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 246- CM Tryfon Gavriel (aka KingsCrusher)
Programming Note- this podcast is also being published in video format on Tryfon’s YouTube channel-link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw1o0opNJ-s Tryfon Gavriel, better known as “KingsCrusher” was one of the trailblazers of “Chess YouTube” and still uploads regularly to his following of over 110,000 subscribers. Tryfon launched his channel on a whim in 2007, and spent years as one of the most popular chess channels in the world. It was fun to hear Tryfon take us through those early days of online chess content, which feel like so long ago. As we discuss, Tryfon also has a keen knowledge of chess history, with a special interest in Bobby Fischer, Paul Morphy, and Mikhail Tal. Tryfon shares what makes these players so special and how we can apply lessons from their games. Tryfon is a bullet chess specialist who believes that studying these greats has even helped him at the fastest time controls. It was fun to talk chess history, chess content history and get some improvement tips from one of the original chess content creators! Timestamps and lots more details below. 0:00- We discuss the early days of Tryfon’s YouTube channel in 2007 and his website Chessworld.net! Mentioned: Veratasium YouTube algorithm, Chess on the Web by Sarah Hurst, Richard Palliser and Graham Brown, Sam Copeland’s TIme Lapse Video of the Most Popular Chess YouTubers, Agadmator, MatoJelic, GothamChess, ChessNetwork, 21:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com. Chessmood offers 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. 21:30- 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%. 22:00- From the Patreon mailbag: “Tryfon’s two most popular videos are about Bobby Fischer, and Tryfon is a big fan. What books has he read about Bobby Fischer?” 28:00- What sparked Tryfon’s interest in writing a LiChess blog? 30:00- What captivates Tryfon about Fischer, Morphy and Tal? 39:00- Patreon mailbag question- “Will the King’s Gambit ever feature in elite chess again?” This segues to a discussion of other openings that are underrated for club players Mentioned: Chris Callahan’s Twitter thread on how openings perform at different levels, Episode 221 with Chris Callahan 46:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them Here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well! 46:30- Tryfon offers many chess courses on Udemy, including its most popular chess course, what was the inspiration for branching out from YouTube? Mentioned: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 53:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What tips can we share for a 1200 player working to improve calculation and visualization skills?” Mentioned: Peter Giannatos’ Everyone’s First Chess Workbook, Benedictine’s Visualization Series, Chess Steps 2: Thinking Ahead, IM Ken Regan paper- Intrinsic Ratings Compendium 1:12:00- As a top junior, Tryfon played Demis Hassibis of DeepMind as a kid. How was Demis’ game? 1:18:00- Thanks so much to Tryfon for joining the show. Here is out to keep up with him. YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/kingscrusher Udemy Courses- https://www.udemy.com/user/tryfon-gavriel/ Twitter-https://twitter.com/kingscrusher?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Lichess- https://lichess.org/@/Kingscrusher-YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Book Recap #19- Discussing Capablanca's Chess Fundamentals with Jessi Shakarian
Chess Books Recaptured is back for another monthly book review/recap. This month I am joined by UX designer and recently-minted chess enthusiast, Jessi Shakarian to discuss the 1921 classic, Chess Fundamentals by former World Champion, Jose Raoul Capablanca. Jessi provides the perspective of someone new to chess who was looking to learn some basics from one of the all time greats of the game. I try to give some historical perspective on the book, as well as to detail why this did not turn out to be my favorite book, despite its being written by one of my favorite players. Of course, there are still many useful insights and beautiful chess moves in the book, and we try to share a few highlights in our conversation. As always, you can find more details and timestamps below. 0:00- We introduce this month's guest co-host Jessi Shakharian. Jessi shares a bit about her background and her recent deep dive into the chess world, and chess books in particular. 3:45- Patreon mailbag question- “What approach has Jessi taken to reading chess books?” 