EP 354- Perpetual Chess Improvement Book Discussion with Dr. Christopher Chabris

My book, Perpetual Chess Improvement, is now available from New in Chess (and should be shipping from Amazon any day now), so it was time to dedicate a podcast to discussing it in detail. Joining me for the discussion is longtime friend of the pod, cognitive scientist, author and USCF Master, Dr. Christopher Chabris. Christopher had a sneak peak at the book and shares his impressions of it and interviews me on the topics that interested him. . We discuss what I call “The Four Pillars of Chess Improvement,” how the project came about, and the key lessons I derived for improvement of my own chess game from writing it. Whether or not you are interested in reading the book, I hope you find this discussion of chess improvement worthwhile. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

03:00-Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsors, Chessable.com. You can check out what is new here:

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

And you can check out some of my favorites here:

https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

05:00- Book announcements 

Full info on book signings and ordering signed books here: 

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/book?fbclid=IwAR0oy_PqpOhc-S7sP-mOZClmKZyhKwuWUbthSY8Um4qVp_YCJKYgL9HJiCA

07:30- Book discussion with Dr. Christopher Chabris 

14:00- What is the target audience for the book? 

17:00- The importance of playing serious games 

25:00- Why did I write several pages about IM Levy Rozman’s pursuit of the GM title? 

32:00- Why did I write a book? Did I ever want to quit this project?

42:00- How did I decide that “The Four Pillars of Chess Improvement” should be identified as these: 1) Play competitive games 2) Review them 3) Solve puzzles and 4) Find a Community?

53:00- What is my next project?

Mentioned: Episode 349 with Dr. Anique de Bruin 

1:01:00 Patreon mailbag: Advice for Solitaire chess 

Mentioned: GM Gregory Kaidanov, my video on How to Do Solitaire Chess on LiChess Studies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8bpFF4nnPE

GM Daniel King’s How Good is Your Chess 

Chess Life magazine archive with Pandolfini’s Solitaire Chess:

https://new.uschess.org/chess-life-digital-archives

Also available as a book:

https://www.amazon.com/Solitaire-Chess-Bruce-Pandolfini/dp/0812936566

1:05:00- Patreon mailbag question:

“What are some scientifically proven ways to improve at chess? What about unproven ways that Ben thinks are effective?”

1:13:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Which piece of advice do I think will be most helpful for my own improvement?” 

EP 353- GM Davorin Kuljasevic: Chess Improvement Q & A (plus discussion of his great new book on GM Ding Liren)

GM Davorin Kuljasevic is a renowned author, trainer and player, best known for the excellent book, How to Study Chess on Your Own. Because GM Kuljasevic has worked with players of varying ages and skill levels, and has written a book on the topic of chess study, he is the perfect person to field questions for a Chess Improvement Q & A. In our far-reaching conversation, we cover topics ranging from budgeting study time, to analyzing games, to playing against kids, and many others. We also discuss Davorin’s excellent forthcoming biography on GM Ding Liren, DIng Lirens Best Games: A Chess Biography of the World Champion. Ding, of course, is a fascinating and admirable player and there's so much to learn both from his games and from his approach to chess. Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:01- Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com

Check out GM Fabiano Caruana’s course here: 

https://www.chessable.com/caruanas-ruy-lopez-dark-archangel/course/188495/

And GM Kuljasevic’s course, Beyond Material :

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

And some of my favorites: 

https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

Prior interviews with Davorin: 

Episode 229, June 2021 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1nllqVtGfVA9gqdELutNpP?si=2d9ad8336bbb4cbc

How to Chess Episode 09

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4tS4dfBFfxnOBmuLqnSfj3?si=2d75dd2c90ba4e61

0:02- GM Kuljasevic joins me! 

Pre-order his book: 

https://www.amazon.com/Ding-Lirens-Best-Games-Biography/dp/9083336689

DIng Liren’s Best Games: A Chess Biography of the World Champion:

https://www.newinchess.com/ding-liren-s-best-games-hardcover

03:30- First topic- Budgeting Your Chess Study Time

Mentioned: Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual 

13:00- Do chess books still have value?

Mentioned: IM Mark Dvoretsky, IM Jeremy Silman, Think Like a Grandmaster, The Life and Games of Smyslov 

16:30- Tactics

20:00- Game analysis

Books: Logical Chess Move by Move, The Most Instructive Chess Games,Instructive Chess Miniatures 

22:00- Dealing with nerves at critical moments

Mentioned: Ding Liren-Nakamura 2022 

30:00- Tips for how much time to spend analyzing games 

32:00- Finding "model games"

Mentioned: Chess Structures

34:00- Tips for those that struggle with time trouble 

Mentioned; How to Chess Episode 14 with Peter Svidler 

41:00- Was Davorin surprised by the strength of a particular element of Ding’s play?

48:00- What is the ideal time control for newer players? 

51:00- What calculation improvement resources are recommended for intermediate players?

Mentioned: Calculation: A Complete Guide for Tournament Players by Azel Chua, Fundamental Chess Calculation Skills by CM Can Kabadayi 

54:30- Advice for playing against kids 

Mentioned: Qatar Open, Nakamura, Carlsen, Kaidanov-Van Foreest 2023 

1:01:00- If a study approach isn’t working, like a particular opening or emphasis on a phase of the game, how do we know if we should stick with it or change the approach? 

1:03:00- Davorin discusses his workbook series and plans for a 2100 level edition, How to Study Chess on Your Own Workbook 

Mentioned: Workbook , 1500-1800, Workbook 1800-2100 

1:06:00- What does Davorin mean when he suggests that a player should study one’s openings deeply? Does it change at different levels? 

1:09:00- What were the origins of Davorin’s Ding Liren book?

1:20:00- Thanks so much to GM Kuljasevic for joining, you can reach out to him via the Lichess or Chess.com Coaches pages:

https://lichess.org/coach/GrandmasterThinking

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

Pre-order my book, Perpetual Chess Improvement: Practical Chess Advice from World Class Players and Dedicated Amateurs. It will be available soon from Amazon and other major retailers. 

https://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Chess-Improvement-Practical-World-Class/dp/9083336549/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NC8JT9EJX0R&keywords=perpetual+chess+improvement&qid=1686853259&sprefix=perpetual+chess+improvement%2Caps%2C291&sr=8-1

EP 352- Emilia Castelao and Craig Dubose: Two Chess Enthusiasts on their Chess Passion Projects

This week on Perpetual Chess we feature two chess enthusiasts who are driving initiatives to improve the chess world. 1) Emilia Castelao is a history grad student, chess photographer and chess historian, who is collaborating with Mr. Dodgy to launch the Women in Chess Foundation. Their mission is to advocate for and empower women in the chess community. Emilia has a broad vision for the foundation, but the first order of business is to ensure a safe competitive environment for tournament players. With this goal in mind, the foundation is training onsite advocates to volunteer at tournaments all over the world. In our conversation, we also discuss Emilia’s chess background and the roots of her enthusiasm for chess photography and history. 2) Craig Dubose is an Ireland-based dad and relatively recent chess enthusiast. Craig believes that more can be done to convert new chess fans into tournament players, and is running an annual tournament in Ireland, The Sligo Chess Tournament. Craig runs this tournament on a not-for-profit basis with the aim to improve the playing experience of area chess enthusiasts. Craig and his team made a documentary about last year’s event, which you can see here. In our conversation, Craig discusses the challenges and rewards of running such a tournament, and shares tips for anyone interested in starting to run their own tournaments. 

As always, timestamps of guests interviewed and topics discussed can be found below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. You can check our their new courses here: 

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

And some of my favorites here: 

https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

Subscribe to my free newsletter, The Perpetual Chess Linkfest here:

https://benjohnson.substack.com/

3:15- Emilia Castelao joins the pod to discuss a new initiative called the Women in Chess Foundation. 

Mentioned: Lula Roberts, Mr. Dodgy 

To volunteer to become an advocate go to:

https://www.womeninchess.com/

19:00- Emilia discusses her background and her interest in chess history.

Mentioned: Endgame by Dr. Frank Brady, Chess Notes by Edward Winter, Profile of a Prodigy, Episode X with Dr. Frank Brady 

26:00- What got her into chess photography?

28:00- Does Emilia play and study chess much? 

32:00- Thanks to Emilia for joining the pod!

Keep up with the Women in Chess Foundation here:

https://www.womeninchess.com/

Follow her on Twitter/X here:

https://twitter.com/emiliacastelao

33:00- Craig Dubose joins the podcast to discuss the background of the upcoming Sligo tournament in Ireland. 

Mentioned: Welcome to Wrexham, Word Wars 

45:00- Is it a priority to recruit titled players to compete in the tournament?

48:00- Why does Craig run the tournament on a non-profit basis? 

52:00- Is it challenging to find a venue for a chess tournament?

58:00- What is Craig’s advice for anyone interested in running a weekend tournament? 

59:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Does Craig have a plan for what would happen if he were no longer able to run his tournaments?” 

1:01:30- Does Craig get to play much?

1:04:00- Thanks to Craig for joining the pod! You can learn more about the Sligo tournament here: https://itsligochesstournament.ie/

EP 351- Steffen Nielsen: The author and award-winning endgame study composer on what makes a good chess puzzle, and whether endgame studies are good for your chess calculation.

This week’s guest, Steffen Slumstrump Nielsen is one of the most accomplished chess endgame study composers in the world. Steffen’s new book, Endgame Labyrinths (co-authored with GM Jacob Aagaard) compiles what they consider to be the most instructive endgame studies of all time. It is a beautiful book filled with challenging and instructive studies. In our conversation, we discuss how Steffen came to be interested in the “subgenre” of designing chess puzzles, the components that make a good study, and who he believes to be the best endgame study composers of all time. Finally, Steffen shares some details on his creation process and offers recommendations if you would like to learn more about endgame studies. Links of the topics referenced can be found below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. You can check our their new courses here: 

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

And some of my favorites here: 

https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

0:00- How did Steffen discover the art of composing endgame studies? 

0:04- How does Steffen work with engines when comprising a study? 

Mentioned: Chessbase India feature on Steffen Nielsen:

https://www.chessbase.in/news/Giants-of-Modern-Studies-Part-I-The-Tactical-Thaumaturgy-of-Steffen-S-Nielsen-

11:30- What makes a good endgame study? 

15:30- How useful are endgame studies for chess improvement? (potential break)

Mentioned: Episode 339 with WGM Anna Zatonskih 

19:00- As an study composer, is calculation a strength of Steffen’s? 

21:50- How much time per week does Steffen spend composing studies? What does his family think of it? 

Mentioned: Steffen’s YouTube talk

27:00- What, if anything, differentiates Steffen’s prize-winning studies from others? 

Mentioned: Tim Krabbe’s blog, Episode 226 with Tim Krabbe 

33:00- Which famous players has Steffen meant who enjoy endgame studies?

Mentioned: GM Jan Timman 

35:30- What did Steffen observe from observing the approach to solving of people like GM Sam Shankland and GM Christopher Yoo? 

Mentioned: Free Preview of the Book here:

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/EndgameLabyrinthsOnlineExcerpt.pdf

Also mentioned: GM Kasper Piorun

41:00- We discuss the invaluable endgame study database from Harold van der Heijden. More info here: 

https://www.hhdbvi.nl/

44:00- What endgame study books has Steffen studied:

Mentioned: Kasparyan’s Domination in 2545 Studies, Oleg Pervakov’s Studies and Books, The Art of the Endgame 

46:00- What was Steffen’s approach to chess study? What authors did he like?

Mentioned: Bent Larsen

48:30- How long has this book been in the works? 

49:00- Steffen’s closing thoughts!

Mentioned: GM Wojciech Moranda 

51:00- Thanks to Steffen for joining the program!

Follow Steffen on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/SteffenNielsen8?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

You can read more about composing studies on this blog:

www.chessstudy.art 

Buy the book from Quality Chess:

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/3/443/endgame_labyrinths_hardcover_by_jacob_aagaard_and_steffen_nielsen/

Or on Forward Chess:

https://forwardchess.com/product/endgame-labyrinths

Free preview from Quality Chess:

https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/EndgameLabyrinthsOnlineExcerpt.pdf

EP.350- CM Can Kabadayi: A self-taught Candidate Master and Cognitive Scientist on Calculation, The Chess Aging Curve and his Favorite Chess Books

Can Kabadayi is a cognitive scientist, a self-taught Candidate Master, and a popular and prolific Chessable author. Given his academic background, Can is especially interested in the challenges of adult chess improvement, and devotes his chess work to helping adult learners. 

In our conversation, we discuss the origins of Can’s interests in chess and cognitive science, his Chessable courses, his OTB plans, and notable research related to chess and cognitive science. Can is an avid bibliophile and also shares plenty of book recommendations.  All in all, there is lots to learn from this conversation, as there is from Can’s courses and YouTube channel. Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. 

Click here to download the Episode

0:00- Can retells the story of how he got into chess at the age of 17, and how he attained a first rating of approximately FIDE 2100! 

Mentioned; Capablanca’s Fundamentals of Chess 

0:07- Can describes the chess scene in Turkey. 

Mentioned: GM John Nunn, GM Jonathan Rowson, Instructive Chess Miniatures 

11:00- Can describes how he became interested in cognitive science. 

Mentioned: Fernand Gobet’s The Psychology of Chess, Thought and Choice in Chess by Adrian de Groot 

Mentioned:  Take a chess cognitive test via Dr. Can’s YouTube channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyOpUyss3Sc, Think Like a Super GM 

24:00- We discuss chess calculation, which is the topic of Can’s new Chessable course. 

Mentioned: Under the Surface by GM Jan Markos 

30:00 What are the most common types of mistakes Can sees in adult players? 

32:00- More book and author recs!

Mentioned: The Secret Ingredient, NM Dan Heisman 

34:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Is it still good advice for amateurs not to study openings?” 

