calculation technique is really amazing and logical

[@southernrun9048]

Great episode and thanks for bringing CM Chua on to share this information.

[@epictetuscasanova]

The two best chess calculation course creators. Both courses helped me with my elo but even more so with my chess understanding. True legends and you guys are appreciated 🙏

[@Maceeh2009]

I love your guests so far both Brenner and now Azel! Great content can we pls build on this "Burger" method--maybe make a video comparing and contrasting the two methos (Checks-captures and attacks) vs Burger.

[@vickyshrivastava7177]

Thankyou for providing such a wonderful insight . I love your explanation although I play chess just for fun . You are an excellent teacher . God bless you both

[@jimnf6780]

These podcast episodes are pure gold.

[@EliDollinger]

Good episode. I like Azel's methods of categorizing and learning patterns. I also really like his ideas about visualization.

[@masterauthor]

this is very helpful and 1 hour is worth watching, i hope there's more videos about this! up!

[@saikrishnakr-u1y]

Love your effort Can! Azel- you are like a machine. Fan

[@derweigo]

Another great episode! I would love a collaboration between the two of you for a future calculation course. I think a combination of the Burger Method with 3Ply and positional elements would be brilliant. If anyone doesn't have a course from Azel yet, I can recommend his Introduction to Chess Calculation course. One of my must-have courses on Chessable. Thanks for this great format, Can!

[@xdhruuvvv]

Burger method help me alot.. it gained me 200 puzzle points in lichess.. 2000 to 2200 with less effort compared to my Check Capture Threat method.. but I'm still lacking in blunderless.. please make separate video on blunder check like steps to follow that's easy to remember.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for the kind feedback. Great timing: I am about to finalize my blunder-check course. It will be published by the first half of this year. You can also check the "On the Origins of Blunders" playlist on this channel.

[@AndreLuiz-v2h1x]

Having all pieces defended by eachother helps. once you get more advanced you can break this rule but it's good practice and will reduce blunders for sure. Board awareness helps too. Sometimes you can just smell tactics in a certain position.

[@xdhruuvvv]

@AndreLuiz-v2h1x Bro I'm already doing this but it's not full proof method for me... Like I blunder while protecting pieces... Situation-1.. l was defending my bishop by Queen then knight forks my queen so i have to move my queen to other square that is not protecting my bishop... Situation-2.. My queen protecting knight and opponent's Bishop attack my queen bishop is protected by his queen... And bishop interfere in protecting knight so i lose my knight... These blunders look very silly but... I don't have any steps to blunder less so idk what to dooooooo...

[@fmarthoz]

When two amazing coaches meet, you get this gem of a video...

[@greatdanelegend7001]

Very interesting podcast. I've never thought about visualization that way (that if you can visualize 1 ply deep with perfect accuracy, you can play an entire blindfold game)

[@michaelmolenaar1460]

Hey Dr Can i just bought all your chessable courses on the xmas sale im so excited to dive in to 3 ply calculation i think thats going to be the key to my success! I have used intuition and positional chess up until 1800 i hope i can get to 2000 with your help!

[@adomaskuzinas2137]

1800 lichess?

[@in10se777]

Excellent video - one of the best I've seen on here! To clarify my thinking - Is it correct to think of positions as being either tactical or positional? To me tactical positions have short term weaknesses like undefended squares and pieces and call for dynamic play whereas positional positions with long term weaknesses call for slower strategic positional play and this is where coming up with a plan comes in. So first you'd look for short term weaknesses, cues in the position like king safety, open files, undefended pieces, poor development and alignments and that's where tactics can come in and where Checks captures and threats (guided by finding and exploiting short term weaknesses) - but in strategic positions where there are no tactics the method I like is based on Threats (what can my opponent do to me), Targets - weaknesses (what are my targets) and Worse piece improvement (TTW). Tactical - CCT (checks/captures/threats) based the above on short term targets (sharp dynamic play, value of time increased) Positional - TTW (threats/targets/worse piece) based on long term targets (slow quiet play, value of time decreased) This calls for being able to identify what type of position is on the board and being able to instantly switch gears and to be aware of the value of time in each type of position.

[@gossedejong9248]

brilliant, thank you!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I am glad that you found it useful. Thanks for leaving a comment!

[@davidmchugh7264]

This is great video...i love the point where you capture a loose piece....but in doing so your piece is also loose....fantastic 😊...thank david

[@michaelf8221]

I agree that this technique is somewhat similar to how strong players actually calculate. But the jump from applying what you've already learned to adding a new type of target seems like the sort of thing you could only do effectively with a coach. Otherwise you're likely to learn the wrong targets!

[@damcalilao4271]

Thank you for this very informative episode. I hope you could invite GM Naroditsky in the future so he could explain his own method of chess calculation.

[@blunderghostchess]

Amazing video, I'm really interested in the Burger Technique!

[@MrMDESTINY]

My Questions: How do you choose between a defensive move and a offensive move? Which one of importance should I move first?

