Searching for these via torrents or Telegram channels puts your digital security at risk for a minor financial gain. Yes, you should look for free resources. No, you should not look for stolen courses.
By investing 50 hours into his free YouTube content, you can replicate the knowledge of the 9 courses, even if you don't own the high-resolution videos or PDF workbooks. If you are dead-set on the actual structured courses, here is the only legitimate way to get them at near-zero cost: GM Igor Smirnov ALL 9 Chess Courses free
Smirnov frequently gives away Course #1 (The Grandmaster’s Positional Understanding) for free as a PDF or video series to email subscribers. This is a lead magnet. He hopes you love it and buy the other eight. Searching for these via torrents or Telegram channels
By James Peterson, Chess Strategy Analyst By investing 50 hours into his free YouTube
| | Free Alternative (Legit) | | :--- | :--- | | Positional Understanding | Watch the "RCA Positional Play" playlist on YouTube (17 videos). | | Tactics | Use Chess.com's free puzzles + Smirnov’s "Tactics Explained" shorts. | | Opening (White) | Study the "London System" and "King's Gambit" videos on the RCA channel. | | Opening (Black) | Search "Smirnov Caro-Kann" on YouTube. He uploaded a 2-hour free tutorial. | | Endgames | Access the free "Endgame Strategy" articles on the RCA blog. |
However, a recurring whisper in chess forums, Reddit threads, and Telegram groups is the search for:
GM Smirnov has uploaded hundreds of hours of content to the Remote Chess Academy YouTube channel. While not the full 9 structured courses, many of the core principles from courses like Positional Understanding and Tactics are explained in his 15-minute video lessons. You can build 70% of the knowledge for free—just without the workbooks and PGNs.