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
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EP 270- Cody Smith (Adult Improver Series)
Cody Smith is a 31 year old Alabama- Twitch streamer, and chess instructor. Cody started serious chess at age 24 and has seen a slow and steady climb over the years to a Lichess blitz rating of about 2050 and about 2150 Rapid. Cody is self-taught, using free online resources and has barely ever cracked a chess book! He recently has tried out OTB tournaments, and offers lots of useful reflections and advice for anyone interested in making a similar transition. Cody also offers lots of tips about how to get the most out of game review, and shares his approach to studying openings, tactics, and many other phases of the game. Please read on for many more details, timestamps, and any relevant links. Check out the rest of the Adult Improver series here Or on this Spotify Playlist 0:00- Are you interested in appearing on Perpetual Chess as an adult Improver? Please fill out this form so that I can keep it for future reference: Potential Adult Improver Guest 02:00- Cody’s chess beginnings Mentioned: GM Simon Williams YouTube, IM John Bartholomew’s Climbing the Rating Ladder, NM ChessNetwork’s Beginner to Chess Master, GM Ben Finegold, IM Levy Rozman, GM Daniel Naroditsky’s Speed Run 09:00- Why didn’t Cody play much speed chess in his early chess days? 12:00- Cody discusses his approach to engine game review. 21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 24:30- Has Cody hit any major rating plateaus? 26:00- How many hours a day does Cody spend on his chess? 28:00- Cody has recently begun playing an OTB live league in Alabama. What can he share about that experience? Was he nervous? 40:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com 41:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is Cody’s approach to learning from videos?” 45:00- What is Cody’s approach to learning about openings? Mentioned: My blog can be read on Chess.com or LiChess 50:00- Chesskid offers a safe environment for kids to learn chess, and provides opportunities to play against other kids and bots, watch instructive videos and lessons, do puzzles, and join clubs where coaches can run tournaments. You can receive a discount when you sign up or upgrade your child or students to a gold membership by using this link: https://www.chesskid.com/membership/promo/perpetual CHESSKID CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS- Play the Anand bot here, he’s the avatar on the bottom right If you win, draw, or last at least 40 moves, email the game or your Chesskid screenname to support@chesskid.com (with subject line Perpetual Chess) The first 3 winners receive a free 1 yr gold membership both for themselves and 1 kid 54:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What does Cody think about the issue of Twitch streamers and their followers potentially forming ‘parasocial relationships.’ ” Mentioned: GM Ben Finegold 1:01:00- What is Cody’s advice for getting into Twitch streaming? 1:05:00- Cody has also gotten into scrabble, shogi, and go, how does learning these games compare to chess? Mentioned: Episode 263 with Oliver Roeder, GM Mathew Sadler, GM Peter Heine Nielsen 1:11:00- Thanks so much to Cody for sharing his tips and his story. Follow CLSmith15 on his Twitch channel here. Follow him on Twitter here. If you would like to help to support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 269- Jen Shahade on her New Book and Chess in the Queen's Gambit age
My guest today is Jen Shahade. Jen, is a champion chess and poker player, an author, an award winning podcaster and the Woman’s Program Director at US Chess. It was the perfect time to catch up with Jen, as she has just released her new book, Chess Queens. Chess Queen’s is an insightful, entertaining and introspective look at key figures in the history of Women’s Chess, and a reflection on Jen’s own chess journey to the pinnacle of American chess. It is an updated and expanded version of Jen’s first book, Chess Bitch. In our interview, we dig into the process of updating and rewriting a book, and then Jen shares a few of the amazing life stories covered in the book. Jen also discusses her own upcoming projects, chess in the Queen’s Gambit age, and dispenses some chess and life improvement advice. There is always lots to learn from Jen! Lots more details and relevant links are in the show description. Jen’s Prior Appearances on the Pod: Episode 50 with Jen Shahade Book Recap #7 discussing Judit Polgar’s How I Beat Fischer’s Record with Jen Shahade 0:00- Jen discusses how her new book came into being. Mentioned: GM David Howell match against GM Nils Grandelius, GM Simon Williams, Silman-James Publishing, GM Judit Polgar, GM Hou Yifan, Vera Menchik, Lisa Lane, Diana Lanni, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk, Kieie Laymon 15:45- What was the experience like of doing an audio book? Mentioned: Anya Taylor Joy 17:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com 18:30- Jen tells the crazy story of the time a coin flip decided who gets to play for the Women’s World Championship. Mentioned: GM Susan Polgar, WGM Nona Ioseliani 26:30- Why is chess so much more popular with women in some countries than others? Mentioned: Ladies Knight with Martha Fierro, Nadya Ortiz 30:00- Jen discusses some her favorite figures mentioned in the book including some successful chess champions who became politicians and Sonya Graf. Mentioned: Antoaneta Stefanova, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Vera Menchik 35:00- Patreon mailbag question: Why does Jen think many girls quit chess in their teenage years? Mentioned: Rachel Crotto 40:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 41:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess 42:00- Patreon mailbag question:When will a book about women in poker similar to Chess Queens be written? Mentioned: Poker Power, The Biggest Bluff 45:00- Patreon mailbag question: How can chess players apply poker strategies to chess? Has Jen done so herself? Mentioned: GM Danil Dubov, GM Fabiano Caruana, EP 265 with GM Simon Williams, How to Chess Episode 10 With FM Nate Solon , Zwischenzug Substack 52:00- Patreon mailbag question: Will there be ways to get signed copies of Chess Queens? Mentioned: Dr. Alexey Root, Facebook Chess Book Collector’s Group 57:00- Patreon mailbag question: Has Jen read Robert B. Tanner’s book about Vera Menchik ? 59:00- What is Jen’s next book, Reset, about? 1:01- What skills is Jen looking to develop right now? Any chess improvement tips? Mentioned: Daniel Kahneman, GM Jesse Kraai, GM Noel Studer 1:07:00- What can men do to help ensure a welcoming environment for female chess players? 1:08:00- Thanks so much to Jen for coming on the pod. Here are links to keep up with her. Twitter Instagram Chess Queens Website If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 268- GM Joel Benjamin and Harold Scott on How to Win the World Open
This week on Perpetual Chess I am joined by co-authors of a great new book, Winning the World Open, by GM Joel Benjamin and Harold Scott. Joel Benjamin is a 6 time World Open Champion, 3 time US Champion, 2020 US Senior Champion, an Author, a Trainer and a Dad. He has been amongst the top 50 players in the world and battled with many chess legends over the years, as we discussed in our prior interview in 2018. His co-author is FIDE certified trainer, tournament director and USCF expert, Harold Scott. Their book is part historical retrospective, part chess instruction and has lots of fun stories and tons of instructive high stakes games. We discuss the history of the largest open tournament in America and tell some amusing stories involving cheating, alcohol, and, of course, chess. Please read on for more details and timestamps. 0:00- Ukraine related links: Photo of GM Alexandr Sulypa here US Chess/Kasparov Chess Support for Ukrainian Chess Players Initiative here Here are many other ways to support Ukrainians directly, via GothamChess’ Twitter: https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/ 03:00- Brenda Goichberg who was CCA founder Bill Goichberg’s wife, and a key contributor to the World Open, among many other things, passed away recently. Harold shares a few details about her personality. 07:30- How did this book come into being? 09:30- The World Open was founded in 1973. What were the early days of the World Open like? Mentioned: GM Bent Larsen 14:00- GM Joel Benjamin has won the World Open more times than anyone else? What are his most memorable moments? Who were the most impressive competitors? Mentioned: GM Alex Yermolinksy, GM Alex Shabalov, GM Alex Goldin 24:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 25:30- What are the most memorable cheating scandals at the World Open? Mentioned: GM Alexander Shabalov, GM Nukhim Rashkovsky, GM Igor Glek, “John von Neumann vs. Daniel Shapiro 39:00- Any memorable stories involving alcohol at the World Open? Mentioned: GM David Norwood 42:00- Any tips for playing under pressure and/or in large stakes games? Mentioned: GM Ilya Nyznhik 47:00- GM Eduard Gufeld was notoriously irascible. What memorable stories can Joel and Harold share about his behavior? Mentioned: Gufeld’s “Mona Lisa” vs. Bagirov 1973, FM Sunil Weerumantry, Weerumantry-Gufeld 1996, Benjamin-Gufeld 1998, GM John Fedorowicz 55:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. You can check out their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com 55:30- Patreon Mailbag Question: “Will Joel sell his stockpile of Chess Chow magazine?” 58:00- Patreon Mailbag Question: “Does Joel have any tips for converting advantages?” Mentioned: Better Thinking, Better Chess, GM Ilya Smirin 1:01:00- Do the authors have some general tournament advice to share? 1:06:00- Patreon Mailbag Question: “Any chance the authors would write a book about the famed US Amateur Team tournaments?” Mentioned: Facebook Chess Book Collectors Group 1:11:00- SIGNED BOOK CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS- Write a review or simply give 5 stars on Spotify to Perpetual Chess Take a screenshot Email the screenshot to Ben at perpetualchesspod.com with the subject line “Contest” That’s it! Winners will be announced via email on March 15, 2022. 1:12:00 Thanks to Joel and Harold for joining the show! Here is where to get their books: Amazon Ebook via New in Chess App Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Book Recap #24- Discussing GM Jan Markos' Under the Surface with NM Gopal Menon and Matt Fletcher
Chess Books Recaptured returns to discuss a relatively recent book that is quickly being recognized as a modern classic, GM Jan Markos’ Under the Surface. Jan’s book is a philosophical look at the beauty of chess, as demonstrated by many original concepts and chess metaphors. The chess examples are intermediate to advanced levels, but the book contains lessons that are applicable to all players. I am joined by 2 guest co-hosts this month, both of whom are also chess bibliophiles and particular fans of this book. NM Gopal Menon is a Chicago-based chess trainer, and a blitz and opening specialist with a peak online blitz rating over 2900. Matt Fletcher is a UK based actuary, dad, and strong club player who frequently competes OTB in his local chess leagues. It was tons of fun to discuss an amazing book with two fellow hardcore chess fans! As always, more details, timestamps and relevant links can be found below. 