Coach Of The Month: Diego Villanueva

Diego Villanueva is an expert chess player and coach who specializes in working with adult improvers. His lessons have helped over 100 students reach their chess goals (including students participating in international tournaments), and his passion for the game is reflected in his dedication to coaching as well as a strong 2400+ online rating. 

Get tips and insights from Diego below, and join the official Chess.com Discord server to take part in a free community coaching session with our Coach of the Month!

Readers seeking private instruction can contact Diego via his Chess.com profile and can find other skilled coaches at Chess.com/coaches. 

At what age were you introduced to chess, and who introduced you?

When I was around eight years old, my uncle taught me my first moves. As a kid, I spent several afternoons playing chess with him. One day with the black pieces, I fell into the trap: 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 g6 3.Qxe5+ Be7 4.Qxh8 and lost a rook...

That was the first time I fell for an opening trap, which felt amazing! That day my love for chess and tactics started. I learned so much from that trap, especially how to learn from my mistakes by being curious.

Which coaches were helpful to you in your chess career, and what was the most useful knowledge they imparted to you?

My uncle taught me the basics, but I owe everything else to my two former coaches: FM Jorge Pacheco and his son, FM Garri Pacheco. Both are strong players and among the best coaches in the Latin America region. 

When I was around 14 years old, I got coached by them. Many years later, when I decided to become a coach myself, they offered me the chance to work with them on their team. All my methodology is based on the things I learned from them. 

The most important lesson I got from them was the power of the mind. How strong your mindset is makes the difference between regular players and the top 1%. All of us can learn techniques, but if your mind is out of place, you won't have the desired results.

What is your favorite or best game you ever played?

It's hard for me to pick my best game, but here I have a very exciting game. My favorite defense + titled player + chaotic middlegame + time pressure= thrilling match!

How would you describe your approach to chess coaching?

I specialize in working with adult improvers. I know how hard it is for grown people to grasp the fundamentals and make things work. Since most of my current students are business owners or work demanding jobs, their time is limited, and chess progress is overwhelming; multiple directions exist to improve.

My approach is to make things easier for them. We focus on one thing at a time, fixing their most immediate weakness. To do that, we work on their decision-making process. I like to think of chess as a self-mastery tool. For me, chess mastery is the path to mastering oneself. My coaching is beyond chess.

I coach my students in three main areas:

1. Emotional mastery: How to be neutral and calm in high-pressure scenarios. One example of the importance of this area is that most people miss victories due to emotional factors.

2. Decision-making mastery: How to think like a 2000-rated player, avoid blunders, and understand the moves/ideas of the opponent.

3. Skill mastery: How to play and perform like a 2000-rated player by mastering the fundamentals of the game.

What do you consider your responsibility as a coach, and which responsibilities fall on a student?

My responsibility is to deliver results. If I tell you: "Hey, let's work towards increasing your rating and surpassing your personal best," which is what most of my students achieve, I do whatever it takes to help my student reach that rating or meet their goals. I constantly add new resources to my program, including courses and formations.

The responsibility of students is to show up and execute the plan. This can be challenging for adults, not because they don't want to or aren't motivated, but because their work keeps them busy. For that reason, it's important to have open coach-student communication so we can make the most out of busy weeks or take some breaks occasionally. When it comes to improving at chess, the perfect time rarely happens, it's more about creating strategies to stay consistent.

Chess success is teamwork!

What is a piece of advice that you give your students that more chess players could benefit from?

In chess, it is very easy to get discouraged by complexity. After all, you can always improve openings, middlegames, endgames, calculation skills, etc.

As an adult who wants to improve, you might not have the same time as a younger player. The solution to the problem of chess complexity is to always make things simple for you: focus on fixing one thing at a time. This way you will stress less and enjoy your chess journey much more.

What is your favorite teaching game that users might not have seen?

For me, this game is a perfect example of how to conduct the initiative from start to end and how dynamic advantage works in chess. The reason why I like to share this game is because it has it all: It shows you how to fight for the initiative, conduct it, and convert the game through a tactical blow at the end.

At the beginning after 5...Qg4, you are facing a common scenario in your online games: your opponent makes a dubious move but with a very annoying purpose; he invests a tempo with the queen to fork your pawns (g2-e4).

Understanding why 6.O-O is the best solution takes a realization that, in chess, piece activity and king safety often play a significant role in assessing the position.

A significant breakthrough for every chess player is understanding when dynamic factors have more weight than a material advantage.

What puzzle that you give students tells you the most about how they think?

I love showing this position because it shows me the decision-making process of the student in only a few minutes.

Most people fall for the trap of playing 2.Kf3? missing the great response 2...h3! and the line leading to a draw.

Why is this relevant? Because most people make mistakes by omitting the best response of their opponent! This puzzle has everything.

Do you prefer to teach online or offline? 

I have tried both, and I prefer online because I can reach more people. I think nowadays we have enough online tools to compensate for the offline experience. Of course, each case is different, and it always depends on how the coach builds their community,

In the case of my program, I've built a great community of adult improvers from different countries and all of them share unique problems like lack of time, crazy schedules, and busy lifestyles. The leverage that online teaching gives me is that I can unite people like a hivemind so they can share tips and encourage other students in unique ways.

What do you consider the most valuable training tool that the internet provides?

The Game Review tool Chess.com offers is a GREAT tool for coaches, students, and content creators. In minutes you can have a highly detailed analysis. If you know how to master it, you can be ahead of most players.

Which under-appreciated chess book should every chess player read?

How Life Imitates Chess by GM Garry Kasparov. 

The most common question I get from adult chess players is: "What book should I read? How can I improve my rating?"

Actually, no book will help if you don't know yourself and your weaknesses. There's a fundamental truth: You should fix your mistakes to improve your chess.

Kasparov's book is at the top of my list because it's all about critical thinking and self-analysis. The book is titled How Life Imitates Chess because improving your chess is the same process you will follow to improve any aspect of your life: business, relationships, or health.

It's a book that opens your mind with a fresh perspective on the game of life and chess. The reason why I would recommend reading this book, even if it is not a book about chess techniques, is because it will give you the tools to reflect on your decision-making process, why you make blunders, and, more importantly, how to know yourself better.

Are you a chess coach who is looking to find new students, build your brand, and be paid more for the work that you're already doing? Check out Chess.com's Coach Affiliate Program.