Perpetual Chess features weekly conversations with the chess world's best players, trainers and accomplished amateurs about their careers, current projects, best practices and the latest in chess news. Learn more at PerpetualChessPod.com
EP 471- Dr. Kevin Scull on Adult-Only Tournaments, Plateaus and Progress
Is it possible to continue to get better at chess once you hit your 50s? The Adult Improver Series returns, and that’s one of the central questions I explore with today’s guest, long-time friend of the pod and fellow chess podcaster Dr. Kevin Scull.
Kevin is the host of the popular Chess Journeys podcast, where he interviews adult chess improvers on a weekly basis. In our conversation, he shares insights drawn from hundreds of interviews, as well as from his own dedicated pursuit of tournament chess.
We discuss:
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How Kevin managed to reach a new all-time rating high of over 1800 USCF in his early 50s
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The social and competitive benefits of adult-only tournaments
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Whether struggling to remember your games afterward means you’re hopeless at chess
As you’d expect, Kevin also shares a wealth of chess resource recommendations and practical improvement tips, and reflects on nearly five years of producing Chess Journeys.
Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series Website:
https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/adultimprover
Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series Spotify Playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=ab7ba68225fb43dc
0:00- Thanks to Chessable, check out Kevin’s course here:
0:01- Kevin joins the pod. How did he achieve a new rating high of 1800+ USCF in his early 50s?
0:08- Why Kevin particularly enjoys adult and senior-only tournaments
18:00- Kevin’s recent chess improvement realizations
Mentioned: Karpov’s Strategic Wins by IM Tibor Karolyi
23:00- The benefits of having a coach
Mentioned: NM Gopal Menon
https://lichess.org/streamer/vitamixbrand
28:00- More chess improvement secrets!
Mentioned: 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know
The Carlsbad Pawn Structure Revisited
32:00- Is Kevin hopeless at chess because he can’t remember his games?
Post-
Am I bad at chess or our brains really that different?
https://drscull.substack.com/p/am-i-bad-at-chess-or-are-brains-really
Playing a Chess Tournament without Calculating
https://substack.com/@drscull/p-185151203
43:00- What is new with the Chess Journeys Podcast and Kevin’s Streaming?
Check at Chess Inception at Chesspuzzle.net
https://chesspuzzle.net/Inception
47:00- Patterns that Kevin sees in successful improvers
50:00- What has Kevin learned from watching his daughter pursue chess?
53:00- Kevin’s review of IM Danny Rensch’s Dark Squares
54:00- How to recalibrate expectations as you get older
56:00- The value of studying random positions
Thanks to Kevin for joining me!
Blog/substack here:
https://substack.com/@drscull/posts
Chess Journeys Podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1kNbZLQE6JvbAyfOlv7ZNY?si=4b82e81608c24743&nd=1&dlsi=1afd66a98e904dc7
Chessable course:
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