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 380- FIDE Candidates Wrap Up with GM Erwin L'Ami: Gukesh Ascends as Caruana Suffers a Heartbreaking Setback
We are back for one more 2024 FIDE Candidates reflection as we start to take stock of a historic tournament. Joining me (again) to discuss it is renowned trainer, opening theoretician, Chessable author, and 2022 Dutch National Champion, GM Erwin Lami. Erwin has frequently collaborated with GM Anish Giri, and he was on the World Championship preparation team for GM Veselin Toplov. Erwin shares his thoughts on GM Gukesh’s impressive ascendance, Fabiano and Nepo’s disappointment, and what this result does and does not mean for the trajectory of professional chess. We also discuss the performance of the other players, the Women’s Candidates, and Erwin’s plans for 2024. I always love to hear Erwin’s perspective, and discussing this tournament was not an exception. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com! Check out what they have to offer, and if you sign up for Chessable Pro (as you should), use this link to help support Perpeutal Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0;00- Upcoming events and info: Chess in the Schools Poker Fundraiser; https://secure.givelively.org/event/chess-in-the-schools-inc/chess-in-the-schools-poker-night-fundraiser National Open/Las Vegas Chess Festival Info: https://www.vegaschessfestival.com/national-open/ 4:30- GM Erwin L’Ami joins me! What does he think made this tournament was so compelling? 10:00- How surprised was Erwin by Gukesh’s performance? What should we expect from him from here? 18;30- Patreon mailbag quesiton: “How can Caruana recover from his devastaiting loss to Nepo? “ .27:00- What did Erwin think of Nepo's performance? 29:30- Where does Nakamura go from here? Will this be his last Candidates? 38:00- What went wrong for GM Alireza Firouzja? 43:00 What are Erwin’s thoughts on Pragganandhaa’s performance? 46:00- What were Erwin’s thoughts on the Women’s Candidates? 49:00- Where might the World Championship be held? Would it help or hurt Gukesh if it were in India? 53:00- Who does Erwin think would be the favorite in Gukesh vs. Ding? Mentioned: Gotham City Podcast with GM Gukesh 57:00 Does the format for the Candidates or Candidates qualification need to be changed? Mentioned: IM Greg Shahade’s blog post 1:08:00- What are Erwin’s remaining 2024 plans? Thanks as always to GM Erwin L’ami for providing his perspective! If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 379- IM Renier Castellanos on How he Earned the GM Title at Age 41.
41-year-old IM Renier Castellanos had all but given up on earning the Grandmaster title. His life was getting busier, and after 2 potential GM norms were not ratified by FIDE, he felt like it just wasn’t meant to be. But his friends and Killer Chess Training co-workers, GM Jacob Aagaard and Kallia Kleisarchaki convinced him to keep trying. In turned out that was all it took! Two weeks ago, Renier got his final GM norm, to earn the title of Grandmaster at age 41. In our interview, Renier reflects on the lessons he has learned, and why he thinks he was still able to earn the title in this challenging era despite not working on chess as much as he did in his 20s. Renier also shares his own advice on chess improvement, some book recommendations, and discusses what he observed from facing Super GM level players like GM Vladimir Fedoseev. This interview was conducted while the Candidates was still ongoing, but you can even hear Renier’s Candidates prediction to see how it played out. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 0:00- Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com New courses include - Michael Roiz’s Fighting the Grunfeld and King’s Indian If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:01- Renier discusses why he had given up on the GM title Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard of Killer Chess Training, Killer Chess Training Review of Renier’s Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeI0AazBw1I 0:08- What shortcoming in his game did Renier need to overcome in order to earn the title? 9:45- How did he think about the expense of pursuing the GM title? 16:00- What is Renier’s approach to the opening? What else did he do to train? Mentioned; KillerChessTraining.com 22:00- How did Renier’s wife WGM Raluca Sgircea help him with his daily habits? 