Episodios
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with Swedish grandmaster Tiger Hillarp Persson. Tiger is a three-time Swedish champion and has been described as one of the most creative and original players of our game. His creativity is on display in his latest book, “Tiger’s Chaos Theory”, in which, perhaps unsurprisingly, the topic of creativity in chess plays an important role.
Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Tiger talks about creativity, the development of his chess philosophy throughout the years, and how this is reflected in his latest work.
"Tiger's Chaos Theory" is available for purchase on the New In Chess website:
https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=41&q=tigers+chaos+theorhy&cvid=c748d3ce43f94efcaa1629a62b82fa03&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQABhAMgYIAhAAGEAyBggDEAAYQDIGCAQQABhAMgYIBRAAGEAyBggGEAAYQDIGCAcQABhAMgYICBAAGEAyCAgJEOkHGPxV0gEIMzQ3MmowajGoAgCwAgA&FORM=ANNAB1&PC=U531
0:00 – Intro
1:33 – How did Tiger feel when finally holding the book he’d spent so much time working on?
3:04 - Tiger clarifies at what age he started playing chess and recalls playing with his father
5:02 – Why did his parents pick the name Tiger?
9:11 – How did Tiger’s “Tiger’s Chaos Theory” come about?
11:18 – Tiger’s database of his own games that impacted the way he played in the future
14:56 – Why Tiger’s book does not propose a “grand theory” of chess
17:21 – The chapter on queen sacrifices
20:30 - Why a good chess player should strive for objectivity
23:10 – Tiger’s use of metaphors and stories in his writing
26:31 – Why Tiger talks to his pieces, and his students should too
29:43 – Tiger’s scepticism towards material
30:41 – Tiger clarifies certain quotes from the book
31:12 – AD BREAK
33:37 – How does this book relate to Tiger’s other passions, like go and music?
38:40 – Tiger’s humble beginnings and relative disregard for money
42:01 – Tiger’s favourite classical music
46:21 – AD BREAK
47:21 – Why Tiger considers chess more of a science than an art, the role of the engine
58:01 – Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with American IM John Donaldson. At this year’s Olympiad, John will be captaining team USA, the top seeds in Budapest.
John has a long history of captaining the American Olympiad team, making his debut in Dubai in 1986 and leading the team to gold in Baku in 2016. This year will be his fifteenth time accompanying the American team to the event, which he describes as arguably the most exciting chess event in the world.
Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, John looks ahead to this year’s event, analyses each teams’ chances, and shares some Olympiad stories from the past.
0:00 – Intro
1:49 – John explains the significance of the San Francisco Mechanics Institute
5:06 – Why John thinks the Olympiad is the most exciting chess event
7:59 – How did John get his job as the first captain of the US Olympiad team?
13:28 – Was John always the “player-coach”?
15:20 – How does John see his role as captain, and how does this compare to the captain’s role back in the day?
27:05 – AD BREAK
28:03 - This year’s American Olympiad team, the strength of the current playing field and the other frontrunners
32:39 – Netherlands being a remarkable 4th seed in this year’s Olympiad
33:25 – Uzbekistan and Kramnik’s captaincy
36:35 – Norway and Magnus
39:20 – The Olympiad often being a tournament for young stars to break out
40:20 – AD BREAK
40:53 – Last year’s Olympiad in Chennai
41:55 – The many format changes the Olympiad has undergone throughout the years
46:50 – John’s nail-biting experience winning Olympiad gold in 2016
52:18 – What was it like to manage a team of “stars” as John did in 2016?
56:48 – AD BREAK
59:38 – John carrying his passion for reading over to his players
1:02:32 – John’s upcoming book for Bobby Fischer
1:06:59 – Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a riveting interview with the First Lady of Chess, Judit Polgar. With the Olympiad in Judit’s home city Budapest around the corner, it’s hard to think of a better guest!
Judit Polgar is the strongest female chess player of all time. At the age of 15 years and four months she broke Bobby Fischer’s record to become the youngest grandmaster in history. For more than two decades she competed successfully with the very best and became the first and only woman ever to enter the world top-10. In her career she defeated eleven(!) current or former World Champions in classical or rapid chess.
