Bonus Pod- FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Preview featuring IM Eric Rosen and FM Alisa Melekhina

In the chess world, the holiday season means its almost time for one of the most entertaining tournaments of the year- The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championship. This year’s championship events are star-studded affairs featuring GM Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk and a litany of big-name challengers. For the first time, this event will be taking place in New York CIty, and I will be attending the event and subsequently covering it here on Perpetual Chess. Joining me to discuss the tournament are two wildcard participants.

Click here to download the Episode

• First up (9:00)  is the ever-popular Youtuber and Twitch streamer, IM Eric Rosen. Among other topics, IM Eric Rosen shares how he got the opportunity to play in the tournament, discusses whether he feels any apprehension about potentially tangling with so many world-class players, and discusses how he prepares for such an event. Eric joined me just after returning from the World Championship in Singapire, so he also reflects on that experience as well.

• Following Eric, I am joined by FM Alisa Melekhina (35:00) . Alisa was one of the top players her age as a scholastic player, and is now a litigation partner at an NYC-based law firm. Alisa explains why she couldn’t resist the opportunity to participate in the Women’s Rapid Championship despite a busy professional life. Alisa co-founded the New York City Corporate Chess League and she also shares the background on that thriving endeavor. 

As always, I enjoyed chatting with Eric and Alisa, and look forward to watching them compete in this marquee event. 

EP 413- GM Daniel Naroditsky Looks Back at Gukesh's Rise, Ding's Disappointment & the Heightened Emotions of the 2024 World Championship

Just one day after the match's unforgettable conclusion, I am honored to be joined by lead Chess.com Commentator and popular YouTuber, GM Daniel Naroditsky. Danya takes us straight to the deciding moment of the match and then looks back to contextualize broader lessons from a battle that was closer than many expected. We tackle questions such as:

• Is it possible that Ding subconsciously was ok with losing this match?

• How uncharacteristic was Ding's blunder for a GM?

•  Did this match display more raw emotion than other recent World Championships?

• Is Magnus Carlsen's commentary impacting the chess discourse too much during a match?

Following a detailed World Championship discussion, we touch on a few other topics, including the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz, Danya's upcoming Chessable course, and his recent coaching reflections. It was quite a treat to hear Danya process this match in real-time just one day after its conclusion. Approximate timestamps of topics discussed are below.

Click here to Download the Episode

Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.Be sure to check out the free course by IM Andras Toth on the World Championship match, the new Woodpecker Method 2 course, among their many offerings. If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess:

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

3:00 -Review game 14 of World Championship

13:00 -Danya’s commentary influences

15:00 -Behind the scenes of Danya’s commentary

18:00 -Overview of World Championship match

22:00 -Ding’s struggles

29:00 -Looking ahead to the next World Championship

31:30 -Emotions during the match

34:00 -Thoughts on Gukesh

36:30 -Takes on Magnus’ Take Take Take Recaps

45:00 -Potential changes to WC format

51:00 -Openings in the WC

57:00 -What the audience can learn from the match

1:01:30 -Final thoughts on WC/Danya’s embarrassing moment in commentary career

1:10:00 -Listener questions, Danya’s future chessable course

1:14:00 -Danya's 2025 tournament plans

1:17:00 -Kramnik accusations/thoughts on upcoming World Rapid and Blitz

1:22:00 -Favorite memories being a part of Charlotte Chess Center

1:26:00 -What happened to Danya's NY Times chess column?

Thanks to Danya for joining me! Be sure to sub to his YouTube and Twitch channels:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHP9CdeguNUI-_nBv_UXBhw

https://www.twitch.tv/gmnaroditsky

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess

EP 412- GM Jon Ludvig Hammer on Broadcasting the World Championship, How Chess is Covered in Norway, & His Pet Opening System

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.  He 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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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 origin 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 is the status of  the chess broadcasts on TV in Norway, now that Magnus is semi-retired?

19:00- Why does Hammer think that chess is so much more popular as a spectator sport rather than a 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 Norwegian 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

Bonus Pod- Ding-Gukesh in the Homestretch. Post-round 12 Analysis, Stories and Chess Improvement Takeaways with IM Andras Toth

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/

Click here to Download the Episode

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

patreon.com/perpetualchess

Bonus pod- Tension escalates, as Ding-Gukesh remains tied after 9 rounds. Chess.com’s FM Mike Klein shares behind-the-scenes stories from Singapore.

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. 

Click here to download the Episode

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

EP 411- Adult Improver Supraja Vadlamani on How She Went from Chess Noob to Olympiad Participant in Just a Few Years.

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.

Click here to Download the Episode

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

Bonus Pod- The World Championship is Deadlocked through 6 Games. IM Michael Rahal joins from Singapore & GM Jon Ludvig Hammer on the Match’s Surprising Trajectory

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

Click here to Download the Episode

EP 410- Chess improvement, Chess Business, and AI coaching with GM Avetik Grigoryan of Chessmood.com

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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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 

53:00- If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

patreon.com/perpetualchess

EP 409- GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez: A Tireless Tournament Circuit Grinder on Overcoming Setbacks, Managing Energy, the Risks of OTB Cheating & His Love for the Scotch Opening

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 consistently play at a high level so frequently. 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 made 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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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 he 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 in 2023 to focus on chess? 

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

EP 408- FIDE World Championship Mega Preview- Talking Ding Liren with GM Davorin Kuljasevic, Gukesh with IM Cyrus Lakdawala and Match Statistics with NM Matt Jensen

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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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

EP 407- News and the Nimzo with GM Ben Finegold- Recent cheating Controversies, The US Championships, Favorite Openings, & Chess Gambling Stories

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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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 can you 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

EP 406- Peter Doggers on The Chess Revolution: A Big Picture Look at Cheating, Engines and the Explosion of Online Chess

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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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 cheating, directed at GM Kirill Shevchenko, 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

EP 405- Author, FM Charles Hertan on How Paul Morphy went from Unrated to Unbeatable, plus Reflections on His Classic Book, Forcing Chess Moves

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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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

EP 404- IM Kostya Kavutskiy- His renewed Quest for GM, An Olympiad Trip Report, plus Chess Improvement Questions Answered

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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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 reflects on his 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

EP 403- IM-Elect Selim Citak on How a Spontaneous Decision to Return to OTB Chess Led to Him Earning the IM Title at Age 39

“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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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

Check out their new offerings from GM Sam Shankland, GM Maurice Ashley, and many others. 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

1:30- IM-elect Selim Citak joins me: He discusses his chess origins and reasons for his  return 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 of online chess? 

49:00- Selim’s next goals

53:00- Selim 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. 

EP 402- GM Axel Smith on Draw Offers, Managing the Clock, and the Return of the Woodpecker Method.

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. 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. 

 Click here to Download the Episode

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

Check out the app of our new sponsor 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 joining us again.  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/

EP 401- Sam Kahn: Advice for Taming Chess Degeneracy and The Lessons We Can Learn from Past Chess Greats

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 chess story. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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/

Olympiad Bonus Pod- Mr. Dodgy on the Atmosphere, Controversies and Notable Stories so far from Budapest

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!

Click here to download the Episode

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? 

Links referenced:

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/

Thanks to Mr. Doodgy for joining, Check out the Women in Chess Foundation here:

https://www.womeninchess.com/

EP 400- Adult Improver NM Matt Gross- How Studying Model Games and Improving Intuition Helped Him Become an NM at Age 48

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! 

Click here to download the Episode

https://www.movelibrary.com/

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. 

EP 399- GM Tiger Hillarp Persson: The 2x Swedish Champion, Author & Go Master Shares a Life’s Worth of Wisdom on How to Improve at Complex Games

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. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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