25:00- Renier discusses his early years growing up in Cuba, moving to Chile and then to Spain in his teens and 20s Mentioned: GM Lazaro Bruzon Batista, Chess Reddit thread about Renier’s GM title 31:00- We discuss the congratulatory notes Renier has gotten, including this tweet from GM Kevin Goh Wei Ming Mentioned: Episode 184 with GM Kevin Goh Wei Ming 34:00- Did an emphasis on physical fitness help his chess? What about community? 43:00- What is the best way to spend one’s chess improvement time? 46:00- Renier’s recommended open tournaments, based on his time on as a traveling chess professional: Mentioned: Benasque, Spain Chess Open, Menoraca, Sitges 51:00- Renier’s favorite chess books Mentioned: Perfect Your Chess, Dynamic Chess Strategy by GM Mihai Suba 54:00- What did Renier learn from playing Fedoseev and other super GM-level players? 1:03:00- Renier’s most memorable game Mentioned: Video of his World Bitz victory vs. GM Peter Svidler 1:10:00- Thanks to Renier for sharing his inspiring story! You can reach him via his Lichess coaches page or find his classes at KillerChessTraining: https://lichess.org/coach/RenierChess KillerChessTraining.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 12 Breakdown (Part 2)- FM Mike Klein on the Player’s Mindsets, Historical Context, and the Alireza Shoe Controversy
For the final FIDE Candidates bonus pod, award-winning Chess.com journalist, FM Mike Klein joins me from Toronto. We cover topics including the atmosphere in the playing hall, the presence of seconds and family members of the players, what to expect in rounds 13 and 14, and Mike provides his perspective on the controversy surrounding GM Alireza Firouzja's father. Thanks, as always, to Mike for providing so many behind-the-scenes details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 12 Breakdown (Part 1)- An Epic Finish Awaits, as Naka, Nepo and Gukesh are Tied!
As we enter the final rest day, The FIDE Candidates tournament is set up for maximum drama with a three-way tie for first place and two rounds remaining. Joining me from Toronto to discuss it is FM Dalton Perrine. We highlight the continued trend of surprising opening choices and results, as well as the increased tension in the room as the tournament builds to a climax. In the women's section, we are down to two contenders for the Candidates title, as Tan Zhongyi and Lei Tingjie are separated by a half a point.Dalton and I discuss all of the key matchups and surprises we have seen, as we look forward to the final chapter of an entertaining tournament. I will be back with one more bonus pod later on Friday, as Chess.com’s FM Mike Klein joins me from Toronto. Thanks to FM Dalton Perrine for joining me! Here is how to reach him: Chessable Author page: https://www.chessable.com/author/mattydperrine/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzuOx_63p9AIVkElyCh0z-A53EAAYASAAEgJY5vD_BwE Chess.com https://www.chess.com/member/mattydperrine His Coaching Services: https://nextlevelchesscoaching.com/fm-dalton-perrine/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/PerpetualChess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 10 Breakdown (Part 2)- GM Jan Timman on the tournament so far.
It is always an honor to hear 9-time Dutch Champion and former “best of the west” standout, GM Jan Timman discuss elite chess. In this interview he shares his thoughts on the 2024 FIDE Candidates. Topics include: Who he favored going in Who he favors now Why the opening surprises? His thoughts on Firouzja’s disappointing performance His next book 0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. Check out GM Oliksiyenko’s course for Chessable pro members on the Candidates here: https://www.chessable.com/chess-candidates-2024/course/243222/ If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Its always a pleasure to speak with GM Timman! 0:03- GM Timman joins me! If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 378- Lou Hays- Spending weekends with Fischer and Spassky, Getting to 2100 from Scratch as an Adult, Chess Publishing Then and Now