41:00- Patreon mailbag question: “All things being equal, what is the best age to start playing chess?” 

Mentioned: Can’s Reddit Q and A, YouTube video: How good can I become if I start chess at age 30?, Episode 346 with NM Todd Bryant 

49:00- Does Can have any plans of returning to competitive chess? 

Mentioned: Episode 309 with Dr. Joel Sneed 

Thanks to Can for joining me! Be sure to sub to his YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.CansClinic

Can’s Chessable page:

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

EP 349- Dr. Anique de Bruin: Deliberate Practice and the Science of Chess Learning

This week on Perpetual Chess, we look at chess study from a different angle- what does the science of learning teach us about how best to study chess? Joining us to discuss it is an expert in the field, Dr. Anique de Bruin of Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Dr. de Bruin researches the topics of deliberate practice and desirable difficulty and researched and wrote about chess skill acquisition both in her dissertation and in an essay she wrote called “Helping Chess Players Improve” for the book The Chess Instructor 2009. In our conversation, Anique highlights noteworthy research around chess and deliberate practice, shares advice for chess instructors and self-motivated students, and discusses what her research revealed about gender and chess. This was a fascinating conversation that helped me refine my thinking about how to best teach and study chess independently. Timestamps of the topics discussed are below. 

Click here to download the Episode

Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. You can check our their new courses here: 

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

And some of my favorites here: 

https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

0:00- As a researcher without a chess background, what initially got Anique interested in researching chess? 

Mentioned: KPrime Podcast Episode 3 with Anique de Bruin

16:00- Is it necessary for deliberate practice to be “unenjoyable?” 

18:00- Did the publication of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell alter the nature of Anique’s research?

20:00- What did Anique’s research and gender reveal about gender and chess?

26:30- Patreon mailbag question: What books does Anique recommend to learn more about the science of learning? 

Mentioned: In Their Own Words: What Scholars and Teachers Want You To Know about How to Apply the Science of Learning in an Academic Setting (free download) 

https://teachpsych.org/ebooks/itow

Why Don’t Students Like School  

Make it Stick: The Science of Learning 

28:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is the biggest thing chess coaches get wrong? 

32:30- Patreon mailbag question: Is their evidence to support the contention that chess players do better academically? 

35:00- Anique discusses her recent research relating to self-regulated study “desirable difficulties”

43:00- If Anique could do a research study about any chess topic, what would it be? 

45:30- Anique gives her parting advice for self-directed adult chess students. 

Thanks to Dr. de Bruin for a fascinating interview! Her contact info is on her bio page with the University of Maastricht:

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/abh-de-bruin

Thanks

Book Recap #33- Think Like a Super GM and Strategic Chess Exercises: 2 Great Books for Intermediate Level and Up (with Dr. Michael Franco)

The book review series Chess Books Recaptured is back to discuss a couple of great puzzle books with a strategic orientation. 1) First up, we discuss a lesser-known but excellent collection of puzzles and insightful analysis, Strategic Chess Exercises by GM Emanuel Bricard. Following that, we discuss one of the most (rightfully) acclaimed books of recent years, Think Like a Super GM by Phillip Hurtado and GM Michael Adams. Because these are both reasonably advanced books, we also share some similarly-spirited recommendations for lower-rated players. Joining me for it all, is returning guest, Dr. Michael Franco (NoseKnowsAll) who is a Software Engineer and fast-improving amateur player, who is active in various online chess communities.  

Timestamps of books and topics discussed are below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

0:00- For what levels are these books best suited? 

0:03- Why does Michael love the book Strategic Chess Exercises ? What is its format?  

Mentioned: Available on Chessable and Amazon, Michael’s appearance on Chess Journeys (Episode 102)

14:00- What are my quibbles about this high-quality book? 

20:00- We discuss Think Like a Super GM by GM Michael Adams and Phillip Hurtado 

Mentioned: Thought and Choice in Chess by de Groot, GM Jesse Kraai’s Video Review of Think Like a Super GM, My written review of Think Like a Super GM 

35:00- Any quibbles with Think Like a Super GM?

39:00- Conclusions from and comparison between the 2 books. 

47:00- We suggest similar books to these two that are accessible for players rated below 1500. 

Mentioned: Evaluate like a GM, The Reassess Your Chess Workbook, Power of Pawns, Simple Chess, Mastering Chess Strategy, Winning Chess Strategy 

52:00- We finish up by discussing Michael’s next chess books and tournaments. 

Mentioned: Small Steps to Giant Improvement 

Contact Michael via Lichess:

https://lichess.org/@/NoseKnowsAll

Pre-order Perpetual Chess Improvement here (or wait for it to be available in other formats!) 

https://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Chess-Improvement-Practical-World-Class/dp/9083336549/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PPCN7OZTKJU6&keywords=perpetual+chess+improvement&qid=1695235338&s=books&sprefix=perpetual+chess+improvement%2Cstripbooks%2C79&sr=1-1

If you would like to volunteer to potentially co-host a book discussion, you can do so via the form here:

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/co-host

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

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

EP 348- ALTO Tournament Report- Two Participants on What they Learned and Experienced at an Adult Only Weekend Tournament in Charlotte

Photos of FM Nate Solon and James Brandmair by Daniel Schipper of the Charlotte Chess Center

Perpetual Chess returns for the second edition of what will be an occasional series, Perpetual Tournament Reports. (First edition here). For this episode, two guests join me to share their respective experiences at ALTO (“At Least Twenty One”), which was a tournament that took place in early September, and was hosted by the Charlotte Chess Center. ALTO is a semi-annual tournament that has quickly gained a loyal roster of attendees, due to the unique opportunity it presents to compete against and socialize with other adult chess players.  My guests are 1) Returning guest, data scientist, blogger and Chessable Author, FM Nate Solon. Nate hasn’t been competing OTB much lately, in part due to the arrival of his first baby at home, but somehow he won the open section of the tournament! Despite this incredible success, Nate feels he has plenty of chess to work on, and he shares reflections from his games and away-from-the-board experiences in Charlotte. 2) James Braindmair got into chess via The Queen’s Gambit and is already quite active in his chess community in Columbia, South Carolina. In addition to a busy work and family life, James is President of the Columbia Chess Club. With so many responsibilities, James doesn’t get much time to study, but he and some local chess friends all made the trip to play and compete. James reflects on the chess and non-chess lessons he has recently learned. Timestamps of guests and topics discussed can be found below. 

Click here to download the Episode

Prior tournament report podcast-

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2023/6/30/f82nnc8zc3crw6pxaprlkd5rgil5a7

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Hmf19bVCz3WiwqFTmuHAE?si=8eedbfe0a6154989

If you are rated below 1300 Chess.com or lower (approximately,)  and would like to send me games for my forthcoming Chessable course, please email Ben at perpetualchesspod.com 

4:45- FM Nate Solon joins the pod! Was he surprised that he won the tournament? What were the key moments? 

