Episode 253- GM Daniel King Previews the World Championship, plus more!

Photo by Lennart Ootes, courtesy of GM Daniel King

Grandmaster Daniel King is a popular Commentator, Author, YouTube Creator and Chessable Author. As a player, he  has represented England internationally, won many tournaments, and has beaten the likes of Anand and Korchnoi! On his excellent YouTube channel, Powerplay Chess,  Daniel has recently been sharing his analysis of key games between Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniatchtchi.  With such a resume, he is the perfect person to join me for a preview of the World Championship match, which is less than a week away. Of course, when Daniel visits the podcast there is always more to be discussed. Other highlights include his unforgettable  interactions with GM Viktor Korchnoi, and his long relationship with the Kalashnikov Sicilian, which is the subject of his excellent new Chessable course. Please read on for all of the details and relevant links. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- 

Info from the Intro: 

Be sure go to MagnusNepo.com to join Aimchess’ Prediction Challenge! 

Check out Chess.com’s easy-to-read World Championship schedule breakdown here. 

Perpetual Chess Bonus World Championship Pods are planned for: November 29, December 2, December 6, December 9 and  December 13

6:00- Daniel King joins me to share his thoughts on the World Championship match. 

Mentioned: Wang Hao 2021-Nepomniatchtchi Candidates 2021, Vachier-Lagrave-Nepomniatchtchi Candidates 2021, GM Nigel Short, GM Michael Adams, GM John Nunn, Peter Doggers interview with GM Fabiano Caruana, Caruana-Carlsen Game 1, 2018, World Championship Odds on Pinnacle.com 

32:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is the etiquette for former seconds discussing their work with a World Championship contender, a la Rustam Kasimdzhanov’s recent comments about GM Fabiano Caruana. ?”

35:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chess.com- be sure to check out their new Game Review feature after every game 

35:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com. They offer a huge video library with instruction on every phase of the game. 

37:00- What is Daniel’s history with the Kalashnikov opening, the opening that is the subject of his  new Chessable course? 

45:30- Does Daniel have a favorite opening? 

47:00- Patreon mailbag question:” Does Daniel have any plans to update his classic book Mastering the Spanish?”

Mentioned: Chess Magazine 

52:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!

52:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. ACT NOW to enter their free Magnus-Nepo challenge on this site: https://magnusnepo.com/

53:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Will Daniel ever flip the board so Black is on the bottom when showing the Black POV on Powerplay Chess?” 

56:00- Patreon mailbag question- “Is there any video of Daniel playing the bass?” 

Mentioned: Nette Robinson art 

58:00- What were Daniel’s interactions with Korchnoi like? 

Mentioned: Book Recap #20- Talking Korchnoi with John Fernandez, Korchnoi-Karpov Game 31, 1978

Thanks as always to Daniel for joining the show!

If you enjoy his content, feel free to support his Patreon page, as I do. 

Youtube- Powerplay Chess

Free short and sweet version of Daniel’s Kalashnikov course: 

https://www.chessable.com/short-sweet-kings-kalashnikov-sicilian/course/83454/

Purchase the full course here: King’s Kalashnikov Sicilian 

Follow Daniel on Twitter here 

Episode 252- GM Andy Soltis returns again

Andy Soltis back in 1981, photo via Wikimedia Commons

GM Andy Soltis is an award winning journalist,World Chess Hall of Fame member, a Chess Life Magazine columnist , and a  prolific author who has written over 50 books. In this interview, we discuss Andy’s most recents works,  Smyslov, Bronstein, Geller, Taimanov and Averbakh: A Chess Multibiography with 220 Games, and 500 Chess Questions Answered: for all new chess players.  We also discuss Andy’s own chess improvement journey, as well as the upcoming World Chess Championship. Andy is always fun to chat with due to his encyclopedic knowledge of all things chess. For lots more details, relevant links, and timestamps, please read on. 

Click here to download the Episode

Previous appearances by GM Andy Soltis:

Episode 91 with GM Andy Soltis 

Episode 172 with GM Andy Soltis 

Book Recap #17 - Discussing Zurich 1953 with FM Nate Solon and GM Andy Soltis  

0:00- We begin by getting Andy’s chess improvement advice, including a Patreon question about whether Andy thinks chess books are superior to online learning tools as means for improving your game.

Mentioned: DeGroot’s Thought and Choice in Chess, GM Hikaru Nakaura, GM Yasser Seirawan Weltgeschichte Des Schachs Lieferung 27- Boris Spassky, GM Daniel Gormally, GM Walter Browne 

12:45- What is the proper mix between studying and playing? 

Mentioned: GM Alireza Firouzja 

15:30- What most helped Andy improve at chess? 

Mentioned: GM Reuben Fine 

17:30- How did GM Yefim Geller go from Candidate Master to World Class player in his early 20s? 

Mentioned: GM Bobby Fischer, 

22:00-Patreon mailbag question:  What was Andy’s most memorable Marshall Chess Club Championship victory? 

Mentioned: FM Orest Popovich

26:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to theHow to Chess podcast as well!

26:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. ACT NOW to enter their free Magnus-Nepo challenge on this site: https://magnusnepo.com/

27:00- We discuss a bit about each player in GM Soltis’ beautiful new book, Smyslov, Bronstein, Geller, Taimanov and Averbakh  starting with former World Champion GM Vassily Smyslov. 

33:00- What should we know about GM David Bronstein?  Was his Candidates match with Boleslavsky in 1950 really fixed? 

Mentioned: Episode 80 with GM Genna Sosonko, Ruth Haring, GM Bobby Fischer  

42:00- What should we know about legendary Ukrainian GM, Yefim Geller? 

Mentioned: GM Boris Spassky 

44:00- Mark Taimanov was a world class pianist and chess player both. What else distinguished him from his chess contemporaries? 

Mentioned: I was the Victim of Fischer, Vspominiaia-Samykh-Samykh, GM Eduard Gufeld, Chessgames.com Taimanov-Matulovic “Caveat Emptor” 

53:00- What should we know about GM Yuriy Averbakh? 

Mentioned: GM Boris Spassky, GM Lubomir Kavalek 

59:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com. They offer a huge video library with instruction on every phase of the game. 

1:00:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What book would Andy love to write that he hasn’t written yet?”

1:03:00- What does Andy think are the most  important factors in which of his books sell the best? 

Mentioned: GM John Fedorowicz, GM Arthur Bisguier, GM Pal Benko: My Life Games and Compositions, Magnus Carlsen: 60 Memorable Games,Pawn Structure Chess, Chess Fundamentals, Episode 240: Pawn Book Championship with Neal Bruce 

1:12:00- Patreon mailbag question: What does Andy think of the World Championship match? Has Magnus been out of form recently? 

1:19:00- Thanks as always to Andy for sharing his immense chess knowledge. You can check out his latest books here:

500 Chess Questions Answered 

Smyslov, Bronstein, Geller, Taimanov and Averbakh 

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

Donate — The Perpetual Chess Podcast

Episode 251- John Hartmann is back!

John Hartmann is the Editor of US Chess’ Chess Life and Chess Life Online, and the host of the podcast, Cover Stories with Chess Life. He was recently named the 2021 Chess Journalist of the Year by the Chess Journalists of America, the second consecutive year he received this honor.

When John last visited the podcast, US Chess was just coming to grips with the financial impact the pandemic would have on the organization. 18 months later, I am happy to report that John is back to give a more upbeat assessment of the state of the US Chess Federation. John is also an expert in chess computers - he built his current chess computer from scratch! John shares some fascinating tidbits about how top players use engines these days. Lastly, although it is not his top priority, John tries to work on his own game when time permits. While he prefers to think of himself as a #chessamateur instead of a #chessimprover, his online blitz rating is at an all-time high, and he always has useful book recommendations for improvers. So as always, there is much to learn from John Hartmann in this interview! Please read on for all of the details, plus timestamps and relevant links. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- We begin by catching up on the financial health of US Chess, which hit some tough times during the pandemic. 

Mentioned: Cover Stories with Chess Life with GM Alex Lenderman, Episode 179 with John Hartmann (John was also on episodes 60 and 120), John Rockefeller III Endows US Chess National Tournaments

20:00- Has John read any good chess books lately? Are chess books truly, finally, in decline? 

