Chess improvement as an adult is harder than it should be. Plus, the journey can sometimes feel too stressful and serious. This show aims to fix that by 1) interviewing experts who can offer clarity on the best ways to improve; and 2) giving you a heap of fun with “chess entertainment” shows that discuss chess culture, events, movies, etc. Most episodes feature a guest, but sometimes I'll do a solo show on a topic. This is all brought to you by me, Daniel Lona. I’m a dedicated chess amateur and the owner of Adult Chess Academy. After listening to this podcast, I want you to have a clearer idea of how to improve, and have a more fun, dynamic chess experience. Please follow the show so you don’t miss an episode!
Behind The Scenes of Chess Journalism with Vanessa Sun
104 This week’s guest is Vanessa Sun, a former chess journalist. For years, she covered events for US Chess, from major national tournaments like the US Open to local competitions.
She was also a tournament director at the famous Marshall Chess Club in New York City. Plus, she’s volunteered for IM Greg Shahade at the US Chess School, which is a nonprofit that offers free chess coaching to the most promising juniors in the country.
Beyond her chess experiences, she’s an atmospheric chemist and is currently in a Ph.D program.
In this episode, we chat about her chess journey, including:
- What unique insights about chess she’s gained from covering tournaments and doing interviews as a chess journalist.
- Why she prefers classical and calls herself a “blitz hater.”
- Whether there’s any link between playing chess and intelligence.
- The powerful impact chess can have on people’s lives, even if they don’t make a career of it or work on the game regularly.
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