EP 272- "Positional Puzzle Book Championship" with Neal Bruce

Neal Bruce with his #chesspunks mug

Popular guest and dedicated improver Neal Bruce is back on Perpetual Chess to break down the most useful “Positional Chess Puzzle” Books for club players. For those who have not heard Neal’s prior appearances, he is a dad and an executive at a software startup who devotes a lot of his free time to improving his chess game, often via flash cards made from chess books. Neal is amidst a 10 year study plan and has recently completed a phase during which he went through 8 positional puzzle books. In our interview, Neal discusses why he thinks this was an important step for his chess development and assesses the books he read. He ranks them in order, assesses their pros and cons, and their usefulness for different rating levels. At the end of Neal’s book breakdown we catch up with Neal a bit and discuss what is next in his 10 year chess study plan. Links for all of the books referenced, as well as timestamps are below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

 Improve Your Chess Pattern Recognition by IM Arthur van de Oudeweetering

How to Reassess Your Chess 4th Edition by IM Jeremy Silman 

Mastering Chess Strategy by GM Johan Hellsten (also available on Chessable) 

Mastering Positional Sacrifices by IM Merijn van Delft 

The Positional Chess Handbook by FM Israel Gelfer 

Practical Chess Exercises by Ray Cheng 

IM Jeremy Silman’s Reassess Your Chess Workbook 

Techniques of Positional Play by Valeri Bronznik and IM Anatoli Terekhin .

Prior appearances by Neal: 

“Pawn Book Championship” Episode 241

Book Recap #11- Taking Winning Chess Strategies with Neal Bruce 

Book Recap #6- Woodpecker Method and Rapid Chess Improvement with Neal Bruce 

0:00- We begin by catching listeners up on Neal’s background and discussing why Neal decided to study 8 “positional puzzle” books. 

5:00- How has this intense study of positional chess impacted Neal’s chess game? 

14:00- What books might be good precursors to the books that Neal discusses? 

Mentioned: Simple Chess by GM Michael Stean, The Power of Pawns 

16:00- Neal discusses two books that didn’t make the list: 

Winning Chess Strategy for Kids by Jeff Coakley, Beyond Material by GM Davorin Kuljasevic 

20:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Their new courses include 1. E4 for beginners by IM Andras Toth, and Lifetime Repertoires by GM Hans Niemann. You can check out free “Short and Sweet” previews of them here (Andras) and here (Hans) 

21:30- Neal ranks the 8 books he reviewed! The first 4 books are:

IM Jeremy Silman’s Reassess Your Chess Workbook  (Read Dr. Patzer’s review here)

The Positional Chess Handbook by FM Israel Gelfer 

How to Reassess Your Chess 4th Edition by IM Jeremy Silman (Discussed in Book Recap #2) 

Improve Your Chess Pattern Recognition by IM Arthur van de Oudeweetering 

37:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

38:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess

39:30- The final 4! 

Techniques of Positional Play by Valeri Bronznik and IM Anatoli Terekhin . Read Sam Copeland’s Review of Techniques of Positional Play

Mastering Positional Sacrifices by IM Merijn van Delft 

Check out IM Andras Toth’s review of Neal Mona List here 

Practical Chess Exercises by Ray Cheng 

Mastering Chess Strategy by GM Johan Hellsten (also available on Chessable) 

1:04:00- What are Neal’s OTB tournament plans? What books will he read next?

1:08:00- Thanks as always to Neal for dedicating so much time to sharing his chess knowledge!

The best way to reach and keep up with him is via Twitter. 

Book Recap #25- The Mammoth Book of the World’s Greatest Chess Games with NM Chrisopher Chabris and FM Graham Burgess

I was joined by guest co-host Christopher Chabris, and we were paid a visit by the co-author and editor, FM Graham Burgess

Chess Books Recaptured returns to discuss an excellent game compilation book, The Mammoth Book of the World’s Greatest Chess Games by GM John Nunn, GM John Emms, GM Michael Adams, and GM Wesley So. Joining me to discuss the book are cognitive scientist and USCF Master, Dr. Christopher Chabris, and a co-author and editor of the book, FM Graham Burgess. We discuss questions such as “What defines a great chess game?” “How are the best games chosen in this book?” “Why aren't any wins by Nakamura or Aronian in the book?” “What other books attempt to cover the best chess games in history?” It is a fascinating project, and the book is excellent with an amazing compilation of historic games with instructive, succinct prose and high-level analysis. You can find lots more details, timestamps, links below.

Click here to download the episode

Prior appearances by Dr. Christopher Chabris:

Episode 95 with Christopher Chabris 

Episode 187 with Christopher Chabris 

Book Recap #4: Think Like a Grandmaster by Kotov 

Book Recap #15: Secrets of Practical Chess and Attack the Strongpoint 

Gambit apps on which you can purchase Mammoth for Apple and Google

0:00- Why did Christopher Chabris choose this book to discuss? What is the structure of the book? 

13:00- What other game compilations are comparable?

Mentioned: Kasparov’s My Great Predecessors, Logical Chess Move by Move, The Most Instructive Games of All Time, The Golden Dozen, Understanding Chess Move by Move,100 Best Games of the 20th Century 

20:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

21:15- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess

22:00- We are joined by the co-author and overseer of The Mammoth Book of the World’s Greatest Chess Games, FM Graham Burgess

35:00- How did GM Wesley So and GM Michael Adams get involved in the project? 

43:00- Graham shares some details on the game selection process. 

Mentioned: Kramnik-Kasparov 2000

48:00- Did the authors think of using engines to judge the “quality” of the games? 

Mentioned: Krogius-Stein, Kasparov-Karpov Game 24, 1985

58:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Their new and upcoming courses include GM Simon Williams updating The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal, and GM Hans Niemann course on Jobava London. 

59:00- We return to discuss some highlights of the book. 

Mentioned: Gufeld’s Mona Lisa, The Seven Deadly Chess Sins, Boguljubow-Alekhine 1922

1:13:00- Which legendary player is featured the most in the book?

Mentioned: Alekhine’s Gun , Aronian Anand, Rotlewi-Rubinstein, Anand-Adams

1:23:00- Should they have more engine games?

1:26:00- Patreon mailbag question- “What are Dr. Chabris’ recommendations for aging chess players aka “senior sustainers”?

Mentioned: GM Larry Kaufman, Cognitive Chess 

1:31:00-  Patreon mailbag question-  “Is there a Mozart effect in chess?”

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

Ben Johnson is creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon

EP 271- GM Hans Niemann on his Rapid Climb up the Chess Rankings and What's Next for Him in 2022

Photo by IM Eric Rosen

18 year old GM Hans Niemann is a rising star in the chess world. He has rapidly risen from U.S. scholastic champion to one of the top 100 players in the world! His ascent has been particularly steep since January 2021, as he has gained over 150 rating points in 15 months! Hans joined me shortly after a tournament in St. Louis to assess his recent progress and to talk about his upcoming plans. Hans has a loyal Twitch following, and is at an age when many start university, but he has chosen to devote all of his energy to chess, and is spending 10-12 hours per day studying, with a goal of playing 150 tournament games per year. Hans has also recently completed a Chessable course on the Jobava London, and as this podcast is being released, he is competing in a Champions Chess Tour event. We covered a lot of ground in our interview, and it was fascinating to hear about the training regimen and lifestyle of one of America’s top young chess players. Please read on for more details and relevant links. . 

