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!
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5 Keys To Chess Improvement with FM Nate Solon
026 How do you ensure chess improvement? The old magic pill would be nice, but we know that doesn’t exist. The next best thing? Put energy and work into five key areas…This may not guarantee improvement, but doing them will give you the best fighting chance to see results.And, hey, given the mysterious ways of chess improvement, that’s sometimes the best we can do.So, what are the key areas? FM Nate Solon explained them in his 2021 article entitled, The Chess Improvement Checklist.Impressed with the list he created…I thought it would be great to do a deep dive into these core areas and discuss the ins, outs, and whys of this list. Enjoy!--------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.---------Nate is a superb chess player and has written articles for Chess Life and Chessable’s blog. For more of his work:Connect with Nate:Upcoming Book: Evaluate Like a GrandmasterNate’s NewsletterNate’s TwitterArticle: The Chess Improvement Checklist-------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Expanding Chess to More Amateurs & Cultures w/ Naycir (Nigarhan)
025 There are several ways to #GrowTheGame. One is through helping folks play better. Another is to find ways to make chess more appealing and accessible for everyone - regardless of where you live or your skill level.This week’s guest, Nigarhan (or Naycir, as she’s known online), has chosen to make the second option her mission.A fellow adult improver and amateur player herself…Nigarhan has become well-known in chess circles as a streamer with an irresistible wit and passion for the game.She brings top-level humor and a magnetic joy to the sixty-four squares - which is much needed given how difficult this game is.And her chess life doesn’t stop there…Nigarhan is also the Director for International Growth at Chess.com.Impressive, right? There, she helps translate the site’s chess content into dozens of languages. This helps the non-English speaking world more easily learn and enjoy the game.In this episode, we discuss: How she began a full-time job in chess before learning to play.The challenges posed by chess’ over-serious “gatekeepers.”Overcoming her online bullying experiences as a streamer.Nigarhan’s favorite openings (it’s not the London.) --------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.---------Connect with Nigarhan:Twitch channelYouTube channelTwitterInstagram---------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Candidates Recap with WIM Fiona Steil-Antoni
024 The 2022 Candidates was a wild ride. Predictions were shattered. A dominant performance surprised many. And the looming question of “Does second place matter?” hung in the air.For the first time, The Chess Experience is reviewing a world-class tournament!To help discuss the highlights (and lowlights) of the event, along with some lessons that can help club players…I interviewed WIM Fiona Steil Antoni, a professional commentator of top chess events,Fiona has been commentating for the past eight years and now works for Chess.com. Most recently, she had the incredible opportunity to be one of the regular commentators on Hikaru Nakamura's Twitch channel while he competed in the Candidates.In this episode, we discuss: Which players exceeded her expectations? Which fell below them?Three lessons from this event that can help club players in their own tournaments.Fiona’s two favorite games from the event.Should FIDE change the World Championship format to entice Magnus to defend the title?Will Magnus defend his title?--------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.---------Connect with Fiona:Twitch channelYouTube channelTwitterInstagram--------->> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
Update: Next Episode Coming In 2-3 Days (& Keep Going With Your Chess!)
A brief 2-minute update about the next episode (coming later this week) which reviews the Candidates. And a little message of motivation to keep striving with your chess!
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)