Mentioned: Episode 4 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy, On the Origin of Good Moves by IM Willy Hendriks, Everything and Less: The Novel in the Age of Amazon, JJ Lang, IM Levy Rozman, Agadmator, FM Robert Shlyakhtenko, Dr. Christopher Chabris 

42:00- Patreon Mailbag Question: “What was the most instructive chess book John has ever read?”

Mentioned: Chess Steps Method Workbooks, Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos, Everyone’s First Chess Workbook by FM Peter Giannatos, Rakhmanov’s Secrets of Opening Preparation 

53:00-  Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

53:30-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!

54:30-What is John doing to work on his own games? 

Mentioned:Jacob Aagaard’s Killer Chess Training,  Botvinnik: One Hundred Selected Games, GM Sam Shankland on Cover Stories with Chess Life, IM John Watson 

1:02:00- What are the most recent developments in the advancement of chess engines? 

Mentioned: Stockfish 14.1, Leela 0.28.0, 2021 Russian Championship Superfinals, Vitiugov - Andreikin, Chessify, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, Skolkovo Innovation Center

1:11:00- How will Chess Life Online be covering the World Championship? 

1:15:00- Thanks to John for joining us! 

For more information about US Chess and Chess Journalists of America upcoming seminars, go here: 

https://new.uschess.org/news/cja-continuing-education-series-announced

For US Chess annotated games from the US Championships, go here:

https://lichess.org/study/iLDop9iy

Follow John on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/hartmannchess?lang=en

Email John at John.Hartmann at Uschess.org 

Episode 250- FM Asa Hoffmann

FM Asa Hoffman with his wife Virginia at the Marshall Chess Club

This week FM Asa Hoffman joins us for an interesting talk. Asa is an author, speed chess specialist, and New York City chess legend. Like Bobby Fischer, Asa was born in 1943, and both spent their formative years in NYC. With such shared history, Bobby Fischer is one of the many chess legends with whom Asa had personal encounters and blitz battles. In fact, Asa has met every chess World Champion who came after Max Euwe! He also has beaten Fischer in a famous blitz game, and once defeated Gata Kamsky in a rapid game. In our interview, Asa sheds light on the personality of Bobby Fischer and tells a few of his favorite stories from his encounters with countless chess legends who have passed through New York. Please read on for more details, timestamps and relevant links. 

Click here to Download the Episode

0:00- What are Asa’s memories of Bobby Fischer? How does the current chess moment compare to the Fischer boom?

Mentioned: Hans Kmoch, Al Horowitz, Sylvia Miles, GM Yasser Seirawan, Bernard Zuckerman, Asa Hoffman vs. Bobby Fischer (blitz, 1963) 

13:00- Who are the strongest blitz players Asa ever played?

Mentioned: GM Valentin Arbakov, GM Roman Dzindzichashvili, GM Yasser Seirawan, Polgar sisters, Episode 185 with IM Stuart Rachels, IM Jorge Sammour-Hasbun, GM Nicolas Rossolimo 

19:30-After Fischer won the World Championship in 1972, did Asa ever see him again? 

22:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com. They have a huge library of opening, middlegame, and endgame instructional videos, as well as a free blog. 

23:45- Asa tells some more stories from playing against Fischer, as well as describing many of the classic NYC chess venues. 

29:00- Why did Asa decide to drop out of Columbia University to pursue chess? 

31:00- What was Asa’s involvement with the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer? 

Mentioned: GM Nona Gaprindishivili lawsuit against Netflix 

33:00- What did Asa do to improve at chess?

Mentioned: Mike Valvo, IM Greg Shahade, John Fernandez, GM Gata Kamsky, GM Julio Becerra, GM Michael Rohde, IM Jay Bonin 

39:00- Patreon Mailbag Question: What was Asa’s most memorable game against IM Jay Bonin? 

Mentioned: Active Pieces by IM Jay Bonin and Greg Keener 

43:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

43:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!

45:00- What were Asa’s highest stakes blitz matches? 

Mentioned: IM Cris Ramayrat, Episode 193 with Tom Murphy, GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Robert Hess, GM Alex Lenderman, GM Irina Krush 

51:00- Patreon Mailbag Question: When will Asa’s memoir be published and will it be available as an e-book? 

Mentioned: Dr. Frank Brady

53:00- Asa has met every world champion since Max Euwe. What are his most memorable interactions?

Mentioned: GM Miguel Najdorf, Edward Lasker 

57:00- Asa tells a few stories of fights and muggings at NYC gaming establishments

1:02:00- In addition to chess, Asa plays Scrabble, bridge, poker, and backgammon, and he dabbled in betting at horse racing as well. What is Asa’s 2nd best game after chess? 

1:04:00- Has Asa had any non-chess jobs?

Mentioned: Al Horowitz 

1:06:00- Has Asa played GM Maurice Ashley? Did he ever see GM Viktor Korchnoi in New York? 

Mentioned: GM Anatoly Karpov, GM Maxim Dlugy, IM Anatoly Lein 

1:09:00- Did Asa ever play GM Samuel Reshevsky?  

Mentioned: GM John Fedorowicz 

1:12:30- Asa's World Championship thoughts

1:14:30- What are Asa’s favorite chess books? 

Mentioned: Masters of the Chessboard by Richard Reti, The Psychology of the Chess Player by Reuben Fine 

1:18:00- Why did Asa stop betting on horse racing? 

1:22:00- Thanks to Asa for joining the show! You can reach him via his chess.com profile here:

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

Book Recap #20- Discussing GM Viktor Korchnoi's Chess Is My Life with John Fernandez

Photo by Koen Suyk via Wikimedia Commons

We are back for another edition of Chess Books Recaptured. This month we take a brief break from discussing books that are focused on chess improvement and discuss the eventful, insightful, autobiography, Chess is My Life, by legendary GM Viktor Korchnoi. Korchnoi, of course, was a 4 time Soviet champion, who eventually emigrated to Switzerland, and twice challenged GM Anatoly Karpov for the World Championship. 

My guest co-host this month is John Fernandez. In addition to being an old friend of mine, John is a member of the US Chess Executive Board, a USCF expert, and was an early admin and employee of the Internet Chess Club. By day, he works as a Senior Vice President of Marketing at Glia, and he is also the father of twins. John has had some memorable interactions with GM Korchnoi, so it was great to hear those, as well as to discuss the book of this legendarily irascible chess figure. As you will hear, this 2 hour podcast only scratches the surface of Korchnoi’s legacy, so you might want to click through to some of the links below, which are given with timestamps. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- Why did we pick Korchnoi’s Chess is My Life?

Mentioned: Book Recap #17 of Bronstein’s Zurich 1953, Korchnoi’s Best Games Volume 1 and Volume 2

5:30- We go over Korchnoi’s amazing chess resume and exceptional life story. 

Mentioned: Caruana-Korchnoi 2011 

15:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 

16:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought you in part by Chess.com! 

Among their many resources, you can check out their drills here and their vision trainer here.  

17:00- We read a few excerpts from the Preface (by Kasparov), the Foreword(by GM Sergey Ivanov) and the Prologue by Korchnoi himself and discuss Korchnoi’s playing style. 

Mentioned: Book Recap #1 Life and Games of Mikhail Tal, Closing Gambit, Episode 235 with Joe Posnanski  

29:15- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!

30:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

31:00- We each draft our top 5 storylines from Chess if My Life, starting with Korchnoi’s difficult upbringing, which provides context for all of Viktor’s subsequent difficulties.

37:00- We discuss the insanity of the 1978 World Championship Match with Karpov. 

Mentioned: Korchnoi’s Mirrored Glasses, YouTube footage of the match 

51:30- Why did Petrosian and Korchnoi hate each other?

56:00- How was the Korchnoi-Fischer relationship? 

1:01:00- Did Korchnoi know the rules of castling?

Mentioned: Korchnoi-Karpov Game 21 1974, Bagirov-Korchnoi 1960

1:07:00- Patreon mailbag question- “Korchnoi had a rules issue in a game with a young Magnus Carlsen- What happened there?”