Judit retired from professional chess in 2014 but continues to be one of the most beloved ambassadors of the game. Judit also organises the Global Chess Festival, which will be held for the tenth time during this year’s Budapest Olympiad.
Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Judit shares Olympiad memories, speaks about the philosophy of her festival and sketches the outlines of a new title system to erase the difference between Open and Women’s competitions.
0:00 – Intro
2:10 - How are Judits days filled in Budapest with the Olympiad coming up?
5:18 - What makes the Global Chess Festival in Budapest so special?
9:20 - What is Judits motivation for organising the festival?
13:25 - How did Judit react to the news of the Olympiad being held in Budapest?
15:15 - Why the Olympiad is a great place to meet old friends
17:04 - The Olympiad's unique atmosphere and the Bermuda party
19:06 - How does Judit remember her first Olympiad as a young girl?
22:02 - Did Judits success improve the family's relationship with Hungarian authorities?
23:47 - AD BREAK
24:20 - Judits as a pioneer for women players
26:18 - "Polgaria"
30:46 - The adjustment of playing the Olympiad with men
33:27 - What does Judit think of women's events?
37:45 - Judit suggests abolishing women's titles
41:41 - How does Judit reflect on her Olympiad achievements?
45:30 - Bled
46:36 - AD BREAK
47:35 - Judits experiences as Hungarian team captain
55:12 - Who are Judits favorites and dark horses?
1:00:20 - Magnus's participation
1:03:32 - The Chinese team
1:05:38 - Do Judits female mentees have the same passion and discipline for the game as the young men?
1:07:30 - Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with Indian grandmaster Vishnu Prasanna, better known as Coach Vishnu. Vishnu is best known as the first trainer of Gukesh D, who will challenge reigning champion Ding Liren for the world title later this year. Vishnu has deep ties to the Indian city of Chennai, where he and his wife operate the Vishnu Chess Academy.
Interviewed by our brand new host Jacob Aagaard, Vishnu talks about his school, the city of Chennai, and the meteoric rise of Gukesh.
0:00 – Intro
4:10 – Chennai as a chess city
5:42 – The importance of Vishy Anand for the city of Chennai
7:18 – Gukesh’s formative years
10:40 – Vishnu’s coaching methods with Gukesh
13:15 – What was the role of the engine in their training sessions?
16:13 – AD BREAK
17:06 – What caused the split between Vishnu and Gukesh?
25:10 – Vishnu’s family life and other business ventures
29:30 – Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a narration from “The Essential Sosonko”, a collection of chess portraits based on personal stories authored by chess grandmaster Genna Sosonko.
This week’s episode features the first half of the story of legendary World Champion Capablanca. José Raúl Capablanca (1888–1942) was a Cuban chess prodigy who became the third World Chess Champion, reigning from 1921 to 1927. Often referred to as the "Human Chess Machine" due to his exceptional endgame skills and nearly flawless technique, Capablanca is celebrated for his natural talent and intuitive grasp of the game. His crowning achievement was his victory over Emanuel Lasker in 1921, which made him the World Chess Champion. Known for his clarity of play and the ability to exploit the smallest of advantages, Capablanca was unbeaten in tournament play from 1916 to 1924, an unprecedented record. Though he lost the title to Alexander Alekhine in 1927, Capablanca's contributions to chess theory, especially in the endgame, remain highly influential. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest natural talents in the history of chess.
"The Essential Sosonko" is available in its entirety on the New In Chess website: https://www.newinchess.com/the-essential-sosonko
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This week's episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a narration from Genna Sosonko's “The Essential Sosonko” on Lev Polugaevsky.
An expert on the Sicilian Defence, Polugaevsky wrote two books on the opening and has one variation named after him. He was one of the strongest chess players of the late 1960s and early 1970s, but had to bow to his nemesis Viktor Korchnoi twice in the Candidates Tournament.
Narrated by professional voice actor Nick Murphy, in “‘I must work, I must work…’” Sosonko shows us the struggles of a world-class player plagued with human features: from excessive awe for his opponents to the bad timing of occasional absent-mindedness.
"The Essential Sosonko" is available for purchase on the New In Chess website:
https://www.newinchess.com/the-essential-sosonko
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with American FIDE master and chess author Charles Hertan. Charles’s latest work “The Real Paul Morphy” focuses on the life and career of one of the most enigmatic figures in chess history.
Paul Morphy (1837-1884) learned chess at a young age and quickly made a name for himself as a prodigious talent. Known for his brilliant, aggressive style and deep understanding of the game, Morphy quickly vanquished all opposition in the United States. At one point, he travelled from his native New Orleans to Europe to seek stronger opposition, but to no avail. When a match with Howard Staunton did not materialise, Morphy, age 22, returned to the United States and promptly retired from chess to start a legal career. He would repeatedly decline invitations to return to competitive chess, even as his law practice failed to pick up steam. In his later years, Morphy developed severe mental illness and died at the young age of 47. His short but brilliant career would earn him the nickname “The Pride and Sorrow of Chess”, which has stuck to this day.
Charles Hertan is not only good at chess and writing, he has also worked as a psychotherapist, which informs much of his understanding of Morphy’s eccentric mind. Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Charles takes us deeper into his writing process and gives his assessment of Paul Morphy as a chess player and human.
“The Real Paul Morphy” is now available for purchase on the New In Chess website: https://www.newinchess.com/the-real-paul-morphy
Timestamps
0:00 – Intro
1:43 – How did the concept for “The Real Paul Morphy” come about?
2:55 – How good was Morphy in Charles’s estimation?
5:00 – Morphy’s incredible natural talent
10:25 – Morphy’s dominance in the US and first European tournaments
13:01 – AD BREAK
13:53 – Morphy’s gentle personality
17:19 – Why did the match with Howard Staunton fall through, according to Charles?
19:20 – The difficult character of Howard Staunton
24:11 – Frederick Milnes Edge
29:03 – AD BREAK
30:26 – Morphy’s mental illness, comparison with Fischer
35:40 – Morphy’s later years as a psychotic
38:15 – The women’s shoes myth
40:41 – Can we draw a connection between Morphy’s brilliance and madness?
44:00 – Morphy’s disdain for chess as a hobby worthy of pursuing as an occupation
49:40 – AD BREAK
50:12 – Charles’s desire to keep Morphy’s legacy alive
55:20 – The “romantic” label, Charles’s assessment of Morphy, Staunton and Anderssen
58:10 – Morphy’s influence on the game, Wilhelm Steinitz
1:00:10 – Will Charles write about Pillsbury next?
1:02:20 – Outro
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This week's episode of the New In Chess Podcast features the second half of the narration from Genna Sosonko's “The Essential Sosonko” on Mikhail Botvinnik.
Continuing where we ended two weeks ago, we find Botvinnik giving his perception on several his chess colleagues. He then proceeds to talk about other matters that are close to his heart, such as the future of computer chess and his own painful losses.
Narrated by professional voice actor Nick Murphy, in “His Journey to Immortality” Sosonko does recites a long monologue given by the former World Champion himself, in a way making this chapter a double autobiography.
00:00 Introduction01:18 Botvinnik's position to the divide between Karpov and Kasparov04:34 Botvinnik's regards on Kramnik, Shirov and Beliavsky07:27 Botvinnik defused Bronstein, Smyslov and Tal09:35 How Botvinnik took care of himself12:13 Botvinnik on the future of computer chess13:03 AD BREAK13:56 Botvinnik's relation with and views on politics17:31 What old age meant to Botvinnik23:08 Botvinnik remembered his painful losses24:28 Botvinnik's principles and convictions27:17 AD BREAK27:50 To understand Botvinnik is to understand him in the context of his time30:44 The last time Sosonko met Botvinnik34:30 Botvinnik’s death and the journey to immortality -
This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with FIDE Master Jimmy Adams. Jimmy has had a rich career in chess publishing, both as an editor (CHESS magazine, Batsford and others) and as a writer and compiler of countless books. Among his best-known books published by New In Chess are impressive tomes on Breyer, Chigorin and Zukertort. His latest chess-historical gem is an impressive four-volume set dedicated to the career of late Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres.
Paul Keres is regarded by many as the strongest chess player to never win a world championship. His impressive play and charming personality made him a popular figure both in and outside the chess world. When he died at the relatively young age of 59, a crowd of 100,000 Estonians turned out for his funeral procession in Tallinn. However, his life was also marred by stress and health issues, brought on in a large part by the suffocating grip of the Soviet regime on chess.