Mentioned: 

https://www.chessable.com/100-repertoires-reti-1nf3/course/170854/

Episode 346 with NM Todd Bryant 

LiChess study with most of Nate’s games 

Episode 307 with IM Dean Ippolito 

Nate’s post on Time Management-

https://zwischenzug.substack.com/p/time-management

16:00- Nate describes his mindset going into his final-round game against IM Dina Belenkaya. 

Mentioned: GM Eugene Perelshteyn 

21:00- Nate just hit a new rating high at age 38- How is he able to defy chess gravity? 

23:00- What was ALTO like away from the board?

26:00- How is the 1. Nf3 repertoire from Nate’s Chessable course working out? 

30:00- How did Nate’s new openings as Black work out?

Mentioned: King’s Kalashnikov Sicilian, Shankland’s Semi-Slav 

38:00- What are Nate’s chess takeaways from the tournament? 

Mentioned: Check Nate’s video recap of his White games here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd6niI6KllI

45:00- James Brandmair joins the pod! He begins by discussing how he recently got into tournament chess. 

Mentioned: Paul Copeland, NM Sam Copeland’s YouTube Channel 

48:00- What were James’ goals going into the tournament? 

Mentioned: Hanlon-Brandmair 2023, IM Dina Belenkaya, JJ Lang, IM David Vigorito 

54:00- What has James learned from reviewing the games? 

Mentioned: GM John Shaw’s King’s Gambit, Godly Gambit 

1:00:00- What are the goals for the Columbia Chess Club? 

Mentioned: Is James’ wife supportive of chess weekends? 

1:05:00- Did the tournament have a different feeling dur to the absence oft kids in the competition? 

Thanks to James for joining! You can email him at Jamesbrandmair at gmail dot com 

Episode 347- GM Gregory Kaidanov on The Return of Hans Niemann, FIDE World Cup Reflections & The Differences Between Adult and Youth Chess Students

This week’s return guest on Perpetual Chess is the renowned trainer and player GM Gregory Kaidanov. Gregory joined me in between travels, as he had returned home from competing in the FIDE World Cup, and he was soon heading to Macedonia for the World Senior Team Championship. Gregory shared his perspective on the FIDE World Cup both as a player, and as a fan. As we discuss, Gregory was not surprised by the continued success of GM Pragganandhaa and the younger generation, but the performance of the top finishers was nonetheless impressive. Gregory also shared his thoughts on the news that GM Hans Niemann is now able to return to Chess.com events, and he discussed his thoughts on the overall story. Lastly, Gregory answered a few listener questions related to chess improvement, and his thoughts on a few of his former students, including GMs Ben Finegold and Daniel Naroditsky. Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. 

Click here to download the Episode

Thanks to our Presenting Chess Education Sponsors, Chessable.com 

You can learn more about the Chessable “Create Your Own Course” Contest here:

https://www.chessable.com/create/

Check out their new courses, included Ginger GM’s The Killer Barry here:

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

Gregory’s Prior Appearance: Episode 295 

0:02:- Gregory joins and shares his reflections on the FIDE World Cup, both as a competitor and an observer 

Mentioned: GM Nijat Abasov, GM Wesley So, GM Dieter Nisipeanu 

10:00- Was Gregory worried about cheating at the World Cup?

18:00- What does Gregory think of the “2003” generation of chess stars that Magnus highlighted, including Pragganandhaa? 

25:00- How did the tournament go for Gregory from a personal perspective? 

Mentioned- Karthik-Kaidanov 2023, Kaidanov-Karthik 2023, Heine-Nielsen-Kaidanov 2002

32:00- Why is the US Senior Invitational of special importance to Gregory? How did he fare in his other recent tournaments?

Mentioned: Episode 344 with GM Melik Khachiyan 

45:00- In the wake of GM Hans Niemann’s reinstatement on Chess.com, Gregory shares his thoughts on the whole saga. 

Mentioned: Chess.com Statement on Hans Niemann 

52:00- Are chess books still necessary? 

Mentioned: Colin Stapcynski’s article on Coach of the Month

57:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Does Gregory have any advice for how one can improve his approach to chess away from the board?” 

Mentioned: Book Recap #32- Chess for Zebras

1:00:00- What has Gregory learned from working with adult chess players?  

1:07:00- Gregory discusses his work GM Daniel Naroditsky, GM Ben Finegold and GM Sam Shankland and others. 

1:12:00- What has Gregory learned from studying GM Ulf Andersson? What has he learned from playing Mikhail Tal. 

Mentioned: Episode 300 with GM Ulf Andersson, Kaidanov-Andersson 2002

Thanks, as always to GM Kaidanov for joining me. You can reach him via his website: 

https://kaidanov.org/

EP 346- NM Todd Bryant Shares his Data on the Most Accomplished Adult Improvers in recent US Chess History, plus Discusses his Own Approach to Chess Enjoyment & Improvement

The Adult Improver series returns to look at both the macro and the micro of adult chess improvement. My guest is NM Todd Bryant. Todd is a software engineer (for Chess.com) and an accomplished player, who has used his analytical skills to gather lots of data about the most accomplished adult improvers in recent US Chess History. Todd shares information about the standout improvement cases at different age ranges. What would be considered an exceptional rating gain for someone over the age of 30? What about age 50? What patterns does Todd notice in looking at the rating graphs of these accomplished amateur? In addition to sharing all of this data that Todd has dutifully gathered, he discusses his own improvement philosophy. Todd plays frequently OTB, and when at home he emphasizes opening study and frequent speed chess play. This approach has been working for Todd as he recently passed 2500 Blitz on Chess.com for the first time! This was a fascinating conversation, and I really appreciate Todd’s gathering and sharing all of this interesting data! Timestamps of the topics discussed are below. 

Click here to download the Episode

Todd’s previous Perpetual Chess appearance:

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2023/6/30/f82nnc8zc3crw6pxaprlkd5rgil5a7

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

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

Chess.com’s First #Chesspunks tournament! More info here:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/chesspunks-champs

Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsors, Chessable.com. Here are a few of NM Todd Bryant’s favorite Chessable courses and authors: 

GM Gawain Jones:

FM Kamil Plichta 

You can check out some of my recommended courses here: https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

6:00- Todd shares his findings from his independent research into what type of rating gains are seen by the most accomplished adult improvers at different ages. 

13:45- What were the outlier cases of improvement after the age of 25? 

Mentioned: Michael Johnson, NM Philemon Thomas, NM Fred Wilson  

19:30- What type of rating gains have improvers over the age of 50 achieved? 

Mentioned: Tom Hickenlooper, James Altucher, Skip the Line  

29:00- Does Todd think there is rating deflation in US Chess and FIDE? 

 Mentioned: Paul Iinuma

32:00- How does this data impact how Todd approaches chess? 

36:00- Why does Todd choose to focus on speed chess and blitz with his chess time? 

Mentioned: Pre-order My Book- Perpetual Chess Improvement, IM Greg Shahade’s Blog Post “Slow Chess is Dying” 

44:00- Is there a rating below which playing speed chess does not result in an improvement in playing? 

46:00- Why does Todd still play the King’s Gambit? 