Click here to Download the Episode

0:00- Who has Hans run into while staying in St. Louis? 

Mentioned: GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Leinier Dominguez, GM Levon Aronian 

04:30-How on earth did Hans go from 2480 FIDE to 2640 FIDE in 14 months? 

Mentioned: Cover Stories with Chess Life Episode 35 

09:00- What is a typical day like for Hans? 

Mentioned : 2022 Airthings Masters, 2022 Spring Chess Classic 

15:30- Patreon mailbag question : “What might Hans need to do differently to get to 2700 FIDE?”

21:00- Hans set aside a successful Twitch stream and the possibility of attending a good university to pursue chess. Does he ever think about the risks involved with this choice? 

24:00-What Hans learned from his coaches. 

Mentioned: IM John Grefe, GM Walter Browne, GM Maxim Dlugy

29:00- Does Hans consciously work on his blitz game?

Mentioned: Episode 191 with GM Daniel Naroditsky 

30:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Does Hans think one should hire a coach?”

32:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Their new and upcoming courses include GM Simon Williams updating The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal, and GM Hans Niemann course on Jobava London. 

33:00- Hans discusses his busy upcoming tournament schedule

36:00- Does Hans do any traveling or socializing in between tournaments? 

39:00- Hans on Bobby Fischer

45:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

46:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess

47:00- Dubai World Championship Trip Report 

Mentioned: Antipov-Niemann 2022

58:00- Has Hans considered a less intense approach to chess study?

Mentioned: Jeen-yuhs on Netflix

1:02:00- Hans discusses his upcoming Chessable course on The Jobava London and how he thinks about the tradeoffs involved in devoting time to making a course. 

1:04:00- What books or chess resources does Hans recommend? What are his other chess improvement recommendations? 

Mentioned: Capablanca’s Hundred Best Games of Chess, Grandmaster Preparation- Positional Play 

1:06:00- Hans discusses his interactions with some top players. 

Mentioned: GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Richard Rapport, GM Anish Giri

1:10:00- Hans shares his thoughts on young phenom, GM Alireza Firouzja. Info on the Firouzja/Tata Steel Controversy Hans references is here. 

1:16:00- Did being a top youth cyclist help Hans’ chess?  

1:18:00- Hans shares some more details on his Chessable course on The Jobava London. 

1:20:00- Thanks to Hans for joining the show! Here are the best ways to keep up with him:

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

Twitch- https://www.twitch.tv/gmhansn

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

EP 270- Cody Smith (Adult Improver Series)

Cody Smith is a 31 year old Alabama- Twitch streamer, and chess instructor. 

Cody started serious chess at age 24 and has seen a slow and steady climb over the years to a Lichess blitz rating of about 2050 and about 2150 Rapid. Cody is self-taught, using free online resources and has barely ever cracked a chess book!  He recently has tried out OTB tournaments, and offers lots of useful reflections and advice for anyone interested in making a similar transition. Cody also offers lots of tips about how to get the most out of game review, and shares his approach to studying openings, tactics, and many other phases of the game. Please read on for many more details, timestamps, and any relevant links. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- Are you interested in appearing on Perpetual Chess as an adult Improver? Please fill out this form so that I can keep it for future reference: Potential Adult Improver Guest 

02:00- Cody’s chess beginnings 

Mentioned: GM Simon Williams YouTube, IM John Bartholomew’s Climbing the Rating Ladder, NM ChessNetwork’s Beginner to Chess Master, GM Ben Finegold, IM Levy Rozman, GM Daniel Naroditsky’s Speed Run 

09:00- Why didn’t Cody play much speed chess in his early chess days? 

12:00- Cody discusses his approach to engine game review. 

21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

24:30- Has Cody hit any major rating plateaus?  

26:00- How many hours a day does Cody spend on his chess?

28:00- Cody has recently begun playing an OTB live league in Alabama. What can he share about that experience? Was he nervous?

40:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here. 

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

41:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is Cody’s approach to learning from videos?”

45:00- What is Cody’s approach to learning about openings? 

Mentioned: My blog can be read on Chess.com or LiChess 

50:00- Chesskid offers a safe environment for kids to learn chess, and provides opportunities to play against other kids and bots, watch instructive videos and lessons, do puzzles, and join clubs where coaches can run tournaments. 

You can receive a discount when you sign up or upgrade your child or students to a gold membership by using this link: https://www.chesskid.com/membership/promo/perpetual

CHESSKID CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS-

1. Go play the Chesskid Anand bot here

2. Play the Anand bot here, he’s the avatar on the bottom right

3. If you win, draw, or last at least 40 moves, email your the game with account name to support@chesskid.com (with subject line Perpetual Chess)

4. The first 3 winners receive a free 1 yr gold membership both for themselves and 1 kid

54:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What does Cody think about the issue of Twitch streamers and their followers potentially forming ‘parasocial relationships.’ ”

Mentioned: GM Ben Finegold 

1:01:00- What is Cody’s advice for getting into Twitch streaming? 

1:05:00- Cody has also gotten into scrabble, shogi, and go, how does learning these games compare to chess? 

Mentioned: Episode 263 with Oliver Roeder, GM Mathew Sadler, GM Peter Heine Nielsen

1:11:00- Thanks so much to Cody for sharing his tips and his story. 

Follow CLSmith15 on his Twitch channel here. 

Follow him on Twitter here. 

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

EP 269- Jen Shahade on her New Book and Chess in the Queen's Gambit Age

My guest today is Jen Shahade. Jen, is a champion chess and poker player, an author, an award winning podcaster and the Woman’s Program Director at US Chess. It was the perfect time to catch up with Jen, as she has just released her new book, Chess Queens. Chess Queens is an insightful, entertaining and introspective look at key figures in the history of Women’s Chess, and a reflection on Jen’s own chess journey to the pinnacle of American chess. It is an updated and expanded version of Jen’s first book, Chess Bitch. In our interview, we dig into the process of updating and rewriting a book, and then Jen shares a few of the amazing life stories covered in the book. Jen also discusses her own upcoming projects, chess in the Queen’s Gambit age, and she dispenses some chess and life improvement advice. There is always a great deal to learn from Jen! Many more details and relevant links are in the show description. 

Click here to Download the Episode

Jen’s Prior Appearances on the Pod:

Episode 50 with Jen Shahade 

Book Recap #7 discussing Judit Polgar’s How I Beat Fischer’s Record with Jen Shahade 

0:00- Jen discusses how her new book came into being. . 

Mentioned: GM David Howell match against GM Nils Grandelius, GM Simon Williams, Silman-James Publishing, GM Judit Polgar, GM Hou Yifan, Vera Menchik, Lisa Lane, Diana Lanni, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, Kieie Laymon 

15:45- How would Jen describe the experience of creating an audio book? 

Mentioned: Anya Taylor Joy 

17:30- 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

18:30- Jen tells the crazy story of the time that a coin flip decided who got to play for the Women’s World Championship. 

Mentioned: GM Susan Polgar, WGM Nona Ioseliani 

26:30- Why is chess so much more popular with women in some countries than it is in others? 

Mentioned: Ladies Knight with Martha Fierro, Nadya Ortiz

30:00- Jen discusses some of her favorite figures mentioned in the book,  including some successful chess champions who became politicians and Sonya Graf.  

Mentioned: Antoaneta Stefanova, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Vera Menchik 

35:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Why does Jen think many girls quit chess in their teenage years?” 