0:00- Why do we love this book? Mentioned: Gopal Menon’s post of his favorite chess books, Seven Deadly Chess Sins by GM Jonathan Rowson, Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos, Available on Forward Chess, The Secret Ingredient by GM Jan Markos and GM David Navara 12:15- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. You can check out their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com 13:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess 14:30- We select our favorite aspects of the book. Mentioned: Correspondence GM Tansel Turgut, Imagination in Chess, Pump Up Your Rating by GM Axel Smith 37:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 38:00- We discuss more of our favorite segments, including the author’s unique insights about openings and another favorite metaphor from the book. Mentioned: The London System, Stonewall Dutch, Follow Gopal’s Lichess blog here, GM Alex Shabalov. Check out the Stockfish Leela Zero game Matt mentioned here 52:00- We summarize GM Markos’ chess improvement advice and catch up a bit on Gopal’s book project and Matt’s chess. 57:00- Coming next month! Neal Bruce returns to the podcast to compare 8 different chess strategy puzzle books, and Chrisopher Chabris will join me to discuss the book The Mammoth Book of Chess. 58:00- Thanks to Gopal and Matt for joining me to discuss this great book, here are the links to keep up with them: Matt’s Twitter Gopal’s Twitter Gopal’s Lichess Blog If you are looking for chess instruction in Chicago, check out Gopal’s organization, Dynamic Chess: https://dynamicchessinc.com/ Dynamic Chess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 267- NM Nelson Lopez (of the ChessVibes YouTube Channel)
NM Nelson Lopez is a USCF Master and former scholastic champion whose “ChessVibes” YouTube channel has grown from 0 to 100,000 subscribers in less than 2 years! In our conversation we postulate reasons for the channel’s rapid growth, and Nelson shares both chess improvement and content creation advice for listeners. Nelson also tells his own “chess story.” Chess played a major part of his teenage years, as his success helped him earn a chess scholarship to University of Texas at Dallas. After college, Nelson spent some years away from the game. He is a husband and dad of 2 young kids and in the wake of his success, he recently quit his job in software development to focus on his chess content full time. Nelson is also competing OTB again, and reflects on how that world has changed while he was away. Nelson has a great story to share, and I really enjoyed speaking with him. Please read on for more details, timestamps and relevant links. 0:00- Nelson retells the modest beginnings of his YouTube channel and walks us through its rapid growth. 13:45- Patreon mailbag question- One of Nelson’s most popular videos is about what he calls “the 1% rule”- “What should one do when one is accumulating chess knowledge, but not improving their chess skills?” Mentioned: Atomic Habits by James Clear, Skip the Line by James Altucher 21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess collects and analyzes your games and gives you actionable tips based on the data it gathers. Check the site out, and if you choose to subscribe, please use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 21:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess 22:30- Nelson recently played his first OTB tournament in 8 years. What lessons did he learn? Mentioned: Game Recap: They Changed the Rules, Episode 262 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy 34:00- What is Nelson’s advice for limiting OTB mistakes? 35:00- How is Nelson studying chess? 39:00- Does Nelson watch much chess YouTube? How long does it take him to create a video? Mentioned: Nelson’s most popular video: 35 Vital Chess Principles 46:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out all of their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com 47:00- Nelson’s scholastic highlight was winning the prestigious Denker tournament of State High School Champions. What does he remember about that victory? 52:00- Does Nelson have any favorite chess books? Mentioned: Winning Chess Endings, Fundamental Chess Openings 55:00- Nelson’s 3 tips for chess content creators. 57:00- Nelson’s 3 chess improvement tips 56:00- Thanks to Nelson for joining the show! Subscribe to his YouTube channel here. Subscribe to his Patreon here. Check out his courses here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 266- NM Jeremy Kane (Adult Improver Series)
This week’s Adult Improver Edition of Perpetual Chess features NM Jeremy Kane: Blitz specialist, USCF Master, Curriculum Director for Chess.com, and the author of the new book, The Next to Last Mistake. Jeremy gained nearly 200 points in his 20s, and has a peak USCF rating of 2389. Because he is the dad of two young kids, Jeremy has recently turned his attention to online blitz. Jeremy shares some great tips for how to adapt your game to faster online play. Jeremy’s chess.com blitz rating is usually around 2700, so clearly he has some expertise on this subject. Jeremy is also a chess bibliophile, and a former scholastic teacher, so he is full of good chess- improvement advice and recommendations for chess players of all ages and experience levels. As always, relevant links and timestamps can be found below. 0:00- To Keep up with Ben’s blog: Follow me Chess.com Follow me on LiChess 03:00- For those rated under 1500 online, what is the best way to spend one’s chess improvement time? Mentioned: Adult Improver Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos, GM David Smerdon’s The Complete Chess Swindler 09:00- How did Jeremy ascend from 2200 to 2390 USCF in his 20s? Mentioned: Silver Knights Chess Academy 14:00- A few of Jeremy’s favorite game-collection books. Mentioned: My Great Predecessor’s, Seven Deadly Chess Sins, Chess for Zebras, Young Sam Sevian vs. Greg Shahade video, The Road to Chess Improvement 22:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Better Help. You can see some online reviews here, and if you sign up, use this link to save 10%: https://www.betterhelp.com/chess 22:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out all of their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com 23:30- How has Jeremy adapted his game to online play, and blitz in particular? Mentioned: IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s Video on the Tromp Wall 29:00- For what rating level is blitz a useful training tool? (plus more blitz tips) Mentioned: GM Daniel Naroditsky Article The Blitz Manifesto 34:30- Aimchess has a brand new feature called Aimchess recap! It summarizes your year in chess a la Spotify wrapped. If you subscribe to Aimchess, be sure to use code Perpetual30 to save 30%. Check it out here: https://www.aimchess.com/recap 35:30- Patreon mailbag question: “As a dad, has it become difficult to stay motivated for chess?” 38:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What is Jeremy’s advice for a fellow dad who is working on chess while tired?” Mentioned: Gotham Chess YouTube, Kostya Kavutskiy YouTube 43:00- The Chess dot bomb sponsored segment is brought to you by Chess.com! Jeremy and I discuss the Lessons feature which contains interactive instruction for players of all levels. Here are a few of Jeremy’s favorites: GM Eugene Perelshteyn’s “Every Gambit Refuted” - GM Fabiano Caruana’s “Road to the World Championship” GM Shak Mamedyarov’s Games vs. World Champions IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s - “How to be Materialistic in Chess” If you decide to upgrade to a premium membership at Chess.com, you can help support the pod by signing up using this link (https://go.chess.com/Perpetual). 46:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Why are the Chess.com Puzzle ratings sometimes so high?” 48:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What are some tips for teaching chess to kids?” Mentioned: https://www.chesskid.com/classroom-planner, Chesskid Curriculm PDF- Chess Steps books 55:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Does Jeremy agree with the advice that one shouldn’t resign?” Mentioned: Episode 48 with Jonathan Corbblah 59:30- How does Jeremy recommend budgeting study time? 1:00:30- Thanks to Jeremy for joining the show. Here is how you can keep up with him: Jeremy’s book is called The Next to Last Mistake , edited by Ali Thompson. You can follow Jeremy on Twitter here You can email Jeremy at Jeremy at chess dot com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 265- GM Simon Williams- (aka The Ginger GM) returns
GM SImon William, aka “The Ginger GM” is an entertaining and popular commentator, YouTube Creator, Twitch streamer, and, of course, prolific Chessable course creator (often collaborating with IM Richard Palisser). Simon also recently launched a chess platform, called GChess, which allows you to store and analyze your games and to work on openings using many popular chess resources. It had been 5 years since I had done a long-form interview with SImon, so it was great to catch up with him on the topics of his OTB plans, current opening trends, the British chess scene, his latest Chessable course, and, of course, many amusing anecdotes from Simon’s decades around top-level chess. Please read on for lots more details, timestamps, and links. Prior Interviews with GM Simon Williams: Perpetual Chess Episode 5 with GM Simon Williams How to Chess 06- How to Know When to Attack with GM Simon Williams 0:00- Simon will be playing in the Reykjavik Open in April. Why did he choose that tournament? How does he prepare for it? 07:00- What was Simon’s approach to earning the GM title? Mentioned: Episode 228 with GM Ben FInegold, Episode 217- “IM to GM” Special 14:00- As an up and coming player, what was Simon’s approach to chess improvement? 17:00- Patreon mailbag question: ” How did Simon pick the Classical Dutch and the Iron English as staples of his repertoire?” 21:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Who is Simon’s favorite player ever?” 22:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Favorite tournament venue?” Mentioned: British Chess Championships, Hastings 24:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out all of their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com 25:00- How did the idea come to be for Simon and IM Richard Palliser’s course on the British Grand Prix Attack? What else is Simon working on? 32:00- What did Simon learn about openings from chatting with Super GM Daniil Dubov? What did Simon think of the opening choices in the World Championship? 36:00- What strikes Simon about the chess talent of GM Luke McShane? Mentioned: McShane-Cheparinov 2009, GM Michael Adams 40:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How does Simon see the state of British chess?” Mentioned: GM Ravi Haria, IM Marcus Harvey 45:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What was it like to visit the Mindsports center in London, and to drink a flaming sambuco with Alexandra Botez?” 47:00- Aimchess has a brand new feature called Aimchess recap! It summarizes your year in chess a la Spotify wrapped. Check it out here: https://www.aimchess.com/recap 48:00- Patreon mailbag question: Simon has launched the website Gchess.com recently. A patreon supporter asks, “What is the vision for this chess site?” 55:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Any chance Gchess could link to books that mention specific positions?” 59:00- Patreon mailbag question: ‘What are Simon’s thoughts on the Elephant Gambit and the Papa-Ticulat Gambit?” Mentioned: Howell-Williams 2007, Episode 176 with GM David Howell 1:04:00- Any Magnus stories? Mentioned: The Hillbilly Attack 1:08:00- Simon is a small investor in The Good Knight Pub in Oslo. How did that come up? If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here: Ben Johnson is creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 264- Elizabeth Shaughnessy (founder of the Berkeley Chess School)
This week I am joined by the founder of the Berkeley Chess School (BCS), Elizabeth Shaughnessy. The Berkeley Chess School is a California based non-profit that has taught chess to approximately 250,000 kids over the decades and has taught future grandmasters like Sam Shankland, and Hans Niemann. At 84 years of age, Elizabeth is still razor sharp and competing regularly in tournament chess! We talked about how chess and life have evolved since she founded BCS in 1981, with a particular emphasis on the Queen’s Gambit and whether she thinks the show can help grow interest in chess among women. Elizabeth has so much wisdom to share from a lifetime as a chess competitor, teacher, organizer and mom, it was great to get to chat with her. Please read on for more details and timestamps. 0:00- How does chess help kids? Mentioned: Growth from Failure Interview with Elizabeth Shaughnessy, Cyrus/Asbergers 5:30- How did the Berkeley Chess School begin back in 1981? How has it grown over the years? 12:30- BCS has taught future GMs Sam Shankland, Hans Niemann and Christopher Yoo among other future chess stars. Did they intentionally try to cultivate champion players? 19:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com 20:00- What is Elizabeth’s impression of The Queen’s Gambit? Has Elizabeth subsequently seen an increased interest in chess from women? Mentioned: Queen of Katwe, The Polgar Sisters, Jen Shahade’s FAQ page 45:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com! If you subscribe, be sure to use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. Check out their yearly recap here: https://www.aimchess.com/recap 46:30- Patreon Mailbag Question: “What is Elizabeth’s favorite opening to teach to kids? 50:00- Patreon Mailbag Question: “What experience has Elizabeth had with using chess as a tool to stave off dementia?” Mentioned: Episode 145 with WIM Beatriz Marinello 52:30- Patreon Mailbag Question: “What is the state of the BCS building renovation? How does the club foster a welcoming environment?” 1:01:00- What advice would Elizabeth give to anyone thinking of starting a chess club or academy? Mentioned: Episode 201 with FM Peter Giannatos 1:07:00- What role did legendary IM George Koltanowski play in founding the BCS? 1:13:00- Thanks so much to Elizabeth for joining the podcast. You can support the Berkeley Chess School here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Book Recap #23- Discussing Shereshevsky's Endgame Strategy with Dr. Kevin Scull
Chess Books Recaptured is back to discuss one of my favorite chess books ever, Mikhail Shereshevsky’s Endgame Strategy. Unlike a technical manual, this book simply shows some of the greatest endgame conversions of all time, and pulls together themes from the play, such as “do not hurry,” and “the principal of two weaknesses.” It is an intermediate to advanced book, best suited to those rated over 1600 USCF/FIDE. Joining me to guest co-host is my fellow chess podcaster, Dr. Kevin Scull. Kevin is an avid chess enthusiast who returned to the game in recent years. He has been working through Endgame Strategy in recent months and believes it has “transformed his game." Please tune in to the pod to find out why, as well as to the usual historical context, favorite chapters and lessons, and more. Please read on for more details and timestamps. 0:00- We dive right into Kevin’s history with the book, and discuss what chess experience level is best suited to this book. Mentioned: Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, Capablanca’s Best Chess Endings, 100 Endgames You Must Know 9:00- What is the “principle of two weaknesses?” 15:00- We discuss another key precept of the book- “do not hurry.” 18:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com! If you subscribe, be sure to use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. Check out their yearly recap here: https://www.aimchess.com/recap 19:00- We share a bit about Mikhail Shereshevsky’s bio, the background of the book and its few minor flaws. Mentioned: Lots of discussion of Endgame Strategy on The Facebook Chess Book Collectors Group 32:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com 34:00- What are our favorite parts of the book? Least favorites? Mentioned: GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Magnus Carlsen, Episode 195 with GM Keith Arkell, Fred Wilson Books, GM Edmar Mednis Endgame Books here, Timeless Techniques by GM Sahaj Grover and FM Daniel Barrish, Small Steps to Giant Improvement, Smyslov-Aronin 1951, Episode 261, “Master to IM” 58:00- Thanks so much to Kevin for helping out this month. As an honorarium I will make a donation to the Berkeley Chess School. Mentioned: Under the Surface, Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos Be sure to subscribe to Chess Journeys on your favored podcast app. Chess Journeys Episode 28 with Neal Bruce. Follow Kevin on Twitch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 263- Author Oliver Roeder on the Enduring Appeal of Chess and Other Games
Oliver Roeder is an author, and a former senior writer for FiveThirtyEight.com who has often covered chess and other games. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Texas at Austin, with an emphasis on game theory, and studied Artifical Intelligence at Harvard University as a Niemann fellow. Today he appears with a new book, Seven Games, a Human History. It covers the history and current competitive contexts of the games Checkers, Chess, Backgammon, Go. Poker, Scrabble, and Bridge. Oliver’s book gave us an opportunity to talk about why people love games, why people love chess, and his own relationship with the game. Given Oliver’s expertise in A.I., we also discussed how it is changing all of these games. It was lots of fun to get a “big picture” view of chess’ enduring popularity from Oliver, and I highly recommend his book. Links, more details, and timestamps below! 0:00- Why do people love games, and especially chess? 5:00- We discuss Oliver’s background with the other games in the book: Go, Bridge, Checkers, Backgammon, Scrabble, and Poker 12:00- The ease of use and availability of chess learning tools have exploded. Has this been the case for the other games Oliver wrote about as well? 18:00- Does the joy of a game diminish when you get good at it? Mentioned: Word Freak by Steven Fatsis 21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com 23:00- What are the reasons that make Oliver think chess is booming? How has it sustained itself over the centuries? 30:00- What is Oliver’s own experience with chess? What does he try to convey to a non-chess audience on FivethirtyEight.com ? Mentioned: Modern Chess Openings 36:00- Did Oliver have a preferred broadcast for the FIDE World Championship? 41:00- Aimchess has a brand new feature called Aimchess recap! It summarizes your year in chess a la Spotify wrapped. Check it out here: https://www.aimchess.com/recap 43:00- How is AI affecting other games, like Go? Mentioned: Lee Sedol, Episode 196 with GM Jan Timman 51:00- Does Oliver think chess should be changed to something like Chess960 or “No Castling Chess”? 55:00- Is Oliver actively studying or working on his chess? 57:00- Will Seven Games be available on Audiobook? Mentioned: Yes, it will, here! 59:00- Are Oliver’s FivethirtyEight.com chess columns popular? Will he cover chess there in the future? 1:02:00- Patreon mailbag question: How does the question of whether or not there is “perfect information” available in a given game affect the appeal and enjoyment of the games? 1:07:00- Thanks to Oliver for joining the show! You can follow him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ollie?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor And you can order Seven Games from Amazon or your local book seller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 262- IM Kostya Kavutskiy returns
This week Perpetual Chess welcomes back IM Kostya Kavutskiy. Kostya is a respected trainer, a founder of the ChessDojo training platform, a YouTube creator, and a Chessable author. I caught up with Kostya shortly after he returned from the North American Open, so we got the rundown on his own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the U.S. tournament landscape. Since Kostya is a popular online presenter, he received a bunch of listener questions soliciting chess improvement tips. Lastly we checked in on Kostya’s content- creation plans, and the “state of the Dojo,” as Kostya discussed visions for the teaching platform that he heads, along with GM Jesse Kraai and IM David Pruess. It is always insightful to talk chess with Kostya! Please read on for timestamps and show notes. Prior Interviews: Perpetual Chess Episode 4 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy Perpetual Chess Episode 89 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy How to Chess #20 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy 0:00- Kostya shares lessons learned from his recent tournament in the North American Open about improving game preparation and execution. You can watch video recaps of all of his rounds here. Mentioned: Continental Chess, The Secret Ingredient by GM Jan Markos, GM Andrew Tang, IM Levy Rozman 19:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com 21:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What are the chances a Class A player over the age of 50 can earn the Master title?” Mentioned: IM Levy Rozman’s Tweet 30:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Where can older players find a coach?” Mentioned: Lichess coaches page, Chess.com coaches page 34:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What might the subject of Kostya’s next Chessable course be?” Mentioned: How to Chess #20 with IM Kostya Kavutskiy 37:00- What is discord? What is Chess Dojo? What is new with Chessdojo? Mentioned: IM David Pruess, GM Jesse Kraai, 41:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Aimchess analyzes your online games and provides actionable improvement insights. Check out their updated website, and if you decide to subscribe please use the code “Perpetual30” to save 30%. 42:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How does Kostya balance his time between ChessDojo and his own chess goals?” 46:00- Patreon mailbag question “With the growth of the Dojo, what content would you like to see it offer that is currently missing?” Mentioned: Link for ChessDoJo Discord here 53:00- What chess advice does Kostya repeat the most often? 55:00- What chess books does Kostya recommend? List of his recs here, Top 4 Most Overrated Chess Books Video, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, My System, How to Reassess Your Chess, Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual 1:05:00- Kostya’s has other interests outside of chess. We talk about them here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 261- "Master to IM" Adult Improver Special with FM Doug Eckert, NM Evan Rosenberg and FM Dalton Perrine
Perpetual Chess is back with another adult improver multi-guest “special edition.” This episode is called, “Master to IM” and continues the series started in Episode 217 (IM to GM). As the title suggests, we feature Master-level players who are training and competing with the hope of earning the FIDE International Master title (IM.) Our three guests are FM Doug Eckert, NM Evan Rosenberg, and FM Dalton Perrine. Each interview is entertaining and insightful in its own way. Our guests discuss questions like, “What chess skills differentiate a Master from an IM?” and “Why are our 3 guests willing to sacrifice so much time and money to play competitive chess in order to earn this title?” And, of course, they share many details about their regimens for training and competing.. Please read on for more details and timestamps! 