Perpetual Chess Podcast

EP 442- GM Johan Hellsten: Why Defending Is So Difficult — And How to Improve At It  GM Johan Hellsten returns to Perpetual Chess for a deep dive into one of the most overlooked yet essential chess skills: defense. Johan is the 2006 Swedish National Champion, and a renowned author and coach, best known for his Mastering Chess series. In this interview, he shares insights from his latest book and Chessable course, Mastering Chess Defense (also available in print,) reflecting on why defending is often harder than attacking, which players are best to study to improve your defensive play, and key concepts like “the lifeline.” Johan is a true professional, and always a pleasure to talk chess with. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! 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 And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/partners 0:00- We begin with an impromptu discussion of obscure chess opening names including the Austrian Defense, the Tartakower Caro Kann, The Fegatello Italian, and the Polerio Italian Defense 10:00- Why is it harder for people to spot defensive resources than tactics?  15:00- How did Johan find so many good defensive examples?  Check out Johan’s separate course on defense for Chessmood members: https://chessmood.com/course/chess-defense  21:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How should amateur players incorporate chess defense into their thinking processes?” 29:00- What is the definition of defense?  31:00- Did Johan ever meet legendary GM Miguel Najdorf?  Mentioned: El Viejo by GM Zenon Franco Najdorf X Najdorf by Liliana Najdorf  Kasparov vs. Najdorf Bugojno 1982 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1069983 36:00- If choosing between Kasparov, Karpov, Korchnoi, Spassky, whose games were the most instructive?  Mentioned: GM Emmanuel Berg Check out Johan’s Youtube videos about Petrosian and Ulf Andersson here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYAkeoP9TTs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDo--EPHnfc 42:00- More book recs from Johan! Mentioned: Timman’s Triumphs: https://www.amazon.com/Timmans-Triumphs-100-Best-Games/dp/9056919172 Speed Demon: https://www.amazon.com/Speed-Demon-Fascinating-Tragic-Vyzhmanavin/dp/9493257819 GM Judit Polgar’s Quality Chess Trilogy 46:00- What is the chess defensive resource that is sometimes referred to as “the lifeline?” Mentioned: GM Hellsten’s Chessmood article about it: https://chessmood.com/blog/lifeline-chess-tactic Or move 32 of this Korchnoi-Fisher 1962 Curaco game: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044560 49:00- What do the concepts of “Evolution and revolution” have to do with chess defense? Mentioned: GM Josif Dorfman’s “The Method” https://www.abebooks.com/Method-Chess-Dorfman-Iossif-Sarl-Game/31453994460/bd 52:00- More chess book talk! Mentioned: Boris Spassky’s Best Games  https://www.amazon.com/Boris-Spasskys-Best-Games-Rising/dp/1784832006 53:00- Check out the two defensive puzzles we discuss in this Lichess study: https://lichess.org/study/1AlpJ6gn/3b3ZdebD Spassky-Geller move 35- https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1049395 Carlsen-Duda 2025 is included and annotated by NM Anthony Levin for Chess.com here (as well as in the LiChess study): https://www.chess.com/news/view/2025-cct-chesscom-classic-playoffs-day-1 Thanks to Johan for joining me again, you can reach him via his Chess.com page: https://www.chess.com/member/jhellsten And check out his Chessable courses here: https://www.chessable.com/author/JohanHellsten/ And his books here If you would like to join the Perpetual Chess Patreon community for access to ad-free episodes and other perks,  you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2025

In just a few years, 24-year-old Australian Twitch streamer Hannah Sayce went from playing casual online games during lockdown to earning the Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title and competing in international tournaments. Her post-lockdown rise has taken her from below 1000 to a 2300 Chess.com blitz rating. In this conversation, Hannah shares the highs and lows of her chess journey and the strategies behind her rapid improvement. Key turning points included learning to slow down at the board and forcing herself to embrace endgame study despite her resistance. Hannah’s rapid progress is inspiring to young girls and adult improvers alike—and it was fun to hear her story. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! 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 And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/partners 0:02- What is Hannah’s approach to streaming and prepping for Titled Tuesdays.  Mentioned:  7:00- Overcoming the Nerves of OTB chess  12:00- We discuss Hannah’s chess improvement philosophy as originally laid out in her popular YouTube video, How I Went from 700 to 2200 in 2 Years.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCBGNjddiTE Specifically she touched these 7 themes: Play longer time controls  Developing calculating skills  Decision journal  Analyze your games  Practice your tactics Calculate before you move  Study master games 18:00- How Hannah will work on her endgames  Mentioned: Notjowol on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/notjowol 20:00- Why does Hannah stream the lessons that she gets?  21:00- Hannah’s current chess goals 22:00- How did Hannah get into chess?  24:00- Hannah’s advice for girls getting into chess 28:00- Hannah’s favorites chess books and authors Mentioned: Modern Chess Openings, IM Jeremy Silman, GM Yasser Seirawan  30:00- Hannah’s favorite Chess Youtubers: Mentioned: IM Eric Rosen, GM Daniel Naroditsky, GM Ben Finegold, Hanging Pawns  32:00- What is the chess scene like in Melbourne? 33:00- Hannah’s favorite OTB tournament  Mentioned: The Rilton Cup  35:00- Hannah’s post-university plans and non-chess hobbies  39:00- Thanks to Hannah for joining the show! Here is how to follow her continued progress:  Hannah’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anichessgame/?hl=en Hannah’s Twitch:  https://www.twitch.tv/hannahsayce Hannah’s Chess.com: https://www.chess.com/member/hannahsaycestreams YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hannahsayce1 If you would like to join the Perpetual Chess Patreon community for access to ad-free episodes and other perks,  you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Check out special offers for free trials and/or discounts from our partner websites including Chessmood, ChessDojo, and Chess.com via the link below: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2025

GM Alexandr Fier is a 5 time champion of Brazil and 9 time chess Olympian. He also recently qualified for the FIDE World Cup for the 8th time by finishing tied for first at the American Continental tournament. But aside from all of his impressive accomplishments, what interests me most about GM Fier is how frequently he competes.  Last year alone, he played nearly 200 classical games,, and he has now travelled to over 50 countries. In our conversation we discussed:  How he maintains his energy and positive outlook through a busy tournament calendar Why he thinks playing quickly gives him a competitive advantage. (Hence the nickname “No Fear”)  How he reacted to getting some harsh feedback from legendary trainer IM Mark Dvoretsky at age 18.  We also talked about GM Fier’s recent qualification for the 2025 FIDE World Cup, his plans for the rest of 2025, and of course, chess books. It was a pleasure to chat with one of Brazil’s top players, and I look forward to following his nonstop tournament adventures in the years to come. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! 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 And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/partners 0:02- Alexandr is one of the most active Grandmasters in the world- how does he stay motivated? 0:06- How does Alexandr prepare for opponents?  0:11- How did Alexandr begin to collaborate with Imperial sports?  0:13- How Alexandr qualified for the World Cup?  Mentioned: Fier-Shankland 2025 https://www.chess.com/events/2025-american-continental-chess-championship/05/Fier_Alexandrandr-Shankland_Sam 0:16- Why Alexandr plays quickly Mentioned: GM Giga Quparadze  18:00- What makes the World Cup special to Alexandr?  22:00- Alexandr’s early Chess Development and Influences Mentioned:  Blokh’s Combination Art, Domination by Kasparian, Laszlo Polgar’s Chess: 5334 Combinations and Games  Navara-Fier 2015 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1787858 GM Navara’s Blog Post: https://lichess.org/@/RealDavidNavara/blog/because-we-care/fauAwr9r 26:00- Was it challenging to get chess books as a kid in Brazil?  28:00- Is chess gaining popularity in Brazil?  Mentioned: GM Rafael Leitao, GM Henrique Mecking  31:00- When did Alexandr decide to pursue chess professionally?  33:00- What languages does GM Fier speak?  35:00- Alex’s approach to following top games  37:28- How he Studies Openings and Uses Engines 39:00- Alexandr’s favorite opening authors Mentioned: GM Ivan Cheparinov, Nikolaos Ntirlis, GM Alexei Kornev  Memories of Training with Dvoretsky 42:00- Alex’s favorite chess books Mentioned: GM David Navara’s Best Games, Tal-Botvinnik 1960, The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal  44:00- Memories of a training camp with legendary trainer Mark Dvoretsky Influences and Inspirations in Chess 48:00- Why GM Fier loves endgame studies  50:00- GM Fier’s fondest memories Fier-Ryan 2009, Ireland https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1601053 Fier-Akopian 2017- https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1870136 54:00- Alex’s passion for music  55:00- Upcoming tournaments and advice for Aspiring Chess Players 1:00:00- Thanks to Alex for joining! Be sure to follow him on Instagram and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/alexandr.fier/ https://www.instagram.com/pontocego/?hl=en If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2025

This week’s guest is Samuel Sonning, a Swedish computer scientist, former Google engineer, and founder of NoctieAI—a user-friendly chess platform featuring rating tests and bots designed to play like humans. In our conversation, Samuel discusses his unique improvement philosophy as an adult learner, including how memorizing famous games helped him build intuition and visualization skills. A passionate player himself, many of Sam’s ideas have directly shaped NoctieAI, which offers immediate move feedback and personalized flashcards based on individual mistakes. We also explore the broader state of machine learning as it relates to chess. Samuel has been fascinated by this intersection since the days of Kasparov vs. Deep Blue, but while he still sees great potential in AI-assisted chess learning, he no longer views chess as the leading edge of AI development. This was a fascinating conversation, and I’m excited to follow NoctieAI’s continued evolution. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! 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 And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ You can also check out special offers from Chessmood, Chessdojo and Chess.com at the following page: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/partners 0:00- What has been Sam’s approach to chess improvement? Mentioned: EP 383 with Dan Bock 08:00- Why did Sam decide to develop Noctie such that it gives immediate feedback on your moves, rather than after your games?   12:00- When did Sam start playing tournament chess?  15:00- Why did Sam choose memorizing master games as a favorit-  approach to chess improvement? 19:00- How to overcome rating anxiety  Mentioned: Sam’s Blog post-  https://noctie.ai/chess/how-not-to-get-better-at-chess/ 24:00- Why does NoctieAI offer both rating level tests and non-numeric titles such as “Knight 3?”  27:00- What does Sam do to make NoctieAI play in a more human-like fashion?  31:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What new paradigms could still be coming from chess engines?”  34:00- What sparked Samuel’s interest in computers and chess?  37:00- Should chess still be considered an effective testing ground for AI development writ large, or has broader AI development caught up with the chess world?  40:00- Why is ChatGPT terrible at games like poker and chess? Mentioned:  Nate Silver’s blog post: https://www.natesilver.net/p/chatgpt-is-shockingly-bad-at-poker Jen Shahade’s blog post: https://jenshahade.substack.com/p/chatgpt-is-weirdly-bad-at-chess 47:00- How is the business of NoctieAI doing?  52:00- Sam’s favorite chess books and content creators Mentioned: Jeremy Silman, Shereshevsky’s Endgame Strategy, ChessNetwork  Thanks to Samuel for joining us! The best way to reach him is via NoctieAI. https://noctie.ai/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

In this memorable episode of Perpetual Chess, we welcome back Tony Ballard, who spent 26 years incarcerated and credits chess with helping him change the course of his life. When we last spoke in Episode 289 (2022), Tony was still in a minimum-security facility. Now fully free, he’s making the most of his second chance. He’s working full-time at the Paul Mitchell Barber School, has founded a nonprofit—Masters and Mentors—to teach chess to at-risk youth, and has released a powerful memoir, Time Alone: From Isolation to Transformation. The book doesn’t shy away from the trauma and darkness of his past, but ultimately it’s an inspiring story of growth and resilience. In our conversation, we discussed: – How chess fits into his daily routine – His chess improvement philosophy – The best things about life after prison – Tony’s advice for anyone who feels stuck or overwhelmed Chatting with Tony is always uplifting—and this conversation is no exception. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! 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 And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 02:00- Has Tony been playing any chess since getting out of prison?  Mentioned: Episode 390 with Russell Makofsky of The Gift of Chess  https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2024/7/9/ep-390-russ-makofsky-how-chess-can-change-lives-from-nyc-to-africanbsp Watch Tony’s interview with Devaughn Croxton of US Chess here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c6OH3NvF6M 06:00- What is Tony’s online chess routine?  Mentioned: Chess Psychology: The Will to Win 15:00- What is Tony’s chess improvement philosophy?  20:00- We discuss chess notation and Tony’s approach to game analysis  22:00- What are Tony’s favorite non-chess books?  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Man’s Search for Meaning The 48 Laws of Power  29:00- How is chess perceived in prison? What is the chess scene like there? Mentioned: Agadmator  34:00- Patreon mailbag question:  “How can prisoners be encouraged to invest time and effort into activities like chess?” 39:00- What is the mission of Tony’s new non-profit, Masters and Mentors?  https://mastersandmentors.org/ You can support Masters and Mentors here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-masters-and-mentors-youth-enrichment-strategies 45:00- How did Perpetual Chess help Tony win over his girlfriend? 46:00- How did Tony get interested in golf?  50:00- What is the best part of being free?  53:00- Is Tony ever tempted to return to his younger lifestyle?  58:00 Tony’s closing advice for those who feel like they are struggling. 1:00- THanks to Tony for sharing his inspiring story! Here is how to keep up with him Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/tony.ballard.900918 Instagram-  https://www.instagram.com/tonyballard1977/ Masters and Mentors- https://mastersandmentors.org/ His Book-  https://www.amazon.com/Time-Alone-Transformation-Tony-Ballard/dp/B0F252YM48 His LiChess: https://lichess.org/@/TonyBallard77 And Chess.com https://www.chess.com/member/tony_1b If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/notifications Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2025

This two-part episode of Perpetual Chess features two of the most impactful figures in American chess education: Coach Jay Stallings and Adam Weissbarth. First up, Coach Jay shares insights from his decades of experience teaching over 30,000 students,and also discusses his recent work consulting on the chess scenes in the new Hollywood blockbuster The Accountant 2. Additionally, Jay reviews some of the teaching tools he currently relies on—including a fun new one that he recently created himself. Following Jay is Adam Weissbarth, founder of Silver Knights Chess Academy, one of the largest after-school chess programs in the country. Adam recounts the immense challenges his company faced during the pandemic, when it lost all of its revenue sources overnight. He explains how he rebuilt the organization and expanded into elite coaching with grandmasters. Together, these conversations offer a fascinating look at the state of chess instruction—from classrooms to Zoom screens to movie scenes. Timestamps of guests and topics are below.  Check out the special offers mentioned at the beginning of the show below:  Chessdojo- https://www.chessdojo.club/signup Chessmood- Free one Week Trial- Chessmood.com/Ben Chess.com-Free Premum One Week Trial- http://go.chess.com/Perpetual 0:02:00- Coach Jay joins the show! We begin by discussing chess and movies, Jay recently consulted on the chess scenes for The Accountant 2. Mentioned:  Check out my recommended books here: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/book-recommendations Order Coach Jay’s Books for Kids here: https://store.coachjayschessacademy.com/collections/coach-jay-starter-packs Coach Jay’s prior interviews: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2017/9/12/episode-39-coach-jay-stallings https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2018/5/14/episode-72-coach-jay-stallings-returns Also mentioned: Searching for Bobby Fischer  14:30- Why did Jay wind down his chess non-profit after the pandemic?  16:00- Jay’s report on Supernationals, the giant scholastic tournament where he coached?  25:00- Jay discusses his new chess educational kit for kids, “Triple Check” Get it here: https://store.coachjayschessacademy.com/collections/triple-check-the-chess-puzzle-game-that-needs-no-wifi 37:00- Jay shares a few new teaching tools he has been using. Mentioned: Lichess studies, Chess.com Arena tournaments  40:00- Thanks to Coach Jay for joining, you can reach him via his website: https://store.coachjayschessacademy.com/ 44:00- NM Adam Weissbarth joins the podcast! What was the biggest challenge his organization has faced?  Adam’s prior Perpetual Chess Interview: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2018/4/9/silver-knights-chess-founder-adam-weissbarth 58:00- What has Adam learned from working with GM coaches like GM Johan Hellsten and GM Lazaro Bruzon? Mentioned: Mastering Chess Strategy 1:02::00- Why has Silver Knights expanded its offering to stronger scholastic players?  1:06:00- Did Adam meet people from the US Chess Federation at the Nationals?  1:10:00- What resources does Silver Knights use for intermediate students?  1:14:00- Adam’s advice for growing a chess teaching business Thanks to Adam for joining, you can reach the Silver Knights academy via the following page: https://chessacademy.com/pages/contact-us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2025

EP 436- Adult Improver Torkil Jara Bårdsgjerde on How Workplace Trash Talk Sparked a Lifelong Passion for Chess  In this inspiring and relatable installment of the Adult Improver Series, we meet  Torkil Jara Bårdsgjerde, a 39-year-old father of two, from Norway who discovered competitive chess after a bit of playful banter with a workplace rival. That exchange sparked a fascination with the game—and when the pandemic hit shortly after, Torkil suddenly had the time to dive in. Five years later, he's a regular tournament competitor and recently completed an impressive FIDE rating jump from 1400 to 1800 in just one year. In our conversation, Torkil shares his favorite resources and offers thoughtful advice on how to make the most of limited chess time. He also reflects on how chess has influenced his off-the-board habits—from health and mindfulness to goal-setting—and why he hopes his chess journey is still just beginning. Spotify Adult Improver Playlist You can volunteer or suggest an adult improver guest here: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/adult Links to special offers and new courses: Chessdojo use- the code “Ben40” at checkout.  https://www.chessdojo.club/signup Chessmood Free one Week Trial- Chessmood.com/Ben Check out FM Nate Solon’s new Chessable course here:  0:00- Torkil’s unique chess origin story 12:00- What resources helped Torkil early in his pursuit of chess improvement? Mentioned: Hanging Pawns, Gotham Chess, Daniel Naroditsky, Anna Cramling, Anna-Maja Kazarian, Chessable Starter Pack 27:00- When did Torkil transition to tournament chess? What were the biggest adjustments? 40:00- What led to Torkil’s big rating jump? 49:00- Patreon mailbag question- “Where might the limit be for Torkil’s potential improvement?” Mentioned: Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, Sherevsky’s Endgame Strategy  59:00- More recommendations from Torkil ADD IMAGES Mentioned: The Seven Deadly Chess Sins, Move First Think Later, Chess Principles Reloaded, The Art of Attack in Chess  1:02:00- Torkil’s final reflections and advice  1:05:00- Thanks to Torkil for sharing his story! Here is his new, non-secret Lichess account where you can message him: https://lichess.org/@/TorkilJaraBard 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

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

IM Alex Ostrovskiy is a former Scholastic National Champion, New York State Champion, and accomplished coach who has earned one GM norm, and reached a peak USCF rating of 2560. In addition to his coaching work, Alex is a regular commentator on GM Hikaru Nakamura's Twitch channel, and a tournament organizer who runs frequent invitational tournaments in New York City (where he has lived since the age of 5.) Alex and I discussed the following:  Alex’s three main tenets of chess improvement- tactics, opening prep, and playing consistently  Lessons from a couple recent tournaments, and why Alex has scaled back his GM-title ambitions The origins of Alex’s longtime friendship with Gotham Chess, and whether he is surprised by Levy's success.  This was a fun conversation with a lot of good advice. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  00:00- ChessDojo special offer! If you try out Chessdojo 4.0 you can get a 40% discount by using the code “Ben40” at checkout.  https://www.chessdojo.club/signup 0:01- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! 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 And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 02:00-  Alex joins the show!  Mentioned: Alex’s Interview with Dylan Quercia-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIK2jjnpwcM&list=PLXZjuvMCiLW0Ae7nNr5dvJk80neTe4Jvz&index=1&t=1975s&pp=iAQB Also mentioned: GM Arjun Kalyan, Elizabeth Spiegel, Brooklyn Castle  0:08- Alex’s students are known for deep opening prep- what is his approach as a coach? Mentioned: NM Matan Prilleltensky  13:00- How important are openings below the 2000 level?  16:00- Alex’s report on two recent tournaments in Spain.  Mentioned: GM Andy Woodward  21:00- How do the logistics work of going to youth championships to coach students?  22:00- What is the origin of the Norm invitational tournaments that Alex helps run in NYC?  Mentioned: Keith Espinosa  More info at: https://nycchessnorms.com/ 24:00- Will Alex be able to convince the famous Chess YouTuber FM Donny Ariel to play in a norm invitational? Mentioned: EP 421 with FM Donny Ariel and GM Jan Gustasaffson Donny Ariel: The Road to Chess Grandmaster: https://www.youtube.com/@DonnyArielChess 30:00- Alex is longtime friends with IM Levy Rozman- what is his first memory of him?  36:00- What was it like to do training sessions with Kasparov as a kid?  37:00- Who were Alex’s main rivals as one of the top US players for his age?  Mentioned: GM Darwin Yang, GM Daniel Naroditsky 40:30 -Did Alex study chess a lot as a kid or primarily learn by playing?  45:00- Has Alex worked with adult students?  48:00- Alex’s training advice  54:00- How did Alex get started commentating on Hikaru’s channel?  56:00- Alex’s closing advice  Thanks to Alex for joining me, you can reach him via his website.  https://www.alexchess.com/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon,(and unlock benefits like ad-free listening and joining Zoom hangouts), you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2025

GM Mauricio Flores Rios' first book, Chess Structures, is a modern classic which is seemingly recommended on a weekly basis on Perpetual Chess. After nine years of work, Mauricio has recently released its follow-up, Chess Imbalances: A GM Guide. Like Chess Structures, it is a highly instructive book with a beautiful selection of games and useful guidelines to aid one's chess decision-making. We discussed the following:  His opinion on the value of the bishop pair, as well as bishop vs. knight  The surprising reason that his book often featured the games of Magnus Carlsen When to switch from “objective mode” to “survival mode” in a game  We also discussed freestyle chess, and the impact of machine learning on chess. Mauricio is a statistician by trade, who recently launched a chess instruction site called ChessMind A.I., so he was particularly insightful on this topic. There is always lots to learn from chatting with (and reading) GM Rios, and this conversation was quite informative. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. Prior interview with Mauricio- Episode 109: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2019/1/15/episode-109-gm-mauricio-flores Here is the video companion to this interview, be sure to sub to the Perpetual Chess YouTube Channel! https://youtu.be/rmjcbwv7BtQ 0:00- You can sign up for a free one-week membership to Chessmood using this link: Chessmood.com/Ben Check out the YouTube video with Mauricio showing me games from Chess Imbalances here: 4:30- Mauricio joins the show! We dive right into discussing the vision behind GM Flores Rios’ much anticipated book, Chess Imbalances.   Mentioned :  Free preview of the book from Quality Chess here: https://qualitychess.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Chess-Imbalances-070x-Excerpt.pdf 13:00- Mauricio explains the guideline  “Quantity is more important than quality.”  16:00- Why did Mauricio select a lot of games from Magnus Carlsen?  17:00- Will Chess Imbalances be on Chessable?  21:00- What made the bishop vs. knight chapter especially challenging to write?  25:00- Mauricio’s advice for evaluating trading bishop’s vs. knights  28:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! 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 And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 31:00- What does it mean to switch from “from objective mode to survival mode” in a game? Mentioned: The Seven Deadly Chess Sins, Learn from the Legends  40:00- What is Maurice’s next chess project?  Mentioned: Chessmind AI  44:00- How close are we to having an A.I. model that can clearly explain chess games? 45:00- Are humans near the peak of how good they can be at chess? What about engines? 48:00- Does Mauricio like Chess960? Mentioned: GM Kenneth Rogoff interview with NM Tyler Cowen: https://conversationswithtyler.com/episodes/kenneth-rogoff/ 52:00- Will Mauricio’s kid(s) play chess?  Thanks to Mauricio for joining me! You can reach him via email at: Mauricio.a.flores.math at gmail dot com Here is the link for Chess Imbalances: A GM Guide, including a free sample: https://www.newinchess.com/chess-imbalances If you would like to join the Perpetual Chess Patreon community, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2025

Dr. Kenneth Rogoff has undoubtedly had one of the highest-profile and most interesting careers of any Grandmaster working outside of chess. He is an author and Harvard professor who was once singled-out by none other than Bobby Fischer, as a player who had shown remarkable chess improvement. As a young chess star, Dr. Rogoff actually dropped out of high school to move to Europe and pursue chess professionally, but by age 18 he had returned to the U.S. and enrolled at Yale. He would remain active in chess for many more years, but his top priority gradually switched from chess to academics, and he eventually quit chess entirely (save for an exhibition game against Magnus Carlsen in 2012) Dr. Rogoff still loves chess and thinks about it all the time, but economics turned out to be the right decision for him, as he has become a distinguished professor who has worked as the Chief Economist at the World Bank, and has met 8 different U.S. Presidents in his life. His new book, Our Dollar, Your Problem,intersperses occasional lessons from his chess career while providing a modern history of the U.S. dollar as the reserve currency. This interview focuses primarily on Dr. Rogoff’s chess career, but those interested in his reflections on the global economy should stay tuned until the end of the interview, and should definitely check out his new book. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Recorded on April 3, 2025.  0:02- We dive into GM Rogoff’s chess upbringing, and his interactions with Bobby Fischer  Mentioned: NM Eric Marchand, IM Sal Matera , GM Rogoff’s chess biography: https://rogoff.scholars.harvard.edu//pages/biography Bobby Fischer article mentioning GM Rogoff: https://rogoff.scholars.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum5901/files/rogoff/files/fischer69.pdf Karpov-Ulf Andersson 1969 ADD IMAGE  https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1019420 11:00- How did Dr. Rogoff gain hundreds of rating points in his early teens? 21:00- Was it hard to switch from the meritocratic chess world to academia?  25:00- What led to Dr. Rogoff dropping out of high school at age 16 to pursue chess? What was life like as an American teenager living alone in Europe in 1969?  Mentioned: Muppets in Moscow by Natasha Rogoff  26:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! 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 And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 32:30- Why did Dr. Rogoff make a U-turn and go to Yale University after dropping out of high school? 34:00- Patreon mailbag question: Does Dr. Rogoff ever daydream about what a professional chess life might have looked like? 37:00- Why did Dr. Rogoff quit chess “Cold turkey”?  Mentioned: Carlsen-Rogoff 2012 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1690691 40:00- Does Dr. Rogoff have a favorite chess memory? Who were his favorite players?  Mentioned: Kasparov, Peter Thiel, Arkady Dvorkovich ,Reshevsky-Rogoff 1978, IM Kim Commons, Lev Aronian   Larsen-Rogoff 1968 Fischer-Spassky 1975 53:00- What is the origin of the phrase “Our Dollar, Your Problem”? (The title of Dr. Rogoff’s new book 58:00- What can regular people do to prepare for volatile markets? 1:00:00- Patreon mailbag question: Is the US debt load sustainable? What does Dr. Rogoff think of Ray Dalio’s writing?  1:05:00- Dr. Rogoff has met 8 presidents and many more world leaders- do any experiences stand out?  1:08:00- What does Dr. Rogoff think of the future of crypto-currencies?  Mentioned: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari Thanks to Dr. Rogoff for joining me! You can get his new book here.  Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2025

NM Dana Mackenzie is a former math professor turned science writer who has maintained a passion for chess throughout his life and career changes.He is a USCF Life Master and was the 2 time state champion of North Carolina.  Dana had a long running and popular chess blog which has now been turned into a book Did You Come Here to Play Chess or Have Fun? The book features plenty of chess improvement advice, with a particular emphasis on what Dana thinks is required to become a master level player. Dana is very familiar with the ups and downs of an active player, as he achieved a peak rating of USCF 2257, eventually fell below 2100, and then had to revamp his game in his 50s in order to get back to 2200!.  Dana also shares some fun stories from his chess career. These include amusing or noteworthy anecdotes about GM Jesse Kraai, a young GM Hans Niemann and a funny story involving a prominent grandmaster offering a “psychological draw offer.” . All in all, there is a lot to learn, and to enjoy from Dana’s book and from our conversation. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! 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 And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 00:00- Introduction to Dana McKenzie Read about Dana’s history of pursuing tenure here: https://danamackenzie.com/about/the-tenure-chase-papers/tenure-chase-part-1-prehistory/ 04:00- Becoming a Chess Master: Core Beliefs and Steps Mentioned: IM Jeremy Silman’s How to Reassess Your Chess  07:00- Developing Strengths and Eliminating Weaknesses 11:00- The Importance of Community in Chess 14:00- Navigating Age and Chess Performance 16:00- Strategic Thinking and Questions for Improvement 19:00- Are chess tactics necessary to make it to the master level? 22:00- Can going to chess parties help your chess?  24:00- After losing over 100 points in his 40s, Dana managed to gain them back and get back over 2200. What changes did he make to his game? Mentioned:  Dana’s USCF Rating History:https://www.uschess.org/datapage/ratings_graph.php?memid=10277604 Episode 346 with NM Todd Bryant  Can Adults Improve at Chess? By NM Todd Bryant https://www.chess.com/article/view/can-adults-improve-at-chess 30:00- Dana shares a few examples of his suggested “10 questions for schematic thinking.”  Mentioned: GM Robert Hess, GM Jonathan Rowson, GM Jesse Kraai  36:00- Dana’s advice for finding a chess community, and the underrated value of chess parties!  Mentioned: NM Mike Splane,  FM Craig Mar  43:00- Dana tells a funny story involving Grandmasters and a “psychological draw offer.”  Mentioned: GM Walter Browne, GM Sergey Kudrin https://danamackenzie.com/blog/?p=3209 52:00- Dana’s encounter with a young Hans Niemann Mentioned: Read more about “The Troitsky Line” here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_knights_endgame 58:00- What Dana learned from GM Jesse Kraai Mentioned: Read more about Nezhmetdinov’s famous queen sacrifice in this article by NM Sam Copeland: https://www.chess.com/blog/SamCopeland/nezhmetdinovs-immortal-queen-sacrifice-best-of-the-60s-nezhmetdinov-vs-chernikov-1962 Thanks to Dana for joining me! You can check out his blog and webiste here: https://danamackenzie.com/ And get his book here: https://www.newinchess.com/did-you-come-here-to-play-chess-or-to-have-fun If you would like to join the Perpetual Chess Patreon community, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess?redirect=true Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

GM Mihail Marin is a prolific and popular author, trainer, and 3-time Romanian national champion. He has made numerous contributions to the chess canon but is probably best known for the book Learn from the Legends, published in 2005, which received high praise from GM Daniel Naroditsky, IM Jeremy Silman, and many others. In 2025, its much-anticipated sequel, Learn from the Legends 2: Chess Heroes at Their Best has finally been released. GM Marin joined me to discuss: The different format chosen for this sequel compared to the original Things to know about each of the players featured in Mihail's new book: GMs Stein, Keres, Bronstein, Portisch, and Polugaevsky His own rise up the chess ranks Why chess was a uniquely appealing profession in Communist Romania  GM Marin has accumulated a litany of stories from a life among the world's top players, and it is always a pleasure to speak with him! 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/   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 Prior Interview- Episode 316 https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2023/2/7/ep-316-gm-mihail-marin-the-renowned-author-and-trainer-on-learning-from-larsen-tal-polgar-and-other-legends 0:00- What was Mihail Marin’s approach to chess improvement as an up and coming player? Mentioned: Karpov-Unzicker 1975 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067846 Also mentioned: GM Florin Gheorghiu, GM Mihai Suba . Psakhis-Marin 2000 17:00- Mihail shares a little bit about each player covered in Learn from the Legends 2, including Stein, Polugaevsky, Bronstein, Keres and Portisch  Mentioned: Korchnoi-Portisch Candidates Match 1983 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=93347 Also mentioned: Bronstein’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice  Keres-Benko 1962 (adjourned on move 41) https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1072970 GM Jan Timman’s Curacao 1962: The Battle That Shook the Chess World https://www.amazon.com/Curacao-1962-Battle-Minds-Shook/dp/9056911392 34:00- In the modern chess age is it still possible to have a distinct chess style? Mentioned: Spassky Fischer, game 8, move 15: https://lichess.org/study/FeAwvrlI/nNPKlIqp Spassky-Polgar 1993- https://www.365chess.com/game.php?gid=1762744 45:00- Is Mihail following the Freestyle Chess Tour? 53:00- Is Mihail following the Women’s World Championship? 54:00- How is Mihail preparing for his imminent tournament?  Mentioned: Dorfman’s The Method in Chess Petr Izmailov: From Chess Champion of Russia to Enemy of the People https://chess.co.uk/products/petr-izmailov-from-chess-champion-of-russia-to-enemy-of-the-people-nikolai-izmailov 58:00- GM Marin discusses his next projects: a Chessable course, and a forthcoming book about his chess hero,  GM VIktor Korchnoi Mentioned:  1:08:00- Mihail’s recommended European chess tournaments Alicante chess tournament 2025: https://chessnews.info/ix-international-chess-open-easter-2025/ Seville: https://www.modern-chess.com/tournaments?id=1450 1:10:00- Thanks to Mihail for joining me again!  Here is how to keep up with him: Learn From the Legends 2: https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Legends-2-Mihail-Marin/dp/1784832162 Forward Chess: https://forwardchess.com/product/learn-from-the-legends2-chess-heroes-at-their-best Watch here for his forthcoming Chessable course: https://www.chessable.com/author/MihailMarin/ 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

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

GM Susan Polgar is a World Chess Hall of Famer and former Women’s World Champion. She is also the holder of numerous records, including being the first female  “triple crown winner” and the first woman to earn the Grandmaster title by norms and rating. She is also an author, and Chessable author. Her latest book,  Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny and the Making of Grandmaster is a candid and fascinating memoir which looks back at her unusual upbringing, her extraordinary playing career, her life as a wife and mom, and her accomplishments as a groundbreaking university coach. As you might expect, this is a fascinating 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/  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- Information about the Chess in the Schools chess/poker fundraiser, hosted by GM Robert Hess on May 1, is here: https://secure.givelively.org/event/chess-in-the-schools-inc/chess-in-the-schools-2nd-annual-charity-poker-tournament 0:02- What are some of the primary lessons of Susan’s new memoir, Rebel Queen?  15:00- GM Polgar tells the story of her famous win over GM Ljuboimir Ljubojevic in 1987.  See the game here: https://susanpolgar.com/portfolio-item/susan-polgar-vs-ljubomir-ljubojevic-1987/ 18:00- What informed the Polgar philosophy of playing the strongest competition, regardless of gender? 21:00- Patreon mailbag question- Did Susan ever consider raising her own children in the way that her parents raised her and her sisters?  26:00- Susan’s memories of young Levy Rozman and Fabiano Caruana playing at her chess center.  Mentioned: photo of Susan with young Levy: https://www.facebook.com/susanpolgarchess/photos/this-was-from-a-million-years-ago-who-is-this-young-chess-superstar-who-used-to-/1202844537877913/?_rdr 30:00- Patreon mailbag question: What still needs to be done to continue to grow women’s chess? Mentioned: Chess Tactics for Champions by Susan Polgar  33:00- Patreon mailbag question: “To what extent does Susan think socialization plays a role in the smaller percentage of women playing chess?”  36:00- Patreon mailbag question:  “Have the barriers that women in chess face changed over the years?” 39:00- Patreon mailbag question: “ What is Susan’s advice for raising the level of play among the girls at a chess club?” Mentioned: GM Susan Polgar’s interview with the Botez sisters  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EctpBjnCU-8 40:00-  Patreon mailbag question: “Does Susan have a favorite Mikhail Tal story?” Photos of Susan’s first encounter with GM Mikhail Tal here: https://x.com/SusanPolgar/status/1855363562073620780 48:00- Was Susan Polgar in touch with GM Bobby Fischer in his final years?  51:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What made Susan decide to begin coaching university chess at Texas Tech?” 54:00- What else is Susan working on now that she is retired from coaching university chess?  58:00- Which factor was the biggest contributor to the success of Susan and her sisters? Thanks to GM Polgar for a fascinating interview! Here is how to keep up with her: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanpolgarchess/?hl=en X: https://x.com/susanpolgar?lang=en Order her book here: https://www.amazon.com/Rebel-Queen-Misogyny-Making-Grandmaster/dp/153875729X For newer players, you can check out her “Learn Chess the Right Way” Series on Chessable here: https://www.chessable.com/learn-chess-the-right-way-book-1-must-know-checkmates/course/12192/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess?redirect=true Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

The Adult Improver series returns to Perpetual Chess to welcome Omar Mills (aka ChessvonDoom) to the podcast. Omar fell in love with chess during the pandemic and has learned some unexpected lessons through the thousands of games he has played in subsequent years. He learned that chess improvement and maintaining a disciplined study routine  is much harder than he ever could have guessed, but that you can learn a lot about yourself through the game nonetheless. In a new Chessable course, Chess Destiny: Lessons from an Adult Improver and his Coach, Omar collaborates with popular YouTuber NM Robert Ramirez to share some of these unexpected chess and life lessons. These lessons include: What does Omar call “the rule of three?”  What has playing the bass taught Omar about chess improvement? What one piece of advice would he give his “new to chess” self of 5 years ago?  Plus lots  more, its always insightful and entertaining to hear from Omar!  Adult Improver Series webpage: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=2a3f9cee77b948f1 Adult Improver Series Spotify playlist: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/adultimprover 0:00- Information about the Chess in the Schools chess/poker fundraiser, hosted by GM Robert Hess on May 1, is here: https://secure.givelively.org/event/chess-in-the-schools-inc/chess-in-the-schools-2nd-annual-charity-poker-tournament 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 0:02- What is the story behind Omar, an average club player,  making a Chessable course?  Mentioned: NM Robert Ramirez, Bruna Tuzi, NM Ian Harris, IM Miodrag Peruvunic (Milo the Butcher)  You can hear Omar on How to Chess, Season 2, Episode 4- https://open.spotify.com/episode/4x3gO38SDRut2lJZdCLPeh?si=53a28262690c4297 0:15- What is “the rule of three”?  0:21- What has playing the bass taught Omar about playing chess/ Mentioned: Victor Wooten  43:00- What is Omar’s daily chess routine?  Mentioned: Kamryn Hellman, Nick Visel  48:00- NM Robert Ramirez’s recommended study plan  YouTube series with Omar, Roberto and NM Robert Ramirez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soFjWrTVYKU 52:00- What would Omar tell his new to chess self, from a few years ago?  53:00- Does Omar have any tournaments on this horizon? 55:00- Thanks to Omar of joining me! Here is how to keep up with him: Twitter/X: https://x.com/ChessVonDoom?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Chess.com: https://www.chess.com/member/chessvondoom His Chessable Course: https://www.chessable.com/chess-destiny-lessons-from-an-adult-improver-and-his-coach/course/266890/ 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

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025

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

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2025

GM Noël Studer is a two time Swiss National Champion turned blogger, course creator and chess trainer. Noël is also a regular guest on the podcast, and as an avid reader of his blog, I always have plenty of questions for him. This particular interview tackles questions like the following: What has training for a marathon taught Noël about chess? Do Grandmasters like Noël make it sound easier than it is to “fix blunders?”  What are the traits of Noël’s most successful students?  We also discuss an update to one of Noël’s courses, his next projects, and why we both are a bit disillusioned with professional chess. There is always a lot to learn from GM Studer!  Check out Noël’s updated course on studying chess the right way here (https://courses.nextlevelchess.blog/courses/simplified-chess-improvement-system?ref=bc4be0) Use the code perpetual20 to receive a 20% discount. By using that link, you'll also support Perpetual Chess. https://courses.nextlevelchess.blog/courses/simplified-chess-improvement-system?ref=bc4be0 Noël’s prior appearances were on the podcast were Episodes 248, 312 and 374  https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Dtd4jQXwwJkfwOegqrGad?si=11a29a76268249b8 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0asMZuJZhbp6EnNUyUvzo4?si=9cc4a0c08d7b48e8 https://open.spotify.com/episode/39O0qNPy5mCDxSf96byIES?si=7a1e8a1e12bc4102 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 01:00- Chess Lessons from training for a marathon (From article From Thinking to Doing) Dr. Nick Vasquez’s post, Too Many Choices: https://nickvasquezmd.substack.com/p/what-do-we-mean-improvement 13:00- Why does Noël call blundering “the leaking roof issue”? The leaking roof issue Steps method playlist from Chess Steps trainer NM Han Schut: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHJ-t45Y-c5SN7u7YSd-gj0vpyCgXv7lM 21:00- Do people overemphasize the importance of accuracy scores? https://nextlevelchess.com/accuracy-score/ 25:00- In his professional days, what was Noël’s approach to checking engines immediately after games?  28:00- Why do CEO’s have a hard time improving at chess?  https://nextlevelchess.com/study-chess-in-a-smarter-way/ 35:00- Which posts of Noël’ got the most feedback?  37:00- What is “the chess improvement equation?”  https://nextlevelchess.com/improvement-score/ 40:00- What other recent interests and daily practices has Noël implemented?  42:00-  Noël’ discusses his relaunched course, The Simplified Chess Improvement System https://courses.nextlevelchess.blog/courses/simplified-chess-improvement-system?ref=bc4be0 49::00- Noël’s next projects 52:00- Does Noël still follow professional chess closely?  Thanks to Noël for coming on! You can email him at Noël at nextlevelchess.blog Check out his courses. Remember to use perpetual20 for 20% off on either course. All in one beginner course (up to 1200 chesscom): https://courses.nextlevelchess.blog/courses/beginner-chess-mastery?ref=bc4be0 His re-launched improvement system (previously Next Level Training): https://courses.nextlevelchess.blog/courses/simplified-chess-improvement-system?ref=bc4be0 Subscribe to his newsletter here: https://nextlevelchess.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2025

The Perpetual Chess Book Review series, Chess Books Recaptured is back, to discuss a new tactics primer that has been getting a lot of buzz, 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know by FM Frank Erwich. My guest co-host is Kevin Scull, the host of the Chess Journeys podcast, and a dedicated student of the game. Kevin wanted to discuss this book because he felt it filled a glaring void in the marketplace and that it helped his game a lot. Nonetheless, Kevin also had a few quibbles with the book, so he joined me to discuss the pros and cons of this book, which overall is quite a worthwhile addition to the libraries of intermediate players and chess trainers alike. Because this book is so visual by nature, we kept this conversation short, and also made a companion video showing a few positions. The link to that, as well as timestamps and topics mentioned are below.  Part 2 of this review, which looks at positions from the book, can be seen on The Perpetual Chess YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/vaQuEx2CBgQ Check out the archive of book review podcasts here: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/recaptured And the Spotify Playlist here:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/33uvcg7rb09ETWIgeAUCIR?si=0c11cd72fba548fa 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 0:02- Why did we choose this book?  Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard, Elizabeth Spiegel, Brooklyn Castle  0:06- Our quibbles with the book.  0:10- The structure of the book Mentioned:  IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC-Up1teylU 0:17:00-  Kevin’s Chessable course https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/ Thanks to Kevin for helping out! Be sure to check out the Chess Journeys podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kNbZLQE6JvbAyfOlv7ZNY?si=2c3d57c5c70349aa If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

Oleksandr Prokhorov is a Lviv, Ukraine-based chess organizer, trainer, FIDE arbiter and Twitch streamer. Ukraine has a rich chess history and has a vibrant grass roots scene in addition to famous natives such as Vasyl Ivanchuk, the Muzychuk sisters, and GM Ruslan Ponomariov. In recent years, I have marvelled at the persistent passion for chess in Ukraine  as I follow Facebook groups like the Love Chess Ukraine Facebook Group. Oleksandr and I discussed:  Is interest in Ukrainian chess as strong as ever despite the war? Is there still state funding for chess-related activities?  What challenges are presented by the fact that many of its top Ukrainian players are moving abroad in order to be able to compete internationally?  We also discussed a few notable Ukrainians who have been on the front lines, Oleksandr's favorite books and content creators, and what Oleksandr and his colleagues are doing to help the next generation of Ukrainian players. Hearing about the resilience of the Ukrainian people, and their continued passion for chess inspires admiration and respect. Thanks to Oleksandr for sharing a few of their stories!  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 0:02- What is the amateur chess scene like in Ukraine? Mentioned:  Love Chess Ukraine Facebook Group 0:09- Is there still state support for chess during the war? 0:13- Does Oleksandr work full time in chess? How did he learn chess? 0:19- How has Ukrainian chess handled the exodus of many of its top players?  0:26- Why does Oleksandr think Ukraine has produced so many top female players? 0:33- Okelsandr discusses the many chess players who are currently in combat, including GM Igor Kovalenko.  Mentioned: GM Igor Kovalenko, GM Martin Kravtsiv https://www.chess.com/news/view/ukrainian-grandmaster-given-courage-award-by-zelenskyy 0:39- - Okelsandr discusses Artem Sachuk, a former vice-president of chess in Ukraine who was killed in combat in 2023.  https://www.chess.com/news/view/artem-sachuk-vp-ukrainian-chess-federation-killed-action 44:00- Oleksandr’s favorite chess book Mentioned: My System 46:00- Oleksandr’s favorite YouTubers Mentioned: IM Eric Rosen, Dina Belenkaya, Anna Cramling  50:00- Thanks to Oleksandr for joining me. Here is how to reach him: Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/OleksanderProkhorov Coaching- https://lichess.org/coach/Prohorov_Olexandr123 Email-  Prohorov at chessclub.lviv.ua Love Chess Ukraine Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031039970525130 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2025

IM Willy Hendriks is an award-winning chess author, historian and chess trainer. He has just released his fourth book, The Philosopher and the Housewife:Tarrasch, Nimzowitsch and the Evolution of Chess. This book is the completion of a trilogy which casts a new light on chess history and looks at the evolution of chess ideas. Willy’s newest book focuses on the early 20th century, with a particular emphasis on Aron Nimzowitsch and Siegbert Tarrasch. We tackle questions such as: Was Aron Nimzowitsch the most pretentious chess player of them all?  What does Willy think of My System?  Have the stylistic differences between Tarrasch and Nimzowitsch been exaggerated? What can we learn about engines and modern chess through reading about these players?  Our conversation is filled with fun stories and reflections about these players, along with the contributions of the third “main character,” Semion Alapin.   We also discuss Willy’s own competitive career and his potential next projects. It is always a pleasure to read Willy's work and to speak with him.   Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Perpetual Chess Improvement Audiobook information- The links for where to order the Perpetual Chess Improvement audiobook are on this page. It is now available on all platform except for Audible/Amazon (hopefully coming soon): https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/book 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 0:02- Where did the title The Philosopher and the Housewife come from? 0:06- Willy tells a few stories to illustrate why he considers Aron Nimzowitsch to be “the most self-aggrandizing chess player of all-time.” 10:00- What were the chess stylistic differences of Nimzowitsch and Tarrasch? Mentioned: Modern Ideas in Chess by Richard Reti  18:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What does Willy think of the book My System?”  Mentioned:  Book Recap #18- My System with IM Christof Sielecki  Book Recap #37- My System (fast track edition) with GM Alex Fishbein  Aron Nimzowitch: A Reappraisal by GM Raymond Keene https://www.amazon.com/Aron-Nimzowitsch-Reappraisal-Raymond-Keene/dp/0713484381 23:00- Where does the third character in the book, Semyon Alapin fit in? 31:00- How are engines connected to the themes of Willy’s writing? 34:00- What is the “Trainer’s fallacy?”  42:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What ideas does Willy have for upcoming books?”  Mentioned: Kasparov’s My Great Predecessors, Mihail Marin’s Learn from the Legends 1 and 2 45:00- Does Willy follow modern chess and chess drama? Does he like freestyle chess? 48:00- What has Willy been reading? Mentioned: Daniel Dennett Tarrasch’s 300 Chess Games, the Works of Edward Lasker and Milan Vidmar, The Essential Sosonko, In Black and White  52:00- Has Willy been competing OTB lately?  54:00- Thanks as always to Willy for visiting the pod and for advancing our knowledge of chess history!  You can get his books here: https://www.newinchess.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Willy+Hendriks You can also get a physical copy in the US from Chess4Less: https://chess4less.com/products/the-philosopher-and-the-housewife-willy-hendriks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2025

GM Wojciech Moranda is a high-level trainer, author and 2600+ rated player  who has worked with the Polish youth national team and IM Levy Rozman among many other students. I often recommend his books for ambitious advanced players, so I was excited to welcome him back to discuss his new Chessable Course, The Moranda Method: How to Calculate Like a Beast. In the course, and in our discussion, Wojciech lays out his core beliefs and fundamental framework for how to calculate in chess. His course is best-suited for 1800+ players, but Wojciech’s insights can help players at any level. In our conversation, we discuss common misconceptions about calculation, when one should stop calculating a variation, and then Wojciech lays out what he calls “the 5 elements of calculation.” Wojciech is extremely knowledgeable about chess, and its always a pleasure to speak with him.  Check out our bonus video going through a calculation exercise on the Perpetual Chess YouTube page: https://youtu.be/0gSdFDkeeWQ 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- What is the definition of calculation?  0:03- What are some common misconceptions about calculation? 0:12- When should we stop calculating a sequence?What visualization advice can Wojciech give?  Mentioned: Step 2 Thinking Ahead 23:00- We discuss Wojciech’s “5 Elements of Calculation,” starting with what he calls “vision and perceptivity.”  49:00- Patreon mailbag question: Was Wojciech influenced by the work of legendary trainer Josef Dorfman? 56:00- What is a typical day like for Wojciech? Is he still playing actively?  1:00:00- Thanks to Wojciech for joining me again, here are the links to keep up with his work or reach him: Wojciech’s Books: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Wojciech-Moranda/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AWojciech%2BMoranda His Course: https://www.chessable.com/calculate-like-a-beast-the-moranda-method/course/279827/ His coaches page: https://lichess.org/coach/gmmoranda If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2025

FM Nate Solon is a data scientist, Chessable author, New in Chess Magazine columnist and the creator of the popular and insightful newsletter, Zwischenzug. Nate joined me shortly after we played in a tournament together to share his latest chess-improvement related thoughts and to reflect on recent lessons he has absorbed. We focused on a few themes in particular:  Why Nate thinks the challenge of learning new openings is often overstated, and the way in which he thinks chess openings “resemble poems.” How to avoid the trap of overemphasizing solving tactics in one’s training plan  Nate and I both discuss our experiences in the recent World Amateur Team tournament, and the ways in which the weekend tournament experience might be improved.  There is always a lot to learn from Nate, and I am confident your chess can benefit from this conversation. Timestamps of discussion are below.  Sub to Nate’s newsletter here: https://zwischenzug.substack.com/ 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 0:02- Nate’s comprehensive advice for learning openings, which focuses on learning by playing and utilizing spaced repetition  17:00- Nate’s advice for using model games 22:00- Do people overemphasize tactical puzzles? How can we avoid this trap?  Mentioned: New in Chess Magazine, My Chessable Course  26:00- What is “gritty calculation”?  The position Nate references can be seen here: https://zwischenzug.substack.com/p/calculation-is-never-just-calculation GM Josh Friedel’s calculation advice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvh7HsYMn-Q 36:00- Is the rating system finally reaching a stable state? 37:00- Nate and I discuss the World Amateur Team, a tournament in which we both recently played .  45:00- Nate’s next tournaments and projects 55:00- Thanks to Nate for joining! Here are the links to keep up with him: Newsletter: https://zwischenzug.substack.com/ Chessable courses: https://www.chessable.com/author/CheckRaiseMate/ His Book: https://www.amazon.com/Evaluate-Like-Grandmaster-Eugene-Perelshteyn/dp/B0BHNF5CWB Photo in thumbnail via the Charlotte Chess Center: https://www.charlottechesscenter.org/photos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 February 2025

WGM Dina Belenkaya is a Russian-born and schooled chess champion who is now based in Charlotte, North Carolina. In recent years,  Dina has built a massive Twitch, YouTube and Instagram following, while maintaining a busy competitive schedule. In this interview, we caught up with Dina's recent OTB results, including her impressions of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz in New York City. Dina discusses the challenges she is currently encountering in her game as well as her current chess goals. Dina and I also talked extensively about her newest chess project, Chess with Dina. It is a chess academy that emphasizes the social side of chess improvement, and it has seen a fast growth since it launched last year. Dina discussed the building blocks that newer players should focus on, based on her experience as a product of Russia’s legendary chess education infrastructure. Lastly, we touched a bit on Freestyle chess, as Dina discussed why she thinks it might be challenging for the chess variant to catch on with newer chess players. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Photo in thumbnail from Dina’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEdUEivv8QT/?hl=en&img_index=1 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 0:02- What has changed for Dina in the past two years since I last interviewed her?  Mentioned: Episode 326 with Dina Belenkaya 0:05- Dina has been playing OTB quite actively.  How is her game progressing?  0:11- Dina’s impressions of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz  Mentioned: You can review Dina’s game against WGM Atousa Pourkashyan here: https://lichess.org/broadcast/fide-world-rapid--blitz-championships-2024--blitz-women/round-11/JvQWXSPT/ugyly8Xl You can watch Magnus’ recent interview here: https://x.com/taketaketakeapp/status/1887126217091874871?s=46&t=7an2GBXWXIlgRTjDfRwIGw 25:00- Is Dina still working with a coach?  27:00- Dina’s discusses the value of face-to-face moments and a recent training camp she hosted for her chess school.  Mentioned: More info about her school here: https://www.skool.com/russianchessschool/about 42:00- What does Dina think of Freestyle chess? Do her students like it? Mentioned: Dina’s blog: https://www.dinabelenkaya.com/post/let-s-talk-fischer-random-   0:55:00- Thanks to Dina for coming back on the pod! Here is how to to keep up with her: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dinabelenkaya/?hl=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DinaBelenkaya/videos Twitter/X: https://x.com/messages/60494861-1366144904590671876 Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/dinabelenkaya Blog: https://www.dinabelenkaya.com/post/let-s-talk-fischer-random-chess Chess School: https://www.skool.com/russianchessschool/about Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). 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

Transcribed - Published: 18 February 2025

This week’s podcast is a discussion among friends. FM Donny Ariel is an NYC based former scholastic champion who has attained 3 IM Norms. These days he is  a working dad, who has recently decided to pursue not only the IM title, but the Grandmaster title as well. (Donny is chronicling this journey on his YouTube channel, The Road to Chess Grandmaster).   GM Jan Gustafsson,  as many of you know, is a renowned commentator, Chessable author, trainer, and frequent guest on Perpetual Chess. Jan and I are skeptical that Donny can attain the grandmaster title given his other obligations, but Donny is adamant that we overstate the difficulty of chess improvement. In discussing Donny’s quest, we tackle such questions as:  Is a coach necessary in the digital age?  How important are openings at Donny’s level? How much improvement can one attain through changing your psychological approach rather than training?  What is Donny’s “wall of haters”?  What trait do those who have earned the GM title have in common, according to Jan?  If not earning the GM title, what might Donny’s true goal be?  This was an entertaining conversation in which Jan actually gave more earnest chess improvement advice than he has in prior episodes. 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-  Subscribe to my chess newsletter! https://benjohnson.substack.com/ Subscribe to FM Donny Ariel’s YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@DonnyArielChess 0:02- What is Donny’s “Why?” Why is he pursuing the GM title?  15:00- Does Jan think that Donny needs a coach?  17:00- What is the “Wall of Haters?”  22:00- Patreon mailbag question- “How is Donny approaching studying?”  25:00- Jan’s opening advice to Donny Mentioned: Reimagining 1. E4  https://www.newinchess.com/reimagining-1-e4 42:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Does Donny wish that he started chess later in life?” 50:00- What would my advice be for Donny? What would Jan’s advice be?  Mentioned: Ep 415 with GM-elect Mark Heimann  1:00- Thanks to Donny and Jan for joining! Jan will probably ignore any messages you try to send him on social media, but you should buy his excellent Chessable courses. Below  is how you can reach Donny: Chessable Jan Gustafsson Donny X/Twitter- https://x.com/RealDonnyAriel Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/donny.ariel YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@DonnyArielChess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 February 2025

Nikolaos Ntirlis is a Correspondence chess champion, and computer engineer who has become well known in the chess world for his vast opening expertise. Nikolaos is quite skilled at finding original opening ideas, and has grown popular through his books, and by highlighting new opening ideas on his Twitter/X account. The ideas Nikos suggests have often seen quick adoption by Grandmasters, and he has even seen moves he highlighted subsequently appear in the games of Hikaru Nakamura and Anish Girl. In fact, GM Giri wrote the Foreword to Nicolaos’ newest book, the excellent  Reimagining 1. E4. The book offers new ideas for White across many defenses to 1. E4, and explains opening concepts clearly without bombarding you with opening theory. In our conversation, we discussed the origins of Nikolaos’ opening enthusiasm, how best to use engines, as well as which defenses to 1.e4 were most challenging to combat theoretically. Nikolaos is also an accomplished chess trainer who hasworked with the national team of Denmark. In our conversation, he offered some helpful chess improvement advice with a philosophical bent. Lastly, we discussed some of  Nicolaos’ other interests including correspondence chess, chess books, and martial arts. 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 0:02- What is the origin of Nikos’ popular Twitter threads, in which he suggests lines that have been used by GMs like Nakamura, Carlsen, and others? Mentioned: Nikolaos’ X account here: https://x.com/NikolaosNtirlis/status/1852645135487558104 10:00- Was there any defense against 1. E4 where it was particularly challenging to find fresh ideas? 14:30- What rating range is this book best suited for?  16:00- Does Nikos agree that one should learn opening ideas, rather than openings?  Mentioned: Nikos’ interview with Charlyze van Zyl for Forward Chess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyanVxu48lk 18:30- Patreon mailbag question: What did Nikos discover about an original line that Niemann played against Kramnik?  Mentioned Han Schut’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/hanschut Read the Twitter thread in question: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1841408942737420435.html 19:00- Who are Nikos’ favorite opening theoreticians?  25:00- What is Nikos’ advice for how amateurs should use engines?  32:00- Are there any underappreciated openings?  33:00- Nikos’ overall chess improvement advice 34:00- Where did Nikos’ love for openings start? Mentioned: GM Efim Geller  41:00-  Patreon mailbag question: How can one still win a game in correspondence chess?  48:00- What is Nikos’ advice for remembering openings?  52:00- Does Nikos play any OTB?  56:00- What are Nikos’ favorite books?  Mentioned: Mentioned: IM Willy Hendriks, IM Tibor Karolyi’s Fischer Books  1:00- Thanks to Nikos for joining me! You can check out his Quality Chess Books here:  https://qualitychess.co.uk/products/coming_soon/24060/reimagining_1e4_by_nikolaos_ntirlis/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchessQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2025

Dr. Joel Sneed is a professor, a practicing clinical psychologist and a highly-regarded chess author. And despite a busy professional and family life, Joel has achieved the rare feat of reaching a  2000+ USCF after starting tournament chess in his 30s. But, like many of us, Joel struggles to moderate his relationship with chess. He has long held a goal of reaching USCF Master, and puts a lot of pressure on himself to make it happen quickly. This has led to a repetitive cycle of despondency and quitting, followed by resuming chess, with renewed hopes of tackling his goals. In our conversation, we speak candidly about how Joel can derive more enjoyment from chess, and about what he would advise himself if he were his own patient. Joel also touches on how to manage anxiety around tournament chess, our thoughts on IM Levy Rozman’s GM-title pursuit,  and the lessons Joel learned from working with legendary Grandmaster (and co-author, GM Boris Gulko.). This was a fascinating conversation that I think will resonate with many of you. 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 0:02- What has been driving Joel’s repeated decisions to quit (then unquit) chess?  Check out his USCF history here:: https://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?13103922 0:13- Joel tells a story of a frustrating recent experience where he struggled to remember an opening line.  Mentioned: Episode 400  with NM Matt Gross, Episode 169 with Terry Chapman, Chess for Life by WIM Natash Regan and GM Matthew Sadler  26:00 What is “acceptance commitment therapy?”  Mentioned: Online value sorting tool: https://meetingpointcounseling.com/tools/ACT-card-sort/ 4 Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman  35:00- How can Joel realign his goals to make chess more enjoyable?  44:00- We discuss IM Levy Rozman’s GM title pursuit. Mentioned: GM Arturs Nieksans, Erik Erikson’s 8 Stages of Life  50:00- What did Joel learn from working with legendary GM Boris Gulko? Mentioned: Lessons with a Grandmaster, GM Hans Niemann’s video for IM Levy Rozman https://youtu.be/1p7rbQ723mQ?si=tok_0IZEBpsrLvtI 1:00:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Joel’s advice for dealing with pre-tournament anxiety?  Mentioned: Episode 309 with Dr. Joel Sneed 1:09:00- Thanks to Dr. Sneed for joining me, you can check out his books with GM Boris Gulko here: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Joel-Sneed/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AJoel%2BSneed 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

Transcribed - Published: 28 January 2025

The Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series returns to welcome back a guest who has continued to make steady rating progress. When I last chatted with Michael Franco, in 2021 (Episode 247), he was 7 years into his chess journey. Michael had reached a LiChess rating of 2000, but he was struggling as he tried to translate his online skill into OTB skill. He found learning to play on a 3D set challenging, and encountered the same logistical and financial hurdles that tournament chess presents for many of us. Three years later, Michael has managed to transition successfully to tournament chess, and has gained chess strength as well. His USCF rating is now 1981. In my opinion, the primary reason for Michael’s continued success is likely his consistent daily dedication to the game. Michael manages to play online games or read chess books every day, and he is also active as a teacher and community member in the Chess Dojo discord. In our interview, Michael shares plenty of new recommendations and reflections on what skills were needed to gain the last couple hundred points of rating strength. He continues to exemplify the improvement that is possible for someone who takes a consistent, incremental approach. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  You can check out the Spotify Adult Improver Series Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=18917f0e0a634bc6 Or the website here: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/adultimprover 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 0:02- Thanks to Patreon subs for helping to support Perpetual Chess.  You can join the community here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess 0:04- We review Michael’s chess history from his prior interview, then discuss what a chess day is like for him now.  Mentioned: Episode 247 with Michael Franco  Check out Michael’s USCF rating history here: https://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?16928844 Check out FM Donny Ariel’s YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@DonnyArielChess 0:15- How long did it take Michael to get used to OTB chess? What did he do to help acclimate? 0:17- What is Michael’s advice for players who feel like they don’t know what to do in the middlegame? Mentioned: How to Reassess Your Chess  0:23- How did Michael move up from 1800 to 2000 USCF in the last few years? Mentioned: Pump Up Your Rating  0:32- How many hours does Michael spend on chess? 0:37- More chess book recs! Mentioned: Seven Deadly Chess Sins,  My 60 Memorable Games, TurboCharge Your Tactics, Mastering Chess Strategy, Techniques of Positional Play, Woodpecker Method 2 0:46- Michael’s favorite online resources Mentioned: Daniel King’s Powerplay Chess, GM Daniel Naroditsky, IM Andras Toth, ChessNetwork, Dr. Can’s Chess Clinic  0:49- Why will Michael be taking a break from OTB chess? Why doesn’t he like the “one game per week” format offered in Austin, Texas?  55:00- Michael’s closing advice 57:00- Thanks to Michael for joining again! You can find him on Lichess or in the ChessDojo: https://lichess.org/@/NoseKnowsAll https://www.chessdojo.club/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 January 2025

35-year old GM Alex Lenderman was a World Youth Champion and has won the World Open among many other chess accomplishments, but he had never previously had the chance to play in the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz. Since it took place in his hometown this year, Alex looked at the opportunity to compete in it as “a once in a lifetime opportunity.”  But since Alex is no longer a professional player and has been losing rating points in recent years he worried about how he would perform. In this interview, Alex takes us behind the scenes of his preparation (or lack thereof), how he adjusted his mindset as an amateur player, what he thought of the venue, and how he dealt with the inevitable ups and downs of two exhausting tournaments. This particular story has a happy ending, as after a decent showing in the World Rapid, Alex performed even better in the World Blitz, beating GMs Sam Shankland, Le Quang Liem and others en route to shared 14th place! Not bad for “an adult decliner,” as Alex called himself. Of course, Alex also touched on some of the recent controversies in the chess world, and discussed how much players knew about sagas like “jeans gate,” as they unfolded. It was a real treat to hear a top player's perspective on this drama-filled tournament. 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 Mentioned: A LiChess study containing Alex’s games is here: https://lichess.org/study/dcY6zUKo/5k02uMvC And as always,  you can download all of the tournament’s games from Mark Crowther’s The Week in Chess: https://theweekinchess.com/chessnews/events/world-rapid-blitz-championship-2024 0:02- GM Alex Lenderman joins! When did he know he would play these events? How did he prepare?  0:06- Patreon mailbag questions: “What mindset did Alex take when playing higher-rated opponents like Nakamura and Abdusattorov? Is there any lesson amateur players might be able to take from this?” Mentioned: Alex also shares his take on the key to a previous guest, GM-elect Mark Heimann’s, recent breakthrough. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-415-gm-elect-mark-heimann-on-his-unexpected-road/id1185023674?i=1000682215973 21:00- What were the conditions like for players? What was the atmosphere like in the waiting room in between rounds?  24:00- We transition to discussing the World Blitz.  41:00- How aware was Alex of controversies like “jeansgate” while playing in the tournament? Mentioned: More information about Ivanchuk’s heartbreaking reaction to a tough loss vs. Naroditsky here: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1hq2dfz/ivanchuk_crying_out_loud_after_he_lost_his_game/?rdt=54420 55:00- Why does Alex think accuracy scores aren’t a great benchmark for identifying possible cheaters?  1:10:00- We return to the topic of the recent controversies around Magnus.  Mentioned: Dojo Talks with GM Jon Ludwig Hammer: https://youtu.be/XDhXhCqVQzM?si=lBvuieUlsOJ9WAdx 1:15:00- Thanks to Alex for joining me! You can reach him via email at: AlexLenderman33 at hotmail dot com  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

Transcribed - Published: 14 January 2025

IM Malcolm Pein is an institution in British chess who has played nearly every role imaginable in helping to grow the game. He is a former professional player who was the British Junior  Champion in 1977 , but these days is extremely busy as an organizer, journalist, author, store-owner,  and Captain of the England Olympiad team. After an eventful FIDE World Rapid & Blitz, I thought Malcolm would be a great person to chat with about the controversies, and about the general health of chess in 2025, both in Great Britain, and in the world generally. As the Founder and Organizer of the London Chess Classic, Malcolm regularly interacts with corporate sponsors and was able to contextualize the positive trajectory of chess despite recent negative headlines. We also touch on the business of selling chess books, Malcolm’s work at the grassroots level, and his thoughts on the passing of legendary GM Robert Hubner. I found this to be an informative and encouraging conversation, and think that you will as well.  You can read my article about the 2024 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz here, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter as well! https://benjohnson.substack.com/p/10-observations-about-the-world-rapid 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 0:03- Malcolm shares his thoughts on the 2024 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Hans Niemann interview with IM Levy Rozman- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2fGrnTZNP4 33:00- Malcolm discusses the origins of The London Chess Classic, and the most recent edition  - Mentioned: Malcolm’s 2022 Chessbase India interview with Chessbase India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDjh-CVEu5Y 40:00- How did GM Nikita Vitugiov end up transferring and moving to the U.K.  44:00- Patreon mailbag question: Is English chess in decline?  47:00- What were the origins of Malcolm’s Chess in Schools and Communities program in London?  53:00- Patreon mailbag question: What are some unexpected lessons Malcolm has learned through his organization’s community impact?  56:00- What is the most common question Malcolm hears from potential chess sponsors?  59:00- Patreon mailbag question: What changes does Malcolm foresee to chess in the next 10 years?  1:01:00- We discuss the business of selling books in person, both at Malcolm’s shop in London, and at OTB tournaments. Mentioned: Chess4Less.com  1:05:00- We discuss the work Malcolm has done consulting for television show’s, including Apple TV’s great show, Slow Horses.  Mentioned: You can watch the scene Malcolm consulted on here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8h17xz 1:09:00- Patreon mailbag question: Is it possible for an independent candidate to become FIDE President?  1:13:00- Did Malcolm know the recently deceased GM Robert Hübner ?   Thanks so Malcolm for an incredibly insightful interview, you can follow him on X here, or visit him at the next London Chess Classic! https://x.com/telegraphchess?lang=en If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 January 2025

31-year-old GM-elect Mark Heimann is an accomplished research scientist by day, and avid powerlifter, who has recently been making headlines in the U.S. chess scene during his work vacation time. In late 2024, Mark went on a stunning run where he earned GM norms in back-to-back tournaments in order to clinch the GM-title, less than 3 years removed from being an inactive FM. These experiences were highlighted by playing on the top boards in Charlotte and St. Louis, playing GM Fabiano Caruana twice, and even hearing his game dissected by GM Caruana on the C-Squared podcast. Mark joined me to explain what he thinks has led to this incredible chess breakthrough, and to answer a question that GM Anish Giri recently tweeted- “Who is Mark A. Heimann?”  Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com! Their entire catalog is on sale through the end of the year! https://www.chessable.com/courses/ 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 0:02: GM-elect Mark Heimann joins the show! What spurred his chess comeback in 2022?  Mentioned: Chess Reddit posts by Mark: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1h92nh4/mark_heimann_becomes_gm_after_earning_3rd_gm_norm/ https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1bzcmgf/my_first_grandmaster_norm_age_31/ 0:08- Does Mark think there are any similarities between his recent surge, and Hikaru’s continued success in recent years?  0:17- Mark on navigating the nerves, and the chess, of clashes with top players like Ivanchuk and Caruana.  Mentioned: Heimann-Caruana, Charlotte 2024 https://www.chess.com/events/2024-us-masters/09/Heimann_Mark-Caruana_Fabiano 0:24- Mark recalls an early game with Caruana from when they were both top scholastic players.  26:00- Why did Mark put chess on the backburner at age 18?  34:00- What is Mark’s study routine like?  45:00- Mark discusses his passion for musical instruments and weight-lifting.  52:00- What is next for Mark, chess-wise? 56:00- Mark discusses his A.I. research, including some discussion of chess ratings.  1:05- Mark’s favorite chess books. Mentioned: Chess for Zebras, Excelling at Technical Chess, Small Steps to Giant Improvement  1:11:00- Thanks to Mark for sharing his inspiring story, you can follow him on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/lastgoodcaesar/ If you 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

Transcribed - Published: 31 December 2024

David MacEnulty is an award-winning author and chess teacher who coached for many years at CES 70 school in the Bronx. In this  public school in a disadvantaged school district, the chess program began with modest expectations, but went on to win many national championships. David’s new book, Sunrise in the Bronx: Chess and Life Lessons from the South Bronx to the White House, tells the story of the many kids whose lives were changed through chess. In our interview, David shares a few of his favorite stories, with plenty of lessons to impart for both parents and anyone else who wishes to introduce the younger generation to chess. After CES-70, David went on to head the chess program at the Dalton School, an elite private school. In the book, and in our conversation, David also reflects on the similarities and differences in coaching at such different schools. As a longtime friend of David’s, I was excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint me. 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 0:02- How did David accidentally become a chess teacher in his 40s? What lessons did he learn? 22:00- Will there be an audiobook, will the book be on KIndle?  24:00- What surprising skills did chess help kids develop?  28:30- Patreon mailbag question- “Does David have any advice for motivating students to study chess at home?”  Mentioned: Matthew Looks, Bruce Alberston  35:40- Patreon mailbag question: “What is David’s advice for encouraging your kid to pursue tournament chess without ‘bulldozing them’?” 45:00- How did David and CES 70’s National Championship team get to meet President Bill Clinton?  46:00- What are the crucial components of chess improvement?  47:00- How does David spend his time in retirement?  48:00- We discuss the value of extra-curriculars at school 50:00- Should kids get trophies  for just participating in tournaments?  52:00- Thanks to David for joining me! Sunrise in the Bronx is available from Amazon, New in Chess, and many major booksellers. https://www.amazon.com/Sunrise-Bronx-Chess-Lessons-South/dp/9083434907 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 December 2024

In the chess world, the holiday season means its almost time for one of the most entertaining tournaments of the year- The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship. This year’s championship events are star-studded affairs featuring GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk and a litany of big-name challengers. For the first time, these events will be taking place in New York CIty, and I will be attending the event and subsequently covering them here on Perpetual Chess. Joining me to discuss the tournament are two wildcard participants. First up (9:00)  is the ever-popular Youtuber and Twitch streamer, IM Eric Rosen. Among other topics, IM Eric Rosen shares how he got the opportunity to play in the tournament, discusses whether he feels any apprehension about potentially tangling with so many world-class players, and discusses how he prepares for such an event. Eric joined me just after returning from the World Championship in Singapire, so he also reflects on that experience as well. Following Eric, I am joined by FM Alisa Melekhina (35:00) . Alisa was one of the top players her age as a scholastic player, and is now a litigation partner at an NYC-based law firm. Alisa explains why she couldn’t resist the opportunity to participate in the Women’s Rapid Championship despite a busy professional life. Alisa co-founded the New York City Corporate Chess League and she also shares the background on that thriving endeavor.  As always, I enjoyed chatting with Eric and Alisa, and look forward to watching them compete in this marquee event.  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

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2024

Just one day after the match's unforgettable conclusion, I am honored to be joined by lead Chess.com Commentator and popular YouTuber, GM Daniel Naroditsky. Danya takes us straight to the deciding moment of the match and then looks back to contextualize broader lessons from a battle that was closer than many expected. We tackle questions such as: Is it possible that Ding subconsciously was ok with losing this match? How uncharacteristic was Ding's blunder for a GM?  Did this match display more raw emotion than other recent World Championships? Is Magnus Carlsen's commentary impacting the chess discourse too much during a match? Following a detailed World Championship discussion, we touch on a few other topics, including the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz, Danya's upcoming Chessable course, and his recent coaching reflections. It was quite a treat to hear Danya process this match in real-time just one day after its conclusion. Approximate timestamps of topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.Be sure to check out the free course by IM Andras Toth on the World Championship match, the new Woodpecker Method 2 course, among their many offerings. If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 3:00 -Review game 14 of World Championship 13:00 -Danya’s commentary influences 15:00 -Behind the scenes of Danya’s commentary 18:00 -Overview of World Championship match 22:00 -Ding’s struggles 29:00 -Looking ahead to the next World Championship 31:30 -Emotions during the match 34:00 -Thoughts on Gukesh 36:30 -Takes on Magnus’ Take Take Take Recaps 45:00 -Potential changes to WC format 51:00 -Openings in the WC 57:00 -What the audience can learn from the match 1:01:30 -Final thoughts on WC/Danya’s embarrassing moment in commentary career 1:10:00 -Listener questions, Danya’s future chessable course 1:14:00 -Danya's 2025 tournament plans 1:17:00 -Kramnik accusations/thoughts on upcoming World Rapid and Blitz 1:22:00 -Favorite memories being a part of Charlotte Chess Center 1:26:00 -What happened to Danya's NY Times chess column? Thanks to Danya for joining me! Be sure to sub to his YouTube and Twitch channels: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHP9CdeguNUI-_nBv_UXBhw https://www.twitch.tv/gmnaroditsky 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

Transcribed - Published: 14 December 2024

GM Jon Ludvig Hammer is 3-time Norwegian Champion, popular commentator and highly-reviewed Chessable author. Most recently, GM Hammer has been broadcasting the World Championship for the YouTube channel of Magnus Carlsen’s TakeTakeTake app. In our conversation, Jon Ludvig discussed the origins of the Taketaketake company, and of his relationship with it. He also discussed the challenges of announcing without an engine, and shared his opinions on the best ways to present chess. Jon Ludvig has done a lot of coaching of amateurs around Chess.com’s Pogchamps, and also shares some chess improvement advice based on that experience, and tells the story of how it helped him shape an opening repertoire which he currently shares in his new Chessable course, Hammer’s My First Opening Repertoire for Black. We also touched on cheating in chess, Chess960, and GM Hammer’s 2025 plans. I always enjoy hearing GM Hammer’s takes, and I think that you will as well. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  This episode was recorded on December 3, and does not discuss the current state of the FIDE World Championship. For updated coverage of the Ding-Gukesh match check out the bonus pods.  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.In addition to GM Hammer’s course, be sure to check out the free course by IM Andras Toth on the World Championship match. If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:00- What is the origins of GM Hammer’s collaboration with Magnus’ new app, which is called TakeTakeTake Mentioned: Kaja Snare, WFM Dronning Maud, Sjakksnak Podcast with GM Hammer, the Magnus and Levy post-mortems we referenced are on the TakeTakeTake YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TakeTakeTakeApp 12:00- What are the chess broadcasts on TV like in Norway now that Magnus is semi-retired? 19:00- Why does Hammer think that chess is so much more popular as a spectator rather than participatory activity?  26:00- What frustrates GM Hammer about recent chess discourse? Mentioned: Chess in Slums, Brooklyn Castle, GM Ian Nepomniatchtchi cheated as an experiment against Hans Niemann:  https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1gvwoc1/nepo_admits_to_using_stockfish_against_hans_in/   38:00- Does GM Hammer do any coaching?  44:00- Is classical chess too slow? How is it presented on Norway television broadcasts?  52:00- How did Hammer discover his own Black setup for his Chessable course, Hammer’s My First Opening Repertoire for Black?  Mentioned: Mr. Savage, BenjyFishy  1:02:00- GM Hammer’s upcoming plans and projects If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 December 2024

An utterly unpredictable and entertaining World Championship match continues, and I am joined by popular YouTuber, Streamer, and Chessable Author, IM Andras Toth to discuss it. Andras has been regularly updating a free course on the program, and also had recently returned from visiting the match in Singapore. Andras provides a fun trip report, we discuss the many surprising aspects of the match, and we try to ascertain a few improvement takeaways for amateur players from this clash. Perpetual Chess will be back with one more look at this match after is conclusion.  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com, you can check out Andras’ free course here: https://www.chessable.com/world-chess-championship-2024-ding-vs-gukesh/course/281790/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 December 2024

Tension continues to escalate at the 2024 FIDE World Championship, as the match is now tied after 9 rounds. In recent rounds, both players have missed opportunities at times and also defended well in an entertaining match. In a Perpetual Chess World Championship tradition, I am joined by Chess.com’s FM Mike Klein. With so much insightful match analysis available online, Mike and I focused on what it is like behind the scenes at the venue, what he observes about he moods of the competitors, and how this match compares with others that Mike has covered. As always, Mike shared some funny anecdotes drawn from his ringside seat. We will back with more coverage as the match continues to unfold.  Watch Mike Klein’s (pre-match) interview with GM Ding Liren here: https://youtu.be/NkoWqaHpmGM?si=uS-Or_kAyb_FiO6R Watch his (pre-match) interview with Gukesh here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBYpdWX7m_Q If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2024

The Adult Improver Series returns to spotlight the inspiring story of another amateur chess player. This week’s guest is Supraja Vadlamani. Supraja is an India-born, Uganda-based economist who learned to play chess just a few years ago. Her interest intensified during the pandemic, and through some unusual circumstances, Supraja got the opportunity to play in the Olympiad for Niger. Supraja has  made impressive chess progress in just a few years, reaching Chess.com blitz and rapid ratings of 1800 and 1750 respectively. In a short time, Supraja has improved her game immensely and crossed paths with the likes of GM Fabiano Caruana and IM Eric Rosen. She shares her unique chess story and hard-won improvement advice. Timestamps of topics discussed and links of resources referenced can be found below. You can check out a playlist of the Adult Improver interviews here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=c57bb7bdfcf24644 If you would like to join or check out the Perpetual Chess Patreon community, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess https://www.chessable.com/world-chess-championship-2024-ding-vs-gukesh/course/281790/ Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.Their new courses include  IM Andras Toth’s course about the World Championship is here. If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:1:30- Supraja joins the podcast and shares her chess origins. Mentioned: IM Eric Rosen, WGM Tijana Mandura, GM Igor Smirnov, Chessmood.com, The Russo Gambit  13:00- What is Supraja’s approach to speed chess ?  16:00- Life in Uganda  19:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Is chess supported by the government in Niger?”  21:00- How is the chess scene in Uganda?  22:00- Supraja details her fierce chess rivalry with her boyfriend  23:00- Olympiad reflections and sightings Mentioned: GM Fabiano Caruana  30:00- Supraja’s tournament plans  37:00- How much time per week does Supraja study chess? 39:00  Does she follow professional class?  41:00- Supraja’s favorite and least favorite aspects of chess 42:00- Supraja’s  favorite openings  Mentioned: Maia bots 45:00- Supraja completes her IM Eric Rosen story Mentioned: Cameo.com  49:00- Supraja’s closing chess advice.  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

Transcribed - Published: 3 December 2024

The 2024 FIDE World Championship has been somewhat surprisingly tense and entertaining, and is tied after 6 games. I was privileged to be joined by two return guests to discuss the following:  Trainer, author and FIDE Press Officer, IM Michael Rahal (0:00) describes the venue in Singapore and provides behind the scenes details and perspective on the match. GM Jon Ludvig Hammer (35:00)  has been Commentating the Event for The TakeTakeTake YouTube Channel and therefore has analyzed every move as it occurs. He discusses the Openings, as well as whether he thinks Ding can continue to keep Gukesh on his heels. We hope to have more bonus coverage to come, and will definitely be following and covering the World Championship once it has concluded. 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

Transcribed - Published: 2 December 2024

GM Avetik Grigoryan is the founder and lead trainer of the education chess website Chessmood.com. I last interviewed Avetik in 2020, and his company has seen explosive growth since then. We discussed what Avetik has learned about growing a chess start-up, but also what he has learned about the challenges adults face in trying to improve at chess. Whereas previously Avetik thought the biggest obstacle was that people set unrealistic goals, now he sees a few bigger issues. We also talked about how artificial intelligence will impact chess improvement in the future and some of the tools Chessmood is working on to make improvement easier. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.Their new courses include  Chessable- Gukesh’s Masterful Moves.If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro To sign up for a free month of Chessmood, use the following link: http://Chessmood.com/Ben  2:00- Avetik’s World Championship Thoughts  Mentioned: GM Kevin Goh Wei Ming  5:30- Chess Improvement: Why did Avetik write that “Chess improvement has never been so easy, but never been so hard?”  Mentioned: NM Robert Ramirez  Avetik’s post regarding “Study, Practice, Fix” is here: https://chessmood.com/blog/how-to-get-better-at-chess 24:00- Avetik discusses the AI-enabled chess study tools that Chessmood is launching soon 41:00- What is it like to run a chess startup like Chessmood? 45:00- Avetik’s (non-chess) book recommendations: Mentioned: Beyond Positive Thinking The Third Door A New Earth 51:30- What did Avetik observe about my play from reviewing my games?  Mentioned: Chess for Life  Thanks to Avetik, for joining me!  To sign up for a free month of Chessmood, use the following link: http://Chessmood.com/Ben  If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 November 2024

This week’s guest, GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez is an accomplished trainer, player, Chessable author and one of the busiest players on the US tournament circuit. As such a frequent competitor, Fidel has had more than his share of successes (including winning the 2023 World Open!), but I have nonetheless often wondered how he finds the time and energy to play at a high level so frequently and consistently. Hearing Fidel’s fascinating life story helped me untangle the mystery. Fidel and I covered a ton of topics, including:  Why he quit his job as a computer programmer in 2023 to work full time in chess His long and winding path from Cuba to the United States  Attending Webster University with GM Wesley So, IM Eric Rosen and others  The most common mistakes he sees by his amateur students  How much he worries about OTB cheating as a frequent competitor for the top prizes His deep love for the Scotch Opening  This nearly 90-minute conversation flew by, and I am confident that you will enjoy it, as I did. Timestamps for topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.  If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Thanksgiving Chessmood giveaway! To access a free one-month membership (starting November 20)  to Chessmood.com and check out their 500+ hours of GM lessons- just click this link: https://chessmood.com/ben 0:02- Fidel has a family and a busy work schedule  but manages to play OTB quite frequently, how does he manage?  Mentioned: IM Eric Rosen  10:00- Fidel tells the story of how he first got a Visa in the US.  Mentioned: GM Susan Polgar  16:00- Why did Fidel quit his programming job to focus on chess in 2023?  27:00- Advice for getting over a tough loss.  30:00- As someone competing for top prizes, how worried is Fidel about OTB cheating? What about online cheating?  37:00- What are the biggest challenges Fidel sees in his under 1800 students? 40:00- Recommended chess books Mentioned: Can You Be a Positional Chess Genius? , Magnus Carlsen: Endgame Virtuoso, Improve Your Chess Calculation by GM Ramesh 50:00- Has Fidel ever played with the Cuban legend, GM Leiner Dominguez? 52:00- How did Fidel and his sister, WIM Zenia Corrales Jimenez get into chess?  Mentioned: IM Joaquin Carlos Diaz  1:05:00- Fidel discusses his time at Webster University with stars like GM Wesley So, Ray Robson and Le Quang Liem.  1:10:00- What was it like to play GM Judit Polgar in the World Cup? 1:13:00- We discuss Fidel’s experience with the Scotch Opening Mentioned:Mayhem in the Scotch: https://www.chessable.com/mayhem-in-the-scotch/course/259795/ 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

Transcribed - Published: 19 November 2024

It is World Championship season again! The FIDE World championship takes place from November 25 to December 13, in Singapore. As you probably know, GM Ding Liren will be defending his title against 18 year old wunderkind, GM Gukesh D. This is a unique matchup which features a fast-rising top 5 challenger, and a slumping World Champion who has fallen out of the top 20. Joining me to discuss it are three separate guests in the following order: Top trainer, author, and Ding Liren biographer, GM Davorin Kuljasevic shares his match thoughts. How does Ding’s recent play differ from that of “peak Ding?”   Author of From Boy to Man to Challenger: The Fiercest Battles of Gukesh D ,  IM Cyrus Lakdawala on why he thinks Gukesh has a chance to be an all-time great.  Statistician, and co-founder of Chessgoals.com, NM Matt Jensen on the betting markets, the likelihood of a tiebreak, and one key statistical factor that favors Gukesh.  Chatting about the World Championship always gets me excited for the match, and this year is no exception. Timestamps for guests and topics discussed is below.  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.  If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:00- Intro- Intro and Match facts  0:06- GM Davorin Kuljasevic joins to discuss GM Ding Liren, as well as his general thoughts on the match.  0:12- What openings might we expect? Which seconds might he be working with?  Mentioned: GM Eugene Perelshteyn’s Tweet: https://x.com/EugenePerel/status/1850321592678555941 World Championship bettings odds here: https://sports.bwin.com/en/sports/events/fide-world-championship-2024-15724987 23:00- Thanks to GM Kuljasevic for joining me, you can get his book on GM Ding Liren here 25:00- IM Cyrus Lakdawala joins to discuss GM D Gukesh Mentioned: From Boy to Man to Challenger: The Fiercest Battles of Gukesh D  35:00- Cyrus’ match predictions 39:00- Gukesh opening predictions 49:00- Cyrus’ upcoming projects  51:00- Statistician and NM Matt Jensen of Chessgoals.com joins to give a statistical preview to the match. 58:00- What is the expected draw rate for this match? What are the odds of a tiebreak?  1:08:00- What is new with Matt’s website Chessgoals? Check out the Chcessgoals ourses here, Use the code Ben2024 to save 30%:  https://courses.chessgoals.com/collections/ Check out their podcast  “No Pawn Intended” on the Chessgoals YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChessGoals 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

Transcribed - Published: 12 November 2024

GM Ben Finegold is back to share his thoughts on all of the recent crazy chess news. The popular commentator, YouTuber, and Chessable author and I discuss the controversies and highlights of the US Championships, as well as the most recent cheating accusations leveled by GM Vladimir Kramnik. Do these accusations have more merit than other recent ones? We also discuss OTB cheating, as Ben draws some comparisions to cheating episodes in the game of Bridge. Lastly, we discuss why the Nimzo-Indian is a favorite opening of Ben’s and Ben shares a few of his favorite stories related to chess and gambling. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.  Check out Ben’s course, Starting Out: Nimzo-Indian.  If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Mentioned:  GMs Daniel Naroditsky and Vladimir Kramnik on the Levitov channel  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFwfC6Y1SAQ Danya on C-Squared  https://youtu.be/RGiDosCed48?si=94GZd6Dx2TiD3wal 19:00- The Shevchenko story and OTB cheating.  23:00- How does cheating in bridge compare to chess? Is it easier to improve at bridge than chess?  27:00- Patreon mailbag question- What is worse, OTB cheating or the fear of OTB cheating? 30:45- We discuss the GM Christopher Yoo story and the stress of OTB chess.  39:00- Ben discusses the Nimzo-Indian and other favorite openings from childhood Mentioned: Starting out: The Nimzo Indian https://www.chessable.com/starting-out-nimzo-indian-defense/course/258506/ Tal-Botvinnik 1960  47:00- Patreon mailbag question: How you can acquire skills rather than knowledge from watching videos?  49:00- Ben shares a few stories about gambling on blitz and bullet chess.  Mentioned: GM Kirill Georgiev  58:00- Ben’s World Championship thoughts  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

Transcribed - Published: 5 November 2024

Peter Doggers is an award-winning chess journalist who is currently the director of News and Events at Chess.com. His role has given him a ringside seat to modern chess history, as he has attended many of the world’s top events, and interviewed the likes of GM Garry Kasparov, Hikaru Nakamura, and countless others. Peter’s new book, The Chess Revolution: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age covers everything from the beginnings of chess, to its many representations in pop culture, to the explosion in popularity the game has experienced in the internet age. Peter’s excellent book covers chess from all angles, so we zeroed in on a few of my favorite topics from the book including: the history of chess and computers, recent stories around chess cheating, and their implications for the future of chess, the rise of Chess.com, and the story behind the making of Peter’s book. Every chess fan will learn something from Peter’s book, and I greatly enjoyed discussing it with him. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.  Check out their new offerings including GM Garry Kasparov’s much anticipated Chessable debut! If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:03- We begin by discussing allegations of GM Kirill Shevchenko cheating at an OTB tournament 11:00- We discuss OTB and online cheating more generally 16:00- Peter tells a story from his book, of the famous Mechanical Turk, which was an 18th-century chess-playing machine with a human hidden behind it.  https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=the+turk+chess 21:00- We discuss the famous Kasparov-Deep Blue match as well as another watershed “man vs. machine” match featuring GM Michael Adams.  Mentioned: The TV series Rematch- more info here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rematch_(miniseries) 25:00- Patreon mailbag question: Where does Peter see chess heading in the next 10 years?  Mentioned: IM Daniel Rensch’s interview with Ilya Levitov https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JeMsV9aNec 32:00- Peter tells the story of what he believes to be the first online encounter between Magnus and Hikaru in 2004 on the Internet Chess Club. We also discuss a “Secret” Magnus-Hikaru blitz match.  Mentioned: YouTube excerpt from Macauley Peterson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGXvcQP6VPo 37:00- The history of Chess.com and LiChess  Mentioned: Lichess founder Thibault Duplessis 39:00- We discuss the chess GOATS- Magnus, Fischer and Kasparov. As discussed in last week’s episode with FM Charles Hertan, did he consider Morphy for the GOAT list?  44:00- What was the biggest challenge in writing the book and compiling the material? 52:00- How did Peter find a publisher, that ultimately wound up in a bidding war? 58:00- Did Peter write in English or Dutch? 1:00:00- Peter’s favorite chapters?  1:02:00- Peter’s plans for an OTB comeback.  1:04:00- Thanks to Peter for joining! Here is how to reach him: You email Peter at Peter at chess dot com peterdoggers.com Chess.com profile- https://www.chess.com/players/peter-doggers Get the book here-  https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+chess+revolution+peter+doggers&crid=2PYSZWX9BPES&sprefix=the+chess+rev%2Caps%2C164&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_13 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 October 2024

This week’s guest is renowned author and 2-time Massachusetts state champion, FM Charles Hertan. Charles’ new book, The Real Paul Morphy takes an all-encompassing look at the complex legacy of Paul Morphy. Morphy is widely regarded as the best player of the 19th century, yet still might be underappreciated. What made Morphy’s play so special?  Why isn’t he mentioned more often in the chess G.O.A.T. conversations? What led to his mental health struggles and early chess retirement? In addition to discussing Paul Morphy, we talk about why Charles’ playing career. He reviews why he retired from OTB chess near a peak rating of 2500 USCF, and Charles shares chess improvement advice from his classic tactics manual, Forcing Chess Moves. As always, approximate timestamps of topics discussed can be found below.  Chessable Pro-  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.  Check out their new offerings including GM Garry Kasparov’s much anticipated Chessable debut! If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:00- We dive right into Charles’ new book, The Real Paul Morphy. How did Morphy get so good so fast? What differentiated his skills? Purchase the book and access a free preview from New in Chess here: https://www.newinchess.com/the-real-paul-morphy 10:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What was Morphy’s approach to chess improvement?” 17:00- Does Charles have a favorite story that is illustrative of Morphy’s genius? 22:00-  Patreon mailbag question: “Why is Morphy often overlooked in GOAT conversations?” 28:00- Why didn’t Morphy’s brilliant chess skills translate to other domains?  31:00- Did Charles discover any new details about the famed “Opera game”?  Mentioned: Edward Winter article on this game.. https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/morphy.html 35:00- Patreon mailbag question: ‘How does Charles’ book differ from the famous 1976 biography Paul Morphy: The Pride and Sorrow of Chess?” 43:00- We discuss some of the chess improvement lessons from Charles’ classic book, Forcing Chess Moves.  54:00- Patreon mailbag question: “When solving tactics puzzles, should one look at their opponents forcing moves before considering their own?”  1:00:00- Charles peaked with a USCF Rating over 2500. What led to his retiring from OTB chess at age 39?  1:08:00- We return to the topic of Morphy- What led to his unfortunate mental health issues in his later years? As a mental health professional, what does Charles think afflicted Morphy? 1:18:00- Given Morphy and Fischer’s mental health issues, does he think there is a correlation between genius and mental illness? 1:19:00- What was Morphy’s social life like?  1:22:00- Does Charles have a favorite game of Morphy’s?  Morphy vs. Lowenthal match- https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=79504 1:22:00- Thanks so much to Charles for joining me, you can reach him via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562693384236 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

Transcribed - Published: 22 October 2024

This week’s returning guest is ChessDojo co-founder, IM Kostya Kavutskiy. Kostya joined me after returning from a busy summer of chess travel in Europe. Kostya has recently redoubled his efforts to earn the Grandmaster title, and has been competing OTB frequently. He also attended the Olympiad and gave a fascinating first-hand perspective of what it was like to be in Budapest. Kostya has been writing about both his GM quest and the Olympiad on his recently launched blog, Kostya goes for GM. As an experienced trainer, and Chessable Author, Kostya is always insightful on the challenges of chess improvement, both his own, and that of the Chess Dojo members across the rating spectrum. With that in mind, we began the conversation by discussing the challenges Kostya is facing, as well as those from some podcast listeners.  After 30+ minutes of chess improvement talk we discussed the Olympiad, what is new with the ChessDojo, and even a forthcoming book. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below.  0:00-  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.  Check out their new offerings including GM Garry Kasparov’s much anticipated Chessable debut! If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 02:00- Why did Kostya decide to redouble his efforts to earn the GM title and start a blog about it? Mentioned: Kostya goes for GM Kostya’s interview with Chessbase India: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihXw3q8UMdM 06:00- Are the changes in the FIDE rating system noticeable yet?  11:00- Kostya recently played a few tournaments in Europe. What did he learn from them? 18:00- Patreon mailbag question: Is there a correlation between solving easy puzzles quickly and solving more challenging ones?  21:00- What is new with the Chessdojo?  26:00- Patreon mailbag question:  Is there still room for classic chess books like The Art of Attack in Chess.  Chessable-  https://www.chessable.com/the-art-of-attack-in-chess/course/24575/ Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/Art-Attack-Chess-Ladimir-Vukovic/dp/1857444000 29:00- Is Kostya taking inspiration from Levy’s GM quest?  36:00- Kostya shares some reflections from visiting the Olympiad.  Mentioned:  Kostya’s blog post about the Olympiad: https://hellokostya.substack.com/p/12-things-i-learned-from-the-budapest 52:00- Kostya discusses a forthcoming Chess Dojo book.  54:00- Thanks as always to Kostya for joining, you can find him via Chessdojo as well as his own social media accounts.  https://www.chessdojo.club/ Twitter/X-  https://x.com/hellokostya?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/hellokostya/ ChessDojo YouTube-  https://www.youtube.com/c/ChessDojo If  you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:  https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 October 2024

“Coming back to classical chess was the best decision of my life,” Selim said.  IM-elect Selim Citak came out of semi-retirement on a whim a few years ago, needing one more norm and some more FIDE rating points, in order to earn the IM title. Selim quickly discovered that adjustments were necessary, as his rating plummeted from over 2300 to 2150 while he grappled with the stronger new generation of chess players. Through hard work, sacrifice, and psychological adjustments, Selim turned things around and gained the 250 FIDE points and final norm necessary to earn the IM title at age 39! In our conversation, Selim shares his remarkable story, along with plenty of chess improvement advice. Selim is very active in the Turkish chess scene as an author, Chessable author and commentator.  He joined me just after attending the Olympiad as a second to young star GM Yagiz Erdogmus. Selim also shared what makes GM Ediz Gurel and him such special talents, and why Turkey is a potential rising chess power. This was an inspiring conversation of personal chess revival, so be sure to tune in.   1:30- IM-elect Selim Citak joins me: He discusses his chess origins and why did he returned to tournament chess in 2022.  Mentioned: GM Suat Atalik, GM Mikhail Gurevich Selim’s FIDE graph: https://ratings.fide.com/profile/6301819/chart 22:00- Selim describes his study routine Mentioned: GM Evgeny Romanov  28:00- Selim’s approach to openings  35:00- Selim’s study routine, and how he pays for the expenses  Mentioned: Sorcerer’s Apprentice by GM David Bronstein  43:00- Does Selim play a lot online chess?  49:00- Selim’s next goals 53:00- Selim’s helped GM Erdogmus at the Olympiad. He reflects on the experience and Turkey’s status as a potential future chess powerhouse.  Mentioned: GM Ediz Gurel, GM Yağız Erdoğmuş 1:10:00- Selim’s advice for getting unstuck.  If you would like the help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 October 2024

This week’s returning guest is the renowned author, Chessable author and trainer, GM Axel Smith. Axel, of course is best known for the groundbreaking tactics manual, The Woodpecker Method, and is finally releasing its much-anticipated sequel, The Woodpecker Method 2: Positional Play.  While the first Woodpecker volume focused on tactics, this one helps readers learn critical positional patterns. In our conversation, we discuss the challenges of and logistics behind selecting over 1000 positional puzzles. We also have a wide-ranging discussion about Axel’s latest thoughts about chess improvement, a topic he has covered in excellent books like Pump Up Your Rating and Street Smart Chess. We touch on how Axel’s chess goals have evolved now that he has a family, his advice regarding offering draws, and even the parallels between trying to improve at distance running and at chess. As always links of topics referenced are below.    Book available from Quality Chess and Forward Chess, coming soon to Chessable  https://forwardchess.com/product/the-woodpecker-method2 PDF Sample of the book: https://forwardchess.com/sample/the-woodpecker-method2 Forward Chess: https://forwardchess.com/product/the-woodpecker-method2 02:00-  GM Axel Smith joins the show. Was it challenging to make a compilation of “positional puzzles”?  Mentioned: GMs Christopher Yoo, Renier Castellanos, Sam Shankland, Nordirbek Abdusattorov  Simple Chess, Winning Chess Strategies, The Power of Pawns  14:00-  Patreon mailbag question: When will Woodpecker 2 be available on Chessable?  Mentioned: FM Nate Solon’s post, Woodpecker Revisited https://zwischenzug.substack.com/p/the-woodpecker-method-revisited?utm_source=publication-search 21:00- Check out the app of our new sponsors Chess Universe in your app store.  https://chess-universe.sng.link/Dqw52/kbhh 22:00- We revisit some of the most memorable chess improvement advice from Axel’s classic book Pump Up Your Rating. What advice would he change?  Mentioned: My Chessable course, Identifying Critical Moments in Chess https://www.chessable.com/identifying-critical-moments-in-chess/course/248353/ 31:00- Axel quit his job to focus on distance running training, and runs 20 Kilometers a day. We discuss his training regimen 38:00- Returning to chess, we discuss Axel’s philosophy regarding draw offers.  40:00- Has the success of The Woodpecker Method changed Axel’s life? 43:00- Why does Axel think adults often struggle to improve?  47:00- Has Axel’s overall improvement philosophy changed since Pump Up Your Rating? 48:00- Thanks to Axel for rejoining us, you can keep up with his work via Chessable and Quality Chess.  https://www.chessable.com/author/axelsmith/ https://qualitychess.co.uk/products/improvement/446/_the_woodpecker_method_2_by_axel_smith/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2024

Sam Kahn is a writer and film producer by day with a passion for chess, and particularly, the lessons we can learn from chess history. Sam is especially fascinated by the distinct chess styles that one can see by playing through the games of prior greats like Lasker, Pillsbury and Capablanca. He writes about the lessons we can learn from these players in his excellent new collaboration with IM Cyrus Lakdawala, A Century of Chess Book 1: 1900-1909. Of course, before Sam became consumed by chess history, he obsessively focused on his own game. Sam has his share of stories from all-nighters at NYC chess dens, and reflects on how he achieved the 2100 USCF level, and why he thinks it will be challenging to reach a highe level.  Based on his own experiences, Sam also shares tips for navigating the narrow path from “degenerate” chess obsessive to healthy chess hobbyist. As an avid reader of Sam’s blogs (both chess and non-chess), I was excited to hear him reflect on his own chess story. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Check out the app of our new sponsors Chess Universe in your app store.  https://chess-universe.sng.link/Dqw52/kbhh 0:02- What makes some chess players better than ourselves? Mentioned: Sam’s post My Insane, Degenerate, Overpowering Chess Hobby https://samkahn.substack.com/p/my-insane-degenerate-overpowering 0:07- Has AI changed the romanticism of players representing competing schools of thought?  11:30- As a 2100 level player, why is Sam dismissive of his own chess abilities?  Mentioned: Edward Winter’s post about the famous quote “Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe.” https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/proverbs.html 16:00- Why does Sam call legendary NYC IM Jay Bonin his “White Whale”? 18:00- What does Sam think are the best ways to improve at chess?  24:00- Thanks to our sponsors: Check out new Chessable courses by me, GM Nils Grandelius, and GM Sam Shankland- if you sign up for Chessable Pro, be sure to use this link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 25:00- What is the story behind Sam’s chess history blog being turned into a book?  Mentioned: Colin Stapcynzcki A Century of Chess Book 1: 1900-1909, IM Cyrus Lakdawala  33:00- Who is Sam’s favorite chess player covered in the book? Mentioned: Lasker, Maroczy, Pillsbury  38:00- How does Sam ascertain the stylistic tendencies of historical chess players?  Mentioned: Nimzowitsch, Janowski, New in Chess Podcast with GM Tiger Hillarp Persson https://open.spotify.com/episode/1hmw6yMC1u2mwYo5HUjNPG?si=43cd8d56debb4319 48:00- Is there much overlap between Sam’s non-chess blog and his chess blog?  https://samkahn.substack.com/p/my-insane-degenerate-overpowering 55:00- Sam’s advice for finding a balanced approach to chess.  57:00- In his late 30s, is Sam too old to make the  master level?  Mentioned: Episode 400 with NM Matt Gross 1:03:00- Sam’s favorite chess history writers: Mentioned: Richard Reti’s Masters of the Chessboard, Irving Chernev, GM Andy Soltis, My Great Predecessor’s, On the Origin of Good Moves by IM Willy Hendriks, Ink Wars by IM Willy Hendriks  1:09:00- Thanks to Sam for joining.   Here is how you can check out his work.   Book-  A Century of Chess Book 1: 1900-1909, Chess.com History Blog- https://www.chess.com/member/kahns Non-Chess Blog- https://samkahn.substack.com/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 September 2024

As the FIDE Chess Olympiad enters the homestretch, it has been as entertaining as ever. It is hard to keep up with all of the emerging storylines, but Chessable's Mr. Dodgy joined me from Budapest to discuss a few, as well as to describe the atmosphere in Budapest and at the playing hall. Topics covered include: the cell phone camera controversy, GM Ding Liren's disappointing performance, India's dominance, and the inspiring story of Eman Sawan. You can find links to all of the stories referenced below. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the tournament! 0:00- Welcome  3:00- How Budapest compares to the 2022 Chennai Olympiad  5:55- The Women in Chess Foundation 08:56- The Kramnik camera phone controversy  12:00- GM Ding Liren’s uninspiring performance at the tournament  15:00- Final thoughts: Is India inevitable?  Find out more about the phone in the playing hall controversy here: https://x.com/chess24com/status/1837226230082588923 Chessbase India shorts: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChessBaseIndiachannel/shorts Check out FM Mike Klein’s interview with Palestinian star performer Eman Sawan here: https://x.com/chess24com/status/1836815099614400866 Magnus arrival by bicycle to an early round: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1ffxngn/twitter_photochess_magnus_carlsen_arrives_late/ GM Peter Svidler’s Ding Liren comment: https://x.com/FIDE_chess/status/1836397064143438001 Thanks to Mr. Dodgy for joining, Check out the Women in Chess Foundation here: https://www.womeninchess.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 September 2024

The Adult Improver series returns to Perpetual Chess to spotlight another accomplished amateur. This week we are joined by 48-year-old data scientist, NM Matt Gross. Matt returned to tournament chess after a 17-year hiatus with a mission to earn the USCF Master title. With a 2140 rating, Matt did not need to earn so many additional points to reach his goal, but he found that the game had evolved and competition was much tougher in 2021 than in had been in  2004. Matt could no longer rely on outcalculating his opponents and playing dodgy openings, He soon realized that  he would need to revamp his entire chess game. He decided to focus on building a solid repertoire, and, most of all,to work assiduously to improve his chess intuition.  Matt’s mission to make NM took a few years, but he managed to earn the title in 2023, possibly making him one of the oldest players to earn the NM title in the past few years. Our conversation is about how he went about this.  In addition to the insights from this conversation, Matt also shares a treasure trove of advice and resources on his blog, Movelibrary. Thanks to Matt for sharing his inspiring story!  Check out Matt's blog here: https://www.movelibrary.com/ You can find a playlist of the Adult Improver Series interviews here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=Jkd_NO5ZSzGB2XakMmSv3Aπ=u-8s5JlGJPRHGj 0:00- Thanks to Perpetual Chess Patreon subs for helping to support the podcast! If you would like to join the community, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess 0:00- Thanks to our sponsors: Check out new Chessable courses by me, GM Nils Grandelius, and GM Sam Shankland- if you sign up for Chessable Pro, be sure to use this link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:02- NM Matt Gross joins the podcast and discusses how he got back into chess during the pandemic after 17 years away.  Mentioned: GM Gata Kamsky’s Twitch stream  0:08- Why did Matt think he would need to revamp his game after a 17-year hiatus?  Mentioned: Matt’s “TLDR” post is here: https://www.movelibrary.com/story/1/ 14:00- Why did Matt decide to focus on studying model games and working to improve his intuition?  22:00- Check out the app of our new sponsors Chess Universe in your app store.  https://chess-universe.sng.link/Dqw52/kbhh 23:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Many GMs have suggested that calculation is the great differentiator between masters and club players, so why focus on intuition rather than calculation?”  32:00- What surprised Matt in coming back to tournaments for the first time in 17 years?  Mentioned: GM Naroditsky series The Blitz Chess Manifesto https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-blitz-chess-manifesto 45:00- Matt’s favorite content creators and books Mentioned: GM John Nunn, Zurich 1953, Fire on Board, GM Hikaru Nakamura, The ChessDojo  47:00- How does Matt approach online play?  48:00- How much time does Matt spend reviewing his games? 51:00- How did it feel for Matt to achieve his goal and reach the ranking of  USCF Master?  55:00- How does Matt prepare openings for common opponents?  Mentioned: NM Peter MInear, NM Matt O’Brien  56:00- Matt’s improvement advice for lower-rated players.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 September 2024

This week I am honored to be joined by author, trainer, and 2 time Swedish National Champion, GM Tiger Hillarp Persson. Tiger has a unique background for a GM, as at the age of 26, when  he was not yet an IM, he decided to pursue chess professionally nonetheless. From there he made rapid progress and has been an active player ever since. But Tiger is equally passionate about another complex game, Go, which he started playing at the age of 40. He has become a master-level player, and has represented his native Sweden in international Go tournaments as well. In our conversation, Tiger discusses the challenges and rewards of improving at both games, and why he thinks substantial improvement is possible at both if one is honest with oneself and works hard. We also discuss Tiger’s fantastic new book, Tiger’s Chaos Theory. The book deconstructs and gives vocabulary to some uncommon and important patterns and situations in chess, and is a pleasure to read. I found this conversation very insightful, and I trust that you will as well. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsors: Check out new Chessable courses by me, GM Nils Grandelius, and GM Sam Shankland- if you sign up for Chessable Pro, be sure to use this link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Check out the app of our new sponsors Chess Universe in your app store.  https://chess-universe.sng.link/Dqw52/kbhh 0:02- GM Tiger Hillarp Persson joins the pod. We begin by discussing why Tiger decided to devote himself fully to chess at age 26, when he was not even an IM at that point. Mentioned: Karpov-Miles 1980, The Soviet Chess Conveyor by Shereshevsky  18:00- What has pursuing excellence at Go taught Tiger about chess improvement?  Mentioned: Check out Tiger’s blog here: https://tiger.bagofcats.net/ Ivanchuk-Van Foreest 2022: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2416368 37:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Does Tiger play unorthodox openings in Go as well? “ 42:00- Tiger discusses the study method of trying to imitate the play of a player whose style you admire, as he did for Karpov.  48:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Have computers been a blessing or a curse for chess?” 52:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is Tiger’s advice for lower rated players for assessing sacrifices?”  Mentioned: The Art of Sacrifice by Rudolph Spielman  56:00- Tiger’s other favorite chess books Mentioned: Under the Surface by GM Jan Markos  59:00- What is a hecatomb? 1:00:00- Tiger’s favorite tournament memories  Mentioned: GM Jonathan Rowson, GM Peter Heine Nielsen, GM Lembit Oll  1:05:00- Tiger is playing on the Swedish team at the Olympiad. How does he prepare?  1:10:00- Tiger discusses his most famous win, an amazing game against GM Peter Hiene Nielsen  https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1434778 1:12:00- Thanks to Tiger for joining me! Here are links to check out his book: https://qualitychess.co.uk/products/improvement/23034/tigers_chaos_theory_by_tiger_hillarp_persson/ Free preview from Quality Chess: https://qualitychess.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Tigers-Chaos-Theory-060-excerpt-1.pdf Forward Chess: https://forwardchess.com/product/tigers-chaos-theory     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 September 2024