Mentioned: Rachel Crotto 

40:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

41:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess

42:00- Patreon mailbag question: “When will someone write a book about women in poker that is similar to Chess Queens?”

Mentioned: Poker Power, The Biggest Bluff 

45:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How can chess players apply poker strategies to chess? Has Jen done so herself?” 

Mentioned: GM Danil Dubov, GM Fabiano Caruana, EP 265 with GM Simon Williams, How to Chess Episode 10 With FM Nate Solon , Zwischenzug Substack

52:00- Patreon mailbag question : ”Are there ways to get signed copies of Chess Queens?”

Mentioned: Dr. Alexey Root, Facebook Chess Book Collector’s Group 

57:00-  Patreon mailbag question: “Has Jen read Robert B.Tanner’s book about Vera Menchik”?

59:00- What is Jen’s next book, Reset, about? 

1:01- What skills is Jen looking to develop right now? Any chess improvement tips? 

Mentioned: Daniel Kahneman, GM Jesse Kraai, GM Noel Studer 

1:07:00- What can men do to help ensure a welcoming environment for female chess players? 

1:08:00- Thanks so much to Jen for coming on the pod. Here are links to keep up with her.

Twitter

Instagram

Chess Queens Website 

EP 268- GM Joel Benjamin and Harold Scott on Winning the World Open

This week on Perpetual Chess I am joined by co-authors of a great new book, Winning the World Open, by GM Joel Benjamin and Harold Scott. Joel Benjamin is a 6 time World Open Champion, 3 time US Champion, 2020 US Senior Champion, an Author, a Trainer and a Dad. He has been amongst the top 50 players in the world and battled with many chess legends over the years, as we discussed in our prior interview in 2018. His co-author is FIDE certified trainer, tournament director and USCF expert, Harold Scott. Their book is part historical retrospective, part chess instruction and has lots of fun stories and tons of instructive high stakes games. We discuss the history of the largest open tournament in America and tell some amusing stories involving cheating, alcohol, and, of course, chess. Please read on for more details and timestamps.

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0:00- Ukraine related links: 

Photo of GM Alexandr Sulypa here 

US Chess/Kasparov Chess Support for Ukrainian Chess Players Initiative here 

Here are many other ways to support Ukrainians directly, via GothamChess’ Twitter: 

https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/

03:00- Brenda Goichberg who was CCA founder Bill Goichberg’s wife, and a key contributor to the World Open, among many other things, passed away recently. Harold shares a few details about her personality. 

07:30- How did this book come into being? 

09:30- The World Open was founded in 1973. What were the early days of the World Open like? 

Mentioned: GM Bent Larsen 

14:00- GM Joel Benjamin has won the World Open more times than anyone else? What are his most memorable moments? Who were the most impressive competitors? 

Mentioned: GM Alex Yermolinksy, GM Alex Shabalov, GM Alex Goldin 

24:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

25:30- What are the most memorable cheating scandals at the World Open?

Mentioned: GM Alexander Shabalov, GM Nukhim Rashkovsky, GM Igor Glek, “John von Neumann vs. Daniel Shapiro  

39:00- Any memorable stories involving alcohol at the World Open?

Mentioned: GM David Norwood 

42:00- Any tips for playing under pressure and/or in large stakes games? 

Mentioned: GM Ilya Nyznhik 

47:00- GM Eduard Gufeld was notoriously irascible. What memorable stories can Joel and Harold share about his behavior?

Mentioned: Gufeld’s “Mona Lisa” vs. Bagirov 1973, FM Sunil Weerumantry, Weerumantry-Gufeld 1996, Benjamin-Gufeld 1998, GM John Fedorowicz 

55:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. You can check out their latest offerings here: 

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

55:30- Patreon Mailbag Question: “Will Joel sell his stockpile of Chess Chow magazine?”

58:00- Patreon Mailbag Question: “Does Joel have any tips for converting advantages?”

Mentioned: Better Thinking, Better Chess, GM Ilya Smirin 

1:01:00- Do the authors have some general tournament advice to share? 

1:06:00- Patreon Mailbag Question: “Any chance the authors would write a book about the famed US Amateur Team tournaments?” 

Mentioned: Facebook Chess Book Collectors Group 

1:11:00- SIGNED BOOK CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS-

1. Write a review or simply give 5 stars on Spotify to Perpetual Chess

2. Take a screenshot

3. Email the screenshot to Ben at perpetualchesspod.com with the subject line “Contest”

4. That’s it! Winners will be announced via email on March 15, 2022.

1:12:00 Thanks to Joel and Harold for joining the show! Here is where to get their books:

Amazon

1. Ebook via New in Chess App

Book Recap #24- Discussing GM Jan Markos' Under the Surface with NM Gopal Menon and Matt Fletcher

Me, Matt Fletcher and NM Gopal Menon (pictured clockwise)

Chess Books Recaptured returns to discuss a relatively recent book that is quickly being recognized as a modern classic, GM Jan Markos’ Under the Surface. Jan’s book is a philosophical look at the beauty of chess, as demonstrated by many original concepts and chess metaphors. The chess examples are intermediate to advanced levels, but the book contains lessons that are applicable to all players. I am joined by 2 guest co-hosts this month, both of whom are also chess bibliophiles and particular fans of this book. NM Gopal Menon is a Chicago-based chess trainer, and a blitz and opening specialist with a peak online blitz rating over 2900. Matt Fletcher is a UK based actuary, dad, and strong club player who frequently competes OTB in his local chess leagues. It was tons of fun to discuss an amazing book with two fellow hardcore chess fans! As always, more details, timestamps and relevant links can be found below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

0:00- Why do we love this book? 

Mentioned: Gopal Menon’s post of his favorite chess books, Seven Deadly Chess Sins by GM Jonathan Rowson, Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos, Available on Forward Chess, The Secret Ingredient by GM Jan Markos and GM David Navara 

12:15- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. You can check out their latest offerings here: 

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

13:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess

14:30- We select our favorite aspects of the book. 

Mentioned: Correspondence GM Tansel Turgut, Imagination in Chess, Pump Up Your Rating by GM Axel Smith 

37:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

38:00- We discuss more of our favorite segments, including the author’s unique insights about openings and another favorite metaphor from the book. 

Mentioned: The London System, Stonewall Dutch, Follow Gopal’s Lichess blog here, GM Alex Shabalov. Check out the Stockfish Leela Zero game Matt mentioned here

52:00- We summarize GM Markos’ chess improvement advice and catch up a bit on Gopal’s book project and Matt’s chess. 

57:00- Coming next month! Neal Bruce returns to the podcast to compare 8 different chess strategy puzzle books, and Chrisopher Chabris will join me to discuss the book The Mammoth Book of Chess. 

58:00- Thanks to Gopal and Matt for joining me to discuss this great book, here are the links to keep up with them:

Matt’s Twitter

Gopal’s Twitter

Gopal’s Lichess Blog

If you are looking for chess instruction in Chicago, check out Gopal’s organization, Dynamic Chess: https://dynamicchessinc.com/

Dynamic Chess 

EP 267- NM Nelson Lopez (of the ChessVibes YouTube Channel)

Click here to Download the Episode

NM Nelson Lopez is a USCF Master and former scholastic champion whose “ChessVibes” YouTube channel has grown from 0 to 100,000 subscribers in less than 2 years! In our conversation we postulate reasons for the channel’s rapid growth, and Nelson shares both chess improvement and content creation advice for listeners. Nelson also tells his own “chess story.” Chess played a major part of his teenage years, as his success helped him earn a chess scholarship to University of Texas at Dallas. After college, Nelson spent some years away from the game. He is a husband and dad of 2 young kids and in the wake of his success, he recently quit his job in software development to focus on his chess content full time. Nelson is also competing OTB again, and reflects on how that world has changed while he was away. Nelson has a great story to share and I really enjoyed speaking with him. Please read on for more details, timestamps and relevant links. 

0:00- Nelson retells the modest beginnings of his YouTube channel and walks us through its rapid growth. 

13:45- Patreon mailbag question- One of Nelson’s most popular video is about what he calls “the 1% rule”- What should one do when one is accumulating chess knowledge, but not improving their chess skills? 

Mentioned: Atomic Habits by James Clear, Skip the Line by James Altucher 

21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 

21:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess

22:30- Nelson recently played his first OTB tournament in 8 years, what lessons did he learn? 

Mentioned: Game Recap: They Changed the Rules, Episode 262 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy

34:00- What is Nelson’s advice for limiting OTB mistakes?

35:00- How is Nelson studying chess?

39:00- Does Nelson watch much chess YouTube? How long does it take him to create a video?

Mentioned: Nelson’s most popular video: 35 Vital Chess Principles 

46:00-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out all of their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

47:00- Nelson’s scholastic highlight was winning the prestigious Denker tournament of State High School Champions. What does he remember about that victory? 

52:00- Does Nelson have any favorite chess books?

Mentioned: Winning Chess Endings, Fundamental Chess Openings 

55:00- Nelson’s 3 tips for chess content creators. 

57:00- Nelson’s 3 chess improvement tips 

56:00- Thanks to Nelson for joining the show! 

Subscribe to his YouTube channel here. 

Sub to his Patreon here.

Check out his courses here. 

EP 266- NM Jeremy Kane (Adult Improver Series)

This week’s Adult Improver Edition of Perpetual Chess features NM Jeremy Kane:   Blitz specialist, USCF Master, Curriculum Director for Chess.com, and the author of the new book, The Next to Last Mistake.   Jeremy gained nearly 200 points in his 20s, and has a peak USCF rating of 2389.  Because he is the dad of two young kids, Jeremy has recently  turned his attention to online blitz. Jeremy shares some great tips for how to adapt your game to faster online play. Jeremy’s chess.com blitz rating is usually around 2700, so clearly he has some expertise on this subject. Jeremy is also a chess bibliophile, and a former scholastic teacher, so he is full of good chess- improvement advice and recommendations for chess players of all ages and experience levels. As always, relevant links and timestamps can be found below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

0:00- To Keep up with Ben’s blog: 

Follow me Chess.com 

Follow me on LiChess

03:00- For those rated under 1500 online, what is the best way to spend one’s chess improvement time? 

Mentioned: Adult Improver Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos, GM David Smerdon’s The Complete Chess Swindler 

09:00- How did Jeremy ascend from 2200 to 2390 USCF in his 20s? 

Mentioned: Silver Knights Chess Academy 

14:00- A few of Jeremy’s favorite game-collection books.

Mentioned: My Great Predecessor’s, Seven Deadly Chess Sins, Chess for Zebras, Young Sam Sevian vs. Greg Shahade video, The Road to Chess Improvement 

22:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess

22:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out all of their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

23:30- How has Jeremy adapted his game to online play, and blitz in particular? 

Mentioned: IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s Video on the Tromp Wall 

29:00- For what rating level is blitz a useful training tool? (plus more blitz tips) 

Mentioned: GM Daniel Naroditsky Article The Blitz Manifesto 

34:30- Aimchess has a brand new feature called Aimchess recap! It summarizes your year in chess a la Spotify wrapped. If you subscribe to Aimchess, be sure to use code Perpetual30 to save 30%.  Check it out here: https://www.aimchess.com/recap

35:30- Patreon mailbag question: “As a dad, has it become difficult to stay motivated for chess?” 

38:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What is Jeremy’s advice for a fellow dad who is working on chess while tired?”

Mentioned: Gotham Chess YouTube, Kostya Kavutskiy YouTube

43:00- The Chess dot bomb sponsored segment is brought to you by Chess.com! Jeremy and I discuss the Lessons feature which contains interactive instruction for players of all levels. Here are a few of Jeremy’s favorites: 

GM Eugene Perelshteyn’s “Every Gambit Refuted” - 

GM Fabiano Caruana’s “Road to the World Championship” 

GM Shak Mamedyarov’s Games vs. World Champions 

IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s - “How to be Materialistic in Chess” 

If you decide to upgrade to a premium membership at Chess.com, you can help support the pod by signing up using this link (https://go.chess.com/Perpetual).

46:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Why are the Chess.com Puzzle ratings sometimes so high?”

48:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What are some tips for teaching chess to kids?”

Mentioned: https://www.chesskid.com/classroom-planner, Chesskid Curriculm PDF- Chess Steps books 

55:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Does Jeremy agree with the advice that one shouldn’t resign?” 

Mentioned: Episode 48 with Jonathan Corbblah 

59:30- How does Jeremy recommend budgeting study time? 

1:00:30- Thanks to Jeremy for joining the show. Here is how you can keep up with him: 

Jeremy’s book is called The Next to Last Mistake , edited by Ali Thompson. 

You can follow Jeremy on Twitter here

You can email Jeremy at Jeremy at chess dot com 

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

EP 265- GM Simon Williams (aka the Ginger GM) returns

GM SImon William, aka “The Ginger GM” is an entertaining and popular commentator, YouTube Creator, Twitch streamer, and, of course, prolific Chessable course creator (often collaborating with IM Richard Palisser). Simon also recently launched a chess platform, called GChess, which allows you to store and analyze your games and to work on your openings using many popular chess resources. It had been 5 years since I had done a long-form interview with Simon, so it was great to catch up with him on the topics of his OTB plans, current opening trends, the British chess scene, his latest Chessable course, and, of course, many amusing anecdotes from Simon’s decades around top level chess. Please read on for lots more details, timestamps, and links. 

Click here to download the Episode

Prior Interviews with GM Simon Williams: 

Perpetual Chess Episode 5 with GM Simon Williams

How to Chess 06- How to Know When to Attack with GM Simon Williams 

0:00- Simon will be playing in the Reykjavik Open in April. Why did he choose that tournament? 

 How does he prepare for it? 

07:00- What was Simon’s approach to earning the GM title? 

Mentioned: Episode 228 with GM Ben FInegold, Episode 217- “IM to GM” Special

14:00- As an up coming player, what was Simon’s approach to chess improvement?

17:00- Patreon mailbag question: How did Simon pick the Classical Dutch and the Iron English as staples of his repertoire?

21:00- Patreon mailbag question: Who is Simon’s favorite player ever?

22:00- Patreon mailbag question: Favorite tournament venue? 

Mentioned: British Chess Championships, Hastings 

24:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out all of their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

25:00- How did the idea come to be for Simon and IM Richard Palliser’s British Grand Prix Attack course? What else is Simon working on? 

32:00- What did Simon learn about openings from chatting with Super GM Daniil Dubov? What did Simon think of the opening choices in the World Championship? 

36:00- What strikes Simon about the chess talent of GM Luke McShane? 

Mentioned: McShane-Cheparinov 2009, GM Michael Adams 

40:00- Patreon mailbag question: How does Simon see the state of British chess? 

Mentioned: GM Ravi Haria, IM Marcus Harvey 

45:00- Patreon mailbag question: What was it like to visit the Mindsports center in London, and to drink a flaming sambuco with Alexandra Botez? 

47:00- Aimchess has a brand new feature called Aimchess recap! It summarizes your year in chess a la Spotify wrapped. Check it out here: 

https://www.aimchess.com/recap

48:00- Patreon mailbag question: Simon has launched the website Gchess.com recently? What is the vision for this chess site? 

55:00- Patreon mailbag question: Any chance Gchess could link to books that mention specific positions? 

59:00- Patreon mailbag question: What are Simon’s thoughts on the Elephant Gambit and the Papa-Ticulat Gambit? 

Mentioned: Howell-Williams 2007, Episode 176 with GM David Howell 

1:04:00- Any Magnus stories?

Mentioned: The Hillbilly Attack

1:08:00- Simon is a small investor in The Good Knight Pub in Oslo. How did that come up? 

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

Ben Johnson is creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon

EP 264- Elizabeth Shaughnessy (Founder of the Berkeley Chess School)

This week I am joined by the founder of the Berkeley Chess School (BCS), Elizabeth Shaughnessy. The Berkeley Chess School is a California based non-profit that has taught chess to approximately 250,000 kids over the decades and has taught future grandmasters like Sam Shankland, and Hans Niemann. At 84 years of age, Elizabeth is still razor sharp and competing regularly in tournament chess! We talked about how chess and life have evolved since she founded BCS in 1981, with a particular emphasis on the Queen’s Gambit and whether she thinks the show can help grow interest in chess among women. Elizabeth has so much wisdom to share from a lifetime as a chess competitor, teacher, organizer and mom, it was great to get to chat with her. Please read on for more details and timestamps. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- How does chess help kids? 

Mentioned: Growth from Failure Interview with Elizabeth Shaughnessy, Cyrus/Asbergers 

5:30- How did the Berkeley Chess School begin back in 1981? How has it grown over the years? 

12:30- BCS has taught future GMs Sam Shankland, Hans Niemann and Christopher Yoo among other future chess stars. Did they intentionally try to cultivate champion players? 

19:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here:

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

20:00- What is Elizabeth’s impression of The Queen’s Gambit? Has Elizabeth subsequently seen an increased interest in chess from women?

Mentioned: Queen of Katwe, The Polgar Sisters, Jen Shahade’s FAQ page

45:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com! If you subscribe, be sure to use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. Check out their yearly recap here: 

https://www.aimchess.com/recap

46:30- Patreon Mailbag Question: “What is Elizabeth’s favorite opening to teach to kids?

50:00- Patreon Mailbag Question: “What experience has Elizabeth had with using chess as a tool to stave off dementia?” 

Mentioned: Episode 145 with WIM Beatriz Marinello

52:30- Patreon Mailbag Question: “What is the state of the BCS building renovation? How does the club foster a welcoming environment?” 

1:01:00- What advice would Elizabeth give to anyone thinking of starting a chess club or academy? 

Mentioned: Episode 201 with FM Peter Giannatos 

1:07:00- What role did legendary IM George Koltanowski play in founding the BCS? 

1:13:00- Thanks so much to Elizabeth for joining the podcast. 

You can support the Berkeley Chess School here

Book Recap #23- Discussing Shereshevsky's Endgame Strategy with Dr. Kevin Scull

Chess Books Recaptured is back to discuss one of my favorite chess books ever, Mikhail Shereshevsky’s Endgame Strategy. Unlike a technical manual, this book simply shows some of the greatest endgame conversions of all time, and pulls together themes from the play, such as “do not hurry,” and “the principal of two weaknesses.” It is an intermediate to advanced book, best suited to those rated over 1600 USCF/FIDE. Joining me to guest co-host is my fellow chess podcaster, Dr. Kevin Scull. Kevin is an avid chess enthusiast who returned to the game in recent years. He has been working through Endgame Strategy in recent months and believes it has “transformed his game." Please tune in to the pod to find out why, as well as to the usual historical context, favorite chapters and lessons, and more. Please read on for more details and timestamps. 

Click here to Download the Episode

0:00- We dive right into Kevin’s history with the book, and discuss what chess experience level is best suited to this book. 

Mentioned: Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, Capablanca’s Best Chess Endings, 100 Endgames You Must Know

9:00- What is the “principle of two weaknesses?”

15:00- We discuss another key precept of the book- “do not hurry.”

18:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com! If you subscribe, be sure to use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. Check out their yearly recap here: 

https://www.aimchess.com/recap

19:00- We share a bit about Mikhail Shereshevsky’s bio, the background of the book and its few minor flaws.

Mentioned: Lots of discussion of Endgame Strategy on The Facebook Chess Book Collectors Group 

32:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here:

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

34:00- What are our favorite parts of the book? Least favorites? 

Mentioned: GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Magnus Carlsen, Episode 195 with GM Keith Arkell, Fred Wilson Books, GM Edmar Mednis Endgame Books here, Timeless Techniques by GM Sahaj Grover and FM Daniel Barrish, Small Steps to Giant Improvement, Smyslov-Aronin 1951, Episode 261, “Master to IM” 

58:00- Thanks so much to Kevin for helping out this month. As an honorarium I will make a donation to the Berkeley Chess School. 

Mentioned: Under the Surface, Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos 

Be sure to subscribe to Chess Journeys on your favored podcast app. Chess Journeys Episode 28 with Neal Bruce. Follow Kevin on Twitch 

EP 263- Author Oliver Roeder on the Enduring Appeal of Chess and Other Games

Photo by Tony Luong courtesy of W.W. Horton books

Oliver Roeder is an author, and a former senior writer for FiveThirtyEight.com who has often covered chess and other games. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Texas at Austin, with an emphasis on game theory, and studied Artifical Intelligence at Harvard University as a Niemann fellow. Today he appears with a new book, Seven Games, a Human History. It covers the history and current competitive contexts of the games Checkers, Chess, Backgammon, Go. Poker, Scrabble, and Bridge. Oliver’s book gave us an opportunity to talk about why people love games, why people love chess, and his own relationship with the game. Given Oliver’s expertise in A.I., we also discussed how it is changing all of these games. It was lots of fun to get a “big picture” view of chess’ enduring popularity from Oliver, and I highly recommend his book. Links, more details, and timestamps below! 

Click here to Download the Episode

0:00- Why do people love games, and especially chess? 

5:00- We discuss Oliver’s background with the other games in the book: Go, Bridge, Checkers, Backgammon, Scrabble, and Poker

12:00- The ease of use and availability of chess learning tools have exploded. Has this been the case for the other games Oliver wrote about as well? 

18:00- Does the joy of a game diminish when you get good at it?

Mentioned: Word Freak by Steven Fatsis 

21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here: 

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

23:00- What are the reasons that make Oliver think chess is booming? How has it sustained itself over the centuries? 

30:00- What is Oliver’s own experience with chess? What does he try to convey to a non-chess audience on FivethirtyEight.com ?

Mentioned: Modern Chess Openings 

36:00- Did Oliver have a preferred broadcast for the FIDE World Championship? 

41:00- Aimchess has a brand new feature called Aimchess recap! It summarizes your year in chess a la Spotify wrapped. Check it out here: 

https://www.aimchess.com/recap

43:00- How is AI affecting other games, like Go? 

Mentioned: Lee Sedol, Episode 196 with GM Jan Timman 

51:00- Does Oliver think chess should be changed to something like Chess960 or “No Castling Chess”? 

55:00- Is Oliver actively studying or working on his chess? 

57:00- Will Seven Games be available on Audiobook?

Mentioned: Yes, it will, here! 

59:00- Are Oliver’s FivethirtyEight.com chess columns popular? Will he cover chess there in the future? 

1:02:00- Patreon mailbag question: How does the question of whether or not there is “perfect information” available in a given game affect the appeal and enjoyment of the games? 

1:07:00- Thanks to Oliver for joining the show! 

You can follow him on Twitter here:

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

And you can order Seven Games from Amazon or your local book seller. 

EP 262- IM Kostya Kavutskiy returns

This week Perpetual Chess welcomes back IM Kostya Kavutskiy. Kostya is a respected trainer, a founder of the ChessDojo training platform, a YouTube creator, and a Chessable author. I caught up with Kostya shortly after he returned from the North American Open, so we got the rundown on his own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the U.S. tournament landscape. Since Kostya is a popular online presenter, he received a bunch of listener questions soliciting chess improvement tips. 

Lastly we checked in on Kostya’s content- creation plans, and the “state of the Dojo,” as Kostya discussed visions for the teaching platform that he heads, along with GM Jesse Kraai and IM David Pruess. It is always insightful to talk chess with Kosta! Please read on for timestamps and show notes. 

Click here to download the Episode

Prior Interviews:

Perpetual Chess Episode 4 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy  

Perpetual Chess Episode 89 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy 

How to Chess #20 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy 

0:00- Kostya shares lessons learned from his recent tournament in the North American Open about improving game preparation and execution. You can watch video recaps of all of his rounds here. 

Mentioned: Continental Chess, The Secret Ingredient by GM Jan Markos, GM Andrew Tang, IM Levy Rozman 

19:45- 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

Mentioned: IM Levy Rozman’s Tweet 

30:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Where can older players find a coach?”

Mentioned: Lichess coaches page, Chess.com coaches page 

34:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What might the subject of Kostya’s next Chessable course be?” 

Mentioned: How to Chess #20 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy 

37:00-  What is discord? What is Chess Dojo? What is new with Chessdojo?

Mentioned: IM David Pruess, GM Jesse Kraai,  

41:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com.  Aimchess analyzes your online games and provides actionable improvement insights. Check out their updated website, and if you decide to subscribe please use the code “Perpetual30” to save 30%. 

42:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How does Kostya balance his time between ChessDojo and his own chess goals?” 

46:00- Patreon mailbag question “With the growth of the Dojo, what content would you like to see it offer that is currently missing?” 

Mentioned: Link for ChessDoJo Discord here

53:00- What chess advice does Kostya repeat the most often? 

55:00- What chess books does Kostya recommend?

List of his recs here, Top 4 Most Overrated Chess Books Video, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, My System, How to Reassess Your Chess, Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual 

1:05:00- Kostya’s has other interests outside of chess. We talk about them here. 

EP 261- "Master to IM" Adult Improver Special with FM Doug Eckert, NM Evan Rosenberg and FM Dalton Perrine

FM Doug Eckert, NM Evan Rosenberg, FM Dalton Perrine, and myself

Perpetual Chess is back with another adult improver multi-guest “special edition.” This episode is called, “Master to IM” and continues the series started in Episode 217 (IM to GM). As the title suggests, we feature Master-level players who are training and competing with the hope of earning the FIDE International Master title (IM.) Our three guests are FM Doug Eckert, NM Evan Rosenberg, and FM Dalton Perrine. Each interview is entertaining and insightful in its own way. Our guests discuss questions like, “What chess skills differentiate a Master from an IM?” and “Why are our 3 guests willing to sacrifice so much time and money to play competitive chess in order to earn this title?” And, of course, they share many details about their regimens for training and competing.. Please read on for more details and timestamps!

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- Intro

Mentioned: Check out the new dedicated Perpetual Chess Adult Improver page here, and the Spotify Adult Improver Playlist here 

4:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Aimchess analyzes your online games and provides actionable improvement insights. Check out their updated website, and if you decide to subscribe please use the code “Perpetual30” to save 30%. 

5:00- FM Doug Eckert joins the show! Doug is a 57 year-old retired CPA, dad, and is a board member of the St. Louis Chess Club. 

Mentioned: GM Patrick Wolff, GM Maxim Dlugy, GM Jacob Aagaard’s Killer Chess Training, Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos, Charlotte Winter Invitational Results here, Reykjavik Open 2022 

35:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here.  

36:30- NM Evan Rosenberg joins the show! Evan is a 38 year-old lawyer, dad, and chess trainer, with a Masters in Education. 

Mentioned: Dojo All Stars: Evan Rosenberg, FM Sunil Weerumantry, Info for the Norm tournament that Evan and Levy Rozman will be playing in is here: http://nycchessnorms.com/players/, Evan Rosenberg-Dominique Myers 2021, How to Chess with GM Eugene Perelshteyn, Abdusattorov-Carlsen 2021 

52:00- New sponsored segment! Evan and I discuss  Chess.com insights, which is one of many features available with a diamond level Chess.com membership that highlights your strengths and weaknesses based on your games. It also tests you on any missed tactics. Diamond level membership also gets you full access to Chess.com’s huge video library. Whatever membership level of Chess.com you choose, you can help support the pod by signing up using this link. 

1:21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessvis.com. Chessvis is an educational chess app which helps you train your visualization skills. You can check out their website, or search for the app on Android or Iphone. 

1:23:00- FM Dalton Perrine joins the show! Dalton is a 28 year- old chess trainer and the author of the Chessable course, Survive and Thrive: How to Blunder Less and Defend Better. 

Mentioned: Episode 8 with GM Sam Shankland, Episode 217 IM to GM Episode , How to Chess with FM Dalton Perrine, Recognizing Your Opponent’s Resources by IM Mark Dvoretsky , GM Jacob Aagaard’s Grandmaster Preparation Series and Excelling at Chess Series, Kasparov’s My Great Predecessors Series, GM Johan Hellsten’s books, Strategic Chess Exercises, Critical Moments 

1:55:00- 

Thanks so much to our guests for joining the pod! Here are the chess.com accounts at which you can reach them:

Chess.com accounts: 

FM Doug Eckert 

NM Evan Rosenberg

FM Dalton Perrine

Twitter:

Evan Rosenberg

Dalton Perrine

Dalton’s Website:

https://nextlevelchesscoaching.com/

 Email Dalton at NextLevelChessCoaching at gmail.com

Dalton's Course:

Survive and Thrive: How to Blunder Less and Defend Better.

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

Ben Johnson is creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon

Book Recap #22- Discussing Questions of Modern Chess Theory with Martin Justesen

Perpetual Chess is back with an edition of Chess Books Recaptured, a recurring book review podcast. Today I am joined by Martin Justesen to discuss the underrated Soviet-era classic Questions of Modern Chess Theory, by Isaac Lipnitsky. Originally published in 1956 in the Soviet Union, it was not translated and published in English until Quality Chess did it in 2006. And the chess world is quite lucky that it was translated! As usual we share historical details, lessons learned from the book and a few favorite segments in our discussion. Of course we also get into some of the details of Isaac Lipnitsky’s life, as well as discussing what is new with our returning guest-co-host, Martin. Please read on for more details and timestamps. 

Click here to download the Episode

Martin's prior Adult Improver Interview: Episode 209

0:00- Why did Martin choose this book? What makes it noteworthy? 

Mentioned: Book Recap #18- Nimzowitsch’s My System, Endgame by Frank Brady 

8:30- For what level chess player is this book most helpful? 

Mentioned: Logical Chess Move by Move, Winning Chess Strategies, Simple Chess 

12:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Aimchess analyzes your online games and provides actionable improvement insights. Check out their updated website, and if you decide to subscribe please use the code “Perpetual30” to save 30%. 

13:30- We discuss the formats in which the book is available. We couldn’t find much beyond the paper book format. 

17:00- Who was Isaac Lipnitsky? 

19:00- Why is this book sometimes compared to IM John Watson’s Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy?

Mentioned: Lipnitsky-Petrosian 1950, Episode 258 With GM Matthew Sadler, Translator John Sugden 

28:30- 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

29:30- What were the most noteworthy segments of the book? 

Mentioned: Anderson-Kieseritzky, Botvinnik-Capablanca 1938, Steinitz-Von Bardeleben 1895  

46:00- Thanks so much to Martin for joining the show

Check out all of Martin’s Books Here: 

Amazon.com: Martin B. Justesen: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

Also Mentioned: Street Smart Chess, Improve Your Chess Now 

Sign up for Martin’s newsletter here.

This month we will make another donation to Chess in Slums. 

Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/chess-education-in-africa?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet

Listen to my Interview with Tunde Onakoye on Episode 219

54:00- This month's blindfold puzzles are straight from Martin's new book, Blindfold Opening Visualization

Puzzle #1, White to move - 1. E4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. Nc3 Ne7 5. Nd5 g6??

Puzzle #2, White to move- 1. Nf3 d5 2. G3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. D4 e6 5. 00 Nf6 6. C4 dxc4 7. Ne5 Nxd4?

You can find a Lichess study with the answers to both puzzles here:

https://lichess.org/study/ZYkBctm8/gXF6JORT

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

EP 260- IM Christof Sielecki is back!

This week’s guest on Perpetual Chess marks the return of award winning author, Chessable author, and noted opening theoretician, IM Christof Sielecki. Christof has recently released, Keep it Simple: Black, an ambitious course which provides solid opening lines against every possible White first move. We discuss the ways that Christof’s process for creating Chessable courses, using engines, and choosing opening lines has evolved over the years. Of course, there was quite a bit of chess news in the form of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz, so we also spent some time discussing this tournament, its standout performances, and its many attendant controversies. Lastly, Christof always has a few fun stories to share, and this interview was no exception, as he shared some details about the process behind helping to create The Magnus Touch with Magnus and his team. As always, you can read on for more details and show notes below. 

Click here to download the Episode

Prior interviews with IM Christof Sielecki: 

Episode 6

Episode 153

Book Recap 18- My System 

0:00- FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Recap and discussion

Mentioned: Dude fell from his chair!, GM Magnus Carlsen-GM Nodiberk Abdusattorov Blitz game 

26:15- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. You can check out IM Christof Sielecki’s courses, including free “Short and Sweet” previews of his new course here. 

27:30- How did Christof decide which openings to include in “Keep it Simple Black?” 

Mentioned: Lifetime Repertoires: Pirc Defense, Lifetime Repertoires: Caro-Kann, Lifetime Repertoires: Nimzo-Ragozin 

44:00- How has Christof’s engine use evolved when designing courses? 

Mentioned: Chessify Cloud Engine Rental 

49:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com.  Aimchess analyses your online games and provides actionable improvement insights. Check out their updated website, and if you decide to subscribe please use the code “Perpetual30” to save 30%. 

51:00- Christof tells the story of meeting and working with GM Magnus Carlsen and family in conjunction with Magnus’ course The Magnus Touch. 

1:02:00- What will Christof be working on next? 

Mentioned: Episode 257 with GM Erwin L’Ami 

1:05:00- Patreon mailbag question: What role should openings and Chessable opening courses play for amateur club-level players? 

1:17:00- Thanks so much to Christof for rejoining us! Here are links to keep up with him:

Keep it Simple Black is ON SALE now. Get it here:

Keep It Simple For Black - MoveTrainer™ Course - Chessable.com

Short and sweet free previews here and here 

Follow Christof on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/ChessExplained

EP 259- Ben Johnson

On this holiday week, with The Perpetual Chess Podcast having recently turned 5 years old, it seemed like an appropriate time to feature myself as “the guest” on Perpetual Chess. In order to help out, I brought in longtime listener of the pod, chess journalist and improver, Chris Wainscott, to perform hosting duties. Chris and I covered lots of ground, as he asked me about the origins of Perpetual Chess, its growth over the years, my approach to interviewing people, favorite interview types and “dream guests.” He asked probing questions about  my own chess origins and improvement efforts. Although I do prefer being the interviewer rather than the interviewed, it was fun to play the other role and to answer so many good listener questions. Details and show notes are below. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:00-    My chess background, and when did chess initially captivate me?

15:00-  There are always great new courses from Chessable including FM Kamil Plichta’s Lifetime Repertoires: Accelerated Dragon. Check out what else is new here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/

16:00- Patreon mailbag question:’When will GM Yasser Seirawan be on the show?” 

Mentioned: EP 134 with Megan Chen

19:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How did Perpetual Chess come to be?” 

23:00- Patreon mailbag question: ‘To what do you attribute the podcast’s success?”

25:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What do you wish you had  known at the beginning? Any regrets?”

26:00- Patreon mailbag question: “ How has your  interviewing style/approach evolved?” 

31:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What do you consider to be the highlights of the show?” 

35:00- Twitter question:  “Which handful of episodes are most representative of Perpetual Chess?” 

Mentioned: Ep. 193 Tom Murphy, EP 250- FM Asa Hoffmann, EP. 76 Andrez Kryzdwa, GM Jan Timman, EP 15 GM Alex Yermolinksky. plus I forgot to mention my favorite episode, a World Championship prep oral history with GM Peter Heine Nielsen

40:00- Twitter question: “When will you do a Chessable course?’

42:00- Twitter question: “What are the most challenging types of interviews? What are your favorite non-chess podcasts?” 

Rights to Ricky Sanchez, Animal Spirits Podcast, WTF with Marc Maron, Fresh Air, The Ezra Klein show, Death, Sex and Money 

46:00-  Patreon mailbag question: “What is your work flow/chess study regimen like in a given week?”

50:00- What value does my producer, Mathew Passy bring to the podcast?  

52:00- 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%. 

53:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How has your approach to chess studying changed over the years?” 

Mentioned: Greg and Jen Shahade, GM Maurice Ashley 

58:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What are your own favorite training tools? What guests’ advice resonated with you?” 

Mentioned: Neal Bruce, GM Jacob Aagaard, Thinking Inside the Box, GM Jan Gustafsson 

1:03:00- When it comes to competitive chess? What is my “why? 

Mentioned: GM Jonathan Rowson’s The Moves that Matter 

1:07:00- What are my goals in OTB chess?

Mentioned: Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos, Episode 232 with James Altucher 

1:10:00- Patreon mailbag question: What are my favorite learning tools? 

Mentioned: Episode 257 with GM Erwin L’Ami 

1:13:00- How has life changed since Queen’s Gambit? 