For this week’s (non-Candidates) podcast I am honored to be joined by Lou Hays. Lou Hays is a businessman, accomplished chess author, and the founder of Hays Publishing, which published many popular books beginning in the 1990s. Lou also is an accomplished amateur player, who began tournament chess in his 20s and made it up to near master level. Lou has had the opportunity to meet some of the true legends of the game, and shares some amazing stories about his time spent with Bobby Fischer, Boris Spassky and David Bronstein. We also discuss how chess improvement has, and has not changed over the decades, as well as Hays Publishing’s most successful books, and how the chess publishing industry has changed. I greatly enjoyed hearing Lou’s stories, and I am confident that you will as well. For this week’s (non-Candidates) podcast I am honored to be joined by Lou Hays. Lou Hays is a businessman, a noted chess author, and the founder of Hays Publishing, which published many popular books beginning in the 1990s. Lou also is an accomplished amateur player, who began tournament chess in his 20’s and made it up to near-master level. Lou has had the opportunity to meet some of the true legends of the game, and shares some amazing stories about his time with Bobby Fischer, Boris Spassky and David Bronstein. We also discuss how chess improvement has, and has not changed, over the decades, as well as Hays Publishing’s most successful books, and how the chess publishing industry has evolved. I greatly enjoyed hearing Lou’s stories, and I am confident that you will as well. 0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include GM Romain Eduoard’s Lifetime Repertoires: King’s Indian Attack. If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Mentioned: Winning Chess for Juniors https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Chess-Tactics-Juniors-Hays/dp/1880673932 0:03- In 1992, Lou got to spend the weekend with Bobby Fischer. How did that come about, and what was the experience like? Mentioned: Bobby Fischer, Complete Games of the World Champion, Zita Rajcsanyi, Ken Smith (founder of Chess Digest and the Smith-Morra Gambit), Fischer voicemail is on YouTube here: https://youtube.com/shorts/CCa15k61MLY?si=igrs2WYVuyYHbltj 25:00- Lou shares his own chess story, including how chess improvement has, and has not changed Mentioned: Hastings 1895 (Out of print), NM John Jacobs, Hal Bogner, IM Anatoly Lein 37:00- What was it like to spend a weekend with Boris Spassky? 46:00- Lou tells the story of playing legendary blitz player Israel Zelber. 49:00- How did Lou get into the chess publishing business? Mentioned: My System: 21st Century Edition, Winning Chess Tactics for Juniors, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, Stuart Margulies, Yasser Seirawan 55:30- Patreon mailbag question: Would Lou consider putting Winning Chess Tactics for Juniors on Chessable? Mentioned: James Stallings 1:00:00- Lou is also an accomplished improver at golf! Are there any parallels to chess improvement? Mentioned:Lou’s book Make Your Golf Dream a Reality , 1:01:00- What was it like to spend time with legendary GM David Bronstein? Mentioned: The Rise and Fall of David Bronstein by Genna Sosonko, Mikanes Bronstein 1965 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 10 Breakdown (Part 1)- Nepo and Gukesh lead Narrowly as Naka and Fabi are in Pursuit
Heading into the penultimate rest day, I provide a quick rundown of the standings and key stories of a close contested and entertaining FIDE Candidates. Plus I briefly share my thoughts on the drama surrounding GM Alireza Firouzja's noisy shoes. Watch this feed for part 2, which will feature an interview about the Candidates with legendary former Dutch Champion, GM Jan Timman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 7 Breakdown (Part 2)- GM Daniel King on the Tournament So Far
We are back for with an in-depth breakdown of the first half of the FIDE Candidates. I am honored to be joined by commentator, author, Chessable author and Excellent YouTuber, GM Daniel King to discuss all that has transpired so far. What makes Nepo so good in these tournaments? Does Fabi have another gear? What has surprised Daniel the most? Tune in for this, plus player-by-player analysis. Timestamps of topics discussed below as always! 0:00- Brief big picture thoughts on the tournament 0:05- Nepo! What stands out about his performance? Mentioned: The Chess Mind’s Blog Post: https://thechessmind.substack.com/p/candidates-round-7 22:00- Fabiano Mentioned: Anthony Levin’s Round 7 Recap: https://www.chess.com/news/view/2024-fide-candidates-tournament-round-7 30:00- Gukesh Final moments of Firouzja-Gukesh: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1c1sxzb/final_moments_of_gukesh_vs_firouzja/ 37:00- Firouzja 41:00- Pragganandha 48:00- Nakamura 53:00- Vidit 57:00- Abasov 59:00- Final thoughts on Open Section 1:00:00- Women’s sections 1:05:00- Viewer Q & A- Daniel’s next projects, Genna Sosonko, Collusion Mentioned: Daniel’s Anti-Sicilian Chessable Course (forthcoming to New in Chess as a book) , The Essential Sosonko If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 7 Breakdown (Part 1)- Nepo and Tan Zhongyi Lead after a Dramatic First Half of the Tournament
We are at the halfway point of a wildly entertaining 2024 FIDE Candidates! Ian Nepomniathchi continues to lead the Open Section, while Tan Zhongyi is in front in the Women’s Candidates This is the first part of what will be 2 podcasts discussing the tournament through 7 rounds. In this solo pod, I briefly run through the standings, upcoming pairings and share a few thoughts on the tournament. For part 2 (coming soon to this feed), I will be interviewing GM Daniel King of the Powerplay Chess YouTube Channel. Links Mentioned: Live stream of my chat with GM Daniel King Friday at 9AM EDT/1PM GMT on the Powerplay Chess YouTube Chess https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiOR9OnXOEk (and later to this feed) Mentioned: Final moments of Firouzja-Gukesh: https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1c1sxzb/final_moments_of_gukesh_vs_firouzja/ Be sure to tune in for tomorrow Candidates interview with GM Daniel King, as well as our regular Tuesday weekly pod. If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 377- NM Dan Heisman and NM Laura Smith. Two Accomplished Trainers on Capturing, “Counting”, “Flooblies” and other Lesser Known Chess Concepts You Should Know
For this week’s regular edition, (no FIDE Candidates talk) of Perpetual Chess, we are honored to be joined by two highly respected trainers and Chessable Authors. NM Dan Heisman is an engineer, turned author and trainer, who is particularly insightful regarding topics of adult chess improvement. I am a particular fan of his book, A Guide to Chess Improvement: The Best of Novice Nook. NM Laura Smith is a school teacher, chess trainer and former youth champion, who was the highest rated 13 year-old in the United States in 2002. Together, Laura and Dan have just collaborated on a new Chessable course, Can I Take It? A Beginner's Guide to Capturing Pieces. The course is geared toward beginner players and provides a comprehensive guide to an important tactical concept that Dan Heisman calls “counting.” In addition to discussing lessons from the course, we discuss some of the other original chess terms Dan has coined, Laura’s recent return to OTB chess, and upcoming projects for both authors. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below. 0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Prior interviews with our guests: Episode 138 with NM Dan Heisman Laura Smith on How to Chess 0:01- How did Laura and Dan decide to collaborate? Back to Basics Chess Tactics by Dan Heisman 5:30- What does Dan mean by the term “counting”? Mentioned: GM John Nunn’s Learn Chess Tactics 10:30- What is the genesis of the term “Reinfeld values” Mentioned: GM Larry Kaufman, The Evolution of Material Imbalances by IM Larry Kaufman, FM Charles Hertan 12:30- Dan and Laura on the differences between how adults and kids learn Mentioned: NM Dan Benjamin, IM Josh Waitzkin, Everyone’s Second Chess Book by NM Dan Heisman 19:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Dan’s advice for improving visualization? Mentioned: Evaluate like a Grandmaster by FM Nate Solon and GM Eugene Perelshteyn Chessable’s Visualize Courses 25:00- Laura’s lessons learned from a recent OTB tournament, her first in years. 28:00- We discuss some of our favorite books. Mentioned: Dan’s recommended book page, My recommended book page, Chess Steps books, Interviews mentioned IM Jop de la Marre, NM Han Schut, Chess Steps Walk-Through with Han Schut, 30:00- Dan and Smith discuss forthcoming books and projects Mentioned: Laura Smith’s Forcing Moves for Beginners 39:00- What is a floobly? 46:00- Thanks to Dan and Laura for rejoining! Here is how you can reach them: https://www.danheisman.com/lessons.html https://www.chess.com/member/laura_smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates First 4 Round Breakdown. Nepo leads (As usual). Plus a Fan's Toronto Trip Report
The 2024 FIDE Candidates tournament is off and running with some entertaining chess and plenty of surprises. (Although perhaps the identities of the leaders in the Open and Women’s sections aren’t as surprising.) I have been riveted by this tournament and am hoping to provide audio analysis and perspective from different guests on each rest day. In today’s pod, I briefly share my early impressions, than welcome recent guest Denis Markov back to the podcast. Denis had just returned from attending Rounds 1 and 2 in Toronto and described what it was like to attend the event. We went into everything from FIDE’s cheat detection methods, to what the viewing experience is like within the venue. Whether you are thinking of making a last minute trip to Toronto, or just want to live vicariously through Denis, I think you will enjoy his report of a trip that Denis says he definitely will not regret. We will be back with more coverage of this fantastic tournament on the next rest day, Friday April 12. 00:02 - Introduction and Plan for Perpetual Chess Coverage 02:00- Tournament Standings and Ben’s early Impressions 11:00 -Preview of Round Five Pairings 13:30- Denis Markov joins for a trip report from Toronto (previously heard on Episode 359) 13:57- Buying Tickets and Ticket Options 15:40- VIP Tickets and Balcony Experience 17:32- What it is like watching the players 19:50- Player Interactions and Autographs 23:00- The Fan Zone and Chess Personalities 26:47 -Spotting Chess Personalities 31:41-Meeting Gukesh and Viswanathan Anand 33:57-- Comparing the Candidates Tournament with attending the 2016 World Championship Match 36:57- Denis' Final Thoughts If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: Ben Johnson | creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 376- Adult Improver Jordan Groff on What it Takes to Make Master in 2024
The Adult Improver Series returns this week, with a guest who has improved his chess rapidly. Jordan Groff is a 24 year old Connecticut-based chess instructor who was recommended as a guest to me by GM Eugene Perelshteyn. Jordan resumed chess in 2018 after some years away, and has gone from 1864 to more than 2260 in about the last few years. During our interview, Jordan shares several ‘secrets” to his success. Aside from a lot of hard work and frequent competition, Jordan particularly credits a focus on the psychological aspects of OTB chess, and on opening preparation and tactics work. You can find out many more details in my interview with Jordan. it is inspiring to see such fast progress! Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. 0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:00- You can find all of the information you need about the Las Vegas Chess Festival and the National Open here. I hope to see you there! https://www.vegaschessfestival.com/national-open/ 0:01- What got Jordan back into chess in 2018, after some years away? Mentioned: Ginger GM, Chess Network 13:00- What is Jordan’s approach to the study of openings? Mentioned: GM Eugene Perelshteyn, FM Nate Solon 20:00- Has Jordan studied a lot of tactics? 25:00- What made Jordan decide to “play up” and play in higher sections? 32:00- What is Jordan’s approach to studying endgames? 37:00- What sort of stuff does Jordan do in his lessons with GM Eugene Perelshteyn? 43:00- Was it challenging for Jordan to earn the National Master title? What are his next goals? Mentioned: Here is Jordan’s LiChess coaches page: https://lichess.org/coach/jmwgroff 48:30- What is Jordan’s best advice for people who are stuck? 52:00- Jordan’s recommended chess resources: Mentioned: How to Reassess Your Chess, Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, Under the Surface, Seven Deadly Chess Sins If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 375- FIDE Candidates Mega Preview with GM Rafael Leitão i, Chess by the Numbers, and On the Queenside
The FIDE Candidates Tournament begins on April 4 in Toronto, Canada, and I could not be more excited to see who gets to challenge for the FIDE World Championship. As is tradition on Perpetual Chess, we have a few great guests joining to help discuss the action. First up is 7-time Brazilian champion & Correspondence GM, Rafael Leitão. In addition to a vast resume as a player, Rafael regularly annotates top-level games for Chess.com news coverage. Reviewing these games in detail on a daily basis gives Rafael unique insights into the tendencies of the world’s top players. Rafael and I discuss what to watch for in each player’s performance, fun facts, and what opening choices we might see from each player. Following Rafael, I am joined by Tai Pruce Zimmerman, a/k/a Chess by the Numbers. Tai shares and discusses the win probability of both the open and the women’s candidates, and we also compare the output of Tai’s probabilistic model to the betting markets. Last but not least, I am joined by “On the Queenside,” who has built a large following on Twitter and Lichess for covering Women’s Chess in detail. We discuss whether it is a good idea to run the Women’s Candidates concurrently with the open, and which players we are excited to watch. As always, the timestamps of the guests, as well as the topics and players discussed can be found below. 