One of the main mistakes beginner-level students make is that when they are faced with threats, they panic, often causing them to make false assumptions and select sub-optimal moves. This training course is designed to improve thought process and calculation habits when responding to our opponent's threats.

The course focuses on three general types of defense: reaction, prevention or prophylaxis, and counter attack. The author uses examples from his own tournament games to emphasize the importance of choosing defensive resources which are multipurpose and maximize the activity of the defender's pieces. There are many opportunities for the student to calculate and answer concrete tactical questions on their own throughout the course.

The course is aimed at beginner-level players but can be useful for players in the 900-1500 rating range. The total run-time for the course is 83 minutes.