Mentioned: Photo and Reddit Thread about Korchnoi-Carlsen 2004 

1:13:00- Korchnoi played Maroczy while he was dead! How was the game? 

Mentioned: Maroczy/Robert Rollans vs. Korchnoi 1985, Lichess analysis here 

1:18:00- Korchnoi played Che Guevara! 

1:20:30- What were Korchnoi’s interactions with Tal like?

1:24:30- Korchnoi lived in New York for 2 years!? 

1:27:00- Korchnoi on Nimzowitsch!

Mentioned: Book Recap #18: Talking Aron Nimzowitsch’s My System with IM Christof Sielecki 

1:31:30- John discusses his own involvement in one of Korchnoi’s most legendary displays of poor sportsmanship 

Mentioned: Reddit thread about Korchnoi-Polgar incident

1:41:00- Coming next month-- recapping the allegedly excellent book for newer players:  A First Book of Morphy 

1:43:00- Thanks to John for helping out! 

You can support US Chess here

You can support Perpetual Chess here

You can reach John via Twitter here:  

Or Chess.com here 

Episode 249- Dr. Mark Glickman

Photo courtesy of Mark Glickman

Our guest this week is one of the world’s leading experts on chess ratings. Mark Glickman is a senior lecturer on Statistics at Harvard University, from which he completed a Ph.D. in statistics. Mark has been researching and sharing ideas about ratings for decades, and has been the chairman of the US Chess Ratings committee since 1992. He is the inventor of the Glicko and Glicko2 rating systems, versions of which are used on liChess and Chess.com. He is also a USCF Master, and has written and co-written several papers on ratings. In our conversation, we review the history of chess ratings, the efficacy of the “Elo rating system,” rating deflation and other potential issues with the current online and OTB systems. This was a fascinating conversation during which I learned a great deal! More info and shownotes below. 

Click here to download the episode

0:00- We begin by discussing how Mark became interested in ratings, and a bit about the history of chess ratings. 

Mentioned: Arpad Elo, Kenneth Harkness Bradley-Terry Model, Ernst Zermelo

15:15- Mark tells the funny story of some work they did developing a “rating” model for Tinder to improve their dating app. 

17:00- Why have ratings been such a boon for the popularity of chess?

21:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What does Mark think of IM Ken Regan’s concept of Intrinsic Rating?”

Mentioned: Dr. Ken Regan’s paper on Intrinsic Rating, Episode 136 with IM Kenneth Regan 

28:00- Does Mark think the FIDE and USCF rating systems are working?

34:00- What is the history of Mark’s “Glicko system” and where does the name come from? 

Mentioned: Dr. Christopher Chabris

37:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

38:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!

41:00- Patreon mailbag question: How do we know if rating gains reflect a gain in strength rather than just that they were underrated to begin with? 

47:30- Patreon mailbag question: What could FIDE and US Chess learn from the advances in rating systems that have been made by online video game sites?

Mentioned: Trueskill Ranking System

52:00- Has Mark had any conversations with FIDE about implementing changes to the rating system? 

54:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought you in part by Chess.com! 

Among their many resources, you can check out their Drills here and their vision trainer here.  

54:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 

56:00- Mark has written that the ELO rating system may have a deflationary tendency. Mark explains why this is, and suggests some potential fixes. 

Mentioned: Pandemic Lag by Dr. Kenneth Regan 

1:06:00- Mark reflects on his own competitive chess career and shares a few stories and study tips from his journey to USCF Master. 

Mentioned: Alexey Troitsky 

1:14:00- Are there any lessons to be derived for chess from the sports analytics revolution? 

1:18:00- Could Mark envision a universal rating system across live and online sites? 

Mentioned: Rating conversion site here

1:20:00- Thanks so much to Mark for sharing his knowledge. You can keep up with him via his website:

http://www.glicko.net/index.html

You can read his papers here:

http://www.glicko.net/research.html

Episode 248- GM Noel Studer

Photo of GM Noel Studer by MBIHund via Wikimedia Commons

GM Noel Studer is a top Swiss player and a winner of many Swiss national titles. He has a popular and insightful blog called Next Level Chess, where Noel shares great chess improvement advice, book recommendations, and relates anecdotes from his experiences as a chess professional. Noel recently surprised his readers by announcing that at the age of 24 he is retiring from professional chess. In our conversation, Noel shares the reasons for his decision, and dispenses all kinds of awesome chess improvement advice. It was both helpful and enjoyable to hear all of Noel’s recommendations and stories. Please read on for lots more details and any relevant links.  

Click here to download the episode

0:00- What led to GM Noel Studer’s decision to retire from OTB chess at the age of 24? What is he planning next? 

Mentioned: Derek Sivers 

13:30- What will be the topic of Noel’s upcoming chess course? 

16:00-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 

16:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought you in part by Chess.com! 

Among their many resources, you can check out their Drills here and their vision trainer here. 

17:30- Patreon mailbag question from Neal Bruce! “What are the most common mistakes Noel sees from amateurs?” 

Mentioned: Atomic Habits 

23:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is the minimum amount of work to do to maintain a level while one is unable to train chess seriously due to life circumstances?” 

Mentioned: FIDE World Rapid and Blitz 2021 

29:00-  Patreon mailbag question “How much do openings matter for club players?” 

Mentioned: GM Ben Finegold, Noel’s posts Chess Improvement: Simple not Easy, What is The Best Chess Opening?, GM Surya Ganguly, GM Avetik Grigoryan’s Post: How to Memorize Chess Openings and Variation- Without Forgetting Them a Few Days Later   

36:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What would Noel recommend for breaking through a tactics training plateau?” 

Mentioned: The Woodpecker Method , Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos, GM Pentala Harikrishna  

48:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!

48:30-  Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

49:00- What are the best sources of motivation for chess improvement? How did Noel get through a period where he was bullied as an adolescent? 

Mentioned: Simon Sinek’s Start With Why 

1:01:00- What approach does Noel recommend for analyzing games after you play them? 

Mentioned: How to Analyze Your Game Part 1, How to Analyze Your Game Part 2 

1:11:00- What lessons has Noel learned from working with GMs Artur Yusopov, Josif Dorfman, Markus Ragger?

Mentioned: My Favorite Chess Advice: Talk With Your Pieces, IM Mark Dvoretsky, IM Josh Waitzkin’s The Art of Learning 

1:22:00- What are Noel’s favorite books?

Mentioned: Atomic Habits, The Art of Learning, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Learn from the Legends, GM Boris Gelfand’s Books ,GM Judit Polgar’s Books, GM Alireza Firouzja, Bortnyk-Studer 2014, Harikrishna-Studer 2019

1:31:00- What is Noel’s life like away from the board? 

Mentioned: Lucy the Golden Queen’s Instagram! 

1:32:00- Thanks so much to Noel for sharing his insights!

Be sure to subscribe to his blog/newsletter at https://nextlevelchess.blog/

You can follow him on Twitter here 

Episode 247- Michael Franco (Adult Improver Series)

Michael Ross Franco is a 28 year old Applied Mathematics Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley who is also an accomplished chess improver. As Michael tells us, his interest in chess was sparked when he was looking for an engaging hobby while fighting leukemia in 2013. He started following the 2013 Carlsen-Anand World Championship match, and his interest has blossomed from there. Michael’s chess rating has also blossomed, as he has slowly climbed from beginner level to a 2300 peak Lichess Rapid Rating in the subsequent 8 years. In our interview, Michael details the books, experiences and lessons that have influenced him along the way. Please read on for lots more details and any relevant links. 

Click here to download the episode

0:00- Michael shares the unique story of how in 2013, the leukemia diagnosis left him looking for an engaging hobby, which turned out to be chess. Michael followed the 2013 Carlsen-Anand match and developed a particular affinity for Magnus Carlsen. 

Mentioned: Chess Network YouTube Channel, PowerPlay YouTube Channel 

10:30- Michael began his chess climb with about an 1100 LiChess rating. Which books helped him ascend from there? 

Mentioned: A First Book of Morphy, How to Reassess Your Chess 

19:30-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them Here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!

20:15- How did Michael approach game analysis and learning from his games when he was climbing from Lichess 1100 to 2000 or so? 