8:30- Patreon mailbag question- “What tips can Ben share for how to analyze games? Mentioned: How to Chess” interview with GM Davorin Kuljasevic 10:00- We discuss Jose Raoul Capablanca’s background and the context of the book’s publication in 1921. Mentioned: GM Mikail Botvinnik, LiChess study with Chess Fundamentals, GM Nick DeFirmian’s Chess Fundamentals Revised Book Recap #18 of My System with IM Christof Sielecki, Everyman’s Chess Fundamentals, Martin Justesen’s new version of Chess Fundamentals 17:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out whats new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com 18:00- What do we think of Capablanca’s famed “learn the endgame first” philosophy? What are the pros and cons of the book itself? Jostein Langstrand’s Review of Chess Fundamentalsi, Edward Winter’s Capablanca: A Compendium 30:00- What insights does Capablanca share about the relative value of the chess pieces, especially about how the bishop compares to the knight? 39:00- Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel here. 39:30- 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% 40:00- What did “Friend of the Show” Fred Wilson think of this book? What alternative books might we recommend? Mentioned: Fred Wilson books in NYC, Episode 86 with Fred Wilson, Learn to Play Chess Like a Boss, A First Book of Morphy, Capablanca’s Best Chess Endings, Logical Chess Move by Move, Make it Stick, Episode 242 GM Surya Ganguly, How Grandmasters Memorize Opening Variations by GM Avetik Grigoryan 55:00- What grade would we give Chess Fundamentals? Mentioned: Episode 240 Pawn Book Championship with Neal Bruce 58:00-Coming next month- Chess is My Life with John Fernandez Thanks to Jessi Shakarian for helping out this month! I will be making another donation to Chess in Slums on her behalf. You can follow her on Twitter here. 1:00:00- Blindfold Puzzles! Puzzle #1- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. e5 Ne4 6. d3 Bc5! 7. dxe4 Black to move and win For the answer, go to #1 here Puzzle #2- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Bc4 Ng4 7. O-O Qh4 8. h3 Nxf2 9. Qf3 Nxh3+ 10. Kh1 Black to move and force mate For the answer, go to #2 here * Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 245- GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
GM Maxime Vachier Lagrave is a 3 time champion of France, 2 time Sinquefield Cup winner, and perennial top 10 player in the world. Maxime joined me from his home in Paris while on a brief break from a hectic tournament schedule. In addition to some events in St. Louis, Maxime recently played in FIDE World Cup in Russia, and won the Zagreb Grand Chess Tour event in July. Maxime was very candid in our conversation as he discussed his recent successes, his 2nd place finish in the 2020-2021 Candidates Tournament, his thoughts on the World Championship match, and his opinions on the formats and qualification criteria of various important tournaments. It was amazing to hear the honest reflections of a chess player who is amongst the best in the world and still working to get even better! Please read on for more details, timestamps, and relevant links. 0:00- We begin by discussing Maxime’s recent travels and chess events. Mentioned: MVL interview with Agadmator, FIDE Candidates, FIDE World Cup, FIDE Grand Swiss in Riga 11:00- Does Maxime feel that his OTB game has been progressing? Which upcoming tournaments are his biggest priorities? Mentioned: GM Ian Nepomniatchi, GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda, GM Sergei Karjakin, GM Teimour Radjabov, 2022 FIDE Grand Prix 20:30- Patreon mailbag question: How does Maxime feel about the current rules for qualifying for the FIDE Candidates tournament and the formats for FIDE’s other major events. 27:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com Chessmood offers 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. 27:30- 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%. 31:30- Maxime has several GMs on his team, as well as a performance coach. What do they work on? How did he feel that GM Ian Nepomniachtchi handled his nerves in the Candidates? Mentioned: MVL In Conversation with GM Surya Ganguly 37:30- What are Maxime’s thoughts on the upcoming World Championship match? 41:30- How much does Maxime discuss match preparation strategy with other elite players? 42:00 Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out whats new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com Also don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast! 47:00 Patreon mailbag question: What is Maxime’s training regimen? Mentioned: Maxime’s blog post and video is here. 49:00- Patreon mailbag questions: How does MVL’s prep regime change for an open tournament as compared to a closed? Has his prep routine changed as he has gotten stronger? Mentioned: GM Etienne Bacrot 58:00- Is Maxime in favor of OTB playoff matches for the FIDE Candidates and FIDE Grand Swiss? Mentioned: IM Greg Shahade 1:02:00- Has Queen’s Gambit changed chess at the elite level? GM Anish Giri interview with IM Levy Rozman, Twitch Streamer, NM Kevin Bordi aka Blitzstream 1:07:00- Patreon mailbag question: why did Maxime decide to pursue a degree in Mathematics? 1:15:00- Is MVL inspired by the longevity of his favorite tennis player, Roger Federer 1:17:00- What are Maxime’s thoughts on GM Alireza Firouzja joining the French team? 1:19:00- Maxime is famous for his devotion to the Najdorf and the Grunfeld defenses. Is it a philosophical or practical choice to frequently play those openings? Mentioned: GM Wesley So 1:23:00- Thanks so much to Maxime for joining the show. You can read his reflections on his blog here: https://www.mvlchess.com/en/#panel1 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 244- GM Andrew Tang
21 year old GM Andrew Tang (aka “PenguinGM”) is a former National High School champion chess player, popular Twitch streamer and Princeton University student. He is best known as one of the strongest “bullet chess” players in the world. Andrew is quite possibly the fastest moving Grandmaster in the world and has had many epic online battles with other elite bullet players like GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Daniel Naroditsky, and GM Alireza Firouzja. In our conversation, Andrew shares some great stories from his bullet battles, and talks about the origins of his chess skills. Other highlights of the interview include the lessons he learned from his childhood coach IM John Bartholomew, the feeling of playing GM Magnus Carlsen in person in the World Blitz championship, and his professional plans when he finishes college. This was a fun conversation with a very talented young man. More details and timestamps below. 2:00- How is Andrew so fast at chess? When did he realize he was good at bullet? What kind of mouse does he use? Mentioned: IM Ali Mortazavi, Azio Exo1 Gaming Mouse 10:00- Does Andrew play video games? Mentioned: Video of Andrew playing 2D Aim, Cloud9 Gaming 12:00- How did Andrew learn to convert winning endgames so quickly? Mentioned: GM Daniel Naroditsky 13:30- Who, in Andrew’s opinion, are the best bullet players in the world? Mentioned: GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Alireza Firouzja, GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM Daniel Naroditsky, FM OrangeGhost (not OrangeCrush, as I said) 16:15- How does GM Andrew Tang describe his exchanges with GM Magnus Carlsen ? Mentioned: FIDE World Rapid and Blitz, Watch Andrew’s OTB Blitz Match with Magnus here 20:00- What are Andrew’s goals in Classical chess, if any? What are his professional plans for life after college? 23:30- 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%. 24:00- Chessmood offers 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. 25:00- How seriously does Andrew take his blitz game? How did he develop his tactical vision? Mentioned: Episode 164 with IM John Bartholomew 29:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Do you have any advice for getting better at time management in blitz?” 33:00- Does Andrew plan on playing in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz if it happens? 39:30- 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/ 40:00- Who is the strongest player Andrew has ever played in classical chess? Mentioned: GM Le Quang Liem, GM Wesley So, GM Alireza Firouzja, GM Nikola Mitkov 44:00- What was it like to have IM John Bartholomew as a coach? 47:30- What are Andrew’s most memorable online bullet escapades? 51:00- Quick hitter round. Andrew answers Twitter questions relating to browser tabs, playing chess against prisoners, blindfold chess, and his upcoming schedule. Mentioned: Video of GM Andrew Tang playing blindfold UltraBullet 1:10:00- Thanks to Andrew for coming on the show! Here is how to keep up with him: Twitch- https://www.twitch.tv/penguingm1 YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcJxY7NovRrYCsxyl6qaFLA Twitter- https://twitter.com/penguingm1 Email- Penguingm1 at gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 243- GM Anna Muzychuk
GM Anna Muzychuk is the winner of 3 FIDE World Championship events, and is consistently amongst the highest-rated woman players in the world. In 2012, Anna made history when she became the 4th Woman in history to cross the 2600 FIDE rating. After a lull during the Covid-quarantine, Anna has been actively competing again, and she made a deep run in the FIDE World Cup. Anna came in 4th place in this prestigious event, which earned her a coveted spot in the 2022 Women’s Candidates Tournament. The winner of that Candidates Tournament will challenge GM Ju Wenjun for the Women's World Championship title. As we discuss, Anna’s schedule of competitions is generally packed, but the Covid quarantine gave her a chance to try out commentating, Twitch streaming and even organizing a tournament, with her sister GM Mariya Muzychuk. We discuss which new hobbies Anna is likely to stick with, as well as her thoughts on many recent and upcoming events, and, of course, Queen’s Gambit. As always, timestamps and the details of all that we covered can be found below. 0:00- We discuss the recent FIDE Women’s World Cup and the 2022 Candidates Tournament for the Women's World Championship. Mentioned: GM Ju Wenjun, GM Tatev Abrahamyan 13:00- Anna’s training regimen Mentioned: Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual, Theory and Practice of Chess Endings by GM Alexander Panchenko, the books of GM Jacob Aagaard, Chess Calculation Training: Middlegame by GM Romain Eduoard,and Learn from GM Michal Krasenkow . 19:00- What is it like to frequently play her friends and her sister in Elite Women’s events? Mentioned: GM Mariya Muzychuk, IM Elisabeth Paehtz, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina 23:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com. Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel here. 24:00- Anna’s upcoming tournament schedule. 28:30- Patreon mailbag question: “How have you balanced competing and preparing for top women events with trying to improve your chess level by playing significantly stronger opponents? Mentioned: 2021 European Club Cup 31:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What has led to her decisions regarding which country to represent?” Mentioned: Boris Kutin, GM Levon Aronian, GM Alireza Firouzja 38:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com More info on the How to Chess podcast here: https://howtochess.com/ 39:00- 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%. 40:00- Anna and Mariya’s parents are both professional chess trainers, Anna shares a bit about the way she and her sister were taught as kids. 48:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How should club level players approach game analysis?” 55:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is the key to calculating at an elite level?” 57:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What did Anna think of Queen’s Gambit? Did Beth Harmon’s life resemble Anna’s in any way?” Mentioned: GM Garry Kasparov visits US Chess Girls Club 1:06:00 -Anna famously refused to play in the 2017 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz in Saudi Arabia when she would have been required to wear a hijab and an abaya during the tournament competition. Patreon mailbag question: “Does she think that her stance helped change things?” Mentioned: Anna’s Facebook Post is here 1:11:00- Anna discusses the first annual Muzychuk’s Sisters Cup, in Ukraine. Mentioned: Read more here 1:14:00- What are Anna’s plans for her Twitch channel? Mentioned: Challenger’s Chess Cup 1:22:00- Thanks to Anna for joining the show! Here are the best ways to keep up with her. Twitch channel- https://www.twitch.tv/annamuzychuk Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/anna.muzychuk.9, Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/anna_muzychuk.official/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 242- GM Surya Ganguly
GM Surya Ganguly is one of the top players in India, and was the India national champion for 6 consecutive years starting in 2003! He has won countless medals in National team events, and was the Asian champion in 2009. GM Ganguly also works actively as a trainer, and most notably, worked on the preparation team of of GM Viswanthan Anand for the 2008, 2010 and 2012 World Championship Matches. Given this unique experience, I couldn’t wait to hear GM Ganguly’s insightful reflections on the upcoming World Championship match. GM Ganguly is also an active trainer for us non-World Champions, and in fact, has recently released his first Chessable course, Lifetime Repertoires: Nimzo/Semi-Tarrasch. Last but not least, Surya is a founding trainer of ProChessTraining.com. This experience informs Surya’s ability to share some useful tips for young chess talents and adult improvers alike. Please read on for more details and timestamps. 0:00- World Championship Match Talk! As a former member of GM Anand’s World Championship team, what would a prep team’s routine look like 100 days before the match? Mentioned: The Anand Files, Mind Master, Episode 156 with FM Michiel Abeln, Episode 177 with GM Peter Heine Nielsen, Surya’s YouTube show, In Conversation with GM Viswanathan Anand, GM Peter Leko, Challenger’s Chess Tour with Kramnik and Polgar 23:00- Patreon mailbag question- Does Surya think that his past work on World Championship Teams makes him more likely to be hired on another team? 25:30- 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%. 26:00- Perpetual Chess is also 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- What does Surya mean when he says, in his new Chessable course, “Memorization without understanding is a sin.” Mentioned: Lifetime Repertoires Nimzo and Ragozin 38:00- 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/ 38:30- What is the vision behind ProChessTraining, which Surya has launched with GM Ramesh R.B. and GM Magesh Panchanathan? 