1:16:00- My evolving philosophy for choosing Adult Improver guests 

Mentioned: Episode 256 with Alex Crompton 

1:19:00- Who are my “dream guests?” 

Mentioned: Lazslo Polgar, Magnus’ Bullet Twitch Stream, GM Ljubomir Ljubojevic, GM Ulf Andersson 

1:25:00- Thanks so much to Chris for guest co-hosting!

 You can read his blog and book reviews here:

http://ontheroadtochessmaster.com/

And follow him on Twitter here: 

https://twitter.com/cwainscottmke

EP 258- GM Matthew Sadler

Photo Courtesy of New in Chess Magazine

This week’s guest on Perpetual Chess is 2 time British champion, and award winning author, GM Matthew Sadler.  Matthew has been one of Great Britain’s top players for decades and is currently ranked #41 in the world. He has impressively managed to maintain his form well into his 40s while working outside of chess. Matthew has also made quite a mark as an author. His books,Gamechanger and the adult improver focused, Chess for Life, both co-authored with WIM Natasha Regan, are both favorites of this podcast. You can hear us discuss these books in Episode 112. In Matthew’s new book, The Silicon Road to Chess Improvement, Matthew goes beyond just Alphazero and extracts lessons for humans from many of the other modern chess super engines. He is also the regular book reviewer for NIC magazine, and did game recaps of the 2021 FIDE World Championship with none other than GM Garry Kasparov! I am happy to report that Matthew was very generous with his time, so we managed to cover all of these areas of chess interest in our conversation. Timestamps and relevant links are below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

0:00- As a full time IT professional, author, New in Chess book reviewer, content creator and top player, how does Matthew get so many things done? 

04:45- What are some of Matthew’s favorite recent chess books?

Mentioned: Winning by GM Nigel Short , The Creative Power of Boguljubov, The Unstoppable American 

10:00- We segue into discussing what Matthew observed from Magnus’ play in the World Championship. 

Mentioned: Silicon Road to Chess Improvement YouTube Channel, Chessbase India video with GM Peter Heine Nielsen, More Info on the TCEC- Top Engine Chess Championship, The Games discussed can be seen here 

24:00- What can club players learn from super engines? 

Mentioned: Small Steps to Giant Improvement

31:00- Does Matthew see an engine footprint in GM Alireza Firouzja’s play?

Mentioned: Erdos-Firouzja 2021, Acquisition of Chess Knowledge in Alpha Zero 

36:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Did Alphazero’s opening acquisition trace the path of the evolution of chess?”

38:00- There are always great new courses from Chessable including FM Kamil Plichta’s Lifetime Repertoires: Accelerated Dragon. Check out what else is new here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/

40:00- Why does it seem like the numerical evaluations of engines are getting more extreme, i.e. “+5 in an even position?” 

45:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Do engines still threaten to end competitive chess as was often reported circa Kasparov-Deep Blue, or are they accepted as a supplemental tool these days?”

Mentioned: GM Pia Cramling, GM Juan Bellon, GM Robin van Kampen 

50:00- What are Matthew’s thoughts on Magnus’ recent mention of potentially dropping out of the World Championship cycle?  

55:00- 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%. 

57:00- Patreon mailbag question “If chess is fundamentally a draw, why do top engines still sometimes beat each other? 

1:00:00-  Patreon mailbag question;  “Will engine play become more “human” in the future?’ This segues to a conversation about Magnus’ uncanny ability to play mistake-free chess.  

Mentioned: Maia bots on Lichess, Topalov interview with Chess24

1:09:00- How did the opportunity come about for Matthew to do World Championship recap videos with Garry Kasparov on Kasparovchess? What did he learn from Kasparov?

1:15:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Does correspondence chess have a future given the preponderance of draws?’  We also touch on whether the rating strength of engines is slowing down. 

1:22:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Are there engines that are more instructive about how to convert advantages in a “human” way that avoids complications?” 

1:28:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What chess improvement and maintenance tips can Matthew share for other adults in their 40s and beyond? “

1:38:00- Patreon mailbag question: “The Carlsbad structure features in 3 of Matthew’s books. Why does it fascinate him so much?”

1:41:00- Thanks so much to Matthew for being so generous with his time and sharing his knowledge. Here are the links to keep up with his content. 

Twitter

Silicon Road to Chess Improvement YouTube Channel

Buy the Book here

Or The E Book from New in Chess here 

Chess for Life

Gamechanger 

EP 257- GM Erwin L'Ami with a World Championship Wrap Up (and more!)

Photo courtesy of GM Erwin L’Ami

Perpetual Chess is back for one more World Championship wrap-up (among other topics) with top Dutch player, trainer, and popular Chessable author, GM Erwin L’Ami. As the second to GM Anish Giri, and a former member of GM Veselin Topalov’s World Championship team, Erwin shares his general reflections on the Carlsen-Nepomniatchtchi match, as well as lots of insights about the opening choices of each player. We also talk about chess improvement. Erwin himself is gearing up to compete in the prestigious Tata Steel tournament in Wijk an Zee after a long layoff from OTB chess. He also answers some listener questions relating to how amateurs should approach openings. Lastly, I was quite interested to hear how chess engines and opening theory have changed, even in the time since Erwin last was a guest on Perpetual Chess, in 2020. There is always lots to learn from GM L’Ami, so please enjoy the conversation, and check out the relevant links and timestamps below if needed. 

Click here to Download the Episode

Prior Perpetual Chess interview: Episode 186 with GM Erwin L’Ami 

0:00- Erwin shares his thoughts about the World Championship, especially the openings chosen. 

Mentioned: The games we discuss can be viewed here, Chessbase India interview with GM Peter Heine Nielsen and GM Vladimir Potkin, Sesse Engine 

30:00- There are always great new courses from Chessable including FM Kamil Plichta’s Lifetime Repertoires: Accelerated Dragon. Check out what else is new here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/

30:30- 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- How is Erwin preparing for the Challenger’s group of the upcoming Tata Steel Chess Tournament? 

Mentioned: More on the Dubov-Karjakin issue here. Perpetual Chess W.C. Pod with GM Jan Timman,  

44:00- How does Erwin work on his tactics? 

Mentioned: The Silicon Road to Chess Improvement, FM Frank Erwich’s 1001 Chess Exercises for Advanced Club Players

Silicon Road YouTube Channel, Kasparovchess World Championship Game Recaps 

49:00- 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. 

50:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Is 1. e4 still ‘best by test’?” 

Mentioned: Carlsen-Tari 2021 

55:00- Patreon mailbag question: Have super-engines recently refuted any openings? 

57:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Would having a second for a round robin event be of any use for a 2200 level player?”

1:02:00- Patreon mailbag question: ‘What approach and opening resources does Erwin recommend for club level players?”

1:05:30- How did IM Cor van Wijgerdan, co-creator of the Chess Steps Series come up with so many cool puzzles? 

Mentioned: Episode 142 with Han Schut, Episode 167 with IM Jop Delemarre

1:08:00- Are cloud-based engines taking over from heavy duty private machines? 

Mentioned: Chessify 

1:12:00- We wrap up with a bit more World Championship and Candidates Cycle talk 

Mentioned: FIDE Grand Prix 2022

1:18:00- Thanks so much to Erwin for sharing his insights. 

You can follow him on Twitter here. 

Keep up with his Chessable courses here.