0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:01- Format notes on the FIDE Candidates, including tournament schedule, tiebreak rules, and the Perpetual Chess’ plan for covering the event. Mentioned: More info on the Candidates here, including tiebreak info: More from Chess.com here 09:30- GM Rafael Rafael Leitão joins me for a detailed Candidates discussion! Mentioned: Rafael’s prior interview was episode 147. 15:00- Can Ian Nepomniatchtchi “threepeat” at the Candidate? 21:50- GM Nijat Abasov. 25:30- GM Fabiano Caruana Mentioned: Leitao-Caruana 2010 30:00- GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshababu 32:30- Hikaru Nakamura Mentioned: GM Daniel King’s YT Candidates Previews: Gelfand-Nakamura 2010 37:45- Alireza Firouzja 44:00- GM Vidit Gujirathi 47:00- GM Gukesh Dommaraju 51:30- Who does Rafael predict will win? Mentioned: Bwin’s betting market on the Candidates: 54:00- Rafael shares his thoughts on the Women’s Candidates. More info here: 59:00- Rafael discusses his own chess career, and what is new from our prior interview. This includes a compelling argument for Chess960. Mentioned:GM Luis Paolo Supi, Supi-Carlsen 2020 1:09:00- Thanks to Rafael for joining me! Here is how to keep up with him: Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@rafaelleitaogm X/Twitter- https://twitter.com/rafpig?lang=en Website- https://rafaelleitao.com/articles/ 1:10:00- Tai Pruce Zimmerman aka Chess by the Numbers rejoins me to talk Candidates statistiics! Mentioned: Betting market here 1:31:00- What does Tai’s model say on who is most likely to win the Woman’s Candidates? 1:41:00- Thanks to Tai for joining me! Follow him on X here: 1:42;00- On the Queenside joins. Is it a good idea to have the Women’s Candidates run concurrently with the Open Candidates for the first time? Mentioned: On the Queenside’s preview of the Reykjavik Open 1:50:00- Be sure to follow On the Queenside on Twitter/X and on Lichess! Twitter/X LiChess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 374- GM Noel Studer- Chess Improvement Q & A- Avoiding Burnout, Addressing Weaknesses, Avoiding Blunders, & Lots more!
This week we return with another “Chess Improvement Q & A” episode with another top trainer. Our returning guest is 2019 Swiss National Champion, turned trainer and blogger, GM Noel Studer. Noel is always insightful on everything related to chess improvement and answers a wide range of questions from the online chess community. Topics discussed include: how to diagnose weaknesses, what to look for in a chess trainer, limiting blunders, improving tactics as well as Noel’s helpful advice for dealing with various common psychological pitfalls that chess players face. After 75 minutes of chess improvement talk, we turn our attention to Noel’s new course, Beginner Chess Mastery. It is a comprehensive guide for newer chess players designed to take you up to about the 1200 level. If this describes you or someone you know, you will want to stay tuned until the end of the pod. If you or someone you know is below 1200 and looking to improve their games, check out Noel’s course. (on sale for a limited time) (Using this link helps to support Perpetual Chess) Course link- Beginner Chess Mastery Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter, the Perpetual Chess Linkfest, here: https://benjohnson.substack.com Sign up for Noel’s chess improvement blog here: https://nextlevelchess.blog/newsletter/ 0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Prior Noel Studer appearances on episodes 248 and 312 04:30- Chess improvement Q and A! Is it possible that an amateur player would be a better teacher for a beginner than a Grandmaster? Mentioned: Nate Solon’s Tweet: https://x.com/natesolon/status/1765044706885468204?s=20 Also Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard 18:00- Patreon mailbag question: How does Noel diagnose what a student needs to do to improve? How does he know when a weakness has been sufficiently addressed? 22:00- Advice for limiting blunders 25:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Noel’s advice for someone who struggles at rapid compared to slower time controls? 31:00- Advice for improving at tactics Mentioned: 600 Practical Chess Exercises 36;30- Is it more effective to have a coach then to use online training courses? 38:00- Noel’s excellent advice for avoiding making impulsive moves. 45:00- Noel’s advice for a player that struggles to embrace complications when short on time 51;00- Is one better off studying the games of lower level masters compared to those of Super GMs and the all-time greats? 56:00- What does Noel think of solitaire chess/guess the move? 1:00:00- Patreon mailbag question: Diet and weight loss are known as the keys to losing weights, what are the chess improvement analogs to diet and weight loss? 1:03:00- Patreon mailbag question: What are some ways to evaluate improvement besides rating? 1:05:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Noel’s favorite chess book on the middlegame? Mentioned: Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios 1:07:00- Does Noel think its better to repeat tactical puzzles a la the Woodpecker method, or to solve new ones? 1:09:00- Noel’s tips for avoiding burnout 1:13:00- What is the best time control to practice online? 1:15:30- We discuss Noel’s new course, Beginner Chess Mastery 1:19:50- Who is the target audience for this course? Thanks to Noel for joining me again! Sign up for his blog here: https://nextlevelchess.blog/newsletter/ And get his course here (using this link helps support Perpetual Chess): https://nextlevelchesscourses.teachable.com/?affcode=1152624_qcx_s87s If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 373- Carol Ann Caronia: Advice for Chess Parents & Scholastic Teachers from an Author and Longtime Teacher
This week on the podcast we delve into the topic of how to teach chess to kids who are new to the game. My guest, Carol Ann Caronia has been teaching curriculum and afterschool chess classes in Brooklyn, New York for decades. Her new book, Strategic Moves: Mind-Building Chess Exercises for Kids, shares all that she has learned from these experiences. The topics we cover include, differences she has noticed between teaching girls and teaching boys, managing after-school classes, and whether or not we should let new students/our kids win when we play them. Carol Ann has accumulated some amusing stories during her time teaching, including a tale of two parents getting into a fight over their kids chess game. As we discuss, Carol Ann has worked closely with legendary teacher Bruce Pandolfini, and taught a 5 year-old Fabiano Caruana! If you are a chess parent, a teacher, or simply someone who would like to be able to teach a new player the game effectively, this is the episode for you. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 0:00- Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. In addition to GM Friedel’s course, Endgame Labyrinths is now on Chessable. If you use the link below to sign up for Perpetual Chess, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:01- What advice would Carol Ann give to those facilitating scholastic chess classes? 12:00- What recommendations would Carol Ann give for anyone teaching chess to a brand new player? Should we let the kids win? 15:00- Has Carol Ann noticed a difference in teaching chess to girls and teaching chess to boys? Mentioned: My 60 Memorable Games 20:00- What advice does she give to parents whose kids become tournament players? 23:00- Carol Ann discusses some of her star students, including a 5 year-old Fabiano Caruana Mentioned: Bruce Pandolfini, GM Robert Hess 27:00- How is it different teaching chess as part of a curriculum compared to after school classes or chess clubs? 28:30- Carol Ann shares a story of two parents getting in a fight over a game during parent visitation day. 32:00- In the age of devices, does Carol Ann notice any difference in the attention span of kids? Mentioned: Paul Morphy, Judit Polgar 34:00- Should “touch-move” be enforced with kids? 36:30- What can teachers and volunteers do to help make up for any shortcomings in the school systems? 39:00- Has Carol Ann noticed any change in the popularity of chess in the wake of Queen’s Gambit? 40:30- What skills does Carol Ann think chess might help develop? 43:00- Carol Ann shares some closing recommendations for resources Mentioned: Jeff Coakley’s books, Everyone’s First Chess Workbook If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices