CipherChess Issues 011 to 014 12 JUL 2026
The Bulletin
Notes from the study. How to build a repertoire, how to read a database of ten million games, how to review your own play, and how to prepare for the person sitting opposite you.
LatestIssue 014 Repertoire 11 min read
How to build a chess opening repertoire that survives contact
Most repertoires collapse on move nine, in a position nobody memorised. Here is how to build one around your own games instead of somebody else’s recommendations.
Read the issueHow to read a chess database: what the numbers say, and what they hide
A move that scores 58% is not a good move. It is a move that was played by people you know nothing about. Here is how to read a database without being fooled by it.
How to analyse your own games without letting the engine think for you
Turning on the engine first is the most common way to waste an hour. The engine tells you what happened. It will never tell you why you did it.
How to prepare for an opponent you have never played
You get their name and about forty minutes. That is enough, as long as you spend it looking for habits rather than for novelties.
The indexEvery issue
| No. | Title | Topic | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| 014 | How to build a chess opening repertoire that survives contact | Repertoire | 12 July 2026 11 min |
| 013 | How to read a chess database: what the numbers say, and what they hide | Data | 28 June 2026 10 min |
| 012 | How to analyse your own games without letting the engine think for you | Review | 14 June 2026 10 min |
| 011 | How to prepare for an opponent you have never played | Prep | 30 May 2026 10 min |
Reading is the easy half
Now do it on a board
Search ten million games by position, import your own from Lichess or Chess.com, and build the repertoire you have been meaning to write down.