51:00- How does Surya advice to budget one’s chess study time? 58:00- When Surya was 9 years old, Surya worked on the demonstration board when GM Anand came to Kolkata for an elite tournament. What does Surya remember about this experience? Mentioned: GM Luke McShane, GM Levon Aronian, GM Alexander Grischuk, GM Etienne Bacrot, GM Ruslan Ponomariov, GM Sergei Azarov, GM Mark Paragua, GM Paco Vallejo 1:01:00- Surya tells a memorable story of playing a 13 year old Magnus Carlsen in 2004. Mentioned: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1283190, GM Yevgeniy Vladimirov 1:05:00- Patreon mailbag questions: How are Surya’s ping pong skills? Who is his favorite player other than Anand? Mentioned: GM Bobby Fischer 1:07:00- GM Ganguly did not have a coach until he was already a titled player. What was it like to workwith legendary GM Alexei Shirov? 1:10:00- Thanks to GM Surya Ganguly for joining us. You can root for him in the following upcoming tournaments Sharjah Masters 2021, Bundesliga, and the FIDE Grand Swiss. Here are the other links you might find helpful: Pro Chess Training: https://prochesstraining.com/ Surya’s Chessable Course: https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-nimzosemi-tarrasch-part-1/course/66522/ Surya’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/suryachess64?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Surya’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suryasekharchess/?hl=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 241- FM Peter Giannatos (Adult Improver Series)
This week on Perpetual Chess, we have two interviews in one for you! Return guest, FM Peter Giannatos, who many know as the founder and head of the award-winning Charlotte Chess Center and Scholastic Academy, is also an extremely accomplished adult improver, and in the first half of this interview, Peter shares many inspirational words and his best chess improvement advice. As we discuss, in the past decade, Peter has made the difficult climb from 2100 to 2390 USCF! Peter has also improved his blitz game, but, as Peter explains, he does not think that requires the same skill set as playing slower tournament games. In the second half of the interview we turn our attention to Peter's new book and Chessable course.. It is a great resource for newer chess players and chess teachers. Last, but definitely not least, we discuss the current system for players seeking to earn the Grandmaster title. There has been a fair bit of conversation and controversy on this topic of late, so it was great to have one of the world’s leading organizer’s of “norm tournaments' ' help us separate fact from fiction. 0:00- Peter shares his beginnings in tournament chess and discusses the 2 major rating plateaus he faced (Approximately 1600 and 2100 USCF) Mentioned: Episode 201 with FM Peter Giannatos, Episode 151 with JJ Lang, Matthew Noble, On the Origin of Good Moves, A First Book of Morphy, NM Dominique Myers, Noel Studer’s Blog 16:45- Peter talks about how his chess evolved in his 20s and the ways that GM Ben Finegold and GM Alexander Shabalov helped Peter improve Mentioned: Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos, 26:30- How do adult improvers approach chess improvement differently from kids? Mentioned: #chesspunks, Neal Bruce 33:00- How did Peter change his opening repertoire once he started working with GM Alexander Shabalov? 37:45- 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%. 38:15- Perpetual Chess is also 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. 40:00- How many hours per week did Peter study while his rating was climbing? Mentioned: Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual, Perfect Your Chess 48:00- How does Peter adapt his game for speed chess? Mentioned: Simple Chess, How to Reassess Your Chess 57:00- Recommendations for players rated below 1600 Mentioned: Step 2 Thinking Ahead, Forcing Chess Moves 1:05:00- 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/ 1:06:30- Peter’s improvement bullet points Play Stronger Players Be willing to change things up and exit your comfort zone Work hard! Do 10-15 minutes puzzles that push yourself (my addition)- find a training partner 1:14:00- We discuss Peter Giannatos’ new book and Chessable course Everyone’s First Chess Workbook, Mentioned: Laszlo Polgar’s Chess, Al Woolum’s Chess Tactics Workbook, Chess Steps Books 1:21:00- We discuss a recent, somewhat controversial New York Times article about how title norms are achieved. Link for the article here Mentioned: GM Abhimanyu Mishra, GM Sergey Karjakin, GM Bobby Fischer, GM Judit Polgar Ian Nepomniatchi’s tweet is here, IM Nikolas Theodorou, GM Nigel Short, IM John Bartholomew . Chess for Charity Jacksonville 1:55:00- Thanks so much to Peter for coming on the show! Here are the links you need to reach Peter or buy his book/course: See a preview of the book here Buy the book here: Buy it in Chessable form here: Follow Peter on Twitch here: Email him here: Peter.giannatos at charlottechesscenter.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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