You do not need to steal the courses. GM Smirnov has accidentally created a massive free ecosystem. Here is how to emulate the "9 Courses" using only free resources:
| Course Topic | 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. |
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.
A common marketing tactic (used by Smirnov and others) leads to confusion. You might see an ad for a "$997 value – Free!" This usually includes: GM Igor Smirnov ALL 9 Chess Courses free
This is NOT the full 9 courses. It is a highly effective lead magnet.
If you type "GM Igor Smirnov ALL 9 Chess Courses free download" into Google, you will find links to Mega.nz, Pirate Bay, or obscure Russian trackers.
Warning: Downloading these files is risky for several reasons: You do not need to steal the courses
If you want ALL 9 courses without paying $1,000 individually, Smirnov offers an "All-Access Pass" (RCA Lifetime Membership). While not free, it costs roughly the price of 2 standard courses.
For the price of dinner for two, you get all 9 courses plus future updates. Many students hunt for "free" files for months, wasting study time, when they could pay a reasonable one-time fee and start improving immediately.
Let's be blunt. You cannot legally download the full, complete video libraries, PGN files, and interactive workbooks of all 9 courses for $0. A common marketing tactic (used by Smirnov and
GM Smirnov runs a business. These courses sell for anywhere between $97 and $297 each. Giving away hundreds of hours of proprietary instruction for free would bankrupt the academy.
However, there are three distinct realities behind the "free" search query.
