EP 428- IM Danny Rensch of Chess.com: Combating Cheats and Charting Chess's Future

Perpetual Chess Podcast

Perpetual Chess LLC

Sports, Leisure, Hobbies

4.8 • 678 Ratings

🗓️ 1 April 2025

⏱️ 69 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

IM Danny Rensch is a former child prodigy turned Chief Chess Officer of Chess.com, the largest chess website in the world. Danny rejoined me 8 years after his first visit to the podcast (Episode 18) to discuss all that is new with Chess.com. Inevitably, this means a detailed discussion of online cheat detection, and whether Chess.com thinks that their increased deterrence methods are working. But there is a lot more to discuss including: What goes into decisions of choosing commentators for an event? Lessons learned from some P.R. missteps related to the closing of Chess24, and changes to the Chessable product offerings. Upcoming TV shows and documentaries related to chess. Why are so many of these shows related to cheating? Danny’s forthcoming memoir about growing up in a cult It is always fun to get a glimpse behind the curtain at the world’s biggest chess company, and you are sure to learn something about “chess business” in this conversation. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! Be sure to check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ And if you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:00- We discuss cheat detection. Is publicly disclosing cheaters deterring other from potential cheaters? What about their new proprietary browser, Proctor? The two interviews/videos we reference are here: Greg Mustreader: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4fGt3MbF0I State of Chess.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lQ47SuBLU8&t=8428s 15:00- Is OTB cheating as common as online cheating? 21:00- What was the story behind future GM Alireza Firouzja’s account being erroneously closed due to fair play some years ago? Mentioned: GM Lenier Dominguez 28:00- We briefly discuss Danny’s forthcoming memoir, Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Squares-Chess-Saved-Life/dp/1541703286 31:00- How can the chess world move away from predominantly cheating-based mainstream coverage? Mentioned: Netflix documentary: https://www.chess.com/news/view/netflix-unveils-carlsen-niemann-documentary-for-2025 Forthcoming Movie: https://www.imdb.com/news/ni64565309/ BBC’s Chess Masters: The Endgame: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028x4d 37:00- Are there too many professional chess tournaments with too little differentiation between events? Mentioned: Coachchamps Improver Challenge: https://www.chess.com/news/view/announcing-coachchamps-2025 Also mentioned: Caitlin Clark, Judit Polgar 48:00- How does Chess.com decide which commentators to feature in which events? Mentioned: GM Daniel Naroditsky, GM Robert Hess 51:00- What lessons were learned from backlash against the Chess24 closure and recent changes to access to Short and Sweet courses on Chessable? Mentioned: Info on Chessable’s 2025 changes to Chessable Short and Sweet Access: https://www.chessable.com/blog/new-year-big-changes-to-chessable-pro/ 1:00:00- What 2025 events is Danny excited for? Mentioned: Pogchamps https://www.chess.com/news/view/announcing-pogchamps-6-field Speed Chess Championships, ESports World Cup 1:03:00- Is Chess.com still thinking of becoming publicly traded at some point? Would Danny retire in the near future? If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, everyone and welcome back to perpetual chess.
0:06.5	We have a return guest joining us from eight years ago somehow.
0:09.8	He was a scholastic champion, but these days, of course, is best known as the chief chess
0:14.4	officer at chess.com.
0:16.1	Really needs no introduction.
0:17.7	International Master Danny Rensch.
0:19.5	Welcome back to the pod, Danny.
0:22.4	Thanks for having me back. It was eight ago how crazy is that yeah that is that is so crazy yeah what year what year are we
0:29.3	we're in 2025 so that was 2017 apparently yeah our mutual friend mike klein when when we
0:35.9	were talking about doing this email, mentioned it years ago.
0:37.7	Is that right?
0:38.5	I had to double check.
0:40.0	And yeah, amazing.
0:41.8	But let's hop right into the chess talk, Danny.
0:43.9	I know that you're a busy guy.
0:45.1	So you recently did an interview with Greg Must Reader where you talk some about recent cheat detection issues.
0:51.4	And don't worry, listeners.
0:52.2	We're not only going to talk about cheat detection issues. And don't worry, listeners, we're not only going to talk about cheat detection, but I did want to begin with the most pertinent, the most hot button topic in
0:58.7	all of chess at all times. And you talked about chess.com's change in public closure stance,
1:05.2	whereas before, you would not have it publicly known when an account was closed now people can find out if they do some
1:12.6	snooping and it's been eight months since that announcement but one thing i did not hear you
1:17.6	address either with gregg must reader or in your recent state of the chess dot com youtube video
	...

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