Together with Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Jimmy reflects on the life and career of “Paul the Second”, which includes various personal encounters with Keres as well as many stories involving other legendary players, including Fischer, Korchnoi and even Capablanca.
Jimmy's full Paul Keres series will be published in november and can be pre-ordered at a 20% discount on the New In Chess website: https://www.newinchess.com/keres
0:00 – Intro2:40 – Jimmy’s initial obsession with Paul Keres5:15 – What attracted Jimmy to Keres specifically?8:45 – Meeting Keres personally15:20 – Keres’s hilarious Capablanca anecdote17:02 – AD BREAK18:10 – Keres’s love of tennis, attending the Wimbledon final20:45 – More funny anecdotes about Reti, Flohr24:05 – Was Keres politically pressured by the Soviet regime to not defeat Botvinnik?28:55 – Keres’s constant harassment by the KGB31:53 – AD BREAK33:58 – Keres’s best results36:20 – Keres’s personal issues40:30 – The things that surprised Jimmy the most about Keres43:15 – Jimmy’s discussion with Korchnoi about Keres44:00 – Why was Keres always the “eternal second”?45:49 – Keres’s friendship with Spassky48:25 – Keres’s fluency in several languages50:33 – Jimmy tells a hilarious story about Fischer and Najdorf53:26 – AD BREAK54:06 – Keres’s relationship with Fischer1:00:10 – Keres’s great annotations1:03:16 – Keres’s legacy, large state funeral in Estonia1:07:57 – Outro -
This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a narration from “The Essential Sosonko”, a collection of chess portraits based on personal stories authored by chess grandmaster Genna Sosonko.
This episode is the first of a two-part story about Mikhail Botvinnik. He won the 1948 World Chess Championship tournament and thus became the sixth World Chess Champion, thereby succeeding Alekhine who had died two years prior. He lost and regained the title twice – to Smyslov and Tal respectively – before he was ultimately dethroned by Petrosian in 1963.
In that same year, Botvinnik founded his own chess school, which ensured that the Soviet Union dominated the world of chess for many years to come. The “Soviet School of Chess” has world champions such as Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik among its graduates, as well as many other Grandmasters.
Next to his chess career, Botvinnik was very interested in engineering. He sought to combine the two and became one of the pioneers in the world of computer chess. Thanks to his endeavours on computer chess, Botvinnik was awared an honorary degree in mathematics in 1991, at the age of 80.
In this episode, Sosonko talks of his personal contacts with Botvinnik. He then takes a step back and gives the stage to Botvinnik himself. “The Engineer” talks of his youth in St. Petersburg, his becoming acquainted with the game of chess, and the often difficult relationships with his rivals.
Enjoy this week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast! Remember, you can find us on popular platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts, making it convenient for you to browse the chapters and listen to your favourite parts.
The hardcopy version of "The Essential Sosonko" is available for purchase in its entirety on the New In Chess website:
https://www.newinchess.com/the-essential-sosonko
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:23 - Genna plays a game with Botvinnik for the Dutch national television
04:43 - “Misha” Botvinnik's visit to Amsterdam in 1989
07:28 - Genna meets with Botvinnik in Moscow in 1988
09:48 - Botvinnik talks about his family
15:25 - Botvinnik learns chess; having to deal with anti-Semitism
17:17 - AD BREAK
17:49 - A 9-year-old Misha becomes interested in Russian literature
20:23 - How Botvinnik met his wife thanks to music
23:13 - Botvinnik remarks on his connections with the Russian composers
26:36 - Botvinnik begins his chess journey
29:04 - Botvinnik's strained relationships with Bronstein, Levenfish, Romanovsky, Petrosian, Smyslov, and Euwe
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with American grandmaster Robert Hess. A former US #5 with a peak FIDE rating of 2639, Robert is renowned as one of Chess.com’s star commentators, covering its largest events such as the World Chess Championship and the Candidates Tournament. Growing up in New York City, Robert showed promise in chess at an early age, but he credits his success to one man in particular: the late Soviet-born American grandmaster and coach Miron Sher (1952-2020).