Mentioned: Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces by GM Igor Stohl 

25:30: Once he started grad school, Michael was able to take advantage of an IRL chess club at University of California-Berkeley. What lessons did he learn from face-to-face games with stronger players? 

Mentioned: Chess Club at Berkeley 

30:30- What was Michael’s approach to studying openings? 

34:00- When did Michael play his first tournament? What does he advise other online players who are new to tournaments? 

43:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here.

43:30-  Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site,

and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

44:30- Michael shares some more book recommendations.

Mentioned: Pump Up Your Rating, Essential Chess Sacrifices, Thinking Inside the Box, Winning  Chess Middlegames, Chess Structures, James Altucher interview with GM Judit Polgar, Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos 

49:00- What was Michael’s approach to studying tactics? 

54:30- Michael shares the various online resources he has joined:

Mentioned: IM Andras Toth Twitch channel, Chessbrah Twitch channel, Morphy Chess Club Discord, GM Jesse Kraai The Plus Minus Equal of Chess Improvement 

57:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Has Michael’s mathematical background helped him succeed at chess?” Michael also gives some background on his academic/professional career. 

1:02:00- What are Michael’s 3 biggest chess improvement tips?

1. Play longer games and analyze them in depth. 

2. Play higher-rated people 

3. Enjoy the game, expand your chess culture! 

1:05:00- Thanks so much to Michael for sharing what he has learned about chess improvement. You can reach him via his Lichess account, NoseKnowsAll, here:

https://lichess.org/@/NoseKnowsAll

Episode 246- CM Tryfon Gavriel (aka KingsCrusher)

Photo by John Upham, courtesy of Tryfon Gavriel

Click here to download the Episode

Programming Note- this podcast  is also being published in video format on Tryfon’s YouTube channel-link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw1o0opNJ-s

Tryfon Gavriel, better known as “KingsCrusher” was one of the trailblazers of “Chess YouTube” and still uploads regularly to his following of over 110,000 subscribers.  Tryfon launched his channel on a whim in 2007, and spent years as one of the most popular chess channels in the world. It was fun to hear Tryfon take us through those early days of online chess content, which feel like so long ago.  As we discuss, Tryfon also has a keen knowledge of chess history, with a special interest in Bobby Fischer, Paul Morphy, and Mikhail Tal. Tryfon shares what makes these players so special and how we can apply lessons from their games. Tryfon is a bullet chess specialist who believes that studying these greats has even helped him at the fastest time controls. It was fun to talk chess history, chess content history and get some improvement tips from one of the original chess content creators! Timestamps and lots more details below. 

0:00- We discuss the early days of Tryfon’s YouTube channel in 2007 and his website Chessworld.net! 

Mentioned: Veratasium YouTube algorithm,  Chess on the Web by Sarah Hurst, Richard Palliser and Graham Brown, Sam Copeland’s TIme Lapse Video of the Most Popular Chess YouTubers,  Agadmator, MatoJelic, GothamChess, ChessNetwork, 

 21:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com. 

Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here.

21:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site,

and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

22:00- From the Patreon mailbag: “Tryfon’s two most popular videos are about Bobby Fischer, and Tryfon is a big fan.  What books has he read about Bobby Fischer?” 

28:00- What sparked Tryfon’s interest in writing a LiChess blog? 

30:00- What captivates Tryfon about Fischer, Morphy and Tal? 

39:00- Patreon mailbag question- “Will the King’s Gambit ever feature in elite chess again?” This segues to a discussion of other openings that are underrated for club players 

Mentioned: Chris Callahan’s Twitter thread on how openings perform at different levels, Episode 221 with Chris Callahan

46:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them Here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!

46:30-  Tryfon offers many chess courses on Udemy, including its most popular chess course, what was the inspiration for branching out from YouTube?

Mentioned: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 

53:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What tips can we share for a 1200 player working to improve calculation and visualization skills?” 

Mentioned: Peter Giannatos’ Everyone’s First Chess Workbook, Benedictine’s Visualization Series, Chess Steps 2: Thinking Ahead, IM Ken Regan paper- Intrinsic Ratings Compendium 

1:12:00- As a top junior, Tryfon played Demis Hassibis of DeepMind as a kid.   How was Demis’ game? 

1:18:00- Thanks so much to Tryfon for joining the show. Here is out to keep up with him. 

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/kingscrusher

Udemy Courses- https://www.udemy.com/user/tryfon-gavriel/

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

Lichess- https://lichess.org/@/Kingscrusher-YouTube

Book Recap #19- Discussing Capablanca's Chess Fundamentals with Jessi Shakarian

Chess Books Recaptured is back for another monthly book review/recap. This month I am joined by UX designer and recently-minted chess enthusiast, Jessi Shakarian to discuss the 1921 classic, Chess Fundamentals by former World Champion, Jose Raoul Capablanca. Jessi provides the perspective of someone new to chess who was looking to learn some basics from one of the all time greats of the game. I try to give some historical perspective on the book, as well as to detail why this did not turn out to be my favorite book, despite its being written by one of my favorite players. Of course, there are still many useful insights and beautiful chess moves in the book, and we try to share a few highlights in our conversation. As always, you can find more details and timestamps below.

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- We introduce this month's guest co-host Jessi Shakharian. Jessi shares a bit about her background and her recent deep dive into the chess world, and chess books in particular. 

3:45- Patreon mailbag question- “What approach has Jessi taken to reading chess books?”

8:30- Patreon mailbag question- “What tips can Ben share for how to analyze games?

Mentioned: How to Chess” interview with GM Davorin Kuljasevic

10:00- We discuss Jose Raoul Capablanca’s background and the context of the book’s publication in 1921. 

Mentioned: GM Mikail Botvinnik, LiChess study with Chess Fundamentals,  GM Nick DeFirmian’s Chess Fundamentals Revised 

Book Recap #18 of My System with IM Christof Sielecki, Everyman’s Chess Fundamentals, Martin Justesen’s new version of Chess Fundamentals 

17:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out whats new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

18:00- What do we think of Capablanca’s famed “learn the endgame first” philosophy? What are the pros and cons of the book itself? 

Jostein Langstrand’s Review of Chess Fundamentalsi, Edward Winter’s Capablanca: A Compendium  

30:00- What insights does Capablanca share about the relative value of the chess pieces, especially about how the bishop compares to the knight?

39:00- Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel here.

39:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site,

and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%

40:00- What did “Friend of the Show” Fred Wilson think of this book? What alternative books might we recommend? 

Mentioned: Fred Wilson books in NYC, Episode 86 with Fred Wilson, Learn to Play Chess Like a Boss, A First Book of Morphy, Capablanca’s Best Chess Endings, Logical Chess Move by Move, Make it Stick, Episode 242 GM Surya Ganguly, How Grandmasters Memorize Opening Variations by GM Avetik Grigoryan

 55:00- What grade would we give Chess Fundamentals? 

Mentioned: Episode 240 Pawn Book Championship with Neal Bruce 

58:00-Coming next month- Chess is My Life with John Fernandez 

Thanks to Jessi Shakarian for helping out this month!  

I will be making another donation to Chess in Slums on her behalf. 

You can follow her on Twitter here.  

1:00:00- Blindfold Puzzles! 

Puzzle #1- 

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. e5 Ne4 6. d3 Bc5! 7. dxe4 

Black to move and win 

For the answer, go to #1 here 

Puzzle #2- 

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Bc4 Ng4 7. O-O Qh4 8. h3 Nxf2 9. Qf3 Nxh3+ 10. Kh1

Black to move and force mate 

For the answer, go to #2 here 

*

Episode 245- GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

Photo by Lennart Ootes, courtesy of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

GM Maxime Vachier Lagrave is a 3 time champion of France, 2 time Sinquefield Cup winner, and perennial top 10 player in the world. Maxime joined me from his home in Paris while on a brief break from a hectic tournament schedule. In addition to some events in St. Louis, Maxime recently played in FIDE World Cup in Russia, and won the Zagreb Grand Chess Tour event in July. Maxime was very candid in our conversation as he discussed his recent successes, his 2nd place finish in the 2020-2021 Candidates Tournament, his thoughts on the World Championship match, and his opinions on the formats and qualification criteria of various important tournaments. It was amazing to hear the honest reflections of a chess player who is amongst the best in the world and still working to get even better! Please read on for more details, timestamps, and relevant links. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- We begin by discussing Maxime’s recent travels and chess events.

Mentioned: MVL interview with Agadmator, FIDE Candidates, FIDE World Cup, FIDE Grand Swiss in Riga

11:00- Does Maxime feel that his OTB game has been progressing? Which upcoming tournaments are his biggest priorities?

Mentioned: GM Ian Nepomniatchi, GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda, GM Sergei Karjakin, GM Teimour Radjabov, 2022 FIDE Grand Prix

20:30- Patreon mailbag question: How does Maxime feel about the current rules for qualifying for the FIDE Candidates tournament and the formats for FIDE’s other major events.

27:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here.

27:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site,

and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

31:30- Maxime has several GMs on his team, as well as a performance coach. What do they work on? How did he feel that GM Ian Nepomniachtchi handled his nerves in the Candidates?

Mentioned: MVL In Conversation with GM Surya Ganguly  

37:30- What are Maxime’s thoughts on the upcoming World Championship match?

41:30- How much does Maxime discuss match preparation strategy with other elite players?

42:00 Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out whats new from them

here:

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast!

47:00 Patreon mailbag question: What is Maxime’s training regimen?

Mentioned: Maxime’s blog post and video is here.

49:00- Patreon mailbag questions: How does MVL’s prep regime change for an open tournament as

compared to a closed? Has his prep routine changed as he has gotten stronger?

Mentioned: GM Etienne Bacrot

58:00- Is Maxime in favor of OTB playoff matches for the FIDE Candidates and FIDE Grand Swiss?

Mentioned: IM Greg Shahade

1:02:00- Has Queen’s Gambit changed chess at the elite level?

GM Anish Giri interview with IM Levy Rozman, Twitch Streamer, NM Kevin Bordi aka Blitzstream

1:07:00- Patreon mailbag question: why did Maxime decide to pursue a degree in Mathematics?

1:15:00- Is MVL inspired by the longevity of his favorite tennis player, Roger Federer

1:17:00- What are Maxime’s thoughts on GM Alireza Firouzja joining the French team?

1:19:00- Maxime is famous for his devotion to the Najdorf and the Grunfeld defenses. Is it a

philosophical or practical choice to frequently play those openings?

Mentioned: GM Wesley So

1:23:00- Thanks so much to Maxime for joining the show.

You can read his reflections on his blog here:        

https://www.mvlchess.com/en/#panel1

Follow him on Twitter here:    

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

Episode 244- GM Andrew Tang

Photo of Magnus and GM Andrew Tang at the 2021 FIDE World Cup, via Andrew’s Instagram

21 year old GM Andrew Tang (aka “PenguinGM”) is a former National High School champion chess player, popular Twitch streamer and Princeton University student. He is best known as one of the strongest “bullet chess” players in the world. Andrew is quite possibly the fastest moving Grandmaster in the world and has had many epic online battles with other elite bullet players like GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Daniel Naroditsky, and GM Alireza Firouzja. In our conversation, Andrew shares some great stories from his bullet battles, and talks about the origins of his chess skills. Other highlights of the interview include the lessons he learned from his childhood coach IM John Bartholomew, the feeling of playing GM Magnus Carlsen in person in the World Blitz championship, and his professional plans when he finishes college. This was a fun conversation with a very talented young man. More details and timestamps below. 

Click here to download the episode

2:00- How is Andrew so fast at chess? When did he realize he was good at bullet? What kind of mouse does he use? 

Mentioned: IM Ali Mortazavi, Azio Exo1 Gaming Mouse 

10:00- Does Andrew play video games? 

Mentioned: Video of Andrew playing 2D Aim, Cloud9 Gaming 

12:00- How did Andrew learn to convert winning endgames so quickly? 

Mentioned: GM Daniel Naroditsky 

13:30- Who, in Andrew’s opinion, are the best bullet players in the world? 

Mentioned: GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Alireza Firouzja, GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM Daniel Naroditsky, FM OrangeGhost (not OrangeCrush, as I said) 

16:15- How does GM Andrew Tang describe his exchanges with GM Magnus Carlsen ?

Mentioned: FIDE World Rapid and Blitz, Watch Andrew’s OTB Blitz Match with Magnus here

20:00- What are Andrew’s goals in Classical chess, if any? What are his professional plans for life after college? 

23:30-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

24:00- Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 

25:00- How seriously does Andrew take his blitz game? How did he develop his tactical vision? 

Mentioned: Episode 164 with IM John Bartholomew 

29:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Do you have any advice for getting better at time management in blitz?”

33:00- Does Andrew plan on playing in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz if it happens? 

39:30-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. 

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

40:00- Who is the strongest player Andrew has ever played in classical chess? 

Mentioned: GM Le Quang Liem, GM Wesley So, GM Alireza Firouzja, GM Nikola Mitkov

44:00- What was it like to have IM John Bartholomew as a coach? 

47:30- What are Andrew’s most memorable online bullet escapades? 

51:00- Quick hitter round. Andrew answers Twitter questions relating to browser tabs, playing chess against prisoners, blindfold chess, and his upcoming schedule. 

Mentioned: Video of GM Andrew Tang playing blindfold UltraBullet 

1:10:00- Thanks to Andrew for coming on the show! Here is how to keep up with him:

Twitch-

https://www.twitch.tv/penguingm1

YouTube- 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcJxY7NovRrYCsxyl6qaFLA

Twitter-

https://twitter.com/penguingm1

Email- 

Penguingm1 at gmail.com

Episode 243- GM Anna Muzychuk

Photo courtesy of GM Anna Muzychuk

GM Anna Muzychuk is the winner of 3 FIDE World Championship events, and is consistently amongst the highest-rated woman players in the world. In 2012, Anna made history when she became the 4th Woman in history to cross the 2600 FIDE rating. After a lull during the Covid-quarantine, Anna has been actively competing again, and she made a deep run in the FIDE World Cup. Anna came in 4th place in this prestigious event, which earned her a coveted spot in the 2022 Women’s Candidates Tournament. The winner of that Candidates Tournament will challenge GM Ju Wenjun for the Women's World Championship title. As we discuss, Anna’s schedule of competitions is generally packed, but the Covid quarantine gave her a chance to try out commentating,  Twitch streaming and even organizing a tournament, with her sister GM Mariya Muzychuk. We discuss which new hobbies Anna is likely to stick with, as well as her thoughts on many recent and upcoming events, and, of course, Queen’s Gambit. As always, timestamps and the details of all that we covered can be found below. 

Click here to download the episode

0:00- We begin by discussing the recent FIDE Women’s World Cup. Anna finished in 4th place and qualified for the 2022 Candidates Tournament for the Women's World Championship.

Mentioned: GM Ju Wenjun, GM Tatev Abrahamyan

13:00- What sort of training did Anna do during the Covid quarantine, and what does she recommend in general? 

Mentioned: Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual, Theory and Practice of Chess Endings by GM Alexander Panchenko, the books of GM Jacob Aagaard, Chess Calculation Training: Middlegame by GM Romain Eduoard,and  Learn from GM Michal Krasenkow .

19:00- What is it like to repeatedly play her own friends and relatives in the Elite Woman’s events?

Mentioned: GM Mariya Muzychuk, IM Elisabeth Paehtz, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina

23:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com.  Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel here. 

24:00- Anna discusses the 2022 World Championship Candidates Tournament and her upcoming schedule. 

28:30- Patreon mailbag question: “How have you balanced competing and preparing for top women events with trying to improve your chess level by playing significantly stronger opponents? What do you focus on to improve versus stay in good form?”

Mentioned: 2021 European Club Cup

31:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What has led to her decisions regarding which country to represent?” Anna has played for Slovenia at times, and is now back to representing her native Ukraine. 

Mentioned: Boris Kutin, GM Levon Aronian, GM Alireza Firouzja 

38:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. 

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast.  More info here:

https://howtochess.com/

39:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

40:00- Anna and Mariya’s parents are both professional chess trainers, Anna shares a bit about the way she and her sister were taught as they amassed many youth championship titles. 

48:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How should club level players approach game analysis?” 

55:00- Patreon mailbag question:  “What is the key to calculating at an elite level?”

57:00- Patreon mailbag question:  “What did Anna think of Queen’s Gambit? Did Beth Harmon’s life resemble Anna’s in any way?” 

Mentioned: GM Garry Kasparov visits US Chess Girls Club 

1:06:00-Anna famously refused to play in the 2017 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz in Saudi Arabia when she would have been required to wear a hijab and an abaya during the  tournament competition. Patreon mailbag question:  “Does she think that her stance helped change things?” 

Mentioned: Anna’s Facebook Post is here

1:11:00- Anna discusses the details of recently hosting a tournament, The Muzychuk’s Sisters Cup,  in Ukraine.

 Mentioned: Read Anna’s Chessbase article here

1:14:00- What are Anna’s plans for her Twitch channel? 

Mentioned: Challenger’s Chess Cup

1:22:00- Thanks to Anna for joining the show! Here are the best ways to keep up with her. Twitch channel- https://www.twitch.tv/annamuzychuk

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/anna.muzychuk.9, 

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/anna_muzychuk.official/

Episode 242- GM Surya Ganguly

Photo Courtesy of GM Surya Ganguly

GM Surya Ganguly is one of the top players in India, and was the India national champion for 6 consecutive years starting in 2003! He has won countless medals in National team events, and was the Asian champion in 2009. GM Ganguly also works actively as a trainer, and most notably, worked on the preparation team of of GM Viswanthan Anand for the 2008, 2010 and 2012 World Championship Matches. Given this unique experience, I couldn’t wait to hear GM Ganguly’s insightful reflections on the upcoming World Championship match. GM Ganguly is also an active trainer for us non-World Champions, and in fact, has recently released his first Chessable course, Lifetime Repertoires: Nimzo/Semi-Tarrasch. Last but not least, Surya is a founding trainer of ProChessTraining.com. This experience informs Surya’s ability to share some useful tips for young chess talents and adult improvers alike. Please read on for more details and timestamps. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- World Championship Match Talk! As a former member of GM Anand’s World Championship team, what would a prep team’s routine look like 100 days before the match? 

Mentioned: The Anand Files, Mind Master, Episode 156 with FM Michiel Abeln, Episode 177 with GM Peter Heine Nielsen, Surya’s YouTube show, In Conversation with GM Viswanathan Anand, GM Peter Leko, Challenger’s Chess Tour with Kramnik and Polgar 

23:00- Patreon mailbag question- Does Surya think that his past work on World Championship Teams makes him more likely to be hired on another team? 

25:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

26:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 

27:00- What does Surya mean when he says, in his new Chessable course, “Memorization without understanding is a sin.” 

Mentioned: Lifetime Repertoires Nimzo and Ragozin

38:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. 

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

38:30- What is the vision behind ProChessTraining, which Surya has launched with GM Ramesh R.B. and GM Magesh Panchanathan? 

51:00- How does Surya advice to budget one’s chess study time? 

58:00- When Surya was 9 years old, Surya worked on the demonstration board when GM Anand came to Kolkata for an elite tournament. What does Surya remember about this experience? 

Mentioned: GM Luke McShane, GM Levon Aronian, GM Alexander Grischuk, GM Etienne Bacrot, GM Ruslan Ponomariov, GM Sergei Azarov, GM Mark Paragua, GM Paco Vallejo 

1:01:00- Surya tells a memorable story of playing a 13 year old Magnus Carlsen in 2004. 

Mentioned: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1283190, GM Yevgeniy Vladimirov 

1:05:00- Patreon mailbag questions: How are Surya’s ping pong skills? Who is his favorite player other than Anand?

Mentioned: GM Bobby Fischer 

1:07:00- GM Ganguly did not have a coach until he was already a titled player. What was it like to work with legendary GM Alexei Shirov? 

1:10:00-

Thanks to GM Surya Ganguly for joining us. You can root for him in the following upcoming tournaments Sharjah Masters 2021, Bundesliga, and the FIDE Grand Swiss. 

Here are the other links you might find helpful:

Pro Chess Training:

https://prochesstraining.com/

Surya’s Chessable Course:

https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-nimzosemi-tarrasch-part-1/course/66522/

Surya’s Twitter:

https://twitter.com/suryachess64?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Surya’s Instagram:

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

Episode 241- FM Peter Giannatos (Adult Improver Series)

This week on Perpetual Chess, we have two interviews in one for you! Return guest, FM Peter Giannatos, who many know as the founder and head of the award-winning Charlotte Chess Center and Scholastic Academy, is also an extremely accomplished adult improver, and in the first half of this interview, Peter shares many inspirational words and his best chess improvement advice.  As we discuss, in the past decade, Peter has made the difficult climb from 2100 to 2390 USCF! Peter has also improved his blitz game, but, as Peter explains, he does not think that requires the same skill set as playing slower tournament games.

 In the second half of the interview we turn our attention to Peter's new book and Chessable course.. It is a great resource for newer chess players and chess teachers. Last, but definitely not least, we discuss the current system for players seeking to earn the Grandmaster title. There has been a fair bit of conversation and controversy on this topic of late, so it was great to have one of the world’s leading organizer’s of “norm tournaments' ' help us separate fact from fiction.

Click here to download the episode

0:00- Peter shares his beginnings in tournament chess and discusses the 2 major rating plateaus he faced (Approximately 1600 and 2100 USCF)

Mentioned: Episode 201 with FM Peter Giannatos, Episode 151 with JJ Lang, Matthew Noble, On the Origin of Good Moves, A First Book of Morphy, NM Dominique Myers, Noel Studer’s Blog

16:45- Peter talks about how his chess evolved in his 20s and the ways that GM Ben Finegold and GM Alexander Shabalov helped Peter improve

Mentioned: Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos, 

26:30- How do adult improvers approach chess improvement differently from kids? 

Mentioned: #chesspunks, Neal Bruce 

33:00- How did Peter change his opening repertoire once he started working with GM Alexander Shabalov? 

37:45- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

38:15- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 

40:00- How many hours per week did Peter study while his rating was climbing?

Mentioned: Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual, Perfect Your Chess 

48:00- How does Peter adapt his game for speed chess? 

Mentioned: Simple Chess, How to Reassess Your Chess 

57:00- Recommendations for players rated below 1600

Mentioned: Step 2 Thinking Ahead, Forcing Chess Moves 

1:05:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. 

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

1:06:30- Peter’s improvement bullet points

• Play Stronger Players

• Be willing to change things up and exit your comfort zone

• Work hard! Do 10-15 minutes puzzles that push yourself

• (my addition)- find a training partner

1:14:00- We discuss Peter Giannatos’ new book and Chessable course Everyone’s First Chess Workbook,

Mentioned: Laszlo Polgar’s Chess, Al Woolum’s Chess Tactics Workbook, Chess Steps Books 

1:21:00- We discuss a recent, somewhat controversial New York Times article about how title norms are achieved.

Link for the article here

Mentioned: GM Abhimanyu Mishra, GM Sergey Karjakin, GM Bobby Fischer, GM Judit Polgar 

Ian Nepomniatchi’s tweet is here, IM Nikolas Theodorou, GM Nigel Short, IM John Bartholomew . Chess for Charity Jacksonville 

1:55:00- 

Thanks so much to Peter for coming on the show! Here are the links you need to reach Peter or buy his book/course:

See a preview of the book here

Buy the book here:

Buy it in Chessable form here:

Follow Peter on Twitch here: 

Email him here: 

Peter.giannatos at charlottechesscenter.org

Episode 240- "Pawn Book Championship" Special Episode with Neal Bruce

Which “pawn book” should you read?

This week’s Perpetual Chess is the much anticipated “Pawn Book Championship” with popular adult improver Neal Bruce. Neal learned chess from scratch after the age of 40, and has been consistently studying and using flashcards to improve his skills in the last handful of years. In the past year, Neal has turned his attention to better understanding pawn play and positional chess, and he has read 6 (!) different books in order to facilitate better chess understanding. We Perpetual Chess listeners are very fortunate that Neal has offered to do a podcast crowning the “champion” of the pawn books, and has also agreed to give his honest assessment of the other books. When not working on his chess game, Neal is the Chief Product Officer of a software startup and a father of 3, so we greatly appreciate his taking the time for this large project. Please read on for more details and relevant links. 

Click here to download the episode

0:00- 

1. The transcript of episode 237 with GM Vladimir Kramnik is here

2. If you would like to subscribe to the Perpetual Chess Patreon page, you can do so here.

4:00- Other podcasts to hear Neal Bruce:

Book Recap 6- Woodpecker Method and Rapid Chess Improvement  

Book Recap 11- Winning Chess Strategies 

How to Chess with Neal Bruce 

Dojo Talks #24 with Neal Bruce 

5:00- 

Which books are entrants in Neal’s “Pawn Book Championship,” and how and why did he choose them? 

Small Steps to Giant Improvement by GM Sam Shankland (Most appropriate for those 1700-2400 FIDE)

Small Steps 2 Success by GM Sam Shankland (Most appropriate for those 1800-2400 FIDE)

Pawn Structure Chess by GM Andy Soltis (Most appropriate for those 1500-2200 FIDE)

Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios (Most appropriate for those 1500-2200 FIDE)

The Power of Pawns by GM Jorg Hickl’s (Most appropriate for those 1200-2000)

Pawn Power by IM Hans Kmoch (Not recommended for any rating range)

22:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. 

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

23:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 

24:00- Hans Kmoch Pawn Power 

30:30- GM Andy Soltis’s Pawn Structure Chess 

34:00-GM Sam Shankland’s Small Steps 2 Success 

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/345/small_steps_2_success_by_sam_shankland/

Mentioned: New in Chess Magazine 

38:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

39:00- Small Steps to Giant Improvement

Free sample from Quality Chess here:

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/316/small_steps_to_giant_improvement_by_sam_shankland/

43:00- The Power of Pawns by Jorg Hickl. 

Link with free sample from New in Chess Books here:

https://www.newinchess.com/en_US/the-power-of-pawns

47:00- Chess Structures

Free sample from Quality Chess here:

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/235/chess_structures_-_a_grandmaster_guide_by_mauricio_flores_rios/

51:00- In what order would Neal recommend that you read these books? 

Mentioned: 

Interview with Magnus Carlsen on Wolfgang Wee Uncut-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElHa52f_bC8&t=4725s

58:30- What lessons did Neal learn from these readings? What books are next for him? 

Mentioned: Mastering Chess Strategy, Mastering Positional Sacrifices, Silman’s Reassess Your Chess Workbook, Practical Chess Exercises, Zurich 1953, New York 1924, Judit Polgar’s How I Beat Fischer’s Record, Book Recap #7 with Jen Shahade 

1:04:00- Thanks so much to Neal for undertaking this massive project and sharing his findings with the chess community! You can keep up with Neal on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/NealBruceBC

38:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

39:00- We discuss Small Steps to Giant Improvement

Free sample from Quality Chess here:

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/316/small_steps_to_giant_improvement_by_sam_shankland/

43:00- We discuss The Power of Pawns by Jorg Hickl. 

Link with free sample from New in Chess Books here:

https://www.newinchess.com/en_US/the-power-of-pawns

47:00- We discuss Chess Structures

Free sample from Quality Chess here:

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/235/chess_structures_-_a_grandmaster_guide_by_mauricio_flores_rios/

51:00- In what order would Neal recommend that you read these books? 

Mentioned: 

Interview with Magnus Carlsen on Wolfgang Wee Uncut-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElHa52f_bC8&t=4725s

58:30- What lessons did Neal learn from these readings? What books are next for him? 

Mentioned: Mastering Chess Strategy, Mastering Positional Sacrifices, Silman’s Reassess Your Chess Workbook,  Practical Chess Exercises, Zurich 1953, New York 1924, Judit Polgar’s How I Beat Fischer’s Record, Book Recap #7 with Jen Shahade 

1:04:00- Thanks so much to Neal for undertaking this massive project and sharing his findings with the chess community! You can keep up with Neal on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/NealBruceBC

Book Recap #18- Discussing Aron Nimzowitsch's My System with IM Christof Sielecki

This month on Chess Books Recaptured I am joined by renowned Chessable author, IM Christof Sielecki, to discuss what may be the best known chess book of all time. Aron Nimzowitsch’s My System. There was a time when My System seemed to be universally recommended as an indispensable manual for newer chess players, but in recent years, with so many excellent learning resources, it has often been criticized as well. Christof and I try to contextualize the good and the bad of My System. We discuss everything in the book from Nimzo’s famous quotes to his “dad jokes”, to what does, and does not hold up to the scrutiny of modern chess analysis. Whether you love or hate this book, we hope that this podcast can help you decide if this book is worth (re)visiting. Please read on for timestamps and relevant links. 

Click here to download the episode.

0:00- Why is My System so famous? Why are there so many versions of it? 

Mentioned: Episode 6 with IM Christof Sielecki, Episode 153 with IM Christof Sielecki, Quality Chess’ Edition of My System, also available on Forward Chess, Chess Metrics, Chess24’s Top 50 Player of All Time Series with GM Jan Gustafsson and GM Peter Heine Nielsen 

8:30- For what rating range or audience would this book be most helpful? 

Mentioned: GM Yasser Seirawan, Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos

16:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. 

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

16:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

17:00- How is the book structured? 

Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard, GM John Shaw, IM John Watson’s Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy , Johner vs. Nimzowitsch 1926

36:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 

37:00- How would we describe Nimzowitsch’s writing style? 

Mentioned: John Watson’s Review of My System, Lou Hays’ Edition of My System, Siegbert Tarrasch, Rubinstein-Duras (1908), Winning Pawn Structuresby GM Alexander Baburin,

54:00- What books might we recommend as instructional substitutes for My System? 

Mentioned: THe Neal Bruce Pawn Book Championship is coming August 24!, Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios, Simple Chess by GM Michael Stean, IM Jeremy Silman’s Books, Book Recap Podcast #13, Simple Chess, On the Origin of Good Movesby IM Wily Hendricks 

1:00:00- We will be back next month discussing Jose Raoul Capablanca’s Chess Fundamentals, 

1:02:00- Thanks so Christof for donating his time! We close by discussing what Christof is working on next for Chessable. 

Mentioned: Chess in Slums Go Fund Me:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/chess-education-in-africa

 Check out Christof’s whole Chessable catalog here: 

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

Check out his books here:

Amazon.com: Christof Sielecki: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

Follow him on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/ChessExplained

Episode 239- GM Jan Markos

Photo Courtesy of GM Jan Markos

Our guest today is the three-time champion of Slovakia, the highest rated player in his country and an award-winning author! Jan Markos’ 2018 book Under the Surface  has been recommended on this show many times and was the winner of the ECF book of the year this year. He is out with another offering, The Secret Ingredient, also from our friends at Quality Chess. Both of Jan’s works are fantastic books which display an accessible writing style and a breadth of knowledge that extends far beyond the chess board. In our conversation, we discuss many of the ideas presented in these books, as well as a bit about Jan’s own competitive career, his advice for improvers, and his busy life away from the chessboard. Please read on for more details and relevant hyperlinks. 

Click here to download the episode.

3:00- We discuss a question raised in Jan’s 2018 book Under the Surface.  “What do Grandmasters see that club players do not?” 

Mentioned: Thinking Fast and Slow, JJ Lang, GM Jesse Kraai

9:30- Patreon mailbag question- “How did GM Markos come up with so many original metaphors to describe chess thinking in Under the Surface?”

14:30- Listener question- “Why do adult improvers find improvement so challenging?” 

Mentioned: GM John Nunn’s Secrets of Practical Chess, Street Smart Chess by GM Axel Smith 

18:00- Twitter Question: “Who is the intended audience for Jan’s book?” 

20:00- Twitter Question: “Was Jan inspired by Aron Nimzovich’s My System?”

Mentioned: Patzer’s Review Blog Review of Under the Surface  

22:00- Twitter Question: “Are there new chapters Jan would add to Under the Surface today?” 

24:00- Twitter Question: “Why do we tend to notice mistakes just as we make a move, and not before we make a move?” 

Mentioned: Jan’s game where he sadly hung a mate in one is here:

Manage Your Favourite Games (chessbase.com)

26:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com 

They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 

27:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

30:00- We discuss Jan’s new book, The Secret Ingredient. How can adult chess players learn to translate chess knowledge into skills? 

39:00- Why is trying to “get your openings down first” before tackling other aspects of the game often a  “Sisyphean task”? 

41:30- What advice can Jan offer on managing one’s time during a chess game?

Mentioned: GM Alexander Grischuk, GM Daniel Fridman, GM Vasyl Ivanchuk, Episode 08 with GM Sam Shankland 

48:30- What should you do when confronted with an unknown idea in the opening? 

50:00- How should chess improvers allocate their chess study time? 

Mentioned: Episode 237 with GM Vladimir Kramnik 

54:00- Can online games be adapted so that they more resemble tournament chess? 

58:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. 

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

1:00:00- What was Jan’s journey to the GM tite like? Who are his favorite chess authors?

Mentioned: GM Lubomir Ftacnik, Ludek Pachman’s Chess books, GM Boris Gelfand, GM Jonathan Rowson, GM Jacob Aagaard 

1:04:00- What is Jan’s approach to writing? 

1:05:30- How is the chess culture in Slovakia?

1:08:00- Does Jan miss playing chess professionally? What are his fondest memories? 

Mentioned: GM Jan-Khristof Duda, GM Sergei Karjakin 

1:15:00- BOOK GIVEAWAY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Take a screenshot of your subscription to the How to Chess Podcast on any podcast app or on Chessable’s YouTube channel. 

2. Email the screenshot to ben at perpetualchesspod.com 

3. The winners of Jan’s books will be announced on September 3, 2021 via email 

1:17:00- Thanks so much to Jan for joining us. You can email him at jan.markos at gmail.com 

Episode 238- Jerald Times

Jerald in South Africa, circa 2011. Photo courtesy of Jerald Times.

Jerald Times is a USCF Chess Master, and the 2 time Chess champion of Harlem. Jerald is also a chess commentator, and is probably best known as a chess teacher who recently received the 2021 Chess Educator of the Year award from the University of Texas at Dallas. Jerald has been predominantly based in his native New York City, where he twice was the chess champion of Harlem, and where he has served in different capacities at successful chess programs such as The Dalton School, The Harlem Children’s Zone, and The Success Academy. Jerald also spent a few years as a chess trainer in South Africa, and coached the South African National team. These days, Jerald is launching a new organization, called Chess Across Borders, which aims to use digital tools to enable chess players from all backgrounds to compete in national and international chess championships. Jerald shared insightful comments as he on his own chess journey to a peak FIDE rating of 2400, as well as his reflections on how chess, and chess education has changed. Jerald also highlighted some important instances of racial discrimination that he has seen in his career both in the chess world, and as a teacher. All in all, there is lots to learn from this discussion with Jerald, please read on for more details and timestamps. 

Click here to download the episode

0:00- How did Jerald get into chess in his native New York City in the 1980s and 1990s?

Mentioned: Think like a Grandmaster, My System, Alexander Alekhine, GM Vassily Smyslov, GM Jose Raoul Capablanca, IM Levy Rozman, WGM Alexandra Botez, GM Miron Sher, GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Robert Hess  

13:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. 

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

14:00- Jerald discusses his plans to launch a new organization, called Chess Across Borders 

20:00- How have chess teaching tools changed in recent decades?

Mentioned: Google Classroom, FM Mike Klein, Chesskid.com 

25:00- Jerald’s most recent position was heading the chess program at a New York- based network of charter schools called Success Academy. Jerald discusses both the positive and the negative of his experiences with Success Academy.

Mentioned: Jessica Hyatt

41:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

42:30- Patreon mailbag question: How does chess in South Africa (where Jerald lived, and worked as a chess trainer) compare to chess in the United States?

Mentioned: GM Kenny Solomon, Nick Vandernot, IM Henry Steele, IM Watu Kobese , GM Maurice Ashley, IM Kassa Korley, Tani Adewumi, James Black, IM Justus Williams, FM Joshua Colas 

52:00- Where is Chess Across Borders in its launch process? 

53:30- Jerald shares stories about his encounters with GM Garry Kasparov and GM Maurice Ashley.

Mentioned: Rochelle Ballantyne, Maurice Ashley to host recaps of the Upcoming World Championship on NBC Sports:

https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1417258790169321472?s=20

1:01:00- Thanks to Jerald for joining the show! Here is his contact info:

Find out more about Chess Across Borders here:

https://chessacrossborders.site123.me/

Email Jerald at:

jtimes at gmail.com

Episode 237- GM Vladimir Kramnik

Photo credit unknown, via Sport Express.ru (and Douglas Griffin’s Twitter Feed) GM Kramnik discusses his memorable first encounter with GM Anatoly Karpov (in Linares, 1993) in this interview

Note- one can read a transcript of this interview here.

This week on Perpetual Chess, we are privileged to be joined by the 14th undisputed World Chess Champion, Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik. GM Kramnik spent decades atop the chess world, and is best known as the man who ended Garry Kasparov’s historic reign as World Champion. GM Kramnik is one of the 10 highest rated players of all time, and left a special imprint in his contribution to opening theory, as many of his favorite lines are now embraced by modern chess engines and frequently seen at the elite level. We had a wide-ranging conversation where GM Kramnik discussed his match with Kasparov, the effect of engines on chess, his recent “no-castling” exhibition match with GM Viswanathan Anand, and, of course, his new Chessable course. Vladimir’s course is called Thinking in Chess: A How to Guide, and it offers a Super GM level framework on how to think about preventing your opponent’s plans. There are many great insights in this interview, so I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as I did speaking with him. Please read on for more details, timestamps and relevant links.  

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- We begin by discussing Kramnik’s rise in the 1990’s, including his breakout tournament at the 1992 Manila Olimpiad, a tournament for which he was a surprise choice to compete on the stacked Russian team.

08:30- Vladimir recently concluded his match with GM Vishy Anand in a new variant called “no-castling chess.” He discusses the match and the future of chess variants. 

Mentioned: GM Vasyl Ivanchuk

22:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

23:45- GM Kramnik answers a question from the Perpetual Chess Patreon mailbag: "How has his game has been influenced by computer chess?"

26:00- A couple more Patreon mailbag questions- “Did computers help Vladimir prepare the Berlin endgame for his match against Kasparov?” “How much did his team help him with it?”

33:00- GM Kramnik discusses the match dynamics of the 2000 Kasparov-Kramnik match. 

Mentioned: GM Viswanthan Anand 

41:30-Are there any modern players who use the engines especially effectively in their preparation? 

45:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. 

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

46:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Why did GM Kramnik decide to focus his chess course on “quiet moves” and prophylaxis?”

1:02:00- What does Vladimir think about the upcoming World Championship match?

Mentioned: Norway Chess 2021 

1:08:00- Vladimir answers another Patreon question: “Is it more stressful to be World Champion than to “just” to be a top-echelon player?” 

1:12:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Can a player who has passed her 60th birthday compete in the top echelon?”

1:15:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Did Vladimir enjoy competing in Chess24’s Legends of Chess tournament last year?” 

1:18:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What kind of improvement can amateur players expect to see in their games if they have jobs outside of chess?”

1:22:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What was it like to play his childhood hero, GM Anatoly Karpov, for the first time?” 

Mentioned: GM Garry Kasparov. You can review the game here: 

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067080

1:29:00- Did working on Kasparov’s team give him a competitive advantage in their 2000 World Championship match, and might Nepomniachtchi have a similar advantage from having worked with GM Magnus Carlsen?

1:30:00- Thanks so much to GM Kramnik for joining the show! You can check out a free version of his Chessable course here:

https://www.chessable.com/vladimir-kramnik-free-lesson/course/81696/

Or you can buy the whole course here:

https://www.chessable.com/thinking-in-chess-a-how-to-guide/course/77175/