64: A Chess Podcast (David Vizgan)

This week I am joined by FM Nate Solon. Away from the board, FM Solon is a data scientist, which informs his work when blogging and writing about chess. Years ago he was a professional poker player, and to this day is a somewhat active chess player. He also works as a consultant for Chessable, a member of the Play Magnus Group.

This discussion with Nate, about studying and improving at chess in the context of engines and computers, is one of the most fascinating and deep discussions I've ever hosted on the podcast. As someone who works with big data for my research job, it's exciting to learn that chess is really on the brink of an open-source data boom, where anyone can use Python and free databases to create different kinds of engines and methods to study chess. If you have an itch for data science, or want to hear two people nerd out about it, then this is the episode for you.

I really want to thank FM Nate Solon for coming on the show earlier this week to record. This is one of my favorite episodes of 64: A Chess Podcast, and I'm going to use what Nate told me to create new ways for me to study chess :)

As a reminder, I have a Youtube channel -- 64: A Chess Channel -- so check it out and please subscribe if you enjoyed this episode! You can also follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Don't forget to subscribe to FM Nate Solon's fantastic newsletter! We covered his articles about club-level opening explorations and touched upon his checklist for chess improvement.

As a Super-Admin for the US Chess team in the Live Chess World League (LCWL), NM Derek Zhang is currently trying to lead America out of the 2nd division and into the top division of the LCWL. Today, David interviews NM Zhang about fair play in online chess, the Florida chess scene, the future of chess in America, and on drawing inspiration from Daniil Dubov. NM Zhang's improvement from a beginner to master, without studying top-level or historical games, is particularly insightful for students who want to improve. You can find him on chess.com: @Dare-Dare

IM Kostya Kavutskiy has basically done it all in the chess world. He is an active tournament player, has written for chess magazines, authored a book on the Open Sicilian, and has coached many, many students across all skill levels. He is also an accomplished streamer who has been at it on Twitch for a few years!

Last year, IM Kavutskiy created the "Chess Dojo" as a means of gathering chess improvers and improvement resources under one virtual roof. The results have been electrifying -- along with GM Jesse Kraai, IM David Pruess, and a dedicated community on Discord, Kostya and the Chess Dojo are helping players get better at chess. Kostya is also working on a Chessable course which will be out soon.

I recorded this episode just a few days before I flew to Copenhagen, and I'm really excited for you all to hear Kostya's insights on climbing the rating ladder and on the chess world.

Some highlights from this week's episode:

• Kostya's upcoming Chessable course on "endgame studies", aimed for beginner and intermediate players

• I ask Kostya a question that's been on my mind for a while: at what point should a chess player consider buying Chessbase?

• Kostya talks about forming the Chess Dojo, teaming up with IM David Pruess, and fleshing out the virtual space into what it is today

• We also talk about how the philosophy behind Chess Dojo improvement videos/streams/classes/etc.

• Kostya and I talk about elusive and arbitrary goals regarding rating milestones and "getting good at chess"

• "The best chess book is the one you read"; how Bobby Fischer's "My 60 Memorable Games" pushed Kostya onto the path towards a lifelong professional career in chess

• Improving positional play vs. tactical play when you're unsure what to study in order to improve

• Another edition of "Aimchess Instant Insights" with Kostya!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess.

Join my Patreon!

Thanks again to IM Kostya Kavutskiy for joining the show -- follow him on Twitter!

Chess Dojo socials: YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Discord

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

It's been almost a month since I recorded an episode of 64: A Chess Podcast, and in that time some cataclysmic events have occurred on our planet. Russia has invaded Ukraine, starting a war that has been internationally condemned by both opponents and allies of Putin. This war has obviously led to a massive loss of live and outflow of refugees from Ukraine, but it has also had consequences on the chess world. Joining me to talk about Ukraine and his own chess career is IM Yuriy Krykun, a Ukranian-born chess player currently residing in St. Louis, USA as a chess coach and critically acclaimed chess author. Yuriy played on the Webster University chess team under coach GM Susan Polgar, and achieved the IM title in Autumn 2020, when chess tournaments globally were just starting up again. Yuriy's love for chess is infectious and I really hope to record a podcast with him again! Until then, you can follow him on Twitter here.

I also would like to announce that 64: A Chess Podcast is officially sponsored by Chessable! I'll be collaborating with them over the next few weeks/months on giveaways and community events, so stay tuned for the future :-)

As a reminder, I have a Youtube channel -- 64: A Chess Channel -- so check it out and please subscribe if you enjoyed this episode! You can also follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks to Chessable for sponsoring 64: A Chess Podcast, and thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast as well -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

On 64: A Chess Podcast's final episode of 2021, I spoke to NM Sophie Morris Suzuki, who took 5th place at the U.S. Junior Women's Championship earlier in 2021 while on a gap break from college. We had actually recorded an episode together back in July, but for some reason Zoom did not record my audio while we taped the episode and as a result I could not actually release the episode. I'd been waiting to tape an episode with Sophie for months and I'm glad we could end 2021 on a high note, reflecting on chess this year and talking about the future!

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

In brief, we talked about...

• Life (i.e. school, COVID, etc.) getting in the way of playing chess

• Sophie's experiences playing in the 2021 U.S. Junior Women's Championship + 2022 chess goals

• Sophie and I also talk about being (former) gamers, and why chess is superior to any video game

• I reveal some of my plans for the podcast + content creation in 2022

• One final Instant Insights for 2021

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Follow me on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks again to NM Sophie Morris-Suzuki for coming on the show!

Detroit native James Canty III has been grinding chess for his entire life. His ultimate goal is to become the first black grandmaster born in America, and has been working meticulously on his game to get there. Canty used success at the Millionaire Chess Open tournament to revive his chess career and now works full-time as a chess content creator. He is also an up-and-coming Twitch streamer, recently signed to Noble eSports. On this episode, David talks to NM Canty about his chess career, his role models, his philosophy on chess and life, and -- most importantly -- his contagious ambition to be the best version of himself,. Don't forget to subscribe to NM Canty on YouTube and Twitch to help support his career as he pursues the GM title!

MrDodgy is a Chess Twitter celebrity, Twitch streamer, and iconic organizer of the world-renowned MrDodgy Invitational Tournament.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!).

Follow 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch. Thanks for listening to this week's episode of 64!

Geert van der Velde is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of Chessable and Vice President of Content at the Play Magnus Group (NOTE: Play Magnus Group owns Aimchess which sponsors this podcast). Before working full-time as a chess company executive, Geert experienced some notable success in the music world as the vocalist of the metalcore band Shai Hulud in the late 90s and early 00s. Over the last few years, Geert has turned his passion for chess, along with his love for Chessable as a fan of the company, into a full-time career working on content creation for some of the largest groups in the industry. Today, when Geert isn't destroying people online with 1.b3, he's working with super-grandmasters to produce courses for Chessable and designing the future of chess education online.

Episode highlights:

• Typical day in the life at the Chessable offices

• Making the switch four years ago from metal vocalist to eventual chess CCO (by contacting the CEO of Chessable!!)

• Supporting anyone, from super GMs to chess enthusiasts, via the publishing platform on Chessable

• The "Chessable Classroom", a video-integrated toolkit for larger chess classes online (very exciting stuff for the future of scholastic chess educations!)

• Play Magnus Group developing an arsenal of chess media, from commentary with chess24 to education and analytics with other apps (i.e. Chessable and Aimchess)

• Magnus Carlsen's involvement with Play Magnus and its goal to become "the most comprehensive chess company in the world"

• Growing a chess empire in the "golden age" of chess online, and whether Geert + other execs expected the success they've reached so far

• Why should someone buy a Chessable course over a physical chess book?

• What Geert would like to see in terms of innovation in the chess world

• Ultimate goal of making chess knowledge easier to share, and chess culture more accessible

• Geert's favorite Chessable course, the "Checkmate Patterns Manual", by a club player who turned it into one of the platform's most popular courses for chess improvement

• "1.b3 cowboy!"

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess.

Join my Patreon!

Thanks to Geert van der Velde for coming on the podcast. You can follow him on Twitter: @blackatlantic.

BONUS: Listen to Shai Hulud's 2003 metalcore classic, "That Within Blood Ill-Tempered", which features Geert on vocals :)

I'm a big fan of Chessable -- create an account here!

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

8-time Russian champion and all-time favorite podcast guest GM Peter Svidler returns for the final episode of 64: A Chess Podcast. Thank you for listening and for fueling so many of my fondest memories!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

NM Elijah Logozar is a chess coach and a prolific author of over a dozen Chessable courses, winning their Author of the Year award in 2021.

Check out Elijah's courses here and book lessons with Elijah here!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

(Newly-minted) FM James Canty III was the very first guest on 64: A Chess Podcast, and on the 1-year anniversary of the podcast, he re-joins the show to update me about his journey towards the GM title, his growth as a Twitch streamer, and the habits which allow him to achieve his goals. FM Canty has an infectious passion for chess, and it really shines through in this episode.

James is a true friend of the pod, and it's always great to catch up with him! If you want to support him on his own journey towards the GM title, subscribe to him on Twitch and subscribe to his YouTube. I hope this interview becomes a yearly tradition, and otherwise, thank you so much for the last year of streams <3 Cheers to another year of episodes!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64pod

Check out 64: A Chess Channel and if you liked the show, follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

Also, if you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks to Chessable for sponsoring 64: A Chess Podcast, and thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast as well -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Last weekend, World Champion Magnus Carlsen played for his club Offerspill on 1st board in the top flight of the Norwegian League, and was miraculously held to a draw by Norwegian IM Geir Sune Østmoe. The game made International headlines as Magnus, who is currently pursuing the goal of 2900 Elo, lost all the Elo he gained after winning Tata Steel just a few days prior.

IM Østmoe and GM Carlsen were opponents several times in the early 2000s, when both were youth players competing for chess glory in Norway; this week, I am joined by IM Østmoe to talk about the crazy game he played, the last few days of internet fame, his recollections of Norwegian chess across the last two decades (including playing and befriending a young Magnus), and his thoughts on what Magnus is going to do next.

Geir also has a long career as a chess composer, and it was delightful to learn about chess composition from someone who is a FM in chess composition and who has competed in the World Championship of Chess Composition. Thanks so much Geir for coming on the podcast!

Don't forget to follow Geir on Twitter! If you liked the episode, please consider subscribing and leaving a review :-)

As a reminder, I have a Youtube channel -- 64: A Chess Channel -- so check it out and please subscribe if you enjoyed this episode! You can also follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

IM Jovanka Houska is a 9-time British Chess Champion, WGM, and commentator extraordinaire, who has worked on some of the most prominent chess tournaments around the world.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast //

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube! //

Aaron Thompson is the Director of Outreach for Chess in Slums, a volunteer-driven non-profit started by Tunde Onakoya to enrich the lives of children in Nigeria who face economic adversity. He spent several years as a tournament director in the United States, but is working with Chess in Slums to promote their initiatives and to attract their sponsors. I was introduced to their work a few months ago on Twitter and hope I can do my part in sharing their stories and goals as they continue to grow as an initiative. I am delighted to share this episode with you today!

Episode highlights:

• The role of chess in enriching the lives of children, generally

• The importance of Chess in Slums being an initiative for Nigerians, by Nigerians

• Transitioning from tournament director to an outreach director

• Current and future goals of Chess in Slums

• The story of Ferdinand the chess prodigy (must listen)

• Changing perceptions of poverty with Chess in Slums

• How to help Chess in Slums as a listener

• Future expansions (Palestine, Burkina Faso, more)

• The impact of COVID-19 on the Chess in Slums mission

• A minor earthquake joins the show??

• Aaron's philosophy as a chess player and finding his role in the international chess community

• I talk a bit about why I love podcasting about chess :-)

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.

Thanks to Aaron Thompson for coming onto the show. You can follow him on Twitter: @aar_thom

Please follow @Tunde_OD and @chessinslums on Twitter!

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

CM Vjekoslav Nemec is a chess author, blogger, and manager of the PCL's Croatia Bulldogs.

Follow Vjeko on Twitter here, and check out the Croatia Bulldogs here!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

GM Peter Heine Nielsen is the coach of World Champion Magnus Carlsen, five-time Danish Champion, fellow podcaster, and self-described "adult in the room".

Listen to the Chicken Chess Club, featuring GMs Peter Heine Nielsen, Jan Gustafsson, and Laurent Fressinet!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Follow Peter Heine Nielsen on Twitter, and follow 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch.

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64, and sorry for the weird audio quality -- had to use my backup mic :(

WGM Jennifer Shahade is a two-time US Women's Champion, an all-star commentator for top-flight chess events, an avid podcaster for both chess and poker, a published author, and an icon for gender equality in our game. In fact, had I not watched Jennifer (along with GMs Maurice Ashley, Yasser Seirawan, and Cristian Chirila) commentate the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2017 with such enthusiasm and insight I might have never become a chess player myself!

On this episode of 64, WGM Shahade and I talk about growing the game for female players and discuss a wide range of topics, from chess history to poker and everything in between. As a final note, I had been trying to get WGM Shahade onto the show for many months, and we found time to make our schedules work just before I flew to Copenhagen. I thank Jennifer from the bottom of my heart for stopping by, and I hope you all enjoy this episode of 64: A Chess Podcast.

Some highlights from this week's episode:

• We talk "Girls' Club", an event Jennifer organizes with US Chess Women, and pivoting from in-person to online events

• Jennifer discusses how has the OTB landscape changed with regards to gender equity over the last two decades...

• Focusing on anti-harassment policies in US Chess and beyond to continue making social progress in the chess world

• The case for renaming "Alekhine's Gun" to "Polgar's Power Punch"

• Advice for growing the chess "pod-o-sphere" and embracing gimmicky podcasts

• Discussing the overlap between chess and poker -- especially the allure of poker to many chess players

• The "generational shift" we are seeing in the chess world right now for female chess players

• "Aimchess Instant Insights", a new sponsored section of my podcast :-)

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess.

I also want to say "Rest In Peace" to GM Evgeny Sveshnikov, who passed away on the day this episode was recorded.

Join my Patreon!

Thanks again to WGM Jennifer Shadade for joining the show -- follow her on Twitter! And listen to Ladies' Knight, Jen's chess podcast.

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

On this episode of 64: A Chess Podcast, I talk about the 44-page lawsuit filed by Hans Niemann against Magnus Carlsen, PMG, Chess.com, Danny Rensch, and Hikaru Nakamura.

64: A Chess Podcast is back, after a brief hiatus! On this episode I was joined by British National Master Dan Gallagher. Dan experienced a lot of success in their youth as a tournament chess player. Dan recently claimed their National Master title and is currently grinding for the FM title, looking to play in the British League and in Hastings this year. Outside of chess, Dan is finishing a philosophy degree at the University of Cambridge.

NM Gallagher is also an active coach who is always looking for new students. It was truly delightful to have Dan on the show this week to restart the podcast. I'm broadcasting from Copenhagen for the next few months and am going to do my best to maximize content opportunities that come from being in Europe. If you want to help me with that while maximizing your chess, you can use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess!

Some highlights from this week's episode:

• Now that I've moved to Copenhagen, Dan describes playing in the Xtracon Open 2019 (won by Praggnanandhaa), which was played in Denmark

• How does Dan approach playing against stronger masters (such as IMs and GMs)? A bit of bullying!

• A typical day in the life of an active tournament NM in terms of chess study

• Dan talks about their tournament history as a young chess player in the UK, including championship and tournament successes

• A broad discussion about chess improvement, and making chess fun for the chess improvers community. I explain my gripes with hyperfixation on elo, and Dan recommends some fun chess books

• Yet another edition of Aimchess Instant Insights!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess.

Join my Patreon!

Follow NM Dan Gallagher on Twitter!

Gallagher-Haubro (2019), cited by Dan during this episode, can be found here!

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

Lularobs is a Twitch streamer, chess Olympian, and content creator. She rejoins the podcast to recap a whirlwind year!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

NM Jeremy Kane is the Curriculum Director on Chess.com, the largest chess website in the world. He has worked with top grandmasters and chess personalities on curating and developing lessons which millions of users have utilized to improve their chess. Jeremy is also a chess coach, an alumnus of the University of Chicago, and a one-time alternate player for the Chicago Blaze, which played in the short-lived (but never forgotten) U.S. Chess League, a pre-cursor to the Pro Chess League. I was delighted to have Jeremy join the show today.

Episode highlights:

• Jeremy's career highlights, including winning the Wisconsin State Championship as a teenager and joining Chess.com as its Curriculum Directors

• Jeremy's favorite courses on Chess.com, including "Every Gambit Refuted" by GM Eugene Perelshteyn (friend of the pod!)

• How Jeremy designs curriculum and recruits players to give lessons

• Chicago Blaze and U.S. Chess League memories

• Some lukewarm Chess World Cup takes as of the end of Round 2: COVID surprises, dramatic upsets, and who we've been rooting for

• Levon Aronian joining the U.S. chess team despite being the "Pride of Armenia" and its impact on U.S. chess going forward

• Jeremy gives his thoughts on what he'd like to see in the world of online chess going forward

• A growing share of competitors (Kasparovchess, chess24, lichess) in the online chess market

• General advice for chess players going to their first OTB tournaments

• Jeremy's working on a new book called "The Next To Last Mistake" which will be out at the end of Summer 2021, so look out for that!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess.

Join my Patreon!

NM Jeremy Kane's newest book, "The Next To Last Mistake", is available to pre-order now!

Thanks to NM Jeremy Kane for coming onto the show. You can follow him on Twitter: @chessmensch. You can buy his book on the Chicago Blaze here.

Create an account on chess.com here!

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

GM Romain Edouard is the editor-in-chief of Thinkers Publishing, a published chess author, former second to GM Veselin Topalov, and former member of the 2700 club.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

This week I'm joined by FM Anna-Maja Kazarian. FM Kazarian, as of recording this episode, has over 23,000 Twitch followers, and is signed to the e-sports organization Alliance as a content creator and competitive chess player. She won the Dutch Online Women's Chess Championship in 2021, and has played in several OTB tournaments, trying to bring her rating back to 2300+. She started streaming a little under two years ago and has cultivated a positive, welcoming community on her one-of-a-kind Twitch stream.

Anna-Maja recently played in the World Rapid and Blitz in Warsaw, Poland at the end of 2021, so I asked her a bunch of questions about what it was like to be back OTB around some of the greatest chess players of our time. We then dove into the highs and lows of streaming chess. I also asked Anna-Maja about her thoughts on FIDE declaring 2022 as the "Year of the Woman" in chess, and more broadly talked with her about what the chess world can do to be more welcoming to female players, and to narrow the gender gap in chess. As someone who has watched Anna-Maja's streams for a few months, it was really cool to interview her on my podcast! I hope we do it again and I thank her for coming on the show this weekend.

As a reminder, I have a Youtube channel -- 64: A Chess Channel -- so check it out and please subscribe if you enjoyed this episode! You can also follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

PS: If you haven't yet, make sure to check out Anna-Maja's amazing Twitch stream and give her a follow & subscribe!

Based in Boston, MA, GM Eugene Perelshteyn has done it all in the American chess world. He has competed in virtually every major tournament in the United States (World Open, U.S. Open, etc.), even finishing in 4th place at the 2008 US Championship. He has coached many students, from relatively new players to titled players. He is a published chess author, writing a complete repertoire for White and Black with Lev Alburt and Roman Dzindzichashvili. He also has created content online for chess improvement. With so many stories and with so many thoughts on chess, I was delighted to invite Eugene to the podcast for this week's episode.

Some topics we talked about:

• The Las Vegas Open, which was ongoing at the time of recording. Who are we rooting for? How do players who have been away from OTB chess for so long get acclimated to tournament play?

• Chess improvement: why does Eugene recommend that all adult improvers study chess from books? What are some great chess books for improving players?

• How do players identify their own weaknesses in their game? This is very difficult for people to do! So what role does coaching/outside help play in chess improvement?

• Playing against Magnus Carlsen and other strong grandmasters recently in Europe. What's it like playing against the best of the best over the board? David also tells a fun story about playing Maxime Vachier-Lagrave online in a simul!

• Eugene's early life experiences: studying chess in the USSR, emigrating to America in the 90s, working his way to GM in the USA as a college student. Eugene shares his thoughts and memories of many years ago.

• The Samford Fellowship, which gave Eugene the financial support he needed to acquire the Grandmaster title.

• Playing against Hikaru Nakamura back when both he and Eugene were strong International Masters (IMs). Also, chess culture in America vs. the USSR.

• The work and mentality