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!
Top Mistakes Made By Club Players (Vol. 1) With NM Dan Heisman
023 Adult improvers, ironically, have limited time to improve. Which is why it’s so helpful to know the answer to this question: “Of all the mistakes we make, which ones are the most important to fix?” That’s what today’s episode is about…Identifying the key mistakes made at the board by adult improvers (most of whom are club players) and finding solutions to them. To help, I’ve brought back for a second time National Master, Dan Heisman. He is the ultimate coach for adult improvers.Dan has written over a DOZEN chess books and has a popular YouTube channel with over 200 videos - all of which are gold.There are very few chess instructors who are as good as Dan Heisman. He gets to the heart of what club players need to improve, and articulates those problems and solutions so well.In fact, there’s so much on this topic to dig into with Dan, that I’m calling this episode Vol. 1, as there will likely be one or two more on the same subject down the road.In this episode, we discuss:How to tell if you’re playing “hope chess.”The sure way to avoid playing too fast.Why do club players overemphasize strategy over tactics?Is it "ok" to spend too much time on openings?--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.--------- Resources Referenced In This EpisodeBook: A Guide to Chess Improvement - Dan HeismanBook: Logical Chess: Move by Move - Irving ChernevBook: Winning Chess Strategy for Kids - Jeff Coakley Video: How Much Strategy Needed to Play Reasonably - Dan HeismanMore Resources From Dan HeismanDan’s WebsiteDan’s YouTube ChannelDan Heisman TV on Chess.com--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
How Aging Affects Chess Improvement with GM Jesse Kraai
022 If you’re over 30, you might wonder: “Will aging affect my chess improvement? Should I adjust my program any differently due to my age?” These are compelling but often difficult questions to answer... On the one hand, we want to be optimistic and aim for whatever chess goal we desire, without concern over biology getting in the way... And, yet, biology is real. Athletes understand this - both amateur and professional alike. Which is why it’s worth taking a look at this subject with clear eyes. To discuss this further, I brought the esteemed Grandmaster Jesse Krai, co-founder of Chess Dojo.In this episode we discuss: Would he coach someone differently if they’re 25 versus 45?Have adult improvers proven the upper limit of their potential yet? Is Viktor Korchnoi’s astonishing late-career run in his 70s instructive for adult improver potential? --------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Where To Find More of Jesse & Chess Dojo’s Content: Chess Dojo - TwitchChess Dojo - YouTubeChess Dojo - TwitterChess Dojo - WebsiteTraining Programs by Chess DojoJesse on TwitterJesse’s novel, Lisa--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Switching Openings & Defeating Rating Plateaus with Daniel Lona
021 This week’s format is different. Every few months, I’ll create a solo episode where I update you on my own chess journey: The top challenges I’m having, the best insights I’ve gained, and the latest wisdom my coaches, Andras Toth & Dan Heisman, have offered me.I’ll try to frame it in ways that benefit you, so that you get a heap of value from listening. This week’s topics:Why I no longer play the French Defense and key resources for determining how/when to change your openings.The top 3 insights from my coaches that'll help me see some massive rating gains.Why dealing with a rating plateau is a true test of character and how I intend to bust through this phase.--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Resources Referenced:NM Dan Heisman, “Selecting An Opening Repertoire” (YouTube Video)IM Andras Toth, “A Big Rant About How to Choose Opening Lines.” (YouTube Video)IM Andras Toth, “Private Lesson with Chess Podcaster Daniel Lona.” (YouTube Video)--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Tournament Advice & Building a Strong Chess Culture with WGM Irene Sukandar
020 You may have first heard of WGM Irene Sukandar in 2021, when her popularity soared after defeating Dewa Kipas, a man who infamously cheated in an online game against IM Levy Rozman.But, in this interview, we discuss what I believe Irene should be what be most well-known for:1) Growing the fame and respect of chess in her home country of Indonesia, and 2) Being an inspiration to chess players throughout the world who wish to make chess a major part of their lives.Irene is a professional player who is a 2-time Asian Woman’s Chess Champion and has been one of Indonesia’s top players for many years.In addition to discussing her incredible rise as one of the most talented players in her country… We also discuss:Her efforts and passion to grow the game in Indonesia (which could be a model for other countries.)How to manage your nerves before an OTB tournament.Hitting “reset” during a tournament if you’ve lost several games.How long after the tournament should you resume studying chess?--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Irene's Online Content: TwitterInstagramWebsite--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Beat the Rating Slump Blues with WIM Anna-Maja Kazarian