0:00- Intro Mentioned: Check out the new dedicated Perpetual Chess Adult Improver page here, and the Spotify Adult Improver Playlist here 4:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Aimchess analyzes your online games and provides actionable improvement insights. Check out their updated website, and if you decide to subscribe please use the code “Perpetual30” to save 30%. 5:00- FM Doug Eckert joins the show! Doug is a 57 year-old retired CPA, dad, and board member of the St. Louis Chess Club. Mentioned: GM Patrick Wolff, GM Maxim Dlugy, GM Jacob Aagaard’s Killer Chess Training, Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos, Charlotte Winter Invitational Results here, Reykjavik Open 2022 35:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here. 36:30- NM Evan Rosenberg joins the show! Evan is a 38 year-old lawyer, dad, and chess trainer, with a Masters in Education. Mentioned: Dojo All Stars: Evan Rosenberg, FM Sunil Weerumantry, Info for the Norm tournament that Evan and Levy Rozman will be playing in is here: http://nycchessnorms.com/players/, Evan Rosenberg-Dominique Myers 2021, How to Chess with GM Eugene Perelshteyn, Abdusattorov-Carlsen 2021 52:00- New sponsored segment! Evan and I discuss Chess.com insights, which is one of many features available with a diamond level Chess.com membership that highlights your strengths and weaknesses based on your games. It also tests you on any missed tactics. Diamond level membership also gets you full access to Chess.com’s huge video library. Whatever membership level of Chess.com you choose, you can help support the pod by signing up using this link. 1:21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessvis.com. Chessvis is an educational chess app which helps you train your visualization skills. You can check out their website, or search for the app on Android or Iphone. 1:23:00- FM Dalton Perrine joins the show! Dalton is a 28 year- old chess trainer and the author of the Chessable course, Survive and Thrive: How to Blunder Less and Defend Better. Mentioned: Episode 8 with GM Sam Shankland, Episode 217 IM to GM Episode , How to Chess with FM Dalton Perrine, Recognizing Your Opponent’s Resources by IM Mark Dvoretsky , GM Jacob Aagaard’s Grandmaster Preparation Series and Excelling at Chess Series, Kasparov’s My Great Predecessors Series, GM Johan Hellsten’s books, Strategic Chess Exercises, Critical Moments 1:55:00- Thanks so much to our guests for joining the pod! Here are the chess.com accounts at which you can reach them: Chess.com accounts: FM Doug Eckert NM Evan Rosenberg FM Dalton Perrine Twitter: Evan Rosenberg Dalton Perrine Dalton’s Website: https://nextlevelchesscoaching.com/ Email Dalton at NextLevelChessCoaching at gmail.com Dalton's Course: Survive and Thrive: How to Blunder Less and Defend Better. If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here: Ben Johnson is creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Book Recap #22- Discussing Isaac Lipnitsky's Questions of Modern Chess Theory, with Martin Justesen
Perpetual Chess is back with an edition of Chess Books Recaptured, a recurring book review podcast. Today I am joined by Martin Justesen to discuss the underrated Soviet-era classic Questions of Modern Chess Theory, by Isaac Lipnitsky. Originally published in 1956 in the Soviet Union, it was not translated and published in English until Quality Chess did it in 2006. And the chess world is quite lucky that it was translated! As usual we share historical details, lessons learned from the book and a few favorite segments in our discussion. Of course we also get into some of the details of Isaac Lipnitsky’s life, as well as discussing what is new with our returning guest-co-host, Martin. Please read on for more details and timestamps. Martin's prior Adult Improver Interview: Episode 209 0:00- Why did Martin choose this book? What makes it noteworthy? Mentioned: Book Recap #18- Nimzowitsch’s My System, Endgame by Frank Brady 8:30- For what level chess player is this book most helpful? Mentioned: Logical Chess Move by Move, Winning Chess Strategies, Simple Chess 12:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Aimchess analyzes your online games and provides actionable improvement insights. Check out their updated website, and if you decide to subscribe please use the code “Perpetual30” to save 30%. 13:30- We discuss the formats in which the book is available. We couldn’t find much beyond the paper book format. 17:00- Who was Isaac Lipnitsky? 19:00- Why is this book sometimes compared to IM John Watson’s Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy? Mentioned: Lipnitsky-Petrosian 1950, Episode 258 With GM Matthew Sadler, Translator John Sugden 28:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out their latest offerings here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com 29:30- What were the most noteworthy segments of the book? Mentioned: Anderson-Kieseritzky, Botvinnik-Capablanca 1938, Steinitz-Von Bardeleben 1895 46:00- Thanks so much to Martin for joining the show Check out all of Martin’s Books Here: Amazon.com: Martin B. Justesen: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle Also Mentioned: Street Smart Chess, Improve Your Chess Now Sign up for Martin’s newsletter here. This month we will make another donation to Chess in Slums. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/chess-education-in-africa?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet Listen to my Interview with Tunde Onakoye on Episode 219 54:00- This month's blindfold puzzles are straight from Martin's new book, Blindfold Opening Visualization Puzzle #1, White to move - 1. E4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. Nc3 Ne7 5. Nd5 g6?? Puzzle #2, White to move- 1. Nf3 d5 2. G3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. D4 e6 5. 00 Nf6 6. C4 dxc4 7. Ne5 Nxd4? You can find a Lichess study with the answers to both puzzles here: https://lichess.org/study/ZYkBctm8/gXF6JORT If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 260 - IM Christof Sielecki is back!
This week’s guest on Perpetual Chess marks the return of award-winning author, Chessable writer, and noted opening theoretician, IM Christof Sielecki. Christof has recently released, Keep it Simple: Black, an ambitious course which provides solid opening lines against every possible White first move. We discuss how Christof’s process for creating Chessable courses, using engines and choosing opening lines, has evolved over the years. Of course, there was quite a bit of chess news in the form of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz, so we also spent some time discussing this tournament, its standout performances, and its many attendant controversies. Lastly, Christof always has a few fun stories to share, and this interview was no exception. He shared some details about the process behind helping to create The Magnus Touch with Magnus and his team. As always, you can read on for more details and show notes below. Prior interviews with IM Christof Sielecki: Episode 6 Episode 153 Book Recap 18- My System 0:00- FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Recap and discussion Mentioned: Dude fell from his chair!, GM Magnus Carlsen-GM Nodiberk Abdusattorov Blitz game 26:15- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. You can check out IM Christof Sielecki’s courses, including free “Short and Sweet” previews of his new course here. 27:30- How did Christof decide which openings to include in “Keep it Simple Black?” Mentioned: Lifetime Repertoires: Pirc Defense, Lifetime Repertoires: Caro-Kann, Lifetime Repertoires: Nimzo-Ragozin 44:00- How has Christof’s use of engines evolved during the process of designing courses? Mentioned: Chessify Cloud Engine Rental 49:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Aimchess analyzes your online games and provides actionable improvement insights. Check out their updated website, and if you decide to subscribe please use the code “Perpetual30” to save 30%. 51:00- Christof tells the story of meeting and working with GM Magnus Carlsen and family in conjunction with Magnus’ course The Magnus Touch. 1:02:00- What will Christof be working on next? Mentioned: Episode 257 with GM Erwin L’Ami 1:05:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What role should openings and Chessable opening courses play for amateur club-level players?’ 1:17:00- Thanks so much to Christof for rejoining us! Here are links to keep up with him: Keep it Simple Black is ON SALE now. Get it here: Keep It Simple For Black - MoveTrainer™ Course - Chessable.com Short and sweet free previews here and here Follow Christof on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ChessExplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 259- Ben Johnson
On this holiday week, with The Perpetual Chess Podcast having recently turned 5 years old, it seemed like an appropriate time to feature myself as “the guest” on Perpetual Chess. In order to help out, I brought in longtime listener of the pod, chess journalist and improver, Chris Wainscott, to perform hosting duties. Chris and I covered lots of ground, as he asked me about the origins of Perpetual Chess, its growth over the years, my approach to interviewing people, favorite interview types and “dream guests.” He asked probing questions about my own chess origins and improvement efforts. Although I do prefer being the interviewer rather than the interviewed, it was fun to play the other role and to answer so many good listener questions. Details and show notes are below. 0:00- My chess background, and when did chess initially captivate me? 15:00- There are always great new courses from Chessable including FM Kamil Plichta’s Lifetime Repertoires: Accelerated Dragon. Check out what else is new here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 16:00- Patreon mailbag question:’When will GM Yasser Seirawan be on the show?” Mentioned: EP 134 with Megan Chen 19:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How did Perpetual Chess come to be?” 23:00- Patreon mailbag question: ‘To what do you attribute the podcast’s success?” 25:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What do you wish you had known at the beginning? Any regrets?” 26:00- Patreon mailbag question: “ How has your interviewing style/approach evolved?” 31:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What do you consider to be the highlights of the show?” 35:00- Twitter question: “Which handful of episodes are most representative of Perpetual Chess?” Mentioned: Ep. 193 Tom Murphy, EP 250- FM Asa Hoffmann, EP. 76 Andrez Kryzdwa, GM Jan Timman, EP 15 GM Alex Yermolinksky. plus I forgot to mention my favorite episode, a World Championship prep oral history with GM Peter Heine Nielsen 40:00- Twitter question: “When will you do a Chessable course?’ 42:00- Twitter question: “What are the most challenging types of interviews? What are your favorite non-chess podcasts?” Rights to Ricky Sanchez, Animal Spirits Podcast, WTF with Marc Maron, Fresh Air, The Ezra Klein show, Death, Sex and Money 46:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is your work flow/chess study regimen like in a given week?” 50:00- What value does my producer, Mathew Passy bring to the podcast? 52:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 53:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How has your approach to chess studying changed over the years?” Mentioned: Greg and Jen Shahade, GM Maurice Ashley 58:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What are your own favorite training tools? What guests’ advice resonated with you?” Mentioned: Neal Bruce, GM Jacob Aagaard, Thinking Inside the Box, GM Jan Gustafsson 1:03:00- When it comes to competitive chess? What is my “why? Mentioned: GM Jonathan Rowson’s The Moves that Matter 1:07:00- What are my goals in OTB chess? Mentioned: Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos, Episode 232 with James Altucher 1:10:00- Patreon mailbag question: What are my favorite learning tools? Mentioned: Episode 257 with GM Erwin L’Ami 1:13:00- How has life changed since Queen’s Gambit? 1:16:00- My evolving philosophy for choosing Adult Improver guests Mentioned: Episode 256 with Alex Crompton 1:19:00- Who are my “dream guests?” Mentioned: Lazslo Polgar, Magnus’ Bullet Twitch Stream, GM Ljubomir Ljubojevic, GM Ulf Andersson 1:25:00- Thanks so much to Chris for guest co-hosting! You can read his blog and book reviews here: http://ontheroadtochessmaster.com/ And follow him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/cwainscottmke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices