Perpetual Chess Podcast

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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“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

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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/

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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

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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/

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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_NO5ZSzGB2XakMmSv3A&pi=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. 

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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

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The 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad begins September 11, 2024 in Budapest, and will feature many of the world’s top players. It is always a fun tournament for players and fans alike with its unique format and the opportunity for players to represent their countries. Joining me to help preview this year’s edition is 14- time British Chess Olympian, author, and 3 time British champion, GM Jonathan Speelman. Before Jon joins me, I discuss storylines I am excited for, including Magnus’ return to classical chess, a star-studded Indian team, and the Olympiad debut of a young British star. At the 14 minute mark, GM Speelman joins me to share some of his own Olympiad memories, as well as to share his thoughts on this year’s edition. The Olympiad is always one of my favorite tournaments to follow, and you can be sure that Perpetual Chess will be following and covering this year’s edition in detail. 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

0:12:00- 10 storylines I am excited for the in the Olympiad

Mentioned: You can see the Olympiad rosters:

Thanks to our longtime 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

14:00- GM Jonathan Speelman joins me and reflects on his Olympiad experiences as a player and trainer. 

Mentioned: 

Kasparov-Speelman 1980 

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1069881

36:00- Jon shares his thoughts on this year’s Olympiad. 

Mentioned: 

2700chess.com 

55:00- Jon reminsices about the 1988 Olympiad, the young Polgar sisters and “Grandmaster Clash”

Check out Grandmaster Clash here:

Grandmaster Clash - 28th Chess Olympiad 1988 with Stephen Fry

1:00- Predictions? 

1:00- Thanks, as always to GM Speelman for joining me, you can subscribe to this Twitch channel here: 

https://www.twitch.tv/jonspeelman

1:02- If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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On September 6, almost two years to the day after their fateful game at the Sinquefield Cup, Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann will meet at Chess.com’s Speed Chess Championship. They will play in front of an audience in Paris, France.  Joining me to discuss the history of this feud, and the details of this match is popular commentator, YouTuber and Twitch streamer GM Ben Finegold. Does Hans have a chance given his impressive play lately? Since Magnus has been refusing to play Niemann, is there a chance that Magnus won’t show up to the match? What openings might we expect?  We dive into these questions and many more in our conversation. 

All the information you need about the match is here:

https://www.chess.com/events/info/2024-speed-chess-championship

Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com! Check out my new course here, Identifying Critical Moments in Chess, here:

https://www.chessable.com/identifying-critical-moments-in-chess/course/248353/

1:30- Hans has been on a massive heater and has cracked the top 20 in Classical for the first time.  Can he actually win? 

5:00- Does Ben agree with Hikaru that Magnus has a particular edge in bullet?

Mentioned: Hikaru on Hans-Magnus in Paris

https://youtube.com/shorts/y3MkTIlEILY?si=oLR4rc7a3EZrqrku

7:30- Should we expect Hans’ ascent to continue?

11:00- Ben’s thoughts on Hans’ recent interview with GM Daniel Naroditsky

https://youtu.be/ZFBAuihQYgw?si=QGCenzk5sKeZlEGv

25:00- Where is the prize money for Hans’ tour coming from? 

Mentioned: Hans tweet

https://x.com/HansMokeNiemann/status/1827750674873958819

26:00- We discuss IM Daniel Rensch’s response to Hans’ recent interview

https://x.com/DanielRensch/status/1821536477924438528

32:00- Predictions

Thanks as always to GM Ben Finegold for joining. You know where to find him!

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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JulesGambit is a popular Twitch streamer and YouTuber who rediscovered chess while at university and has seen rapid growth in her rating and her online following. Jules joined me shortly after competing in the BotezChessCamp, a unique tournament where she lived in a house with other female chess stars like the Botezes and Anna Cramling and competed in a tournament. Jules was the lowest-rated entrant, but gained rating and drew 2-time US Women’s Champ Jennifer Yu in a classical game. This incredible result comes on the heels of a 2 year period where she has taken her rating from 1000 USCF to around 1800. In our conversation, we discuss the keys to Jules’ progress, the story behind the BotezChessCamp and what Jules plans to study next as she turns her attention to chess full-time. Jules is quick to credit many well-known chess players for helping fuel her growth as chess player, student and presenter, and it was inspiring to hear someone so motivated to continue her chess growth. 

Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com. My new course, Identifying Critical Moments in Chess is one of the many new offerings worth checking out. 

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

2:00- Jules joins the show. We being by discussing her recent experience at the BotezChessCamp 

Mentioned: Alexandra Botez, WGM Dina Belenkaya, Jules video “I went on a date with Andrea Botez” 

https://youtu.be/jM6ezgnO7c0?si=K05Fs6RZPmiTAWpt

Check out Jules’ game with Jennifer Yu here:

https://www.chess.com/events/2024-botez-chess-camp-classical/07/Schulman_Julia-Yu_Jennifer

18:00- How did Jules get back into chess during college? What has led to Jules’ rapid rating progress in the past two years?

Mentioned: How I went from 900 to 1700 in one year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PFIyAtOiho

Coffee Chess YouTube 

28:00- What did Jules’ college friends think of her chess streaming?

31:00- Why is Jules switching from emphasizing Twitch streaming to YouTube?

37:00- Why did Jules quit chess as a kid?

44:00- How do people respond to Jules’ interest in chess on dating apps? 

46:30- What are Jules’ next chess goals?What is she currently studying?

Mentioned: Positional Decision Making in Chess. Endgame Studies 101, Forcing Chess Moves 

55:00- What was the highlight of going to a camp at Charlotte Chess Center with GMs R.B. Ramesh, Judit Polgar, and Veselin Topalov?

58:00- How did Jules manage to write her thesis about chess? What was the conclusion of her research regarding geographic distribution of 2600+ players?

Mentioned: GM David Brodsky 

1:00:00- Thanks to Jules for joining! Here is how to keep up with her!

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/julesgambit/?hl=en

Twitch

https://www.twitch.tv/julesgambit

YouTube 

https://www.youtube.com/@Julesgambit

X 

https://x.com/julesgambit?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

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GM Pontus Carlsson is a Grandmaster, trainer, entrepreneur, and the founder of the non-profit Business Meets Chess & Kids. Pontus is always forthright and entertaining, and in his third visit to the podcast, we  caught up on chess topics including: 

• The unique stress of being World Chess Champion, and Pontus’ thoughts on the upcoming match 
• Pontus’ advice for helping to remember openings
• Will Pontus be following the Hans-Magnus speed chess championship match? What happened the first time Pontus encountered an 8 year old Magnus Carlsen (no relation) at a Scandinavian championship event? 
• The positives and negatives of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz occurring in New York this year

We also discussed online chess cheating, the upcoming Olympiad, and an online chess charity event which Pontus will be organizing this weekend, called Chess 2 Change. This is a fun event for amateurs to play in, meet successful chess and business personalities, and is potentially life-changing for the young chess talents who participate in the event. GM Maurice Ashley will be broadcasting this year’s edition on August 25. As is often the case, we covered a wide range of chess stories, so you can check the show notes for timestamps of topics of interest. 

Information for the Chess 2 Change event on August 25 is here:

https://businessmeetschessandkids.com/chess-to-change/

Pontus prior interviews: 

Episode 29

Episode 101

02:00- We chat about rating deflation as Pontus reflects on a recent tournament in Bratislava 

7:00- What is Pontus’ current day job?

10:00- Online chess cheating

14:00- The first time Pontus encountered an 8 year old Magnus Carlsen

18:00- The stress of being World Chess Champion 

20:30- Pontus’ thoughts on the Ding-Gukesh match

24:00- The Olympiad

Mentioned: GM Nils Grandelius, GM Erik Blomqvist, GM Tiger Hillarp Persson, IM Martin Lokander 

29:00- Pontus’ advice for remembering openings 

34- Chess improvement advice for adults 

38:00- Famous “touch-move” controversies involving Hikaru Nakamura and Garry Kasparov 

42:00- The challenges of professional chess for those below the top 10

48:00- More on the upcoming Hans-Magnus match

Watch GM Hans NIemann’s recent interview here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFBAuihQYgw

51:00- World Rapid and Blitz will be in New York

Mentioned: FIDE Press Release here:

https://www.fide.com/news/3070

1:04:00- Pontus discusses his upcoming charity event, Chess 2 Change

Mentioned: The Gift of Chess, Chess in Slums 

1:30:00- Thanks again to Pontus for rejoining the podcast! You can find all of the information you need about chess to change below:

Business Meets Chess & Kids

https://businessmeetschessandkids.com/

Chess 2 Change

https://businessmeetschessandkids.com/chess-to-change/

The Twitch Channel where the Charity Tournament will be Broadcasted

https://www.twitch.tv/chess2change

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FM Kamil Plichta is a renowned opening theoretician, Chessable author, trainer, and blitz/bullet specialist. In our conversation, Kamil highlights several important chess improvement-related topics: 

• The value of learning by emulating those slightly higher rated than you 
• Knowing when to withdraw from a brutal tournament 
• Advice for choosing openings 

We also chat about Kamil’s pursuit of the IM title, the London System, the English Defence, and much more. It's always fun to talk chess with Kamil, and it had been too long since our previous interview! Timestamps for topics discussed are below. 

Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com. If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use this link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:00- Kamil discusses the value of learning from studying games from the next level up, rather than from Super GM games

Mentioned: Lego Chess 

11:30- Kamil is one norm away from the IM title. How is the journey? 

18:00- Kamil reflects on a recent poor OTB showing. 

32:00- Bullet chess advice! 

35:00- Opening advice for amateurs 

40:00- What is the English Defence?

46:00- How does Kamil use engines?

48:00- Kamil’s recommended line against the London System

51:00- Closing chess advice 

Thanks to Kamil for joining me, here is how to keep up with him.

Kamil’s Chessable Author page:

https://www.chessable.com/author/kamilplichta/

Follow him on X here:

https://x.com/Kaldas90

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the co-founder of Quality Chess Books and Killer Chess Training.com, GM Jacob Aagaard is always a busy man. This year, the award-winning author and trainer has been even busier. It was recently announced that his company, Quality Chess Books is acquiring two of the biggest chess publishers (New in Chess Books and Everyman Chess) from Chess.com. Jacob joined me to tell me the story behind these acquisitions, as well as the decision of his co-founder, GM John Shaw to retire. Jacob is always insightful and opinionated about professional chess, so we also got the opportunity to hear his takes on Ding-Gukesh, rating deflation, and IM Levy Rozman’s quest for the GM title, among other topics. As always, Jacob was very generous with his time, and you can find timestamps of topics discussed below. 

Jacob’s prior appearances on Perpetual Chess: 

Episode 111

Episode 166 (with GM R.B. Ramesh)

Episode 296

Bonus pod on the Carlsen-Niemann scandal

Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com. Be sure to check out new courses by GM Raven Sturt (with Simon Williams) and CM Can Kabadayi. 

If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use this link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:03- What events led to Quality Chess Books acquiring New in Chess Books and Everyman Chess? 

Mentioned: GM John Shaw, IM Dmitry Schneider, GM Matthew Sadler, Silicon Road YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq06gd_5HTiG8IIu5-enWyA

Also Mentioned: Remmelt Otten

28:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Does Jacob think chess book sales will grow over the next 10 years?” 

32:00- Patreon mailbag question: ”Will Everyman continue its “Starting Out” series?” 

36:00-Jacob discusses the future of “New in Chess” magazine

Mentioned: FM Nate Solon

44:00  Patreon mailbag question: Should beginner to intermediate players focus on challenging puzzles or basic pattern recognition? 

Mentioned: 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know, 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know  Workbook

54:00- Jacob discusses the story of his friend and colleague GM Renier Castellanos attaining GM in his 40’s.

Mentioned: Perpetual Chess Episode 379 with GM Renier Castellanos 

58:00- Does Jacob think Gotham Chess can make GM? 

1:02:00- The raging feud between GM Jan Gustafsson and Jacob Aagaard continues!

Mentioned: Prior comments here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4EI6rH7Mt4

1:03:00- What does Jacob think of rating deflation?

1:11:00- Jacob’s thoughts on the World Championship match

1:20:00- Does Jacob think someone from the younger generation could become a dominant World Champion?

1:24:00- GM Sam Shankland update

1:26:00- Books we are excited for:

Tiger’s Chaos Theory, The Woodpecker Method 2 

1:30:00- Thanks to Jacob, as always! You can find him at Killer Chess Training:

https://killerchesstraining.com/

Or follow him on X here:

https://x.com/GMJacobAagaard

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s Perpetual Chess, the popular and sometimes entertaining GM Jan Gustafsson returns! Jan, of course, is a popular commentator, Twitch streamer, Chessable author, and renowned opening theoretician. His last visit to the podcast was a mere four months ago, but a lot has changed since then. GM D Gukesh has qualified for the World Championship match, and it has been revealed that Jan worked on GM Ian Nepomniatchtchi’s team. In this interview, Jan reflects on these occurrences and describes what it was like to be in Toronto as a second for the FIDE Candidates. He also looks ahead to the Gukesh-Ding World Championship match, which will take place in November in Singapore. Jan also answers plenty of listener questions on a wide range of topics, including the upcoming Olympiads, the closing of Chess24, the status of the Chicken Chess Club Podcast, and, of course, the openings covered in his new Chessable course, GM Jan Gustafsson Aggressive 1. E4 part 2 (co-authored with CM Vjekoslav Nemec). We covered a ton of topics in this one, but as always, timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com. They have tons of new offerings in addition to Jan’s new course If you sign up for Chessable pro, please use the following link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:02- Banter- Bronny James! Should Jan become co-host of Perpetual Chess?

0:05- Actual chess! Jan reflects on working on Ian Nepomniachtchi prep team, and shares his thoughts on the FIDE Candidates. 

0:14- Jan’s World Championship Match thoughts 

20:00- How does Jan feel about #chesspunks?

22:00- Donner’s The King and other books

25:00- Where did referring to the pawn formation “the bathtub” come from?

Mentioned: More info on the bathtub here:

https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/which-of-these-4-are-the-bathtub-formation

25:00- Will Jan do more banter blitz?

27:00- What are best athlete chess players?

29:00- Which below 2700 players have the most impressive opening knowledge?

Mentioned: GM Alexey Sarana 

32:00- Patreon mailbag questions: WHEN WILL THE CHICKEN CHESS CLUB COME BACK?

34:00- Jan discusses a recent chess/poker event he participated in. 

37:00- Has Jan ever played 1. E4?

39:00- How did Jan choose to cover the Advanced French, the Fantasy variation, and the Open Sicilian in his new Chessable course? 

44:00- Jan’s top 5 variations of the Sicilian defense

49:00- Are GMs using Jan’s suggested moves from his Chessable courses?

52:00- What are the goals for the German Olympiad team?

54:00- What did Jan think of Germany’s performance in the Euro cup?

57:00- Why doesn’t Germany have any elite chess players?

59:00- Update on Jan’s 1000 game match with his friend  Ettienne

1:01:00- What is the origin story of Chess24?

1:03:00- Jan’s upcoming travels and chess plans 

1:05:00-Jan’s tv recs

Mentioned: Presumed Innocent, The Bear, IM Greg Shahade

1:09:00- Jan’s basketball podcast recommendations

Mentioned: The Rights to Ricky Sanchez, Down to Dunk 

Thanks as always to Jan for joining me! You can follow him on X here:

https://x.com/gmjangustafsson?lang=en

Or on Twitch here:

https://www.twitch.tv/janistantv

If you would like to 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

This week’s guest is Aiden Rayner, a Melbourne, Australia-based chess trainer, blogger, podcaster,  and the founder of the training site, Don’t Move Until You See It. Aiden became interested in chess improvement as an adult and quickly zeroed in on a need to improve his ability to picture a chess board in his head. In the subsequent years, he has developed some tools to help improve this skill, and has read extensively on how the different brains adapt to this task. Aiden also has studied how working memory functions, and shares what adults need to know about how it affects chess calculation. Lastly, Aiden shares a few “non-chess” book recommendations for those who would like to learn more about the challenges of rewiring our brains for chess. If you are interested in improving your chess game, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. 

Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com. They are now offering a #chesspunks approved classic, The Power of Pawns, presented by IM Andras Toth.

If you sign up for Chessable pro, please use this link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

” 

02:00- Why doesn’t Aiden like the term “visualization” when it comes to playing through moves in our heads

Mentioned: GM George Koltanowski 

07:00- What got Aiden into visualization? 

11:00- What features does Aiden’s site offer? 

Mentioned: Aiden’s blindfold trainer:

https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/blindfold-trainer/

16:30- Patreon mailbag question: What advice does Aiden have for people adjusting from playing 2D (on screens) to playing 3D (OTB)? 

26:00- Patreon mailbag question: Can Aiden share advice for how to improve at remembering a game through “narration” rather than visualization? 

32:00- Aiden’s recommended (non-chess) books:

Mentioned: Thinking Fast and Slow

Chatter, The Voice in Our Head and Why it Matters, and How to Harness It

Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions

34:30- What is working memory and why does it matter for chess players? 

Mentioned: Chess Visualization with Don’t Move  

55:00- What are “the three Fs?” 

1:05:00- Thanks to Aiden, for joining me! Here is it how to keep up with him:

Don’t Move Until You See It Website:

https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/

Follow Aiden on X here: 

https://x.com/AidenAtDontMove

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is author, commentator, and Slavic Linguistics professor at the University of Oslo, IM Atle Gronn. Atle’s most recent book, Games and Goals: The Fascinating Chess and Football Careers of Simen Agdestein has recently been released in the English language and is one I have been greatly looking forward to reading. It did not disappoint, as it provides a revealing biography of one of the most compelling figures in modern chess history. GM Simen Agdestein, in addition to being a Norwegian chess legend, and the childhood trainer of Magnus Carlsen, Simen was a supremely talented athlete who played for the Norwegian national soccer team. As a strong player from the same generation as Simen, Atle bore witness to Simen’s rise, fall, and resurgence, and also witnessed and contextualizes GM Magnus Carlsen’s relentless ascent to the top of the chess world.  There are many lessons we all can learn from the stories that Atle shares and I greatly enjoyed chatting with him about his book. 

Games and Goals is available from Amazon and other booksellers, 

Games and Goals: The Fascinating Chess and Football Careers of Simen Agdestein books 

And you can view a Free excerpt here:

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9186.pdf

0:01- Thanks to our sponsor Chessable.com- If you sign up for Chessable pro, please use the link below to help support Perpetual Chess:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:02- What made Simen Agdestein a “mythic figure” in the 1980’s? How did he go from beginner to national Norway champion in 4 years? 

Mentioned: Tarjei Svensen’s Article on the most recent Norwegian Championship:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/15-year-old-copies-magnus-carlsen-norwegian-champion

0:07- How did Simen become an elite athlete without training extensively? What was his style like as a footballer?

15:00- How did Atle’s collaboration with Simen come about? 

22:00- How would Atle describe Simen’s chess style? What traits of Simen can be seen in Magnus Carlsen (his student)? 

29:00- Atle describes his 2005 game against Magnus Carlsen, which became a famous win for Magnus.

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1348050

32- Why was Atle initial skeptical of Magnus’ talents? 

37:00- How did injuries change Simen’s careers?

46:00- What did Simen do for income during his years when both careers suddenly ended?

52:00- We discuss chess books and the topics of Otle’s prior books, which were written in Norwegian. 

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This week’s guest is Russ Makofsky. Russ is the founder of both The Gift of Chess, and of Impact Coaching Network. The Gift of Chess is a global non-profit dedicated to changing lives by distributing free chess sets in overlooked communities. Impact Coaching Network is a New York City-based educational chess organization that facilitates school programs and runs tournaments. In our interview, Russ recounts his journey from a sport-obsessed kid to a chess educator and shares the stories of many people whose lives have been changed by chess, including FM Tani Adewumi, and Tunde Onakoya of Chess in Slums. Russ is a firm believer in the power that good stories can have in spreading a passion for chess, and of the impact that chess can have on lives once that passion is ignited. Tune in to hear many of these inspiring stories! 

Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com- in addition to Solveig’s course, be sure to check out GM Sam Shankland’s latest, and if you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the link below.

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

2:00- What were the beginnings of Russ’ chess organization, Impact Coaching Network? 

7:00- As an educator does Russ encounter any resistance from parents to emphasiszing the competitive element of chess?

Mentioned: Brooklyn Castle 

15:30- Famed youth champion, FM Tani Adewumi discovered chess via one of the Impact Coaching Network’s Schools while his family was living in a homeless shelter- Russ tells this story from his perspective. 

Mentioned: Chesskid.com 

28:00- What are the origins of the non-profit, The Gift of Chess?

Mentioned: Episode 219 with Tunde Onakoya

57:00- What does The Gift of Chess do for prison outreach?

Mentioned: Episode 289 with Tony Ballard 

1:03:00- How is the fundraising going?

1:08:00- Russ’ advice for chess educators and those thinking of starting chess programs

Thanks to Russ for sharing so many inspiring stories! Here is the linktree for the GiftofChess:

https://linktr.ee/thegiftofchess

You can email them at info at giftofchess.org 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Adult Improver Series of Perpetual Chess returns, as I am joined by Solveig Friberg, who streams on Twitch as “The Rookie Redhead.” Solveig is a relatively new chess player who discovered the game via a Norwegian national TV broadcast of one of Magnus Carlsen’s World Championship matches. A few years later, she has attained a rating of 1570 FIDE, built a large online audience, published her first Chessable course (Breaking 1000)  as a Twitch streamer, and has even had the opportunity to interview players like Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana. We begin our conversation by discussing the unique popularity of chess in Norway- it is very popular as a spectator sport, but that has not translated into a thriving competitive chess scene. Why might that be? We also discuss Solveig’s own chess journey.  Solveig shares a lot of study recommendations and core beliefs based on her experience as a chess player and her professional background as an educator. Solveig is a particularly firm believer in the importance of finding a community, and did not see her chess take off until she found online “chess people.” Solveig is an inspiration for anyone who is coming to chess as a working adult with a busy life. 

Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com- in addition to Solveig’s course, be sure to check out GM Sam Shankland’s latest, and if you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the link below.

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

2:00- Solveig got into chess by watching coverage of the Magnus-Nepo match on national TV in Norway. What is the coverage like in Norway? What is the OTB scene like there? 

Mentioned: 

Solveig on Chess Journeys, Episode 91:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2rwxKkso2M2IPITLOEt4hc?si=86bec8cf1aa34f5d

Solveig on Sjakksnakk 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1c0FBix4q4OSvPdz6nbGSf?si=63cf7ec45f5f441d

9:00- How did Solveig find a chess community? 

To find the “chess people” on X, make an account, send a message and conclude it with the #chesspunks

https://x.com/hashtag/chesspunks?src=hashtag_click

To apply or suggest someone to be a guest on the Adult Improver Series, use this google form:

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/adult

17:00- How did Solveig’s professional background impact her approach to chess improvement? 

22:30- What was Solveig’s approach to studying chess? 

27:00- We discuss chess pub nights and the Good Knight Chess Pub in Oslo, Norway

29:00- What would Solveig have done differently to improve at chess if she could start over?

32:00- Patreon mailbag question- what are some common mistakes that beginners make, and how can they avoid them?

36:00- Solveig’s resource recommendations

Mentioned:

Hanging Pawns YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/@HangingPawns

Build Up Your Chess Series

https://www.chessable.com/the-fundamentals-1-build-up-your-chess/course/19145/

Chess Tactics from Scratch 

https://www.chessable.com/chess-tactics-from-scratch-understanding-chess-tactics/course/27821/

Also available as a book- https://www.amazon.com/Chess-Tactics-Scratch-Understanding/dp/1907982027

37:00- What was it like for Solveig to interview Hikaru Nakamura about gender issues in chess? 

Mentioned:

Watch the interview here:

https://x.com/RookieRedhead/status/1801228262170882212

46:30- What is theme of Solveig’s Chessable course, Breaking 1000?

52:00- What are Solveig’s streaming goals? Does she ever stream in Norwegian?

1:00:00- Thanks to Solveig for joining me, here is how to keep up with her:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/rookie_redhead/?hl=en

X:

https://x.com/RookieRedhead

And her Chessable Course:

https://www.chessable.com/breaking-1000/course/237622/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest is 21-year old former youth champion, GM Awonder Liang. As a scholastic player, Awonder broke many records including becoming the youngest US player to reach a rating of 2000 (USCF), the youngest to beat an International Master, as well the youngest to beat  a Grandmaster. These days, Awonder is a student at University of Chicago and is more devoted to his studies than his chess. Nonetheless, Awonder’s love for the game is evident, and he recently played in two strong tournaments even though he did not prepare as rigorously as he once would have. In our conversation, Awonder was able to contextualize his remarkable chess success and discuss both what made him great, and what may have led to  contemporaries of his like GM Alireza Firouzja and Arjun Erigaisi surpassing him in rating ( for now at least.) It was fun to hear Awonder reflect on his career as if he were an old man, and I look forward to seeing how his bright future unfolds. 

0:00-  You can subscribe to my free newsletter here-

” https://benjohnson.substack.com

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

Find out more about the Create Your Own Course Contest here:

https://t.co/wUQCi0gqaC

0:03- Awonder joins the pod! Awonder has mostly been taking a break from chess while at the University of Chicago. How did it feel to play two high level tournaments recently?

0:06- Did Awonder consider pursuing chess rather than university? 

0:08- Does Awonder prefer classical or online blitz?

11:00- We discuss Awonder’s Chicago Open performance

15:00- How did Awonder prepare for the Summer Chess Classic, where he finished shared 2nd? 

19:00- Awonder’s thoughts on the Chicago Open cheating scandal 

23:00- What makes Awonder so good at chess? 

33- What does it mean to have a good chess memory? 

36:00- Did Awonder read a lot of chess books? 

38:00- How does Awonder use engines? 

42:00- What is the story behind Awonder’s famous 2022 Scotch Gambit win over GM Levon Aronian?

Mentioned: https://www.chess.com/events/2022-us-chess-championship/05/Liang_Awonder-Aronian_Levon

45:00- What are Awonder’s other favorite games of his? 

Mentioned: Liang-Caruana 2022

50:00- Awonder’s summer plan

52:00- Awonder’s post graduation plans

1:06:00- Awonder’s favorite chess memories 

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Recorded June 8, 2024 at the National Open in Las Vegas 

Chess Books Recaptured returns to revisit an old book which now has a modern twist. My System by Aron Nimzowitsch is one of the best-selling and most recommended chess books of all time, but the original version has not aged well in some respects. In Book Recap #18, IM Christof Sielecki and I highlighted some of the classic book’s shortcomings as viewed through a modern lens. Luckily, GM Alex Fishbein decided to update the book for a 21st-century audience. The result is My System: Fast Track Edition, from Russell Enterprises (also available via Forward Chess). During my recent trip to the National Open in Las Vegas, Alex joined me to discuss My System’s legacy, his personal history with the book,  and why he decided that the chess world needed a better version. Following our chat, Alex took some questions from the audience, and briefly shared his thoughts on my book, Perpetual Chess Improvement. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

You can hear my discussion of prior editions of My System with IM Christof Sieleki in Book Recap #18-

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1lkGXPkegq9flj5zEoGAxi?si=f82aa751388a4476

0:02- GM Alex FIshbein joins! How does My System compare to Nimzo’s other classic, Chess Praxis? 

3:30- What was the genesis of Alex deciding to edit/create the fast-track edition of My System?

12:00 - What were the challenges of translating the book?

27:00- What did Alex do with variations that modern engines say were incorrect?

Mentioned: Simple Chess by GM Michael Stean 

35:00- Audience question- “Would Alex consider editing a “fast track edition” of any other classic books?’

Mentioned: Alekhine 1924

39:00- Audience question- “Did Alex include other concepts to the book in addition to those that were written about in the original?” 

41:00- Audience question: “What foundational chess concepts are excluded from this book?”

43:00- Audience questions:  “Is Alex familiar with the book by Raymond Keene, Nimowitsch: A Reappraisal?”  “What about The Blockade?”

44:00- Audience question:  “How much shorter is the fast track edition compared to the regular?”

44:00- Audience question; “Would he do a fast track edition of “Praxis” by Nimzowitsch?”

46:00- Audience question: “Do older books still matter as learning tools, as compared to playing games?” 

49:00- Audience question:  ‘What is the best way to read a chess book?’ 

Mentioned: The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal 

53:00- Alex shares his thoughts on my book, Perpetual Chess Improvement. 

Thanks to GM Alex Fishbein for joining me in Las Vegas! 

You can check out the new edition of My System, as well as his other books on Amazon, Forward Chess and other booksellers. 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Alex-Fishbein/author/B075N1DG4Z?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

https://forwardchess.com/product/my-system-fast-track-edition

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This week’s pod is a special edition featuring 10 different short interviews from the 2024 National Open in Las Vegas. We feature stories and perspectives from GM Ben Finegold, adult improver return guests, other chess podcasters, and even two different Grandmasters named Daniel Fernandez! Big tournaments like the National Open are great opportunities to bond over a shared love of chess, and I hope this episode helps encapsulate the many ways that chess can touch our lives,  teach us lessons, and bring us together. Timestamps and a brief description of each interview and guest can be found below. 

1. GM Ben Finegold- 6:45  (recorded Wednesday, June 5) -Ben discusses his personal history at the National Open, the Nimzo-Indian defense, and dispenses some chess advice 
2. Glenn Panner- 17:30-   (recorded Friday, June 7) The tournament co-organizer discusses the tournament history , the recent cheating story from the Chicago Open, and the cheat detection methods being used at the National Open.  
3. GM Daniel Fernandez (US) 31:00-  (recorded Friday, June 7) The first of our GM Danil Fernandez guests, a Houston based player and trainer discusses how the stresses of playing compare to the stresses of coaching, and the advice he gives to his students who are competing in the tournament. 
4. Kamryn Hellman 40:15  -  (recorded Saturday June 8) The popular streamer and YouTuber reflects on her first big tournament and the recent chess lessons that she has learned. You can hear more from Kamryn in Episode 314.  And check our her YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@kamrynheidi
5. Kevin Scull-  -49:50  (recorded Saturday June 8) - The host of the Chess Journeys podcast reflects on the highs and lows of an ongoing tournament and discusses why he is trying to read fewer chess books!  Be sure to sub to the Chess Journeys podcast!
6. Lennart Ootes- 59:30- (recorded Saturday June 8) - The renowned chess photographer and multimedia maestro compares photographing amateurs to photographing his usual subjects, the top pros of chess. Check out Lennart’s beautiful photos here: Lennart Ootes And his National Open photos here: https://www.chessphotoshop.com/National-Open-2024-Las-Vegas
7. Kyle Boddy-  1:10:00 (recorded Saturday June 8) -I am rejoined by the founder of Driveline Baseball to discuss why he makes time for the National Open in the middle of the baseball season,and to share the lessons he has learned from IM Calvin Blocker, IM Marc Esserman and others. You can hear more of Kyle’s chess story in Episode 303. 
8. GM Daniel Fernandez (UK)- 1:21:00 -(recorded Sunday, June 9) The U.K. based player, author and trainer discusses what he is doing in an effort to push through mental barriers and the importance of physical training at the GM level. 
9. GM Kayden Troff- 1:31:15 (recorded Tuesday June 11)- Kayden’s primary role at the National Open was to provide free post-mortem analysis of amateur games. What type of mistakes did he see recur after reviewing dozens of games over a long weekend?  Check out Kayden’s epic game here:
10. https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1753125
11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETcq8kmlMic You can find the Chesssharkz Twitch stream with Tony Padron here: https://www.twitch.tv/chesssharkz
12. ElaynahTV - 1:46:30-  (recorded Friday,  June 14) The popular chess streamer and newly minted podcaster discusses how the women’s tournament compared to the Open event, and the challenges of streaming a tournament. 

Check out Elaynah’s Twitch stream here:

https://www.twitch.tv/elaynah

And her new podcast with Dylan Quercia here:

https://chesslounge.podbean.com/ 

Photo in thumbnail of ElaynahTV by Lennart Ootes-

https://www.chessphotoshop.com/National-Open-2024-Las-Vegas

And thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com. If you sign up for Chessable pro, please use this link to help support the pod:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I am pleased to be joined by 4-time Latvian champion, GM Arturs Neiksans. In addition to his accomplished, (and ongoing)  competitive career, Arturs is a respected coach, commentator, Twitch streamer,  and Chessable Author. Arturs recently added a new line to his resume as he became the trainer of IM Levy Rozman! As Levy trains for the GM title, he has been posting instructive excerpts of his frequent lessons with Arturs. In our conversation, we hear Arturs’ perspective on the origins of their collaboration and what Levy needs to work on in order to potentially ascend to the next level. Arturs also reflects on his own bumpy journey to the GM title and shares plenty of general improvement advice and . Lastly, as chess cheating has (again) been in the news, Arturs provides his personal perspective on the unfortunate fall from grace of his fellow Latvian player, GM Igors Rausis (who later changed his name to Isa Kasimi, and is now deceased). It was a pleasure to talk chess with Arturs, and I look forward to learning more from him both on his own channels, and on that of Gotham Chess!  

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

0:02- How did GM Arturs Neiksans become Levy Rozman’s coach? What does Levy need to work on to become a GM?

17:00- Arturs quit chess at 18 and came back at 27. What drove him away and what brought him back? 

23:00- How will Arturs balance responsibilities like playing on the Latvian national team with coaching Levy?

28:00- How challenging was it for Arturs to become a GM in his late 20s?

35:00- It was Arturs who saw GM Igors Rausis (who was caught cheating during an OTB tournament) attempting to compete under a new identity. What was the story behind that?

44:00- What was Arturs approach to chess study as a kid? 

48:00- Does Arturs play a narrow or broad opening repertoire?

51:00- Thanks to Arturs for joining me! 

Here is how to keep up with him:

Chess.com

https://www.chess.com/member/gmneiksans

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChrqQ5BlmmGkaVmraYQw-IQ

Twitch:

https://www.twitch.tv/gmneiksans

Chessable courses:

https://www.chessable.com/author/GMNeiksans/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I got the chance to catch up with author, trainer and Chessable author, GM Eugene Perelshteyn. We begin by discussing a recent online cheating controversy. An anonymous account was banned from Chess.com after beating GM Daniel Naroditsky in an online bullet match using only the “Meadow Hay” Gambit. Is this gambit so bad that it makes cheating likely? This controversy served as a springboard to discuss both online cheating and dodgy gambits. Eugene has recently released a course “Every Gambit Refuted” so he also shared general advice on how to react when you face an unknown gambit. These days, gambits can be particularly dangerous, as creators like IM Eric Rosen and GothamChess teach their audiences tricky openings. Finally, Eugene and I discuss some issues from the world of professional chess, including a lack of affordable opportunities to compete for the non-elite, the FIDE Candidates (which Eugene attended) and “the great eval bar debate.” Eugene is always insightful and it was great to catch up with him! 

ERROR CORRECTION- In the podcast, I said that the online match that led to the Viih_Sou account getting banned was a bullet match, but it was 3 0 time control. My apologies for the mistake- Ben

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

0:01- Eugene Perelshteyn joins me! We begin by discussing recent cheating controversies. This includes a recent controversy involving an account being banned after winning a bullet match against GM Daniel Naroditsky. GM Brandon Jacobson was playing the Meadow Hay Gambit. Is this gambit any good? 

More info on Chess Reddit: 

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1claxsm/its_me_viih_sou/

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1ctu6qc/question_what_happened_in_full_with_brandon/

Mentioned: Jospem on Chess.com, Episode 368 with Erik Allebest 

18:00- How have creators like IM Eric Rosen changed the paradigm when it comes to gambits?

Mentioned: Fight Like Magnus, Lifetime Repertoires: Hyper Accelerated Dragon 

22:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Eugene’s advice for how to approach playing against gambits you don’t know? 

Mentioned: Eugene’s Chess.com Lesson plan on Gambits is here:

https://www.chess.com/lessons/every-gambit-refuted

32:00- What is different about how a player like Pragganandhaa uses surprise openings compared to club players?

37:00- Eugene shares his own perspective on attending the FIDE Candidates in Toronto. 

42:00- Does Eugene think evaluation bars should be used during chess broadcasts?

48:00- Has Eugene been pleased with the reception of his collaboration with FM Nate Solon Evaluate like a Grandmaster? 

51:00- What else is Eugene working on?

Mentioned: Chess Openings for Black explained,GM Lev Alburt, GM Roman Dzindzichashvilli 

55:00- What does Eugene think of recent discussion about a lack of financial opportunities for “middle-class” Grandmasters? 

Mentioned: GM Jorden van Forreest tweet here:

https://x.com/jordenvforeest/status/1790333612874666440

 1:08:00- Thanks to Eugene for joining me! 

Check out his Chessable courses here:

https://www.chessable.com/author/EugenePerel/

Contact him via Twitter

https://x.com/EugenePerel?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Or Chess.com

https://www.chess.com/member/eugeneperelshteyn

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Perpetual Chess Book Review series, Chess Books Recaptured is finally back! I am honored to be joined by renowned author and chess journalist Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam to discuss GM Jan Hein Donner’s The King: Chess Pieces. The book is widely considered a 20th century classic and has been recommended by the likes of GMs Peter Svidler and Jan Gustafsson. It is a compilation of chess columns from a 3-time Dutch national champion, who spanned the chess generations between Max Euwe and Jan Timman. Donner is a brilliant, prescient and provocative writer who chronicles his own career, and also opines as the careers of Fischer, Spassky, Tal and others unfold in his proximity. Reading The King is a fun way to retrace 20th-century chess history, and the life and career of Donner. But, in my opinion, the book is not without its flaws. Donner’s writing is sometimes offensive, particularly when he bombastically shares his views about women in chess. I was grateful to have Dirk Jan help me discern whether Donner was being sarcastic in some of his more scathing columns. After we finish discussing the book, I chat with Dirk Jan a bit about his current projects, and his work on New in Chess’ excellent new podcast. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

0:00- 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

0:02- What is Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam’s personal history with The King and with its author, GM Jan Hein Donner? 

Mentioned: Dutch novelist Harry Mulisch

0:09- How is the English edition of The King, connected to the history of New in Chess publishing?

Mentioned: Allard Hoogland, Taylor Kingston’s review of the 1997 edition of The King:

https://www.chesscafe.com/text/donner.txt

12:00- We discuss Donner’s personal life, including the one, short-lived, real job that he had at IBM. 

Mentioned: 

Hein Donner: The Biography by Alexander Munninghoff 

18:00- Some of Donner’s most famous writing is very sexist- how was it viewed at the time? 

Mentioned: GM Jan Gustafsson 

23:00- Did Dirk Jan work directly with Richard de Weger, the book’s translator? 

24:00- Likes and dislikes from the book, starting with his acquaintance with Donner’s beautiful reflections on Fischer and Spassky. 

Mentioned: Richard James’ review of Hein Donner, The Biography:

https://britishchessnews.com/2020/08/07/hein-donner-the-biography/

42:00- What was Donner’s opinion of legendary Dutch World Champion, Dr. Max Euwe? 

43:00- What did Donner mean by his famous quote “Chess is a game of chance?” We also discuss a few other memorable quotes. 

48:00- Was Donner being sarcastic when he wrote at length that “women cannot play chess”? 

54:00- Why is Donner’s rivalry and demeaning writing about Dutch champion Lodewijk Prins, such a famous part of Dutch chess history? 

Mentioned: GM Ben FInegold’s video on Donner:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXqpyLUt6mM

59:00- Closing thoughts on The King

1:03:00- Dirk’s thoughts on the Candidates and his other current big project

Mentioned: The Real Paul Morphy by FM Charles Hertan, Games and Goals 

1:08:00- How is Dirk Jan enjoying podcasting?

Mentioned: New in Chess Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2Mj990NfwvaOh4GCKWLMJ7?si=2ec5f58435f44686

Episode 207 with Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam 

Thanks to Dirk Jan for sharing his knowledge and experiences with this book! Be sure to sub to the New in Chess Podcast! 

https://open.spotify.com/show/2Mj990NfwvaOh4GCKWLMJ7?si=eb1eca7173d44ae2

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

This week IM Levy Rozman (Gotham Chess) makes his annual return to Perpetual Chess to discuss what is new with him. I was particularly excited to chat with Levy as he recently announced his renewed pursuit of the GM title. Levy has been sharing lesson snippets and discussing his tournament plans on his channel, but I wanted many more details. What did he learn from his first norm-chasing experience? What will he do differently this time? Does he think he will be able to stick with it? Although most of us will never make GM, Levy’s quest to make it to the next level is relatable for me and for many other chess players. Aside from his OTB comeback, we discussed the swift rating-rise of popular gamer, Tyler 1, and the successes and lessons learned from Levy’s book.   Levy shared a few stories from meeting celebrities in recent months. It's always fun catching up with Levy, and I am especially excited to follow his renewed pursuit of the GM title! Timestamps of topics discussed can be found 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

0:00- What will be different about levy’s second public quest for GM? Will his mental health be ok? What will he do differently? 

Mentioned: Road to GM Episode 3 with GM Arturs Neiksans 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFILafuQgPg&t=1704s

11:00- What will Levy do to address the weaknesses that GM Neiksans highlighted? 

Mentioned: IM Alex Ostrovskiy 

15:00- Levy discusses his upcoming tournament in Spain. 

17:30- Will Levy stream his tournament games? What tournaments is he planning to play? 

26:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What can Levy’s fans do to support his renewed GM quest?” 

29:00- Will Levy hire a sports psychologist? 

31:00- Does Levy have a timeframe in mind for this GM pursuit? 

34:00- Levy has been covering popular Twitch streamer and gamer Tyler1’s unusual chess progress. What interests him about this story? 

Mentioned: 

Tyler1 is a ChessGM!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gler9fDuhRY

41:00- What led Levy to work on his fitness? 

43:00- Has Levy been pleased with the reception to his book?

Mentioned: Rey Enigma, Blitzstream 

49:00- What was the story behind meeting NBA superstar Luka Donkic? 

53:00- What was it like to finally meet Magnus Carlsen IRL? 

55:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Can Levy tease any upcoming collaborations?”

Mentioned: More info in an article from Tarjei Svensen here:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/4-million-buy-in-tournament-wadim-rosenstein-abdusattorov-caruana-nepomniachtchi-niemann

58:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How will Levy work on positional evaluation in his renewed GM quest?” 

Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagard’s books 

https://www.amazon.com/Books-Jacob-Aagaard/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AJacob+Aagaard

1:00:00- Thanks, as always to Levy for joining me! 

In addition to the usual channels, you can get inside access to his GM quest via his Patreon here:

https://www.patreon.com/gothamchessofficial

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

This week the Adult Improver Series returns with an extremely insightful guest. Dan Bock is a North Carolina-based software engineer and dad, who finally got serious about chess improvement in 2021. At this time, Dan began to compete frequently, utilize digital flashcards, and make a conscious effort to make friends in the chess world in order to help make his hobby more fulfilling. Dan’s results have been rare and inspiring, as he has seen USCF rating rise from the high 1500s to the high 1900s (USCF) in the last 3 years. As Dan explains, while he is very directed in his decisions of how to approach chess study, he does not put in outlandish an number of hours of study per day. He is very focused on what actually decides the outcomes of his own games, and has made constant progress by keeping that as his North Star. I find Dan’s story very inspiring and am excited to see his continued progress! 

You can find the Adult Improver Spotify Playlist here:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=29035838af4d4345

0:00- You can find more information about the National Open here:

https://www.vegaschessfestival.com/national-open/

The live “My System” podcast with GM Alex Fishbein will be on Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 PM. 

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

0:02- When did Dan decide to get serious about chess improvement? How did he know how to approach studying? 

Mentioned: Chess Journeys Episode 93 with Dan:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Xg3JotQTg4NoThsn9pPhw?si=14bfea1e50df4df5

Mentioned: Dan’s post 11 Things I did to Take my USCF Rating from 1547 to 1976 

https://chessimprovementlab.substack.com/p/11-things-i-did-to-take-my-uscf-rating

09:00- Why did he decide to emphasize OTB chess for improvement? 

10:45- How does Dan use checklists to help his thinking processes?

Mentioned: Dr. Nick Vasquez’s post discussing checklists:

https://nickvasquezmd.substack.com/p/simpler-chess-ask-questions

16:00- Patreon mailbag question: How does Dan suggest spending one hour per day on chess?

Mentioned: Anki flashcard app:

https://apps.ankiweb.net/

23:00- Aside from using digital flashcards, what else would Dan recommend? 

Mentioned: Dan’s Post: “What Really Decides Games at the 1900 Level?” 

https://chessimprovementlab.substack.com/p/what-really-decides-games-at-the

28:00- How did Dan cure his time-trouble addiction?

33:00- What is Dan’s approach to openings, and especially the Dubov Italian?

Mentioned: Chessbook.com, CM Han Schut and GM Jan Gustaffson’s Chessable courses on the Dubov Italian 

https://www.chessable.com/dubovs-explosive-italian/course/80152/

https://www.chessable.com/gustafssons-aggressive-1e4-part-1/course/207313/

41:00- Does Dan still work without a coach? 

42:00- Dan and Ben’s improvement takeaways from the FIDE Candidates

45:00- We discuss Dan’s approach to the Italian Opening

Mentioned: TheOnoZone’s Blog:

https://lichess.org/@/TheOnoZone/blog/learning-to-learn/Xg3xJ4qX

Ono’s HowtoChess interview:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0fKVmwuQZkWV9orWqnnchF?si=090bccbf5a284f85

52:00- What does Dan look for when choosing a chess tournament? 

Mentioned: My Two Favorite Chess Tournament

https://chessimprovementlab.substack.com/p/my-two-favorite-chess-tournaments

56:00- How does Dan balance socialization with chess study at tournaments? Does Dan exercise during tournaments? 

58:00- Closing thoughts!

Mentioned: How to Reassess Your Chess 

1:00:00- 

Subscribe to Dan’s blog here:

https://chessimprovementlab.substack.com/

Follow him on X here:

https://x.com/boldmovebydan

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I am excited to be joined by the popular chess streamer, YouTuber, commentator, and champion player, WIM Anna-Maja Kazarian. Anna-Maja joined me from her home in the Netherlands after concluding a busy few months of competitive chess. Although she had her share of setbacks, these tournaments were largely successful, as Anna-Maja recently earned her first WGM Norm! 

Our conversation gave Anna-Maja the chance to reflect on the recent lessons she has learned as well as her goals both as a chess player and content creator. As she told me, Anna graduated from university somewhat recently and feels that this gives her an opportunity to devote all of her energy to chess improvement. She reflected on what aspects of the game she needs to work on, and also shared recommendations and advice for listeners. Last, and possibly least, we reflected on “Shoegate” the bizarre scandal where Anna-Maja somewhat unexpectedly made global headlines for her choice of footwear during the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz tournament. I am excited to see Anna-Maja’s continued norm pursuit and really enjoyed chatting with her. Timestamps of topics discussed can be found 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

02:00- What is the status of Anna-Maja’s quest to earn the WGM title? 

Mentioned: Anna-Maja’s The Chess Experience Podcast Interview 

Anna-Maja’s game recap of earning her norm:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVm2KeXwzds

09:00- Is it challenging for Anna-Maja to focus on her tournament games when she is streaming them? 

Mentioned: Episode 326 with Dina Belenkaya 

18:00- What is Anna-Maja’s approach to openings? 

20:00- Does Anna-Maja have a study plan? What books is she studying? 

Mentioned: Zurich 1953, 100 Endgames You Must Know, Van Perlov’s Endgame Tactics, GM Jacob Aagaard’s Attacking Manual, The Steps Method 

25:00- What are Anna-Maja’s upcoming tournaments? 

Mentioned: Sharjah Masters 

26:00-Anna discusses her professional plans after finishing university last year. 

27:00- How is it received when Anna-Maja studies chess on stream? 

Mentioned: StudyTime Twitch 

https://www.twitch.tv/studytme

33:00- What are Anna-Maja’s reflections on “shoegate”? 

Mentioned: NY Times-

“Chess Federation Fines Player over her Sports Shoes” 

40:00- What other tournaments does Anna-Maja have coming up? 

44:00- Anna-Maja describes her work with the Chessqueens Foundation 

49:00- What are Anna-Maja’s favorite open tournaments? Does she do a lot of socialzing during rounds? 

52:00- Is Anna-Maja working with a coach? 

55:00 Anna-Maja’s closing thoughts. 

Mentioned: Alliance E-Sports 

Thanks to Anna-Maja for joining me! Here is how to keep up with her:

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/amkazarian/

Twitch

https://www.twitch.tv/annamaja

YouTube-

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKOoBA2bTAVj_MaPHzMSdg

X/Twitter-

https://twitter.com/AMKazarian?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Azel Chua is a 21-year-old Singapore-based self-taught Candidate Master who has built his own chess skills from the ground up. As Azel explains, he began working on his visualization skills as he sought a way to study chess during high school classes that did not especially interest him.. From there, Azel has developed a unique framework for calculating in chess that he calls “The Burger Technique,” as covered in his popular Chessable courses on Calculation.  In our interview, we discuss this technique, as well as hearing Azel’s thoughts and experiences with utilizing resources such as YouTube, and Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual. Azel also shares some helpful tips on ways to improve one’s chess intuition, and he delves into his background and the chess scene in Singapore. As always, timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. 

Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock additional features, be sure to use the following link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

03:00- What did Azel learn from studying the classic book Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual during high school classes? 

Mentioned: Calculation Masterclass with Chessgoals

7:00- What was Azel’s approach to chess improvement? 

10:00- Why does Azel think that the common tactic-solving advice of looking for “checks, captures and threats” might be bad advice? 

12:15- What is”the Burger technique?” 

17:30- Where did he come up with the name for “the Burger technique?” 

21:00- What was Azel’s mix of studying vs. competing as a tournament player? 

22:00- How does Azel describe the chess culture of Singapore?

25:00- What were the biggest contributors to Azel’s improvement?

27:30- What can we do to improve our chess intuition?

32:00- What was Azel’s approach to openings?

36:00- Does Azel follow professional chess? Or read about chess history?

37:00- How does Azel find teaching material? 

39:00- What is reciprocal thinking? 

Mentioned: IM John Bartholomew‘s Video: The Power of Reciprocal Thinking 

45:00- Thanks to Azel Chua for joining me! You can check out his Chessable courses here:

https://www.chessable.com/author/AzelChua/

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

We are back for one more 2024 FIDE Candidates reflection as we start to take stock of a historic tournament. Joining me (again) to discuss it is renowned trainer, opening theoretician, Chessable author, and 2022 Dutch National Champion, GM Erwin Lami. Erwin has frequently collaborated with GM Anish Giri, and he was on the World Championship preparation team for GM Veselin Toplov. Erwin shares his thoughts on GM Gukesh’s impressive ascendance, Fabiano and Nepo’s disappointment, and what this result does and does not mean for the trajectory of professional chess. We also discuss the performance of the other players, the Women’s Candidates, and Erwin’s plans for 2024. I always love to hear Erwin’s perspective, and discussing this tournament was not an exception. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com! Check out what they have to offer, and if you sign up for Chessable Pro (as you should), use this link to help support Perpeutal Chess:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0;00- Upcoming events and info:

1. Chess in the Schools Poker Fundraiser;

https://secure.givelively.org/event/chess-in-the-schools-inc/chess-in-the-schools-poker-night-fundraiser

1. National Open/Las Vegas Chess Festival Info:

https://www.vegaschessfestival.com/national-open/

4:30- GM Erwin L’Ami joins me! What does he think made this tournament was so compelling? 

10:00- How surprised was Erwin by Gukesh’s performance? What should we expect from him from here? 

18;30- Patreon mailbag quesiton: “How can Caruana recover from his devastaiting loss to Nepo? “ 

.27:00- What did Erwin think of Nepo's performance?

29:30- Where does Nakamura go from here? Will this be his last Candidates? 

38:00- What went wrong for GM Alireza Firouzja? 

43:00 What are Erwin’s thoughts on Pragganandhaa’s performance? 

46:00- What were Erwin’s thoughts on the Women’s Candidates? 

49:00- Where might the World Championship be held? Would it help or hurt Gukesh if it were in India? 

53:00- Who does Erwin think would be the favorite in Gukesh vs. Ding?

Mentioned: Gotham City Podcast with GM Gukesh 

57:00 Does the format for the Candidates or Candidates qualification need to be changed? 

Mentioned: IM Greg Shahade’s blog post 

1:08:00- What are Erwin’s remaining 2024 plans? 

Thanks as always to GM Erwin L’ami for providing his perspective! 

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

41-year-old IM Renier Castellanos had all but given up on earning the Grandmaster title. His life was getting busier, and after 2 potential GM norms were not ratified by FIDE, he felt like it just wasn’t meant to be. But his friends and Killer Chess Training co-workers, GM Jacob Aagaard and Kallia Kleisarchaki, convinced him to keep trying. It turned out that was all it took! Two weeks ago, Renier got his final GM norm, to earn the title of Grandmaster at age 41. In our interview, Renier reflects on the lessons he has learned, and why he thinks he was still able to earn the title in this challenging era, despite not working on chess as much as he did in his 20s. Renier also shares his own advice on chess improvement, some book recommendations, and discusses what he observed from facing Super GM level players like GM Vladimir Fedoseev. This interview was conducted while the Candidates was still ongoing, but you can even hear Renier’s Candidates prediction to see how it played out. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

0:00- Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com 

New courses include - Michael Roiz’s Fighting the Grunfeld and King’s Indian 

 If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:01- Renier discusses why he had given up on the GM title 

Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard of Killer Chess Training, Killer Chess Training Review of Renier’s Game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeI0AazBw1I

0:08- What shortcoming in his game did Renier need to overcome in order to earn the title?

9:45- How did he think about the expense of pursuing the GM title?

16:00- What is Renier’s approach to the opening? What else did he do to train?

Mentioned; KillerChessTraining.com

22:00- How did Renier’s wife, WGM Raluca Sgircea, help him with his daily habits? 

25:00- Renier discusses his early years growing up in Cuba, moving to Chile and then to Spain in his teens and 20s 

Mentioned: GM Lazaro Bruzon Batista, Chess Reddit thread about Renier’s GM title  

31:00- We discuss the congratulatory notes Renier has gotten, including this tweet from GM Kevin Goh Wei Ming 

Mentioned: Episode 184 with GM Kevin Goh Wei Ming 

34:00- Did an emphasis on physical fitness help his chess? What about community?

43:00- What is the best way to spend one’s chess improvement time?

46:00- Renier’s recommended open tournaments, based on his time on as a traveling chess professional:

Mentioned: Benasque, Spain Chess Open, Menoraca, Sitges 

51:00- Renier’s favorite chess books

Mentioned: Perfect Your Chess, Dynamic Chess Strategy by GM Mihai Suba 

54:00- What did Renier learn from playing Fedoseev and other super GM-level players? 

1:03:00- Renier’s most memorable game

Mentioned: Video of his World Bitz victory vs. GM Peter Svidler 

1:10:00- Thanks to Renier for sharing his inspiring story! 

You can reach him via his Lichess coaches page or find his classes at KillerChessTraining:

https://lichess.org/coach/RenierChess

KillerChessTraining.com

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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For the final FIDE Candidates bonus pod, award-winning Chess.com journalist, FM Mike Klein joins me from Toronto. We cover topics including the atmosphere in the playing hall, the presence of seconds and family members of the players, what to expect in rounds 13 and 14, and Mike provides his perspective on the controversy surrounding GM Alireza Firouzja's father. Thanks, as always, to Mike for providing so many behind-the-scenes details.

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As we enter the final rest day, The FIDE Candidates tournament is set up for maximum drama with a three-way tie for first place and two rounds remaining. Joining me from Toronto to discuss it is FM Dalton Perrine. We highlight the continued trend of surprising opening choices and results, as well as the increased tension in the room as the tournament builds to a climax. In the women's section, we are down to two contenders for the Candidates title, as Tan Zhongyi and Lei Tingjie are separated by a half a point.Dalton and I discuss all of the key matchups and surprises we have seen, as we look forward to the final chapter of an entertaining tournament. I will be back with one more bonus pod later on Friday, as Chess.com’s FM Mike Klein joins me from Toronto. 

Mentioned in pod:

@ponysunrise photos:

https://twitter.com/sunrise_pony

@chessnumbers tweet -

https://x.com/ChessNumbers/status/1781113720212742568

Calib Wetheralll's Tournament Simulations-

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1c7iy1g/fide_candidates_tournament_updated_predictions/

Thanks to FM Dalton Perrine for joining me! Here is how to reach him: 

Chessable Author page:

https://www.chessable.com/author/mattydperrine/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzuOx_63p9AIVkElyCh0z-A53EAAYASAAEgJY5vD_BwE

Chess.com

https://www.chess.com/member/mattydperrine

 His Coaching Services:

https://nextlevelchesscoaching.com/fm-dalton-perrine/

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/PerpetualChess

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It is always an honor to hear 9-time Dutch Champion and former “best of the west” standout, GM Jan Timman discuss elite chess. In this interview he shares his thoughts on the 2024 FIDE Candidates. Topics include: 

• Who he favored going in
• Who he favors now
• Why the opening surprises? 
• His thoughts on Firouzja’s disappointing performance
• His next book

0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. Check out GM Oliksiyenko’s course for Chessable pro members on the Candidates here:

https://www.chessable.com/chess-candidates-2024/course/243222/

 If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

Its always a pleasure to speak with GM Timman!

0:03- GM Timman joins me! 

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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For this week’s (non-Candidates) podcast I am honored to be joined by Lou Hays. Lou Hays is a businessman, accomplished chess author, and the founder of Hays Publishing, which published many popular books beginning in the 1990s. Lou also is an accomplished amateur player, who began tournament chess in his 20s and made it up to near master level. Lou has had the opportunity to meet some of the true legends of the game, and shares some amazing stories about his time spent with Bobby Fischer, Boris Spassky and David Bronstein. We also discuss how chess improvement has, and has not changed over the decades, as well as Hays Publishing’s most successful books, and how the chess publishing industry has changed. I greatly enjoyed hearing Lou’s stories, and I am confident that you will as well. 

0:00-  Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include GM Romain Eduoard’s Lifetime Repertoires: King’s Indian Attack. 

 If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

Mentioned:

Winning Chess for Juniors 

 https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Chess-Tactics-Juniors-Hays/dp/1880673932

0:03- In 1992, Lou got to spend the weekend with Bobby Fischer. How did that come about, and what was the experience like?

Mentioned: Bobby Fischer, Complete Games of the World Champion, Zita Rajcsanyi, Ken Smith (founder of Chess Digest and the Smith-Morra Gambit), Fischer voicemail is on YouTube here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/CCa15k61MLY?si=igrs2WYVuyYHbltj

25:00- Lou shares his own chess story, including how chess improvement has, and has not changed 

Mentioned: Hastings 1895 (Out of print), NM John Jacobs, Hal Bogner, IM Anatoly Lein 

37:00- What was it like to spend a weekend with Boris Spassky?

46:00- Lou tells the story of playing legendary blitz player Israel Zelber. 

49:00- How did Lou get into the chess publishing business? 

Mentioned: My System: 21st Century Edition, Winning Chess Tactics for Juniors, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, Stuart Margulies, Yasser Seirawan 

55:30- Patreon mailbag question: Would Lou consider putting Winning Chess Tactics for Juniors on Chessable? 

Mentioned: James Stallings 

1:00:00- Lou is also an accomplished improver at golf! Are there any parallels to chess improvement?

Mentioned:Lou’s book Make Your Golf Dream a Reality , 

1:01:00- What was it like to spend time with legendary GM David Bronstein?

Mentioned: The Rise and Fall of David Bronstein by Genna Sosonko, Mikanes Bronstein 1965 

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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Heading into the penultimate rest day, I provide a quick rundown of the standings and key stories of a closely contested and entertaining FIDE Candidates. Plus I briefly share my thoughts on the drama surrounding GM Alireza Firouzja's noisy shoes.

Watch this feed for part 2, which will feature an interview about the Candidates with legendary former Dutch Champion, GM Jan Timman.

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We are back for with an in-depth breakdown of the first half of the FIDE Candidates. I am honored to be joined by commentator, author, Chessable author and Excellent YouTuber, GM Daniel King to discuss all that has transpired so far. What makes Nepo so good in these tournaments? Does Fabi have another gear? What has surprised Daniel the most? Tune in for this, plus player-by-player analysis. Timestamps of topics discussed below as always! 

0:00- Brief big picture thoughts on the tournament

0:05- Nepo! What stands out about his performance?

Mentioned: The Chess Mind’s Blog Post:

https://thechessmind.substack.com/p/candidates-round-7

22:00- Fabiano 

Mentioned: Anthony Levin’s Round 7 Recap:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/2024-fide-candidates-tournament-round-7

30:00- Gukesh

Final moments of Firouzja-Gukesh:

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1c1sxzb/final_moments_of_gukesh_vs_firouzja/

37:00- Firouzja 

41:00- Pragganandha

48:00- Nakamura 

53:00- Vidit

57:00- Abasov 

59:00- Final thoughts on Open Section 

1:00:00- Women’s sections 

1:05:00- Viewer Q & A- Daniel’s next projects, Genna Sosonko, Collusion 

Mentioned: Daniel’s Anti-Sicilian Chessable Course (forthcoming to New in Chess as a book) , The Essential Sosonko

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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We are at the halfway point of a wildly entertaining 2024 FIDE Candidates! Ian Nepomniathchi continues to lead the Open Section, while Tan Zhongyi is in front in the Women’s Candidates This is the first part of what will be 2 podcasts discussing the tournament through 7 rounds. In this solo pod, I briefly run through the standings, upcoming pairings and share a few thoughts on the tournament. For part 2 (coming soon to this feed), I will be interviewing GM Daniel King of the Powerplay Chess YouTube Channel. 

Links Mentioned:

Live stream of my chat with GM Daniel King Friday at 9AM EDT/1PM GMT on the Powerplay Chess YouTube Chess 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiOR9OnXOEk

(and later to this feed)

Mentioned: 

Final moments of Firouzja-Gukesh:

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1c1sxzb/final_moments_of_gukesh_vs_firouzja/

Be sure to tune in for tomorrow Candidates interview with GM Daniel King, as well as our regular Tuesday weekly pod. 

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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For this week’s regular edition, (no FIDE Candidates talk) of Perpetual Chess, we are honored to be joined by two highly respected trainers and Chessable Authors. NM Dan Heisman is an engineer, turned author, YouTuber and trainer, who is particularly insightful regarding topics of adult chess improvement. I am a particular fan of his book, A Guide to Chess Improvement: The Best of Novice Nook. NM Laura Smith is a school teacher, chess trainer and former youth champion, who was the highest rated 13 year-old in the United States in 2002. Together, Laura and Dan have just collaborated on a new Chessable course, Can I Take It? A Beginner's Guide to Capturing Pieces. The course is geared toward beginner players and provides a comprehensive guide to an important tactical concept that Dan Heisman calls “counting.” In addition to discussing lessons from the course, we discuss some of the other original chess terms Dan has coined, Laura’s recent return to OTB chess, and upcoming projects for both authors. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below.

0:00-  Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black 

 If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

Prior interviews with our guests:

Episode 138 with NM Dan Heisman 

Laura Smith on How to Chess 

0:01- How did Laura and Dan decide to collaborate? 

Back to Basics Chess Tactics by Dan Heisman 

5:30- What does Dan mean by the term “counting”? 

Mentioned: GM John Nunn’s Learn Chess Tactics 

10:30- What is the genesis of the term “Reinfeld values”

Mentioned: GM Larry Kaufman, The Evolution of Material Imbalances by IM Larry Kaufman, FM Charles Hertan 

12:30- Dan and Laura on the differences between how adults and kids learn

Mentioned: NM Dan Benjamin, IM Josh Waitzkin, Everyone’s Second Chess Book by NM Dan Heisman 

19:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Dan’s advice for improving visualization? 

Mentioned: Evaluate like a Grandmaster by FM Nate Solon and GM Eugene Perelshteyn 

Chessable’s Visualize Courses 

25:00- Laura’s lessons learned from a recent OTB tournament, her first in years. 

28:00- We discuss some of our favorite books.

Mentioned: Dan’s recommended book page, My recommended book page, Chess Steps books, Interviews mentioned IM Jop de la Marre, NM Han Schut, Chess Steps Walk-Through with Han Schut, 

30:00- Dan and Smith discuss forthcoming books and projects 

Mentioned: Laura Smith’s Forcing Moves for Beginners 

39:00- What is a floobly? 

46:00- Thanks to Dan and Laura for rejoining! Here is how you can reach them:

https://www.danheisman.com/lessons.html

https://www.chess.com/member/laura_smith

Get their course here: https://www.chessable.com/can-i-take-it-a-beginners-guide-to-capturing-pieces/course/174891/

Sub to Dan's YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/user/danheisman

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

Ben Johnson | creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon

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The 2024 FIDE Candidates tournament is off and running with some entertaining chess and plenty of surprises. (Although perhaps the identities of the leaders in the Open and Women’s sections aren’t as surprising.) I have been riveted by this tournament and am hoping to provide audio analysis and perspective from different guests on each rest day. In today’s pod, I briefly share my early impressions, than welcome recent guest Denis Markov back to the podcast. Denis had just returned from attending Rounds 1 and 2 in Toronto and described what it was like to attend the event. We went into everything from FIDE’s cheat prevention methods, to what the viewing experience is like within the venue. Whether you are thinking of making a last minute trip to Toronto, or just want to live vicariously through Denis, I think you will enjoy his report of a trip that Denis says he definitely will not regret. We will be back with more coverage of this fantastic tournament on the next rest day, Friday April 12. 

00:02 - Introduction and Plan for Perpetual Chess Coverage

02:00- Tournament Standings and Ben’s early Impressions

11:00 -Preview of Round Five Pairings

13:30- Denis Markov joins for a trip report from Toronto (previously heard on Episode 359)

13:57- Buying Tickets and Ticket Options

15:40- VIP Tickets and Balcony Experience

17:32- What it is like watching the players 

19:50- Player Interactions and Autographs

23:00- The Fan Zone and Chess Personalities

26:47 -Spotting Chess Personalities

31:41-Meeting Gukesh and Viswanathan Anand

33:57-- Comparing the Candidates Tournament with attending the 2016 World Championship Match

36:57- Denis' Final Thoughts 

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

Ben Johnson | creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon

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The Adult Improver Series returns this week, with a guest who has improved his chess rapidly. Jordan Groff is a 24 year old Connecticut-based chess instructor who was recommended as a guest to me by GM Eugene Perelshteyn. Jordan resumed chess in 2018 after some years away, and has gone from 1864 to more than 2260 in about the last few years. During  our interview, Jordan shares several ‘secrets” to his success. Aside from a lot of hard work and frequent competition, Jordan particularly credits a focus on the psychological aspects of OTB chess, and on opening preparation and tactics work. You can find out many more details in my interview with Jordan.  it is inspiring to see such fast progress! Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. 

 0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black 

 If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:00- You can find all of the information you need about the Las Vegas Chess Festival and the National Open here. I hope to see you there!

https://www.vegaschessfestival.com/national-open/

0:01- What got Jordan back into chess  in 2018, after some years away? 

Mentioned: Ginger GM, Chess Network 

13:00- What is Jordan’s approach to the study of openings? 

Mentioned: GM Eugene Perelshteyn, FM Nate Solon

20:00- Has Jordan studied a lot of tactics? 

25:00- What made Jordan decide to “play up” and play in higher sections?

32:00- What is Jordan’s approach to studying endgames?  

37:00- What sort of stuff does Jordan do in his lessons with GM Eugene Perelshteyn? 

43:00- Was it challenging for Jordan to earn the National Master title? What are his next goals? 

Mentioned: Here is Jordan’s LiChess coaches page:

https://lichess.org/coach/jmwgroff

48:30- What is Jordan’s best advice for people who are stuck?

52:00- Jordan’s recommended chess resources:

Mentioned: How to Reassess Your Chess, Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, Under the Surface, Seven Deadly Chess Sins 

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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The FIDE Candidates Tournament begins on April 4 in Toronto, Canada, and I could not be more excited to see who gets to challenge for the FIDE World Championship. As is tradition on Perpetual Chess, we have a few great guests joining to help discuss the action. First up is 7-time Brazilian champion & Correspondence GM, Rafael Leitão. In addition to a vast resume as a player, Rafael regularly annotates top-level games for Chess.com news coverage. Reviewing these games in detail on a daily basis gives Rafael unique insights into the tendencies of the world’s top players. Rafael and I discuss what to watch for in each player’s performance, fun facts, and what opening choices we might see from each player.

 Following Rafael, I am joined by Tai Pruce Zimmerman, a/k/a Chess by the Numbers. Tai shares and discusses the win probability of both the open and the women’s candidates, and we also compare the output of Tai’s probabilistic model to the betting markets. Last but not least, I am joined by “On the Queenside,” who has built a large following on Twitter and Lichess for covering Women’s Chess in detail. We discuss whether it is a good idea to run the Women’s Candidates concurrently with the open, and which players we are excited to watch. As always, the timestamps of the guests, as well as the topics and players discussed can be found below.

0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black 

 If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:01- Format notes on the FIDE Candidates, including tournament schedule, tiebreak rules, and the Perpetual Chess’ plan for covering the event. 

Mentioned: More info on the Candidates here, including tiebreak info:

More from Chess.com here

09:30- GM Rafael Rafael Leitão joins me for a detailed Candidates discussion!

Mentioned: Rafael’s prior interview was episode 147. 

15:00- Can Ian Nepomniatchtchi “threepeat” at the Candidate? 

21:50- GM Nijat Abasov.

25:30- GM Fabiano Caruana

Mentioned: Leitao-Caruana 2010 

30:00- GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshababu

32:30- Hikaru Nakamura

Mentioned: GM Daniel King’s YT Candidates Previews:

Gelfand-Nakamura 2010 

37:45- Alireza Firouzja

44:00- GM Vidit Gujirathi

47:00- GM Gukesh Dommaraju

51:30- Who does Rafael predict will win? 

Mentioned: Bwin’s betting market on the Candidates:

54:00- Rafael shares his thoughts on the Women’s Candidates. More info here: 

59:00- Rafael discusses his own chess career, and what is new from our prior interview. This includes a compelling argument for Chess960. 

Mentioned:GM Luis Paolo Supi,  Supi-Carlsen 2020 

1:09:00- Thanks to Rafael for joining me! Here is how to keep up with him:

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@rafaelleitaogm

X/Twitter- https://twitter.com/rafpig?lang=en

Website- https://rafaelleitao.com/articles/

1:10:00- Tai Pruce Zimmerman aka Chess by the Numbers rejoins me to talk Candidates statistiics! 

 Mentioned: Betting market here

1:31:00- What does Tai’s model say on who is most likely to win the Woman’s Candidates?

1:41:00- Thanks to Tai for joining me! Follow him on X here:

1:42;00- On the Queenside joins. Is it a good idea to have the Women’s Candidates run concurrently with the Open Candidates for the first time? 

Mentioned: On the Queenside’s preview of the Reykjavik Open

1:50:00- Be sure to follow On the Queenside on Twitter/X and on Lichess!

Twitter/X

LiChess

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This week we return with another “Chess Improvement Q & A” episode, with another top trainer. Our returning guest is 2-time Swiss National Champion, turned trainer and blogger, GM Noel Studer. Noel is always insightful on everything related to chess improvement. He answers a wide range of questions from the online chess community. Topics discussed include: how to diagnose weaknesses, what to look for in a chess trainer, limiting blunders,and improving tactics, as well as Noel’s helpful advice for dealing with various common psychological pitfalls that chess players face. After 75 minutes of chess improvement talk, we turn our attention to Noel’s new course, Beginner Chess Mastery. It is a comprehensive guide for newer chess players, designed to take you up to about the 1200 level. If this describes you or someone you know, you will want to stay tuned until the end of the pod. Timestamps of all the topics discussed can be found below.

If you or someone you know is below 1200 and looking to improve their games, check out Noel’s course. (on sale for a limited time) 

(Using this link helps to support Perpetual Chess) 

Beginner Chess Mastery 

Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter, the Perpetual Chess Linkfest, here: 

https://benjohnson.substack.com

Sign up for Noel’s chess improvement blog here:

https://nextlevelchess.blog/newsletter/

0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black 

 If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

Prior Noel Studer appearances on episodes 248 and 312

 04:30- Chess improvement Q and A! Is it possible that an amateur player would be a better teacher for a beginner than a Grandmaster would? 

Mentioned: Nate Solon’s Tweet

Also Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard

18:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How does Noel diagnose what a student needs to do to improve? How does he know when a weakness has been sufficiently addressed?” 

22:00- Advice for limiting blunders 

25:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is Noel’s advice for someone who struggles at rapid speed compared to slower time controls?” 

31:00- Advice for improving at tactics 

Mentioned: 600 Practical Chess Exercises 

36;30- Is it more effective to have a coach than to use online training courses? 

38:00- Noel’s excellent advice for avoiding making impulsive moves. 

45:00- Noel’s advice for a player who struggles to embrace complications when short on time

51;00- Is one better off studying the games of lower level masters compared to those of Super GMs and the all-time greats? 

56:00- What does Noel think of solitaire chess/guess the move? 

1:00:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Diet and weight loss are known as the keys to losing weight. What are the chess-improvement analogs to diet and weight loss?” 

1:03:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What are some ways to evaluate improvement besides rating?” 

1:05:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is Noel’s favorite chess book on the middlegame?” 

Mentioned: Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios 

1:07:00- Does Noel think its better to repeat tactical puzzles a la the Woodpecker method, or to solve new ones? 

1:09:00- Noel’s tips for avoiding burnout 

1:13:00- What is the best time control to practice online? 

1:15:30- We discuss Noel’s new course, Beginner Chess Mastery

1:19:50- Who is the target audience for this course? 

Thanks to Noel for joining me again! 

Sign up for his blog here:

https://nextlevelchess.blog/newsletter/

And get his course here (using this link helps support Perpetual Chess):

https://nextlevelchesscourses.teachable.com/p/beginner-chess-mastery?affcode=1152624_qcx_s87s

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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This week on the podcast we delve into the topic of how to teach chess to kids who are new to the game. My guest, Carol Ann Caronia has been teaching curriculum and afterschool chess classes in Brooklyn, New York for decades. Her new book, Strategic Moves: Mind-Building Chess Exercises for Kids, shares all that she has learned from these experiences. The topics we cover include, differences she has noticed between teaching girls and teaching boys, managing after-school classes, and whether or not we should let new students/our kids win when we play them. Carol Ann has accumulated some amusing stories during  her time teaching, including a tale of two parents getting into a fight over their kids chess game. As we discuss, Carol Ann has worked closely with legendary teacher Bruce Pandolfini, and taught a 5 year-old Fabiano Caruana! If you are a chess parent, a teacher, or simply someone who would like to be able to teach a new player the game effectively, this is the episode for you. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

0:00- Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. In addition to GM Friedel’s course, Endgame Labyrinths is now on Chessable.  If you use the link below to sign up for Perpetual Chess, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:01- What advice would Carol Ann give to those facilitating scholastic chess classes? 

12:00- What recommendations would Carol Ann give for anyone teaching chess to a brand new player? Should we let the kids win? 

15:00- Has Carol Ann noticed a difference in teaching chess to girls and teaching chess to boys? 

Mentioned: My 60 Memorable Games 

20:00- What advice does she give to parents whose kids become tournament players? 

23:00- Carol Ann discusses some of her star students, including a 5 year-old Fabiano Caruana 

Mentioned: Bruce Pandolfini, GM Robert Hess 

27:00- How is it different teaching chess as part of a curriculum compared to after school classes or chess clubs? 

28:30- Carol Ann shares a story of two parents getting in a fight over a game during parent visitation day. 

32:00- In the age of devices, does Carol Ann notice any difference in the attention span of kids? 

Mentioned: Paul Morphy, Judit Polgar 

34:00- Should “touch-move” be enforced with kids? 

36:30- What can teachers and volunteers do to help make up for any shortcomings in the school systems?

39:00- Has Carol Ann noticed any change in the popularity of chess in the wake of Queen’s Gambit? 

40:30- What skills does Carol Ann think chess might help develop? 

43:00- Carol Ann shares some closing recommendations for resources Mentioned:

Jeff Coakley’s books, Everyone’s First Chess Workbook 

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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This week we get to catch up with one of the original and most popular Perpetual Chess guests, GM Jan Gustafsson. Jan, of course, is a renowned opening theoretician, commentator and trainer, who has worked on GM Magnus Carlson’s World Championship team, and is currently the coach of the German National Team. Jan has recently released a highly anticipated Chessable course, Gustafsson’s  Aggressive 1. E4 (co-authored with CM Vjekoslav Nemec).  

We discuss the lines Jan selected for this course, but also catch up on a wide variety of topics including life after Team Magnus, life after Chess24, life after the Chicken Chess Club podcast, chess cheating, the Bundesliga and the FIDE Candidates. It is always amusing and informative to chat with Jan, and this time is no exception! Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. 

0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. Chessable has tons of new offerings in addition to GM Jan Gustafsson brand new course on 1. E4!  If you use the link below to sign up for Perpetual Chess, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:01- Welcome back Jan! Patreon mailbag question: “What chess generation does Jan identify with?”

0:05- Jan recently competed in the renowned German Chess League, the Bundesliga. How were the games, and what was his schedule like? 

Mentioned: GM Viswanathan Anand, Nakamura, GM Vincent Keymer 

9:30- How did Jan enjoy the Chess.com Team Challenge match, where he and Peter Svidler lost to a team with GM Robert Hess and GM Daniel Naroditsky 

You can watch the match replay here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pl3TNUTtqQ

11;00- Will Jan be playing his aggressive 1. E4 repertoire in the Bundesliga? Was it challenging to work on this course as a lifelong 1. D4 player. 

14:30- Why did Jan decide to focus on the Dubov Italian within his course? 

20:00- Why did Jan pick the classical against the Pirc? 

24:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Why did Jan make an aggressive repertoire rather than a “chicken” repertoire?” 

27:00- Did Jan have a secret blitz account to try these lines? 

28:15- Patreon mailbag question: “Why does Jan stream in German rather than English?” 

30:00- What does Jan miss most from Chess24? 

32:00- Will Jan do a banter blitz for Chess.com ? 

33:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Whither the Chicken Chess Club Podcast?” 

36:00- What are Jan’s thoughts about the upcoming FIDE Candidates?

41:00- Is Jan still working with GM Anish Giri? 

42:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What emotions did Jan feel when Magnus announced his stepping down from the World Championship cycle?” 

46:00- What does Jan think of Chess960/Freestyle chess? 

50:00- Jan’s 2024 calendar including coaching the German Olimpiad team. 

57:00- Jan asks me for chess book recommendations

Mentioned; Think Like a Super GM, In Black and White 

59:00- Has Jan seen any good movies or TV shows lately? 

Mentioned: Mr and Mrs. Smith, Shogun, Blue Eyed Samarui, The Bear, 

 1:02:00- How are Magnus’ Carlsen’s Fantasy Basketball skills? 

1:04:00- Has Jan seen GM Hans Niemann’s vlog? 

Mentioned: GM Hans Niemann’s YouTube 

1:06:00- What does Jan think of all of the recent cheating accusations we have been hearing about? 

Mentioned: Episode 368 with Erik Allebest 

1:10- Thanks to Jan for joining me again!!

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GM Josh Friedel is the 2013 US Open Champion and is a state champion of 3 different states! Josh has also been teaching chess for decades, and he always presents chess in a clear and instructive fashion. Here in 2024, Josh has released his first Chessable course, Beginner Mistakes and How to Avoid Them. In addition to sharing some key advice from this course, Josh also discusses common errors he sees at the intermediate level. It has been more than 5 years since my first interview with Josh, so we also catch up on his OTB career, goal-setting, and  on what he learns about chess improvement from working to improve at cooking, tennis, and his newest hobby, guitar. 

0:00- Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. In addition to GM Friedel’s course, GM Jan Gustafsson is out with a brand new course on 1. E4!  If you use the link below to sign up for Perpetual Chess, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:01- What gave Josh the idea to cover the topic of Beginner Mistakes. What are some common beginner mistakes? 

0:11- Josh covers some of the most common intermediate-level (1600-2100)  mistakes he sees. 

Mentioned; GM Josh Friedel’s YouTube channel 

https://www.youtube.com/user/joshfriedel

0:22- Josh shares his thoughts on Chess960 aka Freestyle Chess 

0:27- Patreon mailbag question: What is Josh’s advice for how chess players should go about setting goals? 

29- Josh’s plans for an OTB comeback 

36:00- Patreon mailbag question: What has Josh learned from working with coaches like GM Kaidanov, GM Goldin, NM Hal Terrie, and GM Larry Christiansen? 

Mentioned; GM Daniel Naroditsky, Lev Psakhis, Viktor Mikhalevski, Vinay Bhat 

45:00- Are Josh’s abilities in his other interests, such as tennis and cooking, also  progressing? 

Mentioned: GM Ray Robson, IM Eric Rosen, IM Marc Esserman 

48:00- What is the topic of the chess book Josh is working on? 

Thanks to Josh for joining the pod! You can reach him via the LiChess coaches page, and be sure to check out his Chessable course!

https://www.chessable.com/beginner-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them-the-opening/course/204684/

You can contact him via his LiChess coaches page: 

https://lichess.org/coach/JFriedel

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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This week’s guest is two- time Dutch Champion, eleven-time Olympian, author and former candidate for the World Championship Title, GM Paul Van der Sterren. Paul had an unusual career trajectory, in that after 15+years as a chess professional, his “breakout” year occurred at the age of 37. What happened that year (1993)? That is one of the many questions tackled in his fantastic, newly-translated game collection/memoir In Black and White: The Chess Autobiography of a World Championship Candidate. In New in Chess Magazine, GM Matthew Sadler calls this book “simply the finest chess book I’ve ever read.” After retiring from professional chess, Paul became a meditation teacher. His new book, Mindful Chess, traces the development of his mindfulness practice and offers reflections and tips for chess players interested in the topic. In addition to reflecting on the lessons from these books, Paul shares wonderful stories about his clashes with the Polgar sisters, Korchnoi, Tal and many others. I cannot recommend Paul’s books highly enough, and I think that this interview will give you a good sense of the lessons they contain. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  

0:00- Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. Be sure to check out new courses like FM Dalton Perrine’s The French Simplified. If you use the link below to sign up for Perpetual Chess, it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:01- Free previews of Paul’s books are available from New in Chess here: 

In Black and White

Mindful Chess 

0:03- GM Van der Sterren achieved a legendary chess breakthrough in 1993 at age 37 . What changed? 

10:30- In his one career Candidates’ match, Paul lost to a young GM Gata Kamsky. How does he reflect on that match now? 

16:00- For Chess in Black and White, how did Paul remember so many details from throughout his chess career? 

24:00- Aging comes across as a major theme of the book, Chess in Black and White. Was this by design? 

Mentioned: GM Matthew Sadler, Sasha Chapin’s All the Moves That Matter, GM Ben Finegold 

32:00- Patreon mailbag question:

“What is Paul’s opinion as to why adults struggle to improve at chess?”

Mentioned: The Facebook Chess Book Collector’s Group 

41:00- We discuss Mindful Chess. When did Paul become interested in meditation and Western philosophy? 

Mentioned; The Bhagavad Gita, Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, Vidit

50:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Does GM Van der Sterren have any recommendations for connecting psychology and chess?” 

Mentioned; Mental Toughness in Chess, The Rider by Tim Krabbe, The Essential Sosonko 

55:00- Story time! What was it like to play the young Polgar sisters, Jan Timman, Korchnoi and Jan Timman? 

1:22:00- One more Korchnoi story!

1:24:00- Paul discusses his work at the historic Max Euwe Chess Center. 

Mentioned: You can help support the Max Euwe via this link:

https://steunactie.nl/actie/het-max-euwe-centrum-gaat-verhuizen-the-max-euwe-centre-is-moving/-29071

1:30:00- Will there be an update to Paul’s excellent opening encyclopedia, Fundamental Chess Openings? 

Thanks so much to GM Van der Sterren for joining me! 

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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This week I am excited to be joined by chess YouTube star and popular Chessable author, NM Robert Ramirez. Robert has a unique story amongst master-level players, as he spent his early years in Cuba and began tournament chess at the relatively late age of 12. As one of the older kids in his chess class in Cuba, Robert felt like he had to “play catch up” from the beginning, and this perspective steered him toward less popular openings like the Pirc defense and the King’s Indian Defense. Robert continued his pursuit of chess when his family emigrated to the U.S. in 2016, and ultimately became a successful chess teacher. With less work and extra free time during the pandemic, Robert launched his YouTube channel. Robert’s channel took a while to catch on, but he now has over 120,000 YouTube subscribers. His Chessable course, which is based on his battle-tested repertoire, has drawn rave reviews. Robert showcases an ability to relate to people and a lucid teaching style that likely contributes to the success of everything that he does. It was a lot of fun hearing his story and his chess advice. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

0:00- Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. In addition to NM Robert Ramirez’s course, be sure to check out new ones like FM Dalton Perrine’s The French Simplified.  If you use the link below to sign up for Perpeutal Chess it helps to support the pod! 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:01- We start with a tournament rundown. What has Robert learned since coming back to OTB a few years ago, and what was different about his approach in a successful recent tournament? 

Mentioned: Tournament crosstable here, 6000 Problems de Ajedrez, Lessons with a Grandmaster 

15:00- What are the origins of Robert’s YouTube channel? 

Mentioned: Robert’s series with Omar, aka Chess von Doom 

21:00- What are the secrets to the Pirc defense? 

Mentioned: 2 Adult Improvers and one Training Plan

28:00- Does Robert need to switch his openings since he is known for the Pirc and King’s Indian Defense?

30:00- Robert discusses his childhood in Cuba and what it was like coming to the U.S. at age 16 and resuming chess here?

46:00- The differences between adults and kids in chess learning . 

Mentioned: Fallow123 on Chess.com 

56:00- Robert’s closing chess improvement advice 

58:00- Where do Robert’s skills as a presenter come from?

Thanks to Robert for joining the show! Here is how to keep up with him: 

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@NMRobertRamirez

Chessable:

https://www.chessable.com/counterblow-a-complete-fighting-repertoire-for-beginners/course/199358/

Twitter/x: 

https://twitter.com/NMRobertRamirez

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Recorded on January 31, 2024 

Featuring guest co-host FM Nate Solon 

With talk of online cheating recently dominating chess conversations, Chess.com CEO and co-founder Erik Allebest joined me (and guest co-host FM Nate Solon) to discuss the issue at length. While Erik acknowledges that chess cheating is an existential threat to the game, the research of his Chess.com team suggests that people overestimate the frequency of online cheating occurrences. Erik also discussed Chess.com’s current and forthcoming anti-cheat measures, their policy regarding not naming suspected cheaters, and Erik’s thoughts on some recent headline-grabbing comments by GM Fabiano Caruana. We also covered a lot of topics unrelated to online cheating, including The Magnus-Hikaru match that fell through last year, the closures of Chess24 and the Pro Chess League, Chess.com’s relationship with FIDE, and Erik’s reflections on the Niemann-Carlsen story. As Erik discussed, there will still be a lot more information coming out about that story in a forthcoming Netflix documentary. I appreciated Erik’s willingness to speak so openly about so many issues and think that you will learn a lot from the conversation. 

0:00- Be sure to check out Chessable’s new courses including GM Srinath Narayanan’s brand new course on the Classical Sicilian, and if you use this link to sign up for Chessable Pro, and/or make a Chessable purchase, it will help support Perpetual Chess. 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

0:01- Here are the links to subscribe to guest co-host FM Nate Solon’s blog and to check out his new learning cohort, The Chess Gym:

https://thechessgym.com/

https://zwischenzug.substack.com/

0:03- Erik Allebest joins the podcast! We begin by discussing chess cheating. 

Mentioned: Erik’s first interview with Ilya Levitov

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZDRrWAx2Rk

(there is a part 2 to that interview that was released after this podcast was recorded)

NY Times article: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/22/crosswords/chess-cheating-online-fide.html

13:30- What does Erik think of GM Fabiano Caruana’s recent suggestions of widespread cheating during Titled Tuesday? 

Mentioned; Nate’s post called Beating Hikaru

https://zwischenzug.substack.com/p/beating-hikaru

27:00- More on cheating, including whether they have considered having players play from centralized locations and other issues. 

31:00- What goes into their policy of not naming cheaters, might that policy be changed? 

40:00- Has Chess.com had discussions with FIDE about sharing info about who has been banned from their site? 

42;00- Would Chess.com consider being involved in a new chess governing body? 

Mentioned: Episode 364 with GM Patrick Wolff 

49:00- What happened with the match between Magnus and Hikaru that fell through last year? 

Mentioned: The State of Chess.com 2023:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri3Z809CbS8

55:00- What will be the subject of a forthcoming Netflix chess documentary?

Mentioned: GM Sam Sevian 

57:00- What did the CHess.com team learn from the Niemann-Carlsen controversy? 

1:01:00- Why was the Pro Chess League shut down? What about Chess24? 

1:11:00- Was selling a partial stake of Chess.com to the private equity firm General Atlantic related to the Play Magnus acquisition? 

Mentioned: Isai Scheinberg, General Atlantic Announces Investment in Chess.com:

https://www.generalatlantic.com/media-article/chess-com-announces-growth-investment-from-general-atlantic/

1:20:00- Closing thoughts- what is Erik excited for in the coming year? 

Thanks to Erik for joining us, and to FM Nate Solon for co-hosting! 

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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Our book review series, Chess Books Recaptured, is back to discuss a “non-chess” book for the first time. However, the information in this book is vital for any student of the game. Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning is an extremely insightful encapsulation of best practices for learning and retaining information. The book is written by Peter C. Brown, Henry Roediger and Mark McDaniel, and was the culmination of 10+ years of research. Joining me to discuss the book is emergency room physician and dedicated chess amateur Dr. Nick Vasquez. Nick has been blogging about how Make it Stick changed his thinking about learning and chess study, and we thought it was worth expanding the blog posts into a conversation. Key precepts of the book include the importance of mixing study themes, spacing out your study, testing your knowledge frequently, and emphasizing understanding and contextualization of the study material. Timestamps of the topics discussed are below. 

Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsors, Chessable.com! 

Be sure to check out their new courses including IM Christof Sielecki’s new course, and if you use this link to sign up for Chessable Pro, and/or make a Chessable purchase, it will help support Perpetual Chess. 

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

Interviews Mentioned: 

Episode 286 Adult Improver Series Interview with Dr. Nick Vasquez 

Episode 349 with Dr. Anique de Bruin 

Nick’s blog posts about Make it Stick:

Book Review- https://nickvasquezmd.substack.com/p/make-it-stick

Chess Implications: https://nickvasquezmd.substack.com/p/making-it-stick

0:02- How did Make it Stick change Nick’s thinking about learning and studying chess? 

0:09- What are the implications for opening learning of Make it Stick

Mentioned: Make it Stick website 

21:00- What is the difference between varied practice and interleaving? 

24:30- How did the book alter Nick’s training plan? 

Mentioned: The Chess Steps, Practical Chess Exercises, GM Wojciech Moranda’s Books, GM Winning Chess Exercises for Kids, Anki 

29:00- When trying to ingrain something into one’s memory are you better off studying things over decreasing time intervals or increasing time intervals? 

33:00- More chess study conclusions

Mentioned: FM Nate Solon’s How to Learn an Opening in 2023

40:00- Is is true that “there is no such as a learning style?” 

45:00- Final thoughts and favorite quotes and studies cited. 

50:00- What is a “memory palace?

Mentioned; Moonwalking with Einstein

57:00- Thanks to Dr. Vasquez for rejoining me! Be sure to sub to his blog here:

https://nickvasquezmd.substack.com/

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

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