Dark Forest Vol. 1: The Rampaging Rooks - GM Maurice Ashley

Tactics course by GM Maurice Ashley
Includes video and PGN

Language: English
Lectures: 13
Total Running Time: 11 hours 24 minutes

From the course:

You must take your opponent into a deep, dark forest, where 2+2=5 and the way out is only wide enough for one.
— Mikhail Tal, 8th World Chess Champion

Transcend Outdated Piece Values with “Supernatural” Sacrifices and the Sorcery of Geometry

The Dark Forest series leads you into enchanting chess positions, where the laws of material don’t apply. It pushes the limits of what’s possible with logic-defying tactics — then opens your mind’s eye to the invisible, intricate geometry of the most magical sacrifices ever.

Volume 1 transforms your rook into a tower of power — brought to you by US Chess Hall of Fame inductee and master tactician, Grandmaster Maurice Ashley.

You’ve probably seen his ESPN-style commentary. Or marveled as he found one brilliant combination after another during live analysis.

What you may not know is how Ashley honed his tactics at the “Black Bear School of Chess.” In this king-of-the-hill club of attackers and GM-slayers — where intense 30-game blood matches decide who's on top — Ashley reigned supreme.

Today, Ashley distills his understanding of tactics and piece play, especially the rooks into…

High-Quality Examples, Repeatable Patterns, and Memory Markers Anyone Can Learn

The rook is often the last piece to get into action, because of its starting square and the way it moves.

But through 222 drills and examples, Ashley explains how to seize the full point with the tower of power. Either by running rings around a superior enemy force, or by sacrificing itself so your minor pieces can clean house.

Nearly 50 thousand words of instruction prove the point behind the moves — while arrows and colored squares get you in the habit of envisioning the lines of attack.

So next time a glorious sacrifice presents itself, you’ll not only have the skill, but also confidence and eagerness to play it.

You’ll be shown:

🔥 The rampaging rook’s best weapon for overwhelming the enemy queen and king.

🔥 Domination tactics which force the opponent to “walk into” your combination.

🔥 How to sidestep desperate checks, while your rook guarantees your passed pawn’s promotion to a queen.

🔥 Queen sacrifices which send your rook on a rampage along the enemy ranks.

🔥 The surprising corner mate with a lone rook, and the “traitor” pawn which makes it possible.

🔥 Plus, exchange sacrifices that tear down the enemy king’s cover — unlock diagonals for your killer bishops — and seize key squares unchallenged.

You’ll also be given 11.5 hours of instruction. All from the man who covered the biggest chess events in history... coached at-risk teens into champions... and revolutionized the game of Chessablers like you.

Empowers You To Find And Setup Tactics

“I can literally feel my mind change as I go through it! Ashley’s course teaches you how to look at the chessboard… This understanding will enable you to not only find deep tactics but also to set up tactical ideas.”

— sunofnothing


Helped Me Gain Confidence

“Despite my rating being above 2000 Elo, I've never enjoyed tactical puzzles… Now I have a set of principles to apply to my games… I find myself actively looking for congruency and collinearity.”

— SolitaryAngel


We’re positive that The Dark Forest Vol. 1 can raise your tactics and your handling of rooks to a whole new level.

Combine that with your newfound confidence in sacrificing and defying material values — and you might just boost your rating in the most exciting way possible.