Mentioned: The King’s Gambit by GM John Shaw, IM Ryo Chen 

52:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Todd’s advice for improving thinking processes at the board? 

Mentioned: The Amateur’s Mind by IM Jeremy Silman 

57:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Should amateurs invest the time to learn antidotes to dodgy but popular amateur openings like The Stafford Gambit?” 

1:01:00- What other chess books made a difference for Todd? 

Mentioned: Attacking Chess with Josh Waitzkin, Best Lessons of a Chess Coach by FM Sunil Weerumantry

1:04:00- What has Todd learned from watching his son pursue chess? 

1:07:00- Todd’s final chess improvement advice?

1:12:00- Thanks to Todd for joining! 

Follow him on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/thestrongchess?lang=en

Or chess.com here:

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

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

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/donate

EP 345- WFM Maaike Keetman on The Best Open Tournaments in Europe, The Chess Steps Method & Chessable's Create Your Own Course Contest

This week our guest is WFM Maaike Keetman. Maaike is a 2016 Dutch Chess Olimpian and youth champion, who is also a Chessable author and member of its content creation team. Maaike joined me shortly after competing in a big open tournament in Europe, The Czech Open. Maaike reflected on her own performance and also highlighted what anyone considering playing in this tournament in future years could expect. Following that, we discuss the September 1 launch of Chessable’s ‘Create Your Own Course’ contest. This contest is a unique opportunity for community members to share their passion for chess, and to potentially win prizes and earn extra income. Lastly, we discuss a few topics important to Maaike’s chess experience, including The Chess Steps Method, and the most memorable moments of her chess career. 

Click here to Download the Episode

The Chessable Contest Launches September 1, here is all the info you need:

https://www.chessable.com/create/

0:02- Maaike joined me shortly after returning from The Czech Open in Pardubice. For prospective tournament players, she discusses what she liked and disliked about the tournament, and she assessed her own performance. Maaike had to withdraw from the tournament due to sickness, so she was unable to finish the tournament. 

Mentioned: CM Vjekoslav Nemec, More Czech Open Info here:

https://www.czechopen.net/en/, Sunway Sitges, Reykjavik Open 

11:00- Maaike plays in the Dutch Chess League and the English 4NCL League as well. She discusses the formats of these leagues. 

15:00- What are Maaiike’s current objectives with her chess game? 

19:00- Maaiike discusses her work at Chessable and the annual “Create Your Own Chess Course” contest. Upon context launch on September 1, there will be more info at this link:

https://go.chessable.com/create/

Mentioned: The Checkmate Patterns Manual, Visualize by Benedictine, CM Can Kabadayi’s Chessable Courses, GM Maurice Ashley’s Secrets of Chess Geometry, Maaike’s How to Create a Chessable Course Video 

31:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What are the best practices of the most accomplished Chessable users?’ 

Mentioned: NM Han Schut, NM Todd Bryant, Perpetual Chess Improvement, Available November 1!, Alex Crompton’s Blog Post, EP 256 with Alex Crompton 

35:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What changes have taken place at Chessable since it was acquired by Chess.com?’ 

40:00- What was it like growing up vis-a-vis The Chess Steps system in The Netherlands? 

Mentioned: EP 335 with Matthew Ball and WIM Natasha Regan 

43:00- Maaiike shares her memories of playing on the Dutch National Team at the Olympiad. 

47:00- If Maaike were to emphasize improving her chess game, what would she prioritize? 

50:00 Maaike’s fondest and least fond chess memories! 

51:00- Thanks to Maaike for joining the pod! 

If you have questions about the Chessable contest, email hello at chessable dot com

Or post in the Chessable forums:

https://www.chessable.com/discussion/

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

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/donate

You can pre-order my forthcoming book here:

https://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Chess-Improvement-Practical-World-Class/dp/9083336549/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32H1VUUP9AHO8&keywords=perpetual+chess+improvement&qid=1692411671&s=books&sprefix=perpetual+chess+%2Cstripbooks%2C119&sr=1-1

EP 344- GM Melik Khachiyan on How Staying Active OTB and Emphasizing Physical Fitness helped him Win his First National Title!

Photo by Lennart Ootes via St. Louis Chess Club 

GM Melik Khachiyan is a top player and former chess Olympian. He is also a trainer who has taught many future GMs and has coached the US Women’s national team for many years. Despite his many successes, Melik had never won a US Championship of his own…until this year. In 2023, Melik beat out many higher-rated U.S. legends to comfortably win the U.S. Senior Championship! In our conversation, Melik takes us behind the scenes of the games and opening preparation, and his training regimen during the weeks leading up to the tournament. Melik thinks that he was propelled to victory by a couple of decisions in particular: 1) a focus on physical fitness and 2) his staying active in competitive chess. Melik always has lots of chess knowledge to impart, but his recent successes highlight the importance of perseverance, both at and away from the board. And of course, as GM Levon Aronian’s childhood coach, and a former student of World Champion Tigran Petrosian, Melik always has a few stories to share. You can find timestamps of topics discussed below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

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

New courses include: 

Starting Out: The Scotch by Fiona Steil-Antoni and IM Alex Astaneh 

Techniques of Positional Play featuring GM Peter Heine Nielsen 

Check out my favorite Chessable courses here: 

You can check out some of my recommended courses here: https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

My prior interview with Melik: 

Episode 64 with GM Melik Khachiyan

0:00- Melik explains the story behind his last-minute invitation to the U.S. Senior Championship. 

5:00- What did Melik do to change his chess training and fitness routine leading up the tournament? 

Mentioned: Khachiyan-Root 2023

12:00- Patreon mailbag question- “How has Melik’s tournament approach changed over the years?” 

20:00- Did Melik gain an edge over his competitors by continuing to compete?

Mentioned: GM Alex Fishbein 

25:00- Patreon mailbag question: Has Melik changed his opening repertoire in recent years?

30:00- What was the story behind Melik’s game with Dlugy which began with the unusual sequence 1. Nf3 c5 2. C3 ? Melik also discusses his unusual preparation for GM Patrick Wolff 

Mentioned: Khachiyan-Dlugy 2023, Khachiyan-Wolff 2023

39:00- What does Melik do to deal with sleep problems that occur during tournaments? 

42:00- What are Melik’s memories of competing in the 1996 Olimpiad in Yerevan, with his then student FM Levon Aronian, also on the Armenian team? 

44:00- In my recent interview with GM Aronian he discussed traveling to tournaments in the cargo department of a plane. What were Melik’s recollections of those rides? What does Melik think Levon learned from growing up so poor? 

Mentioned: Episode 341 with GM Levon Aronian 

50:00- How was World Champion GM Tigran Petrosian’s table tennis game? What did Tigran think of speed chess? 

Bonus Pod- FIDE World Cup Update- Magnus and Fabiano on a Collision Course? Featuring CM Vjekoslav Nemec and IM Michael Rahal reporting from the tournament in Baku.

Photo of GM Nijat Abasov by Stev Bonhage via FIDE

We catch you up on the riveting 2023 FIDE World Cup. I am joined by Chessable author and blogger, CM Vjekoslav Nemec to discuss the tournament so far, then FIDE Press officer IM Michael Rahal joins me from the playing hall in Baku to describe the venue and what it has been like to do post game interviews with the players. 

Click here to Download the Episode

Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable. 

Check out FM Nate Solon’s new course here: 

https://www.chessable.com/100-repertoires-reti-1nf3/course/170854/

And check out GM Pepe Cuenca’s Lifetime Repertoires: Queen’s Gambit Declined here:

https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-queens-gambit-declined/course/57401/

0- Rundown of the results at the FIDE World Cup. 

4:30- Vjekoslav Nemec joins the show. What have the most noteworthy stories of this World Cup? What do we expect in the final round?

24:00- FIDE Press Officer IM Michael Rahal joins me from Baku! 

You can check out all of Michael’s interviews in Baku on the FIDE YouTube Channel:

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

You can follow Michael on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/rahal_michael?lang=en

You can follow Vjekoslav here:

https://twitter.com/chessentials_?lang=en

Read his blog here:

https://t.co/1tZcgGs5uW

EP 343- Rating Deflation Roundtable- with Statistician Jeff Sonas and Data Scientist FM Nate Solon discuss FIDE’s Proposed Changes to their Rating System

Jeff Sonas is a software engineer and database consultant who is also one of the world’s leading experts on chess ratings. As you may have read, FIDE recently proposed some changes to its rating system (partially due to Jeff’s advice). . In our conversation, Jeff explains the background of his work on ratings, and why he feels that changes to the system are necessary. Following a detailed and fascinating conversation about chess ratings, we discuss Jeff’s excellent historical chess site, Chessmetrics, which compares the relative strength of top chess players across eras. Due to his expertise on the topic, I also invited FM Nate Solon to co-host this episode. Nate writes about chess and data on his excellent blog, Zwischenzug. As always, you can find timestamps of topics discussed below.

Click here to Download the Episode

Sign up for my newsletter, The Perpetual Chess Linkfest here: 

https://benjohnson.substack.com

FIDE Press release about Proposed Rating Changes- https://fide.com/news/2538

Jeff’s paper- 

https://www.fide.com/docs/presentations/Sonas%20Proposal%20-%20Repairing%20the%20FIDE%20Standard%20Elo%20Rating%20System.pdf

NM Vanessa West's Summary of the Proposed Changes

Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsors, Chessable. Here are some courses to check out.  FM Nate Solon’s course is here:

100 Repertoires: Reti (1.Nf3) 

You can check out some of my recommended courses here: https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

04:00- We welcome Jeff Sonas to the show! 

04:30- He begins by discussing the history of his work in ratings, and specifically with FIDE. Jeff also discusses how he has gone from worrying about inflation to deflation.

Mentioned: Rating Inflation: Its causes and Its possible cures 

26:00- Patreon mailbag question:  “ Could Jeff put a number on the amount of deflation? Is there deflation on the chess playing websites?” 

36:00- More explanation of the causes of deflation: 

Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard’s Tweet, Article by Tarjei Svensen about Velpula Sarayu’s Record Performance 

42:00- Does the deflation matter, other than for reasons of vanity?  

48:00- What does Jeff think of the Glicko system? 

Episode 249 with Dr. Mark Glickman, Jeff’s Archive of Chess Writing 

53:00 Patreon mailbag question: “How feasible is a universal rating system based on engine move matching?” 

Mentioned: Read Jeff’s paper here:

https://www.fide.com/docs/presentations/Sonas%20Proposal%20-%20Repairing%20the%20FIDE%20Standard%20Elo%20Rating%20System.pdf

59:00- Jeff discusses the history and methodology of his awesome chess history website, Chessmetrics.

Mentioned: Jeff’s Series: Who is the Greatest Player of All Time? 

1:10:00- Where would Carlsen rank?

1:14:00- What would be the biggest challenge to creating a chess site similar to a basketball reference or ultimate tennis statistics? 

1:16:00- Has Jeff ever gotten inquiries about his data from top players?

Mentioned: Chess24 top 50 of all time Series with GM Jan Gustafsson and GM Peter Heine Nielsen 

1:18:00- Which historical player is underrated? 

1:25:00- What is Jeff’s own chess background? 

1:28:00-  Thanks so much to Jeff for joining the podcast! You can reach him via the Chessmetrics website:

http://www.chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/Introduction.asp

And be sure to subscribe to FM Nate Solon’s free blog here:

https://zwischenzug.substack.com/

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

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

EP 342- GM Simen Agdestein: The Norwegian Chess Legend on Coaching Young Magnus, Life as a Pro Footballer, and What he Learned from Career-Altering Injuries

This week we are joined by a legend of Norwegian Chess, GM Simen Agdestein. Simen was the first Norwegian Grandmaster, a childhood trainer of Magnus Carlsen, and is a nine-time champion of Norway, who holds the record of being both the country’s youngest and oldest national champion, after winning the title again this year at age 56. As if these feats weren’t impressive enough, at the time Simen was around his chess peak (#16 in the world) he was also a star football/soccer player, who played striker on Norway’s national team! With such an accomplished resume, one might think things have been easy for Simen, but that has been far from the case. As he discusses in our interview, injuries derailed his chess and football careers simultaneously, and SImen was forced to reassess everything. In our conversation, Simen shares what his vast life experience has taught him about life and chess improvement. Simen also discusses the current chess scene in Norway, and of course, tells plenty of stories about what it was like to coach a young Magnus Carlsen. 

Click here to Download the Episode

Thanks to our Presenting Chess Education Sponsors, Chessable.com Here are a few of their Magnus related courses: 

Fight Like Magnus 

Grind Like a GM 

Magnus Carlsen: Endgame Virtuoso 

You can check out my favorite courses here:

You can check out some of my recommended courses here: https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

0:02- GM Agdestein reflects on his recent, record-setting National Championship. How does the feeling of this one compare to prior championship wins? How did he prepare for this one? 

Mentioned: GM Judit Polgar’s Interview with GM Simen Agdestein, IM Elham Abdrlauf, GM Jonathan Speelman’s Chessbase column about Simen’s recent win, SImen’s book

15:00- How does Simen structure the chess study time at his famed chess institute for talented chess players?

Mentioned: GM Aryan Tari, GM Magnus Carlsen, Magnus Carlsen on The Lex Fridman Podcast 

22:00- What stood out about Magnus in his early years? 

Mentioned: GM Torbjorn Ringdal Hansen

27:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Are the live TV broadcasts attracting new tournament players?” 

31:30- How did Simen become a GM with so little chess infrastructure in Norway at the time? 

35:00- Does Simen think he was more talented in chess or in football?

37:00- Simen tells how injuries derailed his football and chess careers simultaneously. 

Mentioned: Chess.com’s Tarjei Svensen 

44:00- Why did Simen turn down a lucrative professional football offer from the Turkish club Besiktas? 

45:30- How did Simen recover from the physical and mental setbacks in his mid 20s?

49:00- When Simen reflects on his 20s does he think of chess or soccer first? 

52:00- Why did Simen turn down a lucrative football contract with a Turkish pro club in his 20s? 

55:00- What does SImen remember about a young Alexei Shirov coming to visit his house? 

57:00- What was it like facing Kasparov? 

1:00:00- What are Simen’s memories of Kasparov’s visit to Norway to work with Magnus at age 14? 

1:04:00- More Magnus stories! 

1:07:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is the proper way to determine a world champion in chess?” 

1:12:00- Why does Simen advise to “always take pieces?” 

1:16:00- Thanks so much to Simen for joining the pod! You can learn more about his experience coaching Magnus in his book:

https://www.amazon.com/Magnus-Carlsen-Became-Youngest-Grandmaster/dp/9056914375

And keep an eye out for the forthcoming book, Games and Goals by IM Atle Gronn. It should be available in English in 2024

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

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

Book Recap #32- GM Rowson's Chess for Zebras (with guest co-host, Professor David Franklin)

Professor David Franklin joined me to discuss the book, as he did for The Seven Deadly Chess Sins

After a lengthy hiatus, the book review series Chess Books Recaptured, returns to discuss another classic chess book. This time we discuss Chess for Zebras. Originally published in 2003, Zebras is a followup to Rowson’s classic first book The Seven Deadly Chess Sins. While the book has some tonal similarities to its predecessor, it is a bit more narrow in focus. My guest co-host is Law Professor David Franklin. (David also co-hosted our discussion of Seven Deadly Chess Sins) Like me, David is a fan of GM Rowson’s writing, although both of us have our quibbles with different parts of the book. All in all, though, we both find the book highly worthwhile. Key concepts discussed in the book (and on the podcast) include the difference between knowledge and skill in chess, the challenges of handling each color, and the underrated chess skill of “just being.” Tune in to find out more! Timestamps below: 

Click here to download the Episode

Thanks to our Presenting Chess Education Sponsors, Chessable.com  

Chess for Zebras Free Preview:

https://www.chessable.com/chess-for-zebras-free-lesson/course/92638/

Chess for Zebras: 

https://www.chessable.com/chess-for-zebras-thinking-differently-about-black-and-white/course/61560/

Check out my favorite courses here: 

You can check out some of my recommended courses here: https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

02:00- Law Professor and USCF Expert David Franklin joins me. Why did he suggest this book? How is it different from GM Jonathan Rowson’s other chess classic, Seven Deadly Chess Sins? 

Mentioned: Book Recap #14- Seven Deadly Chess Sins with David Franklin 

04:30- How did Rowson choose the title, Chess for Zebras? 

Mentioned: Chess for Tigers by Simon Webb, GM Rowson’s 2023 interview with Chessbase India  

08:30- We discuss the major points and framework of the book, as well as the level of players who could most benefit from this book. 

13:30- We discuss Part 1 of the book, which focuses on the challenges of adult chess improvement and the “knowledge-skill” gap. 

Mentioned: Move First, Think Later by IM Willy Hendriks, The Best of Novice Nook 

18:30- As a lawyer, does David think that aging effects his ability to practice law differently than his ability to play chess? 

22:30- What is GM Rowson’s recommendation for acquiring skills as opposed to knowledge?

Mentioned: IM Andras Toth 

30:00- We discuss part 2, called “A Mental Toolkit for the Exponential Jungle” 

Mentioned: GM Tony Miles, GM Johann Hjartarson, IM Dina Belenkaya 

34:00- What does it mean to “keep it between the hedges”? 

Mentioned: GM Michael Adams, GM Luke McShane, Mentioned Magnus and David Howell’s course: Grind Like a Super GM, Magnus’ Book Recommendations 

40:00- Part 3- Thinking Colorfully About Black and White 

Mentioned: Andras Adorjan, Mihai Suba’s Dynamic Chess Strategy, GM Vasilios Kotronias

52:00- We share a few more memorable quotes from the book

Mentioned: The Moves That Matter 

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

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess

EP 341-Double Episode! GM Levon Aronian on The Global Chess League & His Career, + Global Chess League Chairperson Jagdish Mitra on Plans for Future Seasons

Perpetual Chess is back with a banger of a double episode. First up is chess superstar, GM Levon Aronian! Levon joined me from Spain after returning from the first season of the Global Chess League in Dubai. Levon reflected on the success of his championship-winning team, and we discussed why he thinks initiatives like this league are vital to the future health of chess. We then broadened the scope of our conversation, and Levon shared memorable stories about his humble beginnings and Armenia, and the lessons he had to learn when he shot to chess stardom in the mid 2000s. Lastly, Levon discusses his move to the U.S., his 2023 plans, and why he is not playing in the ongoing FIDE World Cup. 

Be sure to tune in to hear Jagdish Mitra share Tech Mahindra's vision for the Global Chess League!

Following Lev, we are joined by Jagdish Mitra. Jagdish is Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Growth at Tech Mahindra, and served as Chairperson of the first season of The Global Chess League. Jagdish looked back on a successful first season, and discussed the ambitious plans and long term vision that the league has for upcoming years. Both interviews left me excited about the future of chess! You can find timestamps for all of the topics discussed below. 

Click here to Download the Episode

Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsors, Chessable. Here are some courses to check out:

Techniques of Positional Play with GM Peter Heine Nielsen

Lifetime Repertoires: Gawain Jones 1.e4 e5

100 Repertoires: Alekhine Defense by CM Vjekoslav Nemec 

You can check out some of my recommended courses here: https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

4:00- GM Levon Aronian joins me from a park in Spain! How was Levon added as a last-second replacement to the Global Chess League? What sort of things does he usually negotiate before signing a contract to participate in an event? 

Mentioned: Chess.com’s Dog-Themed Bots including Levon’s Famous Dog, Ponchik 

10:00- What was it like to be in Dubai for the Global Chess League?

15:30- How can new players be incorporated into future Global Chess Leagues? 

17:30- What steps are necessary to continue to grow chess and attract corporate sponsors? 

Mentioned: Indian Express article by Amit Kamath

25:00- Levon’s scouting reports on Hikaru and Gukesh 

26:30- Which young star is most likely to emerge as a world champion? 

30:00- What was it like to play games for money to support his family as a kid? 

36:00- Levon tells an amazing story of how Boris Gelfand taught him to treat chess professionally. 

40:00- Why does Levon think chess has become increasingly professionalized?

41:30- Is Chess960 the solution to the over-abundance of opening theory? 

Mentioned: GM Vladimir Kramnik, GM Boris Gelfand, GM Jan Timman 

49:00- Is it true that Levon traveled in the cargo department of a plane to get to tournaments? 

Mentioned: Sean Williams’ 2017 New Yorker feature on Levon Aronian, GM Melik Khachiyan 

55:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What obstacles did Lev encounter in moving to the US?”  

1:03:00- Will Levon write a book some day?

Mentioned: GM Surya Ganguly’s “In Conversation with GM Levon Aronian”

1:08:30- What is Levon’s study routine?

1:09:00- Thanks to Levon for joining me! 

1:11:00- Jagdish Mitra, the Chairperson of the Global Chess League joins the podcast! We begin by discussing the origins of the Global Chess League. 

1:25:00- How did they decide on the unique format?

1:30:00- How will they acquire new players? How can teams foster allegiance with chess fans? 

1:41:00- Thanks so much to Jagdish for sharing the vision behind the Global Chess League. Here is how you can keep up with it:

Twitter:

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

Bonus Pod- Jen Shahade joins for a FIDE Women's World Championship Wrap Up

Fresh off of commentating the match for Chess.com, Award-Winning Podcaster, Author, and 2-time US Women's Champion Jen Shahade joined me to reflect on GM Ju Wenjun's dramatic comeback. Jen shares what it was like to cover the decisive Game 12, and describes the moment when she realized we might not be going to rapid tiebreaks after all. We also discuss the historical context of GM Ju Wenjun becoming just the 6th player to win the Women's World Championship 4 times or more. After discussing the match, we catch up with Jen on her many ongoing projects, and her upcoming book, Play Like a Champion. Finally, Jen reminisces about the life and legacy of Isabella Choko, the Holocaust survivor and French Women's Champion who Jen had the honor to meet and interview. As always, the timestamps of topics discussed can be found below.

Click here to Download the Episode

0:01- We begin by discussing the entertaining and instructive clinching game. When did Jen realize we might see a decisive result? 

Mentioned: Game 12, J. Shahade-Perelshteyn 2003

10:00- Were the opening choices surprising? 

Mentioned: GM Jovanka Houska, GM Judit Polgar, GM Daneil Naroditsky, GM Alexander Kosteniuk, GM Wei Yi  

14:30- Should the prize fund be higher? 

Mentioned: Norway Chess to Sponsor Women’s Tournament with Equal Prize Fund to Open

20:00- Who could be the next potential challenger to Ju Wenjun? 

Mentioned: IM Alice Lee, GM Alexandra Goryachkina, GM Harika Dronavalli, GM Humpy Koneru, GM Lei Tingjie, IM Vaishili R.  

22:00- Jen discusses her upcoming book, Play Like a Champion! 

Mentioned: 700 Chess Problems by Edith Baird, FM Yosha Iglesias 

27:00- Jen shares her memories of Isabella Choko who recently passed. 

Mentioned: Ladies Knight Episode 33 with Isabella Choko 

EP 340- FIDE World Cup Preview with Mr. Dodgy- The Best Tournament of the Chess Year starts Sunday!

The FIDE World Cup is a unique, bi-annual tournament that is distinguished by its elimination format, its wide variety of time controls, and its significant prizes, both in terms of cash ($110,000 for first) and in the form of 3 spots that are awarded in the 2024 FIDE Candidates. This year’s edition starts Sunday, and I am joined by Chessable author, tournament organizer, chess superfan, and Twitter celebrity, Mr. Dodgy (Michael Duke) to preview the tournament. Mr. Dodgy and I share our “likes and dislikes” about the tournament and its format, discuss players we are excited to see, make feeble attempts at prognosticating the results, and discuss the FIDE Women’s World Cup, which runs concurrently and is also a star-studded tournament with spots in the Women’s Candidates on the line. 

Click here to Download the Episode

0:01- What is unique about this tournament? What notables are playing, and who is missing from the field?  

0:07- Who will the commentators be? 

09:30- We review the current state of the FIDE Candidates Cycle. More information here: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candidates_Tournament_2024

More information on the FIDE Circuit standings here:

https://wcc.fide.com/

15:00- What do we like about the FIDE World Cup? 

Mentioned: GM David Howell, GM Christopher Yoo 

26:00-Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsors, Chessable.com.

Mr. Dodgy recommends Jan Gustafsson’s 1. E4 e5 course, and Ginger GM and IM Richard Palliser’s “Harry Attack” course. 

https://www.chessable.com/the-harry-attack-fighting-kingside-fianchettos-after-1-d4/course/99939/

https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-jan-gustafssons-1-e4-e5/course/28860/

You can check out some of my recommended courses here: https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

29:00- Dislikes- What are common critiques of the World Cup?

Mentioned: Episode 149 with GM Robert Hungaski, GM Harikrishna, GM Hans Niemann, 

48:00- Who are the pllayers we are excited to see?

Mentioned: GM D. Gukesh, GM Erigaisi, GM Pragganandhaa, GM Gregory Kaidanov, GM Laurent Fressinet, GM Vincent Keymer 

54:00- Why isn’t Alireza playing? 

58:00- Predictions! Who will win the Open Section and who will emerge with the Candidates spots? 

1:01:00- Who are we excited to see in the Women’s Event? Should it take place at the same time as the men’s event? 

Mentioned: IM Eline Roebers, IM Oliwia Kiolbasa, IM Carissa Yip, IM Jennifer Yu, IM Teodora Injac 

1:09:00- Predictions for the Women’s World Cup

Mentioned: IM R. Vaishali, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina 

Thanks again to Mr. Dodgy for joining us! You can follow him on Twitter here:

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

EP 339- WGM Anna Zatonskih: The Four-Time US Women’s Champion Shares the Story Behind Earning Her First GM Norm at age 44!

This week’s guest is the four-time U.S. women's champion and perennial US National Team Member WGM Anna Zatonskih. Anna joined me the week after her inspiring victory at the 2023 Cairns Cup to reflect on her standout performance. As Anna recounts, as the second to lowest seed in the tournament, most people had modest expectations for her, but despite self-doubt and busy life, she nonetheless decided to prepare rigorously for the tournament and hoped to put her best foot forward. As it turned out, Anna not only won the tournament but unexpectedly secured her first Grandmaster norm at 44 years of age! Anna shares the advice that helped motivate her to double down on her study, how she went about studying, and she discusses how she plans to spend the $45,000 she won. We also discuss Anna’s emigration to the U.S. in 2002, her study regimen as a top youth player in Ukraine, and how she approaches teaching chess to her kids as a mom. I was so inspired by Anna’s story and I think that you will be as well! Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below: 

Click here to Download the Episode

Recorded June 21, 2023

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

You can check out some of my recommended courses here: https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/

01:00- What was Anna’s mindset going into the Cairn’s Cup? How did she work on her game? 

Mentioned: Vladmirov’s 1000 Chess Studies, GM Daniel Fridman 

28:00- Does Anna have family members in Ukraine? What rules should FIDE have place for Russian players competing from different countries? 

Mentioned: IM Irina Bulmaga’s Blog post 

35:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How does Anna approach teaching chess to her own kids?” 

38:00- How did Anna study chess as a child in the former Soviet Union? 

40:00- How does Anna describe her first days in the US in 2002? 

45:00- Anna discusses her upcoming chess plans and life in Germany. 

47:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Should the “WGM” title have a different name?”

Mentioned: Jen Shahade’s FAQ

52:00- What are Anna’s next chess plans? 

Mentioned: Recognizing Your Opponent’s Resources 

Thanks to Anna for sharing her story!

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

https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess