Can you solve these 15 positions from GM Swapnil Dhopade’s training camp?

by Rasika Ratnaparkhi - 28/02/2026

GM Swapnil Dhopade has taken a major step by opening his offline chess academy, Chess Pathshala, in Nagpur. He recently conducted the first offline training camp at the academy, where players worked on carefully selected strategic exercises. An advanced offline camp for players rated above 2100 is scheduled from 19th to 25th March. The article also features 15 strategic puzzles from the camp that readers can try solving themselves. Check out the full article to know more about how you can register for the upcoming camp. Photo: Swapnil Dhopade

Building a strong chess training academy in North India

GM Swapnil Dhopade has recently opened his offline chess academy in Nagpur, Chess Pathshala. While the academy had previously functioned in an online format, Swapnil's vision behind starting an offline academy was to create a focused training environment where players can work deeply on their game, interact closely with coaches, and build disciplined study habits away from distractions. “I felt that my impact was much deeper when interacting with students face to face,” he shared. When many chess players train together, it creates a collective seriousness that is difficult to replicate in an online setup. With this philosophy in mind, the first offline camp at the academy was conducted from 12th to 18th February.

Moments from the first offline camp at Chess Pathshala

White to play

You can check out the solution for these puzzles below.

Solutions

Position 1

Position 2

Position 3

Position 4

Position 5

Position 6

Position 7

Position 8

Position 9

Position 10

Position 11

Position 12

Position 13

Position 14

Position 15

By now, you would have a clear idea of the kind of training and thinking that goes into these camps. The focus is on strategic understanding, calculations, and decision-making, the exact skills required during tournaments.

Be a part of the upcoming camp

Chess Pathshala is now set to conduct another camp, the Advanced Training Camp for players rated above 2100. It is scheduled from 19th March to 25th March. The timings will be from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM, but the academy will be open to players for self-study in the morning. Total fee for the camp is Rs. 14,000. You can register using this link.

Alongside this, another camp for the 1500–1800-rated players is currently going on at the same venue. The trainers for the same are Swapnil Dhopade and Vaibhav Raut. While this camp caters to a different rating segment, it reflects the academy’s broader commitment to high-quality coaching across levels.

A glimpse from the ongoing camp.

In case you are unable to be a part of the upcoming camp, you can stay updated about future training camps and activities by joining the official Chess Pathshala WhatsApp updates channel, where all announcements will be shared regularly.