Miron Sher, together with his wife and son, emigrated from Ukraine to the United States and settled in Brooklyn, New York in 1997. There, he would foster the talent of Robert and, among others, Fabiano Caruana. The book “Dream Moves: Eye-Opening Chess Lessons For Improvers” is a collection of instructive chess materials that Miron gave to his students. Thanks to the tireless work of his wife Alla and son Mikhail, New In Chess is now able to posthumously publish Miron’s work. With hundreds of exercises ranging from easy to very difficult, Dream Moves is both an instructive work for improving players and a sentimental window into the life and teachings of one of chess’s most beloved coaches.
Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Robert reflects warmly on his personal experiences with Miron as both a coach and a human. He also talks about his career as a commentator and how Miron’s lessons continue to inform his approach to the game.
“Dream Moves: Eye-Opening Chess Lessons for Improvers” is available at a 20% discounted rate in the New In Chess web shop. Click the link below and enter the code “DREAM20” to claim your discount!
https://www.newinchess.com/dream-moves
0:00 - Intro
1:52 - What Miron Sher meant to Robert and his other students
5:20 - How Miron would teach different students differently
8:56 - Robert's fondest memory of Miron
11:00 - Miron's love of his family
14:33 - "It's very Miron to not speak about his difficulties", the respect Miron earned in the chess community
19:28 - Miron taking early notice of Robert's fighting mentality
21:35 - Robert's part in having the book published after Miron's passing
25:45 - The structure of the book, Miron "tricking" his students and how his teachings continue to inspire Roberts play and commentary
29:00 - The "20% rule" and the "Dream Move"
32:30 - How Miron would incorporate "themes" into his material and the lasting impact on Robert's play
37:13 - AD BREAK
37:45 - How Robert incorporates Miron's teachings into his commentary
42:06 - Does Robert have a favourite event to commentate on?
44:50 - How difficult is it to analyse bullet games in real-time and, conversely, how does Robert keep his commentary interesting during slower-paced classical games?
45:48 - Robert's ideal commentary setup
48:05 - How does Robert see the game of chess develop in the forthcoming years?
52:00 – The lack of statistics as a preparatory tool in chess
53:53 – What does Robert like about chess’s recent development in the mainstream?
58:10 – Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a narration from “The Essential Sosonko”, a collection of chess portraits based on personal stories authored by chess grandmaster Genna Sosonko. In this episode Sosonko draws up a portrait of the ninth World Champion Tigran Petrosian. Lauded by the Armenian populus as a national hero, Tigran often found himself accompanied by fans wherever he went.
Petrosian turned prophylaxis into a trademark of his playing style, which gained him the nickname “Iron Tigran” as well as several tribute books. Refining many defensive and prophylactic ideas, he raised the positional Exchange sacrifice into an art form.
"The Main Thing Is Happiness" focuses on Petrosian's personal background. Born in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, to parents from Armenia, he lived in Moscow for most of his life. This begs the question as to Petrosian's nationality, especially now that the Soviet Union as an entity no longer exists.
Enjoy this week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast! Remember, you can find us on popular platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, making it convenient for you to browse the chapters and listen to your favourite parts.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:17 Petrosian was celebrated
as an Armenian hero
06:33 The reception by the people when Petrosian became World Chess Champion
10:35 "Our Tigran": Petrosian did not belong to just one country
12:31 Petrosian the Polyglot
13:56 AD BREAK
14:29 Petrosian's friendship with composer Arno B
abajanian
15:46 The Armenian-Jewish combination
17:02 Khrushchev's joke and Mikoyan's warning
19:31 How Petrosian's life might have been if he had still been alive today
22:35 Petrosian in anticipation of his demise
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Dear Chess Friend,
This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with grandmaster Jan Timman. One of the world’s leading players during the 80’s and 90’s, Jan was at some point considered the best non-Soviet chess player in the world, acquiring the nickname “The Best of the West”. Jan is also an active chess author and composer, and still spends much of his time creating endgame studies. However, at 72 years of age, Jan is far from a spent force in competition: with a FIDE rating of 2527, Jan is currently gearing up to participate in his seventeenth Dutch championship, of which he has won nine in the past.
Together with Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Jan reflects on his experiences as a world-class player, his encounters with eccentric figures like Hein Donner, and his preparatory work for what may just be his tenth national championship.
0:00 – Intro
2:02 – Participating in the Dutch national championship again
4:03 – How did Jan work on his chess in the pre-computer era?
11:44 – Hein Donner stories
23:05 – Max Euwe stories
26:00 – Jan’s father’s initial objections to his chess career
29:25 – Jan’s brother, FIDE master Ton Timman
31:17 – AD BREAK
31:48 - Winning his first national championship fifty years ago, dominating the Dutch chess scene
35:41 – The rise (and stagnation) of rival Dutch players like Piket, Van Wely, Nikolic and Sokolov
38:07 – Gearing up for his first Dutch championship in 18 years
42:19 – When did Jan achieve his peak?
43:44 – What were Jan’s weaknesses as a player?
45:06 – Why did Jan’s contemporaries not achieve the same success?
47:00 – Does Jan still enjoy the game as much as before?
48:08 – Jan’s passion for composing endgame studies
50:36 – The upcoming Dutch championship
52:31 – Jan’s dream tournament and Kasparov's menacing stare
56:02 – Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. One of the few bona fide chess superstars of the current era, Hikaru is the world’s 3rd ranked player with a June 2024 FIDE rating of 2794, and was one of the frontrunners to win this year’s Candidates Tournament. Other over-the-board successes include five US titles and a victory in the 2022 Fischer Random World Championship.
In addition to his achievements as a player, Hikaru has built up a highly lucrative career as an online chess content creator, streaming live games and providing real-time analyses of top-level games, including his own. With his exciting style of play, extraverted personality and legitimate world-class playing strength, Hikaru has emerged from the 2020’s chess boom as perhaps the biggest voice in online chess, all the while maintaining (and some would say improving) his over-the-board performance.
While participating in the recent Norway Chess tournament, Hikaru sat down with Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam for an impromptu podcast. Armed with only a mobile phone and a quiet room, Dirk Jan and Hikaru nonetheless managed to create an engaging piece of chess content that we’re sure the listener will enjoy!
0:00 – Intro
1:34 – How does Hikaru feel about the increasing prevalence of non-classical tournament play, like blitz, rapid and Fischerandom?
3:57 – The importance of sponsors and online viewership to further the growth of chess
6:14 – The start of Hikaru’s streaming career
8:25 – How does Hikaru stay motivated and energetic for his online content?
11:03 – Streaming during big tournaments
13:53 – How does Hikaru cope with losses?
15:15 – How does Hikaru’s newfound wealth affect his play?
19:56 – Why some players get “stuck” in chess
23:23 – Hikaru gives Dirk Jan a proper, YouTube-style introduction
23:35 – Is it hard for Hikaru to recap his own losses?
27:23 – The origins of “Gucci Piano” and “Fiancheeto”
29:27 – AD BREAK
30:05 – How long will the current chess boom last?
32:49 – Does Hikaru ever get too caught up in social media numbers?
34:18 – The relative lack of “big stars” in chess
36:23 – Hikaru’s personal and professional relationship with Magnus
38:22 – Hikaru’s criticism of the classical + Armageddon format used at Norway Chess
40:25 – Why does Hikaru like classical so much?
41:35 – Hikaru’s expectations for up-and-comers like Pragg, Erigaisi and Abdusattorov
46:03 – Fischerandom
47:00 – Indian chess
49:39 – Will Hikaru actually retire at 40?
53:18 – Outro
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This week's episode of the New In Chess Podcast delves into the life and career of one of the greatest chess-players of all time: Garry Kasparov. The "Beast of Baku", whose matches with Anatoly Karpov meant a redefining of the format of the World Championship match, was feared by many for his deep preparation and knowledge in the opening.
After announcing his retirement from chess in 2005, Kasparov pursued his political ideals. His fierce opposition of the practices of the Russian political elite has forced him to leave Russia. But his energy and fierceness are nonetheless as strong as they have always been.
With "His Unlimited Struggle" Genna presents a rather belated 55th birthday present to the thirteenth World Chess Champion: Kasparov turned 60 mere months before The Essential Sosonko was released.
Enjoy this week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast! Remember, you can find us on popular platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, making it convenient for you to browse the chapters and listen to your favourite parts.
00:00 - Introduction
01:23 - "The worst of the vices is to be over 55 years old"
05:26 - How Garry became as good as he was
07:39 - Garry set the standard with his dedication to the study and preparation of the opening
09:51 - Sosonko's impressions of "Garik"
11:27 - Garry dominates the world of chess for 15 years
12:45 - Garry retires from chess
13:09 - Going into politics: Garry is forced to leave Russia
14:15 - AD BREAK
14:47 - Chess is only one of Garry's outstanding talents
17:33 - "I won't spare myself": Garry's unlimited struggle
19:45 - Smear campaign in Russia: the chess speaks for itself, and time will tell
25:37 - 10 years of having left Russia
28:01 - Garry's move to the United States
29:17 - "One has to live long..."
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with Norwegian grandmaster Simen Agdestein. Simen made history by becoming the first Norwegian chess grandmaster in 1985. A nine-time Norwegian chess champion, Simen also had a notable career in professional football, representing the Norwegian national team nine times. Additionally, he has been credited with discovering and fostering the talent of Magnus Carlsen, becoming the latter’s first chess coach.
Two weeks ago, Atle Grønn appeared on the New In Chess Podcast to discuss “Games and Goals: the Fascinating Chess and Football Careers of Simen Agdestein”, a reflection on Simen’s dual professional careers and influence on the game of chess. Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, this week Simen is here himself to talk about the book, his own career achievements and regrets, as well as the past and future of Norwegian chess.
"Games and Goals" is available for purchase on the New In Chess website:
https://www.newinchess.com/games-and-goals
0:00 – Intro
3:25 – How did “Games and Goals” come about?
7:09 – Becoming the first Norwegian grandmaster
11:55 – Simen’s professional football career and the pressures of combining two high-level sports
19:03 – Simen’s career regrets
22:59 – His knee injury and retirement from football
27:55 – AD BREAK
28:37 – How it feels to play football against all-time greats like Baresi and Maldini
31:03 – Simen’s image in the media and reflections on his football career
37:32 – Being the “clown” of the Norwegian football team
40:18 – Discovering Magnus
43:47 – The Norwegian school of chess
47:37 – Comparing Magnus to the greatest players before him
49:37 – Elham Amar: the next Magnus?
53:15 – Winning the Norwegian championship for the 9th time in 2023
58:01 – Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with British grandmaster Matthew Sadler. Often called “the strongest amateur in the world”, Matthew, a two-time British chess champion, has retired from playing full-time with a more-than-respectable FIDE rating of 2694.
Despite his inactivity as a player, Matthew is far from done with chess. In addition to his own writings (the most notable of which is Game Changer, a game analysis of Google’s AI-powered AlphaZero engine), Matthew also actively reviews the work of other chess authors, from highly technical endgame books to biographies and more personal chess stories. His review column in the New In Chess Magazine is amongst the publication’s most popular rubrics. Interviewed by Dirk-Jan ten Geuzendam, Matthew talks about chess literature, his own personal favorites, and his process for reviewing the work of other authors, among other things.
0:00 – Intro
2:05 – Matthew’s work in IT
5:08 – Why Matthew hasn’t played since COVID
6:47 – The role of (chess and non-chess) literature in Matthew’s upbringing
12:20 – Matthew’s music taste, his brother’s career in music
15:55 – The chess books that molded a young Matthew
21:13 – Why the quality of chess literature has drastically improved
26:20 – How should a chess author explain playing styles of less accessible players?
28:06 – How much time does Matthew spend reading chess books?
32:02 – Top players creating their own material, the effects of the computer age
34:54 – Does reading chess biographies help a player become stronger?
40:13 – AD BREAK
40:45 – Why young players should be wary of old literature
46:01 – Should we replace the “one-to-five-star” system with a rating system?
48:15 – Matthew’s favorite chess book of all time
56:19 – Matthew’s other favorites
59:19 – Where does Matthew think chess literature is headed?
1:00:01 – Writing Game Changer
1:05:03 – Which book still urgently needs to be written?
1:07:32 – Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess podcast features an interview with Atle Grønn, the author of Games and Goals, The Fascinating Chess and Football Careers of Simen Agdestein.
Atle Grønn is Professor of Slavic linguistics at the University of Oslo, but he is also a strong chess player - an International Master - and has written several books on chess. In Norway, he is a familiar face on television as chess expert in the live broadcasts of big chess events by NRK.
Games and Goals is the biography of Simen Agdestein, who not only was the greatest Norwegian chess player before Magnus Carlsen appeared on the scene, but who also - and this can safely be called spectacular - had a successful football career. Agdestein won the Norwegian Chess Championship nine times, while as a footballer he played for the Norwegian national team eight times.
Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Atle Grønn talks about his new book, the most remarkable double career of Simen Agdestein, the unique approach of ‘the Norwegian school of chess’, Magnus Carlsen, chess biographies in general and much more.
Games and Goals is available for purchase on the New In Chess website: https://www.newinchess.com/games-and-goals
0:00 – Intro
2:18 – Why did Atle decide to write the book?
3:51 – How involved was Simen in the writing process?
5:42 – Finding out new things about Simen’s life and childhood
12:50 – How would Atle characterise Simen’s influence on Norwegian chess?
15:46 – Simen’s father
17:11 – Simen’s insistence on privacy as a young player
20:20 – The pressures of combining professional chess and football
26:35 – Could Simen have gone further in chess?
27:56 – Simen’s influence on Magnus
32:26 – AD BREAK
32:58 – What is Simen’s legacy in Norwegian football?
37:02 – How did Simen deal with his career-ending football injury?
38:32 – Discovering Magnus and the “Norwegian school of chess”
43:02 – Simen’s competitive nature
45:24 – Which other chess biographies inspired Atle to write this one?
51:21 – Which other biographies would Atle recommend?
57:12 – Will Atle write Magnus’s biography?
1:00:42 – Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with Georgian-Dutch grandmaster Robby Kevlishvili. Born in 2001, Robby has represented the varsity chess team of St. Louis University since 2019, winning numerous national prizes with his teammates.
Interviewed by Alex Polak, Robby talks about his life as a chess player on the American collegiate circuit, his strong performances in blitz play, and his impression of St. Louis, deemed by many to be the chess capital of the world.
0:00 – Intro
1:01 – What it means to be a student athlete in the world of chess
1:54 – How Robby ended up in St. Louis
3:30 – Chess and academics
7:00 – The collegiate tournament schedule
9:43 – Robby’s strong coaches at SLU
11:03 – St. Louis, the city of chess
13:11 – Robby’s incredibly strong online play
17:53 – Other strong chess universities
23:13 – Robby’s training schedule
24:49 – Experiencing the chess boom while a part of SLU
28:48 – Outro
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This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a narration from Genna Sosonko’s “The Essential Sosonko”. The subject of this week’s audiobook is one of the most beloved and inspiring chess players of all time: Mikhail Tal. With his fierce attacking style, “Misha” dethroned reigning World Champion Botvinnik to claim the World Chess Championship in 1960. Widely acclaimed as a genius, Misha’s tactical play would produce numerous brilliancies, as well as a 95-game unbeaten streak, a record that would stand for over forty years.
Narrated by professional voice actor Nick Murphy, “My Misha” is a retelling of Genna’s twenty-five year friendship with Misha. It is a first-hand account of everything the “Magician from Riga” was known for: his striking appearance, his notoriously unhealthy lifestyle, his complicated family dynamics, but most importantly: his deep love of chess.
The hard-copy of the entire "The Essential Sosonko" is available on the New In Chess Website:
https://www.newinchess.com/the-essential-sosonko
0:00 – Intro
1:15 – Misha’s victory in the 1959 Candidates Tournament
1:52 – Misha’s early reputation as a reckless player
2:53 – Stories of Misha’s first meeting with Mikhail Botvinnik
3:47 – Genna’s experience analysing openings with Misha
5:34 – Misha’s deep love of chess, especially blitz
6:55 – Misha’s very complicated family
10:16 – Misha’s simple and lazy lifestyle
11:57 – Alcohol
13:36 – Misha’s talent on the piano despite his physical deformity, his love of football
15:23 – Misha’s poor health, addiction
16:40 – AD BREAK
17:19 – Misha’s imposing appearance, piercing eyes, and mental strength
20:03 – Genna’s personal Misha stories
27:35 – Witnessing Misha’s declining health, Misha’s last tournaments
30:14 – Genna’s last letter from Misha
32:26 - Outro
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