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 240- "Pawn Book Championship" Special Episode with Neal Bruce
This week’s Perpetual Chess is the much anticipated “Pawn Book Championship” with popular adult improver Neal Bruce. Neal learned chess from scratch after the age of 40, and has been consistently studying and using flashcards to improve his skills in the last handful of years. In the past year, Neal has turned his attention to better understanding pawn play and positional chess, and he has read 6 (!) different books in order to facilitate better chess understanding. We Perpetual Chess listeners are very fortunate that Neal has offered to do a podcast crowning the “champion” of the pawn books, and has also agreed to give his honest assessment of the other books. When not working on his chess game, Neal is the Chief Product Officer of a software startup and a father of 3, so we greatly appreciate his taking the time for this large project. Please read on for more details and relevant links. 0:00- The transcript of episode 237 with GM Vladimir Kramnik is here If you would like to subscribe to the Perpetual Chess Patreon page, you can do so here. 4:00- Other podcasts to hear Neal Bruce: Book Recap 6- Woodpecker Method and Rapid Chess Improvement Book Recap 11- Winning Chess Strategies How to Chess with Neal Bruce Dojo Talks #24 with Neal Bruce 5:00- Which books are entrants in Neal’s “Pawn Book Championship,” and how and why did he choose them? Small Steps to Giant Improvement by GM Sam Shankland (Most appropriate for those 1700-2400 FIDE) Small Steps 2 Success by GM Sam Shankland (Most appropriate for those 1800-2400 FIDE) Pawn Structure Chess by GM Andy Soltis (Most appropriate for those 1500-2200 FIDE) Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios (Most appropriate for those 1500-2200 FIDE) The Power of Pawns by GM Jorg Hickl’s (Most appropriate for those 1200-2000) Pawn Power by IM Hans Kmoch (Not recommended for any rating range) 22:30- 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 Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 23:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 24:00- Hans Kmoch Pawn Power 30:30- GM Andy Soltis’s Pawn Structure Chess 34:00-GM Sam Shankland’s Small Steps 2 Success https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/345/small_steps_2_success_by_sam_shankland/ Mentioned: New in Chess Magazine 38:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 39:00- Small Steps to Giant Improvement Free sample from Quality Chess here: https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/316/small_steps_to_giant_improvement_by_sam_shankland/ 43:00- The Power of Pawns by Jorg Hickl. Link with free sample from New in Chess Books here: https://www.newinchess.com/en_US/the-power-of-pawns 47:00- Chess Structures Free sample from Quality Chess here: https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/2/235/chess_structures_-_a_grandmaster_guide_by_mauricio_flores_rios/ 51:00- In what order would Neal recommend that you read these books? Mentioned: Interview with Magnus Carlsen on Wolfgang Wee Uncut- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElHa52f_bC8&t=4725s 58:30- What lessons did Neal learn from these readings? What books are next for him? Mentioned: Mastering Chess Strategy, Mastering Positional Sacrifices, Silman’s Reassess Your Chess Workbook, Practical Chess Exercises, Zurich 1953, New York 1924, Judit Polgar’s How I Beat Fischer’s Record, Book Recap #7 with Jen Shahade 1:04:00- Thanks so much to Neal for undertaking this massive project and sharing his findings with the chess community! You can keep up with Neal on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/NealBruceBC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Book Recap #18- Discussing Aron Nimzowitsch's My System with IM Christof Sielecki (aka ChessExplained)
This month on Chess Books Recaptured I am joined by renowned Chessable author, IM Christof Sielecki, to discuss what may be the best known chess book of all time. Aron Nimzowitsch’s My System. There was a time when My System seemed to be universally recommended as an indispensable manual for newer chess players, but in recent years, with so many excellent learning resources, it has often been criticized as well. Christof and I try to contextualize the good and the bad of My System. We discuss everything in the book from Nimzo’s famous quotes to his “dad jokes”, to what does, and does not hold up to the scrutiny of modern chess analysis. Whether you love or hate this book, we hope that this podcast can help you decide if this book is worth (re)visiting. Please read on for timestamps and relevant links. 0:00- Why is My System so famous? Why are there so many versions of it? Mentioned: Episode 6 with IM Christof Sielecki, Episode 153 with IM Christof Sielecki, Quality Chess’ Edition of My System, also available on Forward Chess, Chess Metrics, Chess24’s Top 50 Player of All Time Series with GM Jan Gustafsson and GM Peter Heine Nielsen 8:30- For what rating range or audience would this book be most helpful? Mentioned: GM Yasser Seirawan, Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos 16:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 16:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 17:00- How is the book structured? Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard, GM John Shaw, IM John Watson’s Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy , Johner vs. Nimzowitsch 1926 36:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 37:00- How would we describe Nimzowitsch’s writing style? Mentioned: John Watson’s Review of My System, Lou Hays’ Edition of My System, Siegbert Tarrasch, Rubinstein-Duras (1908), Winning Pawn Structures by GM Alexander Baburin, 54:00- What books might we recommend as instructional substitutes for My System? Mentioned: THe Neal Bruce Pawn Book Championship is coming August 24!, Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios, Simple Chess by GM Michael Stean, IM Jeremy Silman’s Books, Book Recap Podcast #13, Simple Chess, On the Origin of Good Moves by IM Wily Hendricks 1:00:00- We will be back next month discussing Jose Raoul Capablanca’s Chess Fundamentals, 1:02:00- Thanks so Christof for donating his time! We close by discussing what Christof is working on next for Chessable. Mentioned: Chess in Slums Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/chess-education-in-africa Check out Christof’s whole Chessable catalog here: https://www.chessable.com/author/Chessexplained/ Check out his books here: Amazon.com: Christof Sielecki: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle Follow him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ChessExplained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 239- GM Jan Markos
Our guest today is the three-time champion of Slovakia, the highest rated player in his country and an award-winning author! Jan Markos’ 2018 book Under the Surface has been recommended on this show many times and was the winner of the ECF book of the year this year. He is out with another offering, The Secret Ingredient. Jan's new book is co-authored by GM David Navara and is also Quality Chess books. Both of Jan’s works are fantastic books which display an accessible writing style and a breadth of knowledge that extends far beyond the chess board. In our conversation, we discuss many of the ideas presented in these books, as well as a bit about Jan’s own competitive career, his advice for improvers, and his busy life away from the chessboard. Please read on for more details and relevant hyperlinks. 3:00- We discuss a question raised in Under the Surface. “What do Grandmasters see that club players do not?” Mentioned: Thinking Fast and Slow, JJ Lang, GM Jesse Kraai 9:30- Patreon mailbag question- “How did GM Markos come up with so many metaphors to describe chess thinking in Under the Surface?” 14:30- Listener question- “Why do adults find improvement so challenging?” Mentioned: GM John Nunn’s Secrets of Practical Chess, Street Smart Chess by GM Axel Smith 18:00- Twitter Question: “Who is the intended audience for Jan’s book?” 20:00- Twitter Question: “Was Jan inspired by Aron Nimzovich’s My System?” Mentioned: Patzer’s Review Blog Review of Under the Surface 22:00- Twitter Question: “Are there new chapters Jan would add to Under the Surface today?” 24:00- Twitter Question: “Why do we tend to notice mistakes just as we make a move, and not before we make a move?” Mentioned: Jan’s game where he hung a mate in one is here: Manage Your Favourite Games (chessbase.com) 26:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 27:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 30:00- We discuss The Secret Ingredient. How can adult chess players learn to translate chess knowledge into skills? 39:00- Why is trying to “get your openings down first” before tackling other aspects of the game often a “Sisyphean task”? 41:30- What advice can Jan offer on managing one’s time during a chess game? Mentioned: GM Alexander Grischuk, GM Daniel Fridman, GM Vasyl Ivanchuk, Episode 08 with GM Sam Shankland 48:30- What should you do when confronted with an unknown idea in the opening? 50:00- How should chess improvers allocate their chess study time? Mentioned: Episode 237 with GM Vladimir Kramnik 54:00- Can online games be adapted so that they more resemble tournament chess? 58:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 1:00:00- What was Jan’s journey to the GM tite like? Who are his favorite chess authors? Mentioned: GM Lubomir Ftacnik, Ludek Pachman’s Chess books, GM Boris Gelfand, GM Jonathan Rowson, GM Jacob Aagaard 1:04:00- What is Jan’s approach to writing? 1:05:30- How is the chess culture in Slovakia? 1:08:00- Does Jan miss playing chess professionally? What are his fondest memories? Mentioned: GM Jan-Khristof Duda, GM Sergei Karjakin 1:15:00- BOOK GIVEAWAY INSTRUCTIONS Take a screenshot of your subscription to the How to Chess Podcast on any podcast app or on Chessable’s YouTube channel. Email the screenshot to ben at perpetualchesspod.com The winners of Jan’s books will be announced on September 3, 2021 via email 1:17:00- Thanks to Jan for joining us. You can email him at jan.markos at gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 238- Jerald Times
Jerald Times is a USCF Chess Master, and the 2 time Chess champion of Harlem. Jerald is also a chess commentator, and is probably best known as a chess teacher who recently received the 2021 Chess Educator of the Year award from the University of Texas at Dallas. Jerald has been predominantly based in his native New York City, where he twice was the chess champion of Harlem, and where he has served in different capacities at successful chess programs such as The Dalton School, The Harlem Children’s Zone, and The Success Academy. Jerald also spent a few years as a chess trainer in South Africa, and coached the South African National team. These days, Jerald is launching a new organization, called Chess Across Borders, which aims to use digital tools to enable chess players from all backgrounds to compete in national and international chess championships. Jerald shared insightful comments as he on his own chess journey to a peak FIDE rating of 2400, as well as his reflections on how chess, and chess education has changed. Jerald also highlighted some important instances of racial discrimination that he has seen in his career both in the chess world, and as a teacher. All in all, there is lots to learn from this discussion with Jerald, please read on for more details and timestamps. 