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.
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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
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