[@michaelf8221]

You should always seek activity before you try and defend passively

[@moniqueheubel8970]

⁠@@michaelf8221tell that to Petrosian and Karpov !😂

[@s1mon_234]

Always look for the offensive moves first, you often lose if you play too defensive and too passive. Only if there is no good offensive move at all and nothing else works, then you look for defensive moves

[@jaybingham3711]

Always be aware of and look for: 1. The defensive-offensive move...when enjoying the initiative. 2. The offensive-defensive move...when you're fighting off your opponent's initiative. Yep...there are single moves in chess that can accomplish both things (to varying degrees) at once. Finding such a move is quite enjoyable/satisfying. They aren't always available. But when they are, invariably SF is likely to affirm such a move to be "best." [Which typically only means 'best currently known' given that chess hasn't yet been fully solved].

[@ChessAsKungFu]

İyi ol! umarım yakında daha iyi hissedersin

[@MiyamOto-xz8hj]

17:48

[@raajeshchess]

Coach I play Most of the moves without spending much time and thought my problem is I don't know at which move or position I should play instantly and where I should use the time thinking please help me out.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Have you checked my videos on goal-setting and sensing the critical moments? Please check the calculation playlist.

[@raajeshchess]

@Dr.CansClinic ok thankyou

[@Draa-r8b]

Magnus doesn't know checkmating patterns. what a coincidence!!

[@TymexComputing]

Nobody wants to eat the ship ;)

[@TymexComputing]

Thanks - but why are you so many times mentioning about magnus - was he testing these knowledge or just did it by himself? So. I think Botvinnik has already made this method of calculation for his stalinism computers...

[@jordangroff6306]

I hate to be so negative, but the idea that calculation during a game should be effortless is some of the worst chess advice I have ever heard. Strong players aren't strong only because they know lots of patterns or because they instantly see good moves, it's also that they are disciplined and focused during a game and have trained themselves to look deeply into the position and question their first assumptions. Chess is hard, calculation is maybe the hardest thing about it, and pretending that it is easy isn't going to help anyone. I am a chess coach who teaches beginners up to players around 1800-1900 (USCF) and even though the checks, captures, threats idea seems to be quite unpopular these days for some reason, it's the best way I've ever found to teach the basics of calculation. I would say the main advantage it has is that it forces the player to look at moves that actually exist in the position. I've found that beginners often make very irrelevant observations about the position in front of them, for example that a rook on h8 is undefended early on in the game when the g7 pawn has not moved and it is absolutely impossible to take advantage of that, whereas stronger players instantly jump to forcing moves that actually are relevant. I think the example given in the video about 1.e4 d5 2.Bb5+? being a pointless check is not a flaw that is unique to checks, captures, threats but rather to any "system" that you might try to apply universally to calculation. We should also remember that beginner-level players are also capable of common sense and in my experience, most people grasp the idea that a check like this is most likely going to be pointless very easily only after 1-2 times of such a mistake being corrected. As for the idea that it's tedious, yes it may be tedious when you're starting out, but again, chess and chess improvement is difficult by nature and requires many games of building good habits, like looking for all forcing moves in the position. The idea is also that it is possible to quickly dismiss moves that obviously don't work, like checks that hang a queen for example, but also in the off-chance that the check that hangs a queen leads to a forced checkmate, that by seeing that the move exists you may find it by considering the move even for a second. For example, in the position being discussed around 15:00, I could easily make some slight changes where Qxf1 would lead to a forced checkmate, let's say white doesn't have the bishop on c4, black has a rook on d8 already and black controls the e2 square. The other crucial point of considering checks, captures, and threats is that you are not only considering the most critical moves for yourself but for your opponent as well. Captures and threats have to be proportional to whatever the opponent is threatening to do. For example, this makes it pretty easy to dismiss a move that captures a pawn when the opponent is threatening checkmate in 1, which makes the framework a lot less tedious. All in all I'm struggling to see the benefit of ignoring checks, captures, and threats as a framework and relying primarily on pattern recognition, which is something that naturally has to be accumulated over hundreds or thousands of games/puzzles. For most of the examples discussed in the video I felt like checks-captures-threats would have been a pretty decent way to arrive at the solution for anyone who didn't see the answer quickly, rather than essentially saying, "well you just would have had to know this pattern already."

[@maintaininganonymity234]

Mental toughness, stamina is required. Focus, determination, concentration and hardwork. Fischer had all these qualities and more.

[@tckgkljgfl7958]

Tell me you're not a GM without telling me you're not a GM.

[@Sacmater]

How is Chua a CM without reaching 2200?

[@Sacmater]

Don't understand what the bruhaha is about. This seems an exceedingly complicated system nor is it original at all. As to the credentials of mr Chua, his k-factor in the Fide rating system is still 40, which means he had played very few games. Nor has his published rating ever passed 2200, which indicates he only passed it virtually, i e. he passed it after a particular tournament game but dropped back afterwards. A bit of snake-oil selling going on here IMO.

[@EliDollinger]

I looked into the FIDE rules. Chua's K factor was 40 as of his last FIDE rated classical game in 2020 because at the time he was below 18 years old. According to the rules, if you are below 18 years old and below 2300 rating, you have a K factor of 40. If you look at Chua's last rated blitz tournament, he had a K factor of 20 because he was over 18 years old at the time it was played. According to his records, Chua has played 85 classical games, 28 rapid games, and 8 blitz games. He has played enough games (more than 30) such that he is not automatically given a K factor of 40.

[@earlmyers2874]

You don't have to be a grandmaster to be a good teacher. He didn't claim that the burger technique is original. Also, your second sentence doesn't make sense grammatically. And you don't know what brouhaha means because this was a calm discussion.