019 With so many hours put into our chess practice. The experience of a long-term rating decline or plateau can be frustrating. Even painful. Shouldn’t we see positive rating results if it’s been X number of months or years?Not always.But that doesn’t mean you’re not improving. Or that the tide won’t eventually turn.In this episode, Woman International Master and popular chess streamer, Anna-Maja Kazarian, tell us about her struggle with a long-term rating decline.First, though, we discuss her chess origin story, her rapid ascent as a chess player, and a bit about her Twitch channel.Then we explore the topic of dealing with and overcoming a rating plateau.--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Follow Anna-Maja Here:TwitchYouTubeTwitter InstagramTikTok--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
How to Analyze Your Games with WGM Katerina Nemcova
018 You just finished a Rapid or Classical game. Now it’s time to pluck some hard-earned lessons from the experience. But wait: should you turn on the engine? Annotate the game with notes? Review it intensely for an hour or more? Or maybe just glean one key lesson and call it a day?These issues and more are discussed in this episode with the phenomenal WGM Katerina Nemcova.First, we learn about Katerina’s exciting journey to the top of women’s chess in the Czech Republic. And how she later became one of America’s top female players.In the second half of the interview, she offers helpful tips on how to best analyze our games so we’re not making typical mistakes…--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Follow Katerina Here:Twitter Twitch--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
How to Study Annotated Game Books w/ IM Kostya Kavutskiy
017 Kostya is one of the co-founders of the incredible Chess Dojo. It's a channel and business designed to help chess improvers (most of whom are adults.)In this episode: Why you should bother reading annotated game books.An answer to the age-old question: how many of the endless variations should you go over?Should you read an annotated game book more than once?A rarely talked about benefit to playing classical games that can make a huge impact on your improvement.--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Where To Find More of Kostya/Chess Dojo’s Content: Chess Dojo - TwitchChess Dojo - YouTubeChess Dojo - TwitterChess Dojo - WebsiteTraining Programs by Chess DojoKostya on TwitterKostya’s Endgames courseKostya’s Book--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
The Journey of a World-Class Chess Commentator w/ WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili
0016 Offering live commentary of world-class chess is no easy task. Your audience is often club-level players and beginners. So, you'll have to strike a balance between explaining obscure GM strategy…While also delivering fun commentary that keeps your viewers engaged…That’s what this week's guest, WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili, does all the time for Chess.com and FIDE. In this episode, we dive into the story of a commentator for these incredible events.Keti makes top-level chess easy to follow for those of us who were never pros…Plus, she has an incredible, positive energy that makes listening to her a pleasure. In this episode we discuss: How Keti got unexpectedly swept into commentating for chess’ elite tournaments.Balancing commentary of world-class chess events for all skill levels.Keti’s top advice for all adult improvers.--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Where To Find More of Keti’s Content: Keti’s Twitch ChannelKeti on TwitterKeti on Instagram--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Common Mistakes Made By Adult Improvers (& How To Fix Them) With FM Peter Giannatos
015 All chess players struggle to improve. But there are some mistakes made along the way that are unique to adults. Thankfully, there are easy solutions that’ll remove these roadblocks and get you back on the road to faster improvement…To help identify and fix these mistakes, I interview the straight-talking FM Peter Giannatos…Peter is the founder of the Charlotte Chess Center, a powerhouse chess club in the United States.Plus, he’s the author of the book & course, Everyone’s First Chess Workbook, which is phenomenal for folks under 1200 who want to master their basic tactics and checkmates.In today’s episode we discuss: Six key mistakes adult improvers make and solutions to each one.How to better manage (maybe even eliminate!) a fear of losing in chess. Why poor opening play or weak strategy doesn’t matter if you’re below 1200 Chess.com Rapid. The #1 way to speed up your chess progress.--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Where To Find More of Peter’s Content: Book: Everyone’s First Chess WorkbookCourse: Everyone’s First Chess WorkbookCharlotte Chess CenterPeter on Twitter--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
WGM Jennifer Shahade: Unstoppable Chess Queens & Rare Tips to Improve w/
014 Today you get a 2-topic episode: 1) Adult chess improvement tips from WGM Jennifer Shahade; and 2) A discussion on her new book, Chess Queens, about the celebration & deeper understanding of women in chess.There’s hardly anyone who has done more to make this game more inclusive for women and girls than Jennifer...She’s a true inspiration in our community.Not only is she a 2-time US Women’s Champion and Woman Grandmaster…Jennifer has also tirelessly spent the past two decades improving chess culture for females everywhere…In today’s episode we discuss: The little-used secret to better performance in your games without having to spend more time improving your chess. Redefining what it means to be “great at chess” (it’s not just ELO!) The impact she wants her book to have on the chess world. --------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Where To Find More of Jennifer’s Content: Book: Chess QueensPodcast: Ladies KnightWebsiteTwitterFacebookInstagram--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Mental Strength, Positivity, & Banning the Haters with FM James Canty
013 There’s a small percentage of people who can inspire us to be better at chess. One of those rare folks is FM James Canty III. Few would bet money that a guy in his late 20s could go from National Master to Grandmaster.It’s almost never done.Why?Because, like us club players, he grapples with adult responsibilities that make improvement difficult: a full-time job, limited energy, and time.But James is a powerhouse of positivity, discipline, and a tireless work ethic.In this interview, James shares: The single biggest “non-chess” activity you should do to improve your chess.The demystifying truth about people who doubt your goals.The surprising reason James got to be rated 2200 USCF with very little endgame study.--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Where to Find James Canty’s Content: YouTube ChannelTwitch ChannelChess CoursesTwitterInstagramWebsite--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Success Strategies For Adult Improvers With NM James Altucher
012 There are nitty-gritty ways to improve: like focusing on tactics or endgame study. But what about big picture improvement skills? For discussion on that, I brought National Master, James Altucher, who is also a successful author and entrepreneur…James has written several business & personal development books…Most relevant is Skip the Line, which teaches you how to improve at a skill faster than expected…Plus, on his podcast, The James Altucher Show, he talks with highly successful people about the lessons & strategies that helped them achieve so much…Including Garry Kasparov and Judit Polgar!My interview with James covers lessons he's learned from these experiences…Exciting lessons in this episode:Why age is not holding you back from chess improvementHow to emotionally deal with losing in chessA must-know strategy for increasing your speed of improvementWhy your chess journey should be about more than getting better at the game itself--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------More From James Altucher:Book: Skip the LinePodcast: The James Altucher ShowJames’ Website--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
How to Fix Chess’ Gender Gap With Ingrid Gayle (CEO of Girl Boss Chess)
011 We all know chess is for everyone. Yet there are dramatically fewer women and girls in chess…It’s an issue we ought to tackle head-on so we can make the game more welcoming to women and girls.Thankfully, this week’s guest doesn’t just wonder how to solve the problem…Ingrid Gayle, the owner of Girl Boss Chess (GBC), is taking action every day to make chess a better community.How?GBC’s primary mission is to bring more women into the game from the ground up:By giving young girls a safe space where they can learn chess in online classes from top women coaches. In addition, GBC offers private and group coaching to women.In This Week's Episode: What caused Ingrid to dedicate her life to a company focused on bringing chess to girls & women? Why is it important that girls learn chess?Ways men can make the chess community more welcoming to girls & women. Reasons to be hopeful for the future of women & girls in chess. -----------------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Resources from This Episode:The Girl Boss Chess WebsiteCoaching for WomenCoaching for Girls--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
How to Choose an Opening With NM Bryan Tillis
010 Choosing an opening is both exciting and terribly confusing…A new opening is a thrill in chess…But it’s hard to know which opening is best for YOU…What factors should you consider? How long do you stick with an opening before trying something new?How many moves deep should you study? In this episode, I interview someone who I consider to be one of the best opening and all-around chess instructors out there…National Master Bryan Tillis.Bryan helps me answer all of the above questions and more. --------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Where to find Bryan’s Work:All of Bryan’s Chessable coursesBryan’s YouTube ChannelBryan’s Book: Become a Chess ChampionPalm Beach Chess (coaching)--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Making Chess More Entertaining - With Lula Robs
009 Does the chess community need to relax and have more fun with its game? Not long ago, "chess content" meant either a lesson to improve or an update on the latest elite tournaments. It was a very serious affair. Nothing wrong with that. But maybe chess players would like to have an experience that also includes some fun and humor?The past 5 years are proof they do with the boom in “chess entertainment.”And now there’s a new, up-and-comer in this scene: Lula Robs.A fellow adult improver with an ability to create highly creative and hilarious chess content (and a Grandmaster at memes)...Lula is rising fast in the chess world. Her Twitch and Twitter followings have seen exponential growth in the past year.She discusses with me why chess entertainment is a positive for the community, as well as her own journey and story.--------Want to join my exclusive community for adult chess improvers?Chess Improver Monthly offers:Group coaching & game review from titled players to help your chess.Submit guest questions & private episode discussions for The Chess Experience Podcast.Live video chats w/ me & fellow adult improvers to have fun & stay motivated.Much more!Check out all the membership benefits here.---------Where You Can Find Lula: Twitch ChannelYouTube ChannelTwitter AccountInstagram AccountDiscordFanhouse--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)