Episodes
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110 Today’s guest is the inspiring and talented WGM Maria Gevorgyan. Few have managed to become a national chess champion, let alone do it five times. But Maria has! In addition to becoming the women’s chess champion of Armenia multiple times…
Maria is now taking all that she’s learned from her competitive career and helping her students as a chess coach.
These days, she is the head coach at the Abu Dhabi Chess Academy for women and girls.
In this interview, we discuss:
Is blitz a helpful tool for improvement or just a fun way to play the game?How an accidental illegal move by Maria was missed at the tournament where she earned her the WGM title!The #1 book recommendation that Maria believes every club player should read.More From Maria:
TwitterInstagramCoaching with Maria (DM her about lessons)Book recommendation: My System by Aaron Nimzowitch>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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A quick update on this month's (12/24) release schedule. The holidays make it a little more difficult to schedule guests, so I'll be only releasing two episodes this month. The next will be on Tuesday, December 17th. The other will be on the 31st. But if you'd like to hear me share a little more detail (and a fun teaser at the end) play the 90-second update :)
We'll be back to the normal, weekly episodes starting the first week of January. Thank you SO much for your support of the podcast! -
Missing episodes?
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109 The upcoming World Championship should be a fascinating one! GM Ding Liren is the reigning world champ. While he’s an extraordinary talent, his rating and performance have backslid this past year. And, sadly, Ding has been struggling with psychological issues...
Meanwhile, India’s brightest chess talent and Ding's opponent, GM Gukesh Dommaraju, will be the youngest player to ever compete in the World Championship at 18 years old.
Gukesh, though he’s been stellar in his recent competitive performances, will have to face a lack of experience at the highest level.
To help explore and illuminate the different issues at play, FM Carsten Hansen returns to the podcast for another World Championship preview.
Carsten is one of the most prolific chess authors around we discuss the unique challenges for each player, whether their styles will be a factor, and clues to look for in the early games to help you know who may win the match.
The event begins on November 25th, 2024…
BUT…this episode will be worth listening to even several days later to help understand the match and gain some fascinating chess insights.More From FM Carsten Hansen:
Carsten’s co-authored book: A Century of ChessCarsten’s chess books Carsten on Twitter>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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Our guest this week is a self-taught FIDE Master, coach, and popular course creator hailing from the Netherlands: Midas Ratmas.
The 3 ways he makes opening courses more accessible and easier for club players to manage. Why beginners - and maybe even club players - should learn the strategies that stem from each of the individual chess pieces. How he plans to achieve his goal of earning the IM title.Straightforward advice on endgames & calculation from his upcoming courses.
Midas has built his chess career around helping club players and beginners.
As such, he’s developed a special talent for teaching chess to players at this level.
Midas has already published over a dozen Chessable courses covering areas like the opening, tactics, and strategy - with many more on the horizon.
In this episode, we talk about:Midas’s Chessable course page
>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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107 Few adult club players are as committed to the game as Nick Visel.
For years, he’s been racking up countless OTB classical games, poring through books and courses, and sharing his wisdom on Chess Twitter.
Currently, Nick stands at 1600 USCF with ambitions of becoming a Class A player and reaching National Master.
Nick shares great tips from his earned wisdom, plus how he’s willing to scale back his chess when other areas of his life take priority.
In this episode, we discuss:
A better way to learn openings beyond just tedious memorization. Why he’s reduced his chess study workload and how it helps him avoid burnout.Why he thinks Karpov would have beaten Fischer had they played in 1975. The importance of a poker face in OTB chessMore From Nick:
TwitterNick’s Substack>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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106 Adriana is a dynamic titled player, coach, and content creator from Spain. She’s already reached a 2000+ FIDE rating and is working regularly towards her WFM title. This year alone, she’s competed in ten OTB classical tournaments.
Adriana also coaches students ranging from beginner up to 1800.
Outside of chess, she has a degree in film studies and is pursuing a career in film. Recently, she helped distribute an award-winning short film thriller.
As a fun detour, this podcast takes a rare opportunity to chat with Adriana about our favorite movies for a few minutes.
As always, we close with questions about her favorite player of all time, her favorite openings, and what her one “chess wish” would be.More From Adriana:
YouTubeTwitchTwitterInstagram>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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105 Today’s guest is a huge help to countless adult improvers.
GM Eugene Perelshteyn is a highly regarded coach, author, and course creator.
In more recent years, he went beyond helping his private students and extended his chess wisdom to writing a book and publishing courses.
His 2022 book, Evaluate Like A Grandmaster, is a huge help to almost every club player. And we discuss at length the benefits of improving your often-overlooked evaluation skills in chess.
But this is also a wide-reaching interview…
In our chat, we discuss the recent controversy with GM Christopher Woo at the US Chess Championship and why mental health is a critical topic for competitive players (even amateurs!)
Plus, we cover:
How studying gambits can make you a better chess player.Who is likely to win the World Chess Championship between Ding & Gukesh.Hikaru’s trick to playing better competitively that applies to all players.Follow me on Twitter to win Eugene's "Every Gambit Refuted" Chessable course (and other future giveaways!)
More From Eugene:
Eugene’s Chessable CoursesBook: Evaluate Like a GrandmasterTwitterWebsite>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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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.
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.
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:Find Vanessa on Twitter
>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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103 Our guest is an inspiring adult improver, Dr. Ryan Thomas. Ryan is a surgeon, a cancer researcher, and a father of two. With all that, he’s still highly dedicated to chess improvement and his love of the game. Ryan regularly attends OTB classical tournaments, and his current USCF rating is 958 with a goal of 1200.
In this episode, we discuss:
Ryan’s journey from casual high school player to avid tournament competitor later in life. How all chess players share common bonds regardless of their skill level.What Ryan did to solve the problems of information overload & inconsistent practice. The courses Ryan revisited to ensure he practiced chess fundamentals. The parallels between chess and medical training, and how each has informed the other in Ryan’s life.Find Ryan on Twitter
Resources Referenced:
FM Paul Giannotos: Everyone’s First Chess Workbook (Chessable)IM Andras Toth: Chess Principles Reloaded: Development (Chessable)GM Artur Yusopov: The Fundamentals 1: Build Up Your Chess (Chessable)>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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102 Learning from a prolific chess author and course creator is always exciting.
What you can learn from annotated amateur games, not only master games.The psychology and attitude you ought to have when playing higher-rated opponents. Why you should focus on understanding chess ideas & principles as the guiding star of your chess journey, not just memorization or what engine analysis tells you.
Today we dive into various chess improvement topics from Serbian International Master, Boro Zlatanovic.
Boro has published over two dozen courses and books. And in just five years!
And his two most recent courses have been published with Chessable, including Masterpieces of Amateur Play and Conversion in the Endgame.
One thing that stands out about Boro, and that I find refreshing, is that while we’re in an era where most published works are focused on openings, Boro prefers to write and teach about strategy, endgames, and chess psychology.
In our discussion, we chat about:More From Boro:
Boro’s Chessable coursesBoro’s Books on Amazon>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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101 Megan Lee is an inspiration to all of us adult improvers. Even with a busy work life running two businesses, Megan has had an incredible year: reaching her lifetime rating peak (2297 FIDE), earning the FM title, and competing in the US Women’s Championship.
Why Megan can achieve more in chess as an adult than she did as a junior.Megan’s experiences competing at the US Women’s Chess Championship (including her prep for this year’s event.)What areas of her game she’ll need to strengthen to achieve the IM title.
In fact, this year will be her third invitation to that prestigious event.
Yet she does this all on the side while she juggles a typical but heavy load of adult responsibilities.
In this episode, we discuss:More from Megan: Snippet Studios (her lifestyle brand business)
>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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A quick update on why the show has been MIA for three weeks (spoiler: COVID.) And when I'll resume...
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0100 She’s rated one of Italy’s top female players and has coached adult improvers for years. And she is this show’s first Italian guest! WIM Tea Guecci has had an impressive chess career. She broke records by age twelve, becoming the youngest ever to win the Italian Women’s Chess Championship.
The most common mistakes her adult improvers students make (and how to avoid them.)How well can you really learn from reviewing games on your own versus with a coach?What factors to consider in choosing which Sicilian to play.
She’s also played and represented her country in two Chess Olympiads.
Recently, she launched her first Chessable course called, “My Secret Sveshnikov: The Sicilian by a Sicilian.”
NOTE: To win the full video version of Tea’s course for free, follow me on Twitter for instructions on the giveaway Chessable & I will be doing between 8/14 and 8/19.
In this episode, we discuss:More From Tea:
Chessable Course: My Secret Sveshikov: The Sicilian by a SicilianTwitchTwitterInstagram>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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099 She’s been awarded “Chess Coach of the Month” by Chess.com. Plus, she has a master’s degree in psychology. Meet WFM Fruzsina Szente-Varga! Hailing from Hungary, Fruzsina has spent the past several years coaching adult club players and beginners.
How she uses her master’s degree in psychology to help her students.Common mistakes she sees club players making in their improvement journey (and strategies to avoid them.)How to set expectations for an OTB tournament so that you don’t get frustrated or disappointed if the event doesn’t go your way.Why she dislikes when coaches scold their students for mistakes and how it’s harmful to their development as chess players.
Additionally, she regularly creates excellent chess content through her Twitch & YouTube channels.
In this interview, we discuss:More From Fruzsina:
TwitchLichess Coaching PageChess.com BlogYouTubeTwitterInstagram>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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098 Adult club players are a fast-growing part of the chess community. But this growth is relatively new. And the community may not have fully caught up to our sizeable presence. So, in a first for this podcast, I’ve brought in two guests to help me discuss this subject and propose some ideas to make the community more engaging for us adult amateurs.
The need for more adults-only OTB tournaments.The exciting opportunity for more online, adult amateur events a la Pogchamps (Omar suggests “Survivor: Chess Edition!”)Whether chess media should feature notable achievements or stories of adult club players.
Kamryn Hellman is an adult improver who rose to 2000 Chess.com Rapid in less than a year. Since then, she’s launched a YouTube channel and created a Chessable course for beginners.
Omar Mills is a super-dedicated and inspiring club player who’s built a large chess Twitter following.
In this episode, we discuss:Kamryn:
Chessable Course: 50 Essential Chess ConceptsYouTube TwitchTwitterOmar:
Twitter>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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097 Playing against 1.d4 can be awkward. Many club players say they’re less sure of what to do positionally and have more difficulty finding tactical possibilities. Even the most popular, and arguably best, opening responses like the Slav or the Queen’s Gambit Declined can leave club players unsatisfied.
Why is that?
And are there any openings that can at least ease this challenge?
My guest, IM Mateusz Kolosowski, is here to help.
He brings a decade of coaching experience to bear on this subject. And, he’s recently created a course on an opening that works well to ease these problems: the Albin Countergambit.
But what we discuss is far more than the details of a single opening.
In our chat, we also cover why club players inherently struggle with 1.d4 positions and openings. Which reveals some interesting insights.
Hopefully, this episode is both therapeutic regarding 1.d4 woes...and helpful for you!
More From Mat:
Albin Countergambit CourseChessable Courses>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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096 After a two-week break, we are back! For the first time, I explain what I have in store for the podcast for 2024…and beyond. (Hint: it’s all good news!) From new episode formats to a different category of guests, I share my ambitions for this show.
I also preview the upcoming launch of my community-themed membership for adult chess improvers, which will also have some connections to the podcast.
The final part of this brief episode updates my struggles with regaining my former chess skills.
Last, I’d love to hear from you directly! In this episode, I ask your thoughts on two different questions.
Please send me your thoughts to either of those questions at either of the links below.
Message me on my website contact page.
DM me on Twitter.
Not only will it help to get your feedback, but I’ll also respond to you within a couple of days. Thank you! -
095 GM Alex Colovic is an exceptional course creator and an engaging writer on all things chess. He returns to the pod to discuss some intriguing subjects from his weekly newsletter. I hand-picked three topics Alex wrote about that I found fascinating. We dive deep into each one:
Why pro chess players (outside the Top 50) can't make a living competing anymore?Can you create a certainty of winning before the game begins that helps you play better?How can you ensure you bring a fighting spirit to each game you play?Finally, we discuss his latest opening courses for White that have been released on Chessable, and why it may be worth learning to play 1.e4 and 1.d4.
More From Alex:
Weekly NewsletterChessable CoursesTwitterWebsite & Blog>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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094 Kaja Snare, a pro chess broadcaster, has been leading chess into a new and more accessible era of live coverage. Gone are the days of top-level chess being watchable only for the most dedicated to the game. With her co-hosts, GM David Howell and WGM Jovanaka Houska, Kaja anchored one of the most popular live chess broadcasts our sport has ever seen.
Hilarious stories Kaja shares from her interviews with Hikaru, Magnus, and Ivanchuk. How Kaja went from covering sports to focusing exclusively on chess - even as someone who originally knew very little about the game.A behind-the-scenes look at how the now-famous Chess24 broadcast team was assembled with Kaja, David, and Jovanaka.
And for good reason…
At Chess24, Kaja was part of a team that worked hard to make chess more accessible and more exciting for the general public with its live coverage.
In our chat, Kaja shares how they helped move chess into era with greater reach and relatability.
We also discuss:More From Kaja:
TwitterInstagram
>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION) -
093 An exciting new chess coach has hit the scene. NM Robert Ramirez has seen a huge growth in popularity in the past several years. Already, his YouTube channel has grown to 140K subscribers at the time of this episode. He’s launched two Chessable opening courses in the past year alone...
How he uses simplicity to balance his chess life with his work/home life. A powerful strategy to solve your time trouble issues if you play too slow.Why the Stonewall opening can be an aggressive surprise against your opponents if you’re a club player.
And his coaching advice and videos are being shared all over Chess Twitter.
As you watch his videos and listen to Robert speak, it’s no surprise.
His advice is extremely helpful (he may have solved my time trouble woes in this episode alone.)
And he has a calm, assuring charisma.
In this episode, we discuss:More From Robert:
YouTube channelChessable coursesWebsiteTwitter>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<< (PROMOTION)
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