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📚 Chess Courses – Openings, Tactics, Middlegame, Endgames

Building a Prep File (Simple Opponent Notes That Actually Help)

A “prep file” does not mean memorising twenty moves of theory. It means keeping a small set of opponent notes that improve your decisions in the opening and early middlegame — especially in tournaments and leagues.

🔥 Opening insight: Notes are useless if you don't understand the principles. Memorizing lines without understanding the "why" leads to disaster when opponents deviate. Master the core opening principles first.

📘 Master Opening Principles

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Key idea: A good prep file is tiny and useful. If it makes you confused or overloaded, it is already too big.

What a Prep File Is (and Isn’t)

A prep file is:

a short opponent profile
patterns you can actually use during a game
a way to reduce surprises, not eliminate them

A prep file is not:

a database of opening lines
a guarantee you will get an advantage
an excuse to ignore core principles

The goal is simple: start the game with clarity.

The 80/20 Rule: What to Record

The most useful notes are high-level and repeatable.

Record things like:

main openings they choose as White and Black
whether they play fast or think long
common early pawn structures they reach
typical middlegame plans (attacking, simplifying, endgame aiming)
recurring weaknesses (loose pieces, king safety neglect, impatience)

You are looking for tendencies, not one-off moves.

What to Ignore (So Your Prep Stays Clean)

rare sidelines they played once
engine-perfect refutations you won’t remember
long tactical lines that depend on one exact move order
notes that require “hoping” they cooperate

If a note needs perfect memory, it is not a good note.

A Simple 1-Page Prep File Template

Keep this structure for each opponent:

Openings as White: (top 1–3)
Openings as Black vs 1.e4: (top 1–2)
Openings as Black vs 1.d4: (top 1–2)
Style: fast/slow, tactical/positional, aggressive/solid
Common plans: (2–3 bullets)
Common errors: (1–3 bullets)
My game plan: one sentence

If it doesn’t fit on one page, you’re doing too much.

How to Build the File From Real Games

Use a small sample, not their entire history.

Suggested method:

pick their last 6–10 serious games
for each game, note only: opening + structure + one big habit
look for repeats, then compress into 5–8 bullets total

Repeated behaviour is what matters.

Turn Notes Into a Practical Game Plan

Your prep should end with one usable plan.

Examples:

“Keep it solid early; they overpress when equal.”
“Avoid their favourite structure; steer to quieter positions.”
“Trade queens if offered; they play endgames impatiently.”
“Be alert to cheap tactics; they rely on early tricks.”

One sentence is enough to guide your first decisions.

When to Update the Prep File

after you play them (always add 1–2 notes)
before an important rematch (quick refresh)
if their openings clearly change (replace, don’t expand)

Prep files should evolve — but stay small.

A One-Sentence Prep File Reminder

“I’m preparing for tendencies, not predicting exact moves.”

That keeps your prep grounded and useful.

Where to Go Next in the Guide

♟ Chess Preparation Guide

This page is part of the Chess Preparation Guide — a structured system for preparing before a game through opening readiness, opponent scouting, warm-ups, time planning, and mindset.