0:00- How did Jerald get into chess in his native New York City in the 1980s and 1990s? Mentioned: Think like a Grandmaster, My System, Alexander Alekhine, GM Vassily Smyslov, GM Jose Raoul Capablanca, IM Levy Rozman, WGM Alexandra Botez, GM Miron Sher, GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Robert Hess 13:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 14:00- Jerald discusses his plans to launch a new organization, called Chess Across Borders 20:00- How have chess teaching tools changed in recent decades? Mentioned: Google Classroom, FM Mike Klein, Chesskid.com 25:00- Jerald’s most recent position was heading the chess program at a New York- based network of charter schools called Success Academy. Jerald discusses both the positive and the negative of his experiences with Success Academy. Mentioned: Jessica Hyatt 41:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 42:30- Patreon mailbag question: How does chess in South Africa (where Jerald lived, and worked as a chess trainer) compare to chess in the United States? Mentioned: GM Kenny Solomon, Nick Vandernot, IM Henry Steele, IM Watu Kobese , GM Maurice Ashley, IM Kassa Korley, Tani Adewumi, James Black, IM Justus Williams, FM Joshua Colas 52:00- Where is Chess Across Borders in its launch process? 53:30- Jerald shares stories about his encounters with GM Garry Kasparov and GM Maurice Ashley. Mentioned: Rochelle Ballantyne, Maurice Ashley to host recaps of the Upcoming World Championship on NBC Sports: https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1417258790169321472?s=20 1:01:00- Thanks to Jerald for joining the show! Find out more about Chess Across Borders here: https://chessacrossborders.site123.me/ Email Jerald at: jtimes at gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 237- GM Vladimir Kramnik
Note- one can read a transcript of this interview here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-3Q-sZ9DYfI4N8sqNRZd4MNUef6_C1L3l5ak1fQAQnE/edit?usp=sharing This week on Perpetual Chess, we are privileged to be joined by the 14th undisputed World Chess Champion, Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik. GM Kramnik spent decades atop the chess world, and is best known as the man who ended Garry Kasparov’s historic reign as World Champion. GM Kramnik is one of the 10 highest rated players of all time, and left a special imprint in his contribution to opening theory, as many of his favorite lines are now embraced by modern chess engines and frequently seen at the elite level. We had a wide-ranging conversation where GM Kramnik discussed his match with Kasparov, the effect of engines on chess, his recent “no-castling” exhibition match with GM Viswanathan Anand, and, of course, his new Chessable course. Vladimir’s course is called Thinking in Chess: A How to Guide, and it offers a Super GM level framework on how to think about preventing your opponent’s plans. There are many great insights in this interview, so I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as I did speaking with him. Please read on for more details, timestamps and relevant links. 0:00- We begin by discussing Kramnik’s rise in the 1990’s, including his breakout tournament at the 1992 Manila Olimpiad, a tournament for which he was a surprise choice to compete on the stacked Russian team. 08:30- Vladimir recently concluded his match with GM Vishy Anand in a new variant called “no-castling chess.” He discusses the match and the future of chess variants. Mentioned: GM Vasyl Ivanchuk 22:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 23:45- GM Kramnik answers a question from the Perpetual Chess Patreon mailbag: "How has his game has been influenced by computer chess?" 26:00- A couple more Patreon mailbag questions- “Did computers help Vladimir prepare the Berlin endgame for his match against Kasparov?” “How much did his team help him with it?” 33:00- GM Kramnik discusses the match dynamics of the 2000 Kasparov-Kramnik match. Mentioned: GM Viswanthan Anand 41:30-Are there any modern players who use the engines especially effectively in their preparation? 45:30- 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 Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 46:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Why did GM Kramnik decide to focus his chess course on “quiet moves” and prophylaxis?” 1:02:00- What does Vladimir think about the upcoming World Championship match? Mentioned: Norway Chess 2021 1:08:00- “Is it more stressful to be World Champion than to “just” to be a top-echelon player?” 1:12:00- “Can a player who has passed her 60th birthday compete in the top echelon?” 1:15:30- “Did Vladimir enjoy competing in Chess24’s Legends of Chess tournament last year?” 1:18:00- “What kind of improvement can amateur players expect to see in their games if they have jobs outside of chess?” 1:22:30- “What was it like to play his childhood hero, GM Anatoly Karpov, for the first time?” Mentioned: GM Garry Kasparov. You can review the game here: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067080 1:29:00- Did working on Kasparov’s team give him a competitive advantage in their 2000 World Championship match, and might Nepomniachtchi have a similar advantage from having worked with GM Magnus Carlsen? 1:30:00- Thanks so much to GM Kramnik for joining the show! You can check out a free version of his Chessable course here: https://www.chessable.com/vladimir-kramnik-free-lesson/course/81696/ Or you can buy the whole course here: https://www.chessable.com/thinking-in-chess-a-how-to-guide/course/77175/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 236- Dr. Courtney Frey (Adult Improver Series)
Welcome to another “Adult improver” edition of Perpetual Chess. Our guest this time is Dr. Courtney Frey. Courtney is a 35 year old doctor (radiologist) and father of 2 kids. Like a lot of us he played in a chess club during his school years, but then didn’t play for many yearsuntil he finished medical school. He got more serious during the pandemic, started taking lessons with a coach, and he has seen his LiChess Rapid rating go from the 1500s to 1900 in about a year! As you will hear, Courtney has been successful with a very balanced approach to chess improvement that focuses on studying the aspects of chess that he enjoys most. Courtney had a lot of helpful tips to share- you can find relevant links and timestamps below! 0:00- Did you know that Chessable now sponsors an adult improvement weekly chess podcast called How to Chess? Did you know that you can subscribe to it on Spotify and all the other podcast apps? Be sure to subscribe, or go to Howtochess.com for more info. https://open.spotify.com/show/5SzyXVaBZtM8CA6dtBQj7o?si=Q5SZzmcXT4i65y219xKTzQ&dl_branch=1 2:00- Courtney briefly delves into his chess background prior to his renaissance that began during Quarantine. Mentioned: Episode 87 with Adult Improver Stacia Pugh 6:00- Once Courtney decided to start training what did he do? Mentioned: Episode 194 with Yuriy Krykun, Book Recap #14- Discussing The Seven Deadly Chess Sins with David Franklin, The Seven Deadly Chess Sins (Scotland's Youngest Grandmaster Discusses the Most Common Ca): Rowson, Jonathan: 9781901983364: Amazon.com: Books 13:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 13:45- Courtney answers a question from the Patreon mailbag relating to how he selected his opening repertoire. Then he provides more detail on his chess study regimen. Mentioned: IM Yuriy Krykun’s Chessable Course- The Dynamic Italian Game 30:00- What does Courtney do when he faces an opening move he hasn’t seen before? Mentioned: Chessable Course- My First White Opening Repertoire 35:30- 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 Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 36:00- Courtney shares a few more recommendations, he has found many ways to improve beyond tactics training! Mentioned: The Checkmate Patterns Manual Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 235- Joe Posnanski
This week, Perpetual Chess features a different kind of guest, Joe Posnanski was twice- named the best sportswriter in America by the Associated Press. He is also a popular podcaster and best selling author of 6 books. I have been a huge fan of Joe’s writing for many years, so when he recently wrote about his enthusiasm for chess I couldn’t resist the opportunity to invite him to talk to us on Perpetual Chess. In our interview, Joe discusses the beginnings of his interest in chess (his dad was a USCF expert.) Joe then dives into topics including: the current state of his own chess game, why he has a "love-hate" relationship with the game, who his favorite chess YouTubers are, and the lessons that he has learned from his coach, FM Mikhail Perelshteyn. Whether in written word or on his Poscast, Joe is always entertaining and insightful, so it was a real thrill for me to talk chess with him! Please read on for more details and relevant links. 0:00- Joe tells us about the evolution of his interest in chess over the years. Mentioned: Read Joe’s recent blog post about chess here. Read his article about playing with NFL player Priest Holmes here. Read Joe’s famous, non-chess post about seeing Hamilton with his daughter, here. 13:00- 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 Also be sure to subscribe to our How to Chess podcast ! More info here: https://howtochess.com/ 13:30- Joe is a big fan of chess YouTube. Who are Joe’s favorite chess YouTubers? Mentioned: Agadmator’s YouTube Channel, Perpetual Chess Episode 160 with Agadmator, GM Hikaru Nakamura, IM Eric Rosen, IM Levy Rozman, Levy’s Guess the Elo playlist here, GM Simon Williams’ Jobava London Chessable Course here 25:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 26:30- We discuss the state of Joe’s own chess game. What are his strengths and weaknesses? Mentioned: FM Mikhail Perelshteyn, GM Eugene Perelshteyn, How to Chess Episode with GM Eugene Perelshteyn here, Joe’s game that we are discussing can be found here 48:00- Joe’s most recent book is an excellent biography, The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini, Did he see any similarities between the magic and chess sub-cultures? Mentioned: The Baseball 100 53:00- If Joe were to write a feature about chess, what would he write? 1:02:00- Thanks so much to Joe for joining us to talk chess! Here is how to keep up with his great writing: Subscribe to his blog here: https://joeposnanski.substack.com/ Follow him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/JPosnanski Check out his books on Amazon here: Amazon.com: Joe Posnanski: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle 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 234- GM Jonathan Levitt
GM Jonathan Levitt is a chess journalist, an author and a professional cricket bettor! Jonathan is retired from competitive chess, but he has written a few great chess books, including co-authoring the classic Secrets of Spectacular Chess, and Jonathan has recently released his first non-chess book, Contemplating Comedy, which, as you might guess, is a meditation on the topic of humor. In this wide-ranging interview, we discuss Jonathan’s varied chess career, his transition to cricket betting, the upcoming World Chess Championship, and the intersection of chess and humor. There is lots to learn from Jonathan, so I hope you all enjoy this conversation. Please read on for many more details and relevant links. London Chess Festival Info here!- https://www.englishchess.org.uk/chessfest-in-londons-trafalgar-square/ 0:00- We tackle the age old question, “What constitutes chess talent?” This is a question that Jonathan grapples with in his excellent 1997 book, Genius in Chess. Mentioned: IM Malcolm Pein, Episode 20 with GM Timur Garyev, Book Recap #10- Talking Blindfold Chess with Jerry Wells, Episode 95 with Dr. Christopher Chabris 14:00- Jonathan answers a question from the Perpetual Chess Patreon mailbag relating to ways he could potentially tweak his famed “Levitt question.” 18:00- Jonathan tells the story of what he learned from studying and sharing a house with legendary GM Alexei Shirov. Episode 189 with GM Patrick Wolff 25:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 26:30- What were the key components to Jonathan’s own chess improvement path? Mentioned: GM Mikhail Botvinnik, Lasker’s Manual of Chess, Fischer’s 60 Memorable Games 35:00- Secrets of Spectacular Chess by Jonathan and FM David Friedgood is a great book that shares a lot of brilliant endgame studies. Did endgame studies help Jonathan’s own game? 41:00- Jonathan talks about the only “real job” when he worked for a few months for the original Kasparov Chess website. Mentioned: Mig Greengard, GM Vladimir Kramnik 43:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 44:00- How did Jonathan’s chess background help him become a professional cricket bettor? What does his work entail? Mentioned: Episode 57 with GM Pascal Charbonneau 53:00-Jonathan’s newest book, Contemplating Comedy is a meditation on what makes things funny. Does Jonathan think chess players are funnier than non-chess players? Does he have any good chess jokes? Mentioned: GM Tony Miles, GM Nigel Davies, GM Nigel Short, GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Benjamin Finegold, GM Jan Gustafsson 1:04:00- What were Jonathan’s interactions with Kasparov like? Mentioned: Magnus Carlsen, GM Bobby Fischer 1:09:00- What are Jonathan’s thoughts on the Carlsen-Nepomniachtchi match? 1:11:00- Thanks so much to Jonathan for joining us! Here is how to keep up with him: Buy his books here: Amazon.com Follow him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/JonathanLevitt7?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor You can email him directly at jonathanlevitt at btinternet.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Book Recap #17- Discussing "Zurich 1953" with FM Nate Solon, featuring GM Andy Soltis
It has been a while, but Perpetual Chess is back with a blockbuster bonus book recap podcast. For this episode of Chess Books Recaptured, I am joined by FIDE Master Nate Solon to compare two books about one of the most famous chess tournaments of all time, the 1953 Zurich-Neuhausen Candidates tournament.(More commonly known as just, Zurich 1953) GM David Bronstein’s book, Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953 , is one of the most popular chess books of all time, and is often recommended on this podcast. GM Miguel Najdorf’s tournament book, Zurich 1953: 15 Contenders for the World Chess Championship, is also considered a classic by many, but may not be as well known due to having only been translated into English in the past decade. So how do we compare the books? Do they live up to their reputation as instructional chess book classics? What made the tournament so special? What are we to make of the “ghost writing” and “match fixing” allegations which have come to light in recent decades? So much to discuss! We even feature a guest appearance by renowned author and GM Andy Soltis to help answer these questions! Please read on for lots more details and relevant links. 0:00- Why did we choose these two books? Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953 - Kindle edition by Bronstein, David. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Zurich 1953: 15 Contenders for the World Chess Championship - Kindle edition by Najdorf, Miguel. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Mentioned: GM Andy Soltis’ Soviet Chess 1917-1991, Chess24 series: The 50 Greatest Chess Players of all Time, GM Genna Sosonko’s Smylov on the Couch, Boris Samoilovich Vainstein (author, collaborator of David Bronstein) 20:00- 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 Also be sure to subscribe to Chessable’s new podcast focused on chess improvement How to Chess (hosted by me), more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 21:00- GM Andy Soltis joins the show to share his perspective on why he thinks these books are so famous. You can preorder Andy’s upcoming book here: Smyslov, Bronstein, Geller, Taimanov and Averbakh: A Chess Multibiography with 220 Games: Soltis, Andrew: 9781476677934: Amazon.com: Books 42:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 42:30- For what level chess fans are these books most beneficial? How do the books compare? Mentioned: IM Christof Sielecki video looking at the analysis of Zurich 1953: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHCE68qr5oQ John Watson’s review of the Zurich 1953 books: https://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/john-watson-book-review-106-zurich-1953-by-najdorf Episode 46 with IM John Watson 54:00- We share a few choice quotes from both books. 1:03:00- Who wrote Bronstein’s book? Bronstein or his friend Boris Vainstein? Is it important? Mentioned: GM Genna Sosonko’s The Rise and Fall of David Bronstein 1:07:00- We finally dive deeper into the allegations that the Soviet government ordered match fixing by the Soviet players Mentioned: Chesscafe.com, GM Yuri Averbakh, Taylor Kingston, Taimanov vs. Smyslov 1:21:00- Thanks so much to Nate for donating so much time! Tune in next time for a recap of My System with IM Christof Sielecki. Support Chess in Slums here: https://gofund.me/61ae63d6 Here Tunde on the Perpetual Chess Episode 219 here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2a57aGslpbGW08KozHQ2ih?si=Yg9RZqpgRMqonYQhGcBbOA&dl_branch=1 You can subscribe to Nate’s free email newsletter here: https://zwischenzug.substack.com/ Follow Nate on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/natesolon Lichess Study with Selected Games Here: https://lichess.org/study/pCrnDQxs/o0AoddYo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 233- IM Levy Rozman Returns
IM Levy Rozman a/k/a “GothamChess” is a chess commentator, Twitch streamer, and, of course, creator of one of the most popular Chess YouTube channels in the World. His channel has seen explosive growth since his prior visit to Perpetual Chess, one year ago. It recently surpassed 1 million subscribers and is still growing quickly! In our conversation, Levy reflects on the success of his channel, and shares lots of advice for other aspiring content creators. We also discuss his recent return to competitive chess. Levy recently competed in the National Open in Las Vegas. He had pretty good results over the board, but perhaps more surprisingly, the videos analyzing his tournament games proved to be amongst his most popular ever! Why does he think that is? Will his comeback and pursuit of the Grandmaster title continue? Will he ever stop speaking out on political issues? We tackle all of these questions and many more in this fun, wide-ranging conversation. Please read on for more details, timestamps, and relevant links. 0:00- We begin by doing a post-mortem on Levy’s recent return to over-the-board “OTB” chess. How does Levy reflect on his performance in the recently completed National Open in Las Vegas? 11:00- Levy answers a Patreon mailbag question, relating to whether making videos during a tournament is distracting, and why he thinks his game recap videos were so popular (often with more than 400,000 views per episode)! The first of Levy’s game recapps from Vegas is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqNenU-sQZI His recap of his game with IM Christopher Yoo is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPBLVuVk1zw Also mentioned: GM Alex Grischuk, Czech Open, GM Wojciech Moranda, FM Kyron Griffith 25:30- With so much content coming out, what steps has Levy taken to avoid burnout? 29:30- What aspects of his chess game does Levy think he needs to work on? 34:00- 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 Also be sure to subscribe to Chessable’s new podcast focused on chess improvement How to Chess (hosted by me), more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 35:00- Levy delves into some of the key decisions behind his YouTube channel’s huge growth in the past year. Mentioned: IM Eric Rosen, Agadmator, Guess the Elo, Kasparov vs. the World Video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOrLfEZav14, Hanging Pawns YouTube, Mato Jelic YouTube, Kevin Durant, Dewa Kipas, WGM Irene Sukander 50:00- Levy answers another question from a Patreon subscriber, relating to explaining his YouTube success. 53:00 Another Patreon question- “What advice does Levy have for new chess streamers? “ Mentioned: Agadmator, GM Daniel King, IM John Bartholomew, GM Hikaru Nakamura, Mr. Beast, TierZoo, Daily Dose of Chess 1:01:00- What encounters with celebrities has Levy had as a result of his success? Mentioned: Levy’s lesson with Gordon Hayward, Joe Posnanski’s blog post about chess is here: https://joeposnanski.substack.com/p/chess 1:03:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 1:04:00- Levy made a few enemies with this tweet, Does he stand by the sentiment? We also discuss Levy’s penchant for tweeting about politics. Mentioned: GM Daniel King, GM Ben FInegold 1:17:00- Levy also has been an outspoken advocate for helping to foster a more supportive atmosphere for women in chess. How did this issue come to his attention? 1:24:00- How is Levy’s girlfriend’s game progressing? 1:27:00- Has Levy made any big purchases in the wake of his recent success? Mentioned: Joe Rogan podcast, Magnus Carlsen 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 232- James Altucher returns
James Altucher is a best-selling author, popular business podcast host, entrepreneur, USCF Master and adult improver! I last interviewed James back in October of 2017. At the time, James had some fun stories to tell about his chess background, but he wasn’t actively working on his chess. As it has for many people, that has changed in the past year. In the wake of the Queen’s Gambit boom, James’ love for chess is back in full bloom. He has been training 3-4 hours a day and hopes to return to competitive chess soon. In addition to his chess expertise, James is a keen student of adult learning who has interviewed experts in the field, such as Anders Ericsson and Angela Duckworth, among others. James gives some great advice on how to approach chess improvement and shares what he has learned from working 1 on 1 with coaches like IM Eric Rosen, and GM Jesse Kraai. James also offers some actionable advice for aspiring content creators, and he asks me a few questions about how Perpetual Chess has been affected by the pandemic. As always, please read on for lots more details, timestamps and relevant links. 0:00- I am pleased to announce that Perpetual Chess is joining the Blue Wire Podcast Network! Blue Wire is a fast growing network of sports, comedy and lifestyle podcasts, and Perpetual Chess is the first chess podcast to sign on with them. More information about Blue Wire Podcasts here: https://www.bluewirepods.com/ 2:00- James rejoins the show, and we dive right into James’ recent chess studies.. Mentioned: Perpetual Chess Episode 42 with James Altucher The James Altucher Episode 667 with Jen Shahade The James Altucher show Episode 716 with Garry Kasparov IM Eric Rosen, GM Jesse Kraai Perpetual Chess Podcast Episode 182 with IM Willy Hendriks Perpetual Chess Podcast Episode 213 with IM Greg Shahade Perpetual Chess Podcast Episode 11 with GM Alex Lenderman The Woodpecker Method by GM Axel Smith Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios 19:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 20:30- How does James incorporate spaced repetition of tactics into his chess study? 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 Also be sure to subscribe to Chessable’s new chess improvement focused podcast, How to Chess (hosted by me), more info here: https://howtochess.com/ 32:30- I ask James, whether it is as intimidating to interview GM Garry Kasparov as it is to play against him. Mentioned: GM Michael Wilder, Episode 215 with Vishnu Sreekumar 37:00- We discuss another highly instructive book, GameChanger by GM Mathew Sadler, and WIM Natasha Regan 46:00- James asks me- What have I learned from interviewing so many adult improvers? Mentioned: Episode 231 With Braden Laughlin, GM Daniel Naroditsky, GM Sam Shankland’s Banter Blitz Videos, Van Perlo’s Endgame Tactics, The Modern Tiger 1:01:00- James asks me: how were the download numbers for Perpetual Chess affected by the Queen’s Gambit? Mentioned: Episode 229 with GM Davorin Kuljasevic, Episode 44 with GM Jesse Kraai, GM Ben Finegold, IM Greg Shahade, WGM Jen Shahade, FM Mike Shahade 1:12:30- How close does James think podcasts are to their growth peak? + some helpful content creation advice Mentioned: Kevin Kelly- “Don’t Just Be the Best, Be the Only” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vincGfoF8FA 1:15:00- Thanks so much to James for rejoining the show! Here is how to keep up with him: Buy his latest book here: Amazon.com: Skip the Line: The 10,000 Experiments Rule and Other Surprising Advice for Reaching Your Goals eBook: Altucher, Jamhttps://jamesaltucher.com/es: Books Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaltucher Website: https://jamesaltucher.com/ The James Altucher show- https://open.spotify.com/show/0Tqw1AaZyrZ7kWnrNSgbNQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus Pod- Episode 02 of "How to Chess" with Guest Stjepan Tomic aka "Hanging Pawns"
Stejpan Tomic, bettter known on YouTube as "Hanging Pawns" discusses How to Choose an Opening. This will be the last time How to Chess is shared on the Perpetual Chess Feed, so please subscribe to How to Chess via the following links: Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/74A0JotybXUvnviTCzsSUp?si=qx4NioNpSGejntNjXIcxtA&dl_branch=1 Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-chess/id1572917817 Chessable YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxVGiP4dl19wwGJlCy3_u8g Google Podcasts- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vaG93LXRvLWNoZXNzLw If you do not see "How to Chess" on your podcast platform, please email HowToChess at Chessable.com to let us know. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bonus Pod- Episode 01 of "How to Chess" with Guest GM Eugene Perelshteyn
Here is a preview of my brand new chess improvement podcast, "How to Chess," brought to you by Chessable. In Episode 1, Author, GM and the founder of ChessOpeningsExplained.Com, Eugene Perelshteyn shares advice on how to limit blunders. Here is how to subscribe: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74A0JotybXUvnviTCzsSUp?si=DZnY-yoRRl-Awcmn5OtPSg&dl_branch=1 Subscribe at Chessable's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Chessable/videos?view=0&sort=dd&flow=grid Apple Podcast- https://t.co/gBuwchfxRo?amp=1 Google Podcasts- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vaG93LXRvLWNoZXNzLw For comments, guess suggestions, or a chess improvement question you'd like to hear answered on How To Chess you can email to HowToChess at Chessable.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP.231 - Braden Laughlin (Adult Improver Series)
My guest on this week’s adult improver edition of Perpetual Chess is Braden Laughlin. Braden is a 22 year old Canadian chess enthusiast who has seen robust gains in the first few years of his chess development. Braden went from 0 to 1750 (Canadian rating) in his first 16 months of chess! In the subsequent 2.5 years he has continued to get stronger, and now has an online blitz rating peak of over 2100! Not bad for four years work! How did he do it? As you will hear, Braden has an approach that is wholly different from any other adult improver that has appeared on Perpetual Chess. Braden has taken full advantage of all of the great free chess content on YouTube, and is also a big proponent of playing tons of games, and trying to derive a lesson from each game. For many more tips, as well as some background about Braden as a video editor and recently hired Chessable employee please check out our interview. As always, lots more details, timestamps and relevant links can be found below. 0:00- How to Chess Podcast info from your host Ben: Here are the links to subscribe to How to Chess: First YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8Y_E7CjneE Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74A0JotybXUvnviTCzsSUp?si=DZnY-yoRRl-Awcmn5OtPSg&dl_branch=1 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNK7qZ8m2n54hviCjAPNe7w Apple Podcasts- Coming Soon For any how to chess related questions you’d like answered please email howtochess at chessable.com 6:00- Braden joins the show and digs into his chess background and his early steps in chess improvement. Mentioned: Chess Network’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCDOQrpqLqKVcTCKzqarxLg Also mentioned: IM John Bartholomew- Climbing the Rating Ladder Playlist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2huVf1l4UE&list=PLl9uuRYQ-6MCBnhtCk_bTZsD8GxeWP6BV Also mentioned: GM Yasser Seirawan, The St. Louis Chess Club’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM-ONC2bCHytG2mYtKDmIeA Also mentioned: Jonathan Rowson’s Chess for Zebras 18:00- Braden discusses how chess served as an escape for him when he faced some physical and mental health challenges: 21:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Check it out for free, and then if you subscribe use the promo code Perpetual30 22:00- How did Braden balance actual chess playing with the study he did and chess videos that he consumed? 27:00- What tips does Braden have for learning positional chess concepts? Mentioned: ChessNetwork, IM John Bartholomew, Simple Chess by GM Michael Stean, Simple Chess Podcast, Book Recap #13, Episode 213 with IM Greg Shahade 33:00- How much time did Braden spend working on tactics? GM Roman Dzindzichashvili 38:00- 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 in all - Chessable.com 39:00- Has Braden’s study approach changed as he has reached higher levels? 45:30- Braden answers a question from the Patreon mailbag relating to how the OTB tournament situation will compare in Spain to North America. (Braden is moving to Spain soon) 48:00- Patreon question: “Did Braden use any Chessable resources to help his chess improvement?” Mentioned: 100 Endgames You Must Know, Braden’s video about the longest possible chess game is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5DXJxR3Uig Mentioned: IM Eric Rosen, IM Kostya Kavutskiy 56:00- Braden discusses how he got into creating Youtube videos. Mentioned: Good Blood Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC55OV4HSSKJEthG4ulsKkyw Zelda video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyUcwsjyd8Q 1:02:00- Thanks so much to Braden for sharing the details of his unique climb up the rating ranks! Subscribe to his YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5DXJxR3Uig Follow him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/Braden_Laughlin See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP.230 - WGM Irene Sukandar
WGM and IM Irene Sukander is one of the top players in Indonesia, the two-time Asian Women’s Chess Champion, and she earned a Grandmaster norm at the Asian Continental in 2012. Although her numerous chess accomplishments required an investment of time, Irene did not shirk her studies. She studied English literature in Indonesia, and Irene earned a Masters Degree in International Relations at chess powerhouse Webster University in St. Louis. Irene was already a well-known and accomplished chess player, but we saw her fame explode when due to an unusual set of circumstances she participated in a live, high stakes chess match with 1.25 million online viewers! Irene reflects on that match, and the ways it changed her life both for better and for worse. We also discuss Irene’s current chess goals, the unique chess culture in Indonesia, ways to popularize chess for women, and many more topics. There is much to learn from Irene, so I hope you enjoy this conversation as I did. Please read on for more details, timestamp and related links. 0:00- We begin by discussing the latest on Irene’s chess game. Is she studying? Is she planning on chasing the GM title? This segment also touches on chess in Indonesia. Mentioned: Ray Robson, Eric Rosen, Ilya Nyzhnik, Le Quang Liem, Susan Polgar Ladies Knight Podcast interview with Jen Shahade: https://open.spotify.com/episode/108CgkISEvilraOmayh887?si=9df44dab494b4bb1 Biel Open, Jakarta Post article about Irene: https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2021/04/09/meet-irene-kharisma-sukandar-the-grandmaster-thrust-into-the-spotlight.html 10:00- Irene was a bit of a prodigy as a child. She delves into the intense study regimen that helped her earn her chess success. Mentioned: GM Mikhail Botvinnik, Chess Informant’s, Hort-Karpov 1981 27:00- Irene answers a question from the Perpetual Chess Patreon mailbag relating to ways that more women can be inspired to pursue chess. Mentioned: GM Judit Polgar, GM Maia Chiburdanidze, GM Hou Yifan, GM Ju Wenjun, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk 33:00- 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 in all - Chessable.com 34:00- Irene reflects on the experience of participating in the most viewed chess match of all time, an event which came about under quite unusual circumstances. Mentioned: IM Levy Rozman a/k/a Gotham Chess , Dewa Kipas, Here is Peter Doggers’ Chess.com story- Cheating Controversy Results in Most Watched Chess Event of All Time- https://www.chess.com/news/view/most-watched-chess-stream-in-history-dewa-kipas 43:00- What content advice has Irene been given from her friend IM Eric Rosen? Mentioned: Episode 36 with IM Eric Rosen, Episode 130 with IM Eric Rosen 47:00- Patreon question- was the $14,000 Irene received for her match with Dewa Kipas her biggest chess payday? She also reflects a bit more on what she will remember from this landmark chess match. 58:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Check it out for free, and then, if you decide to subscribe, use the PromoCode Chess30 to save 30%. 1:01:00- We talk a bit about Irene’s life and interests away from the board. Mentioned: Reykjavik Open Chess Tournament- https://www.reykjavikopen.com/, Kopi Luwak 1:08:00- Thanks so much to Irene for joining the podcast Here are the best ways to keep up with her: Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/irene_sukandar/?hl=en Twitter- https://twitter.com/irene_sukandar?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Twitch- https://t.co/tIJGJkZzLp?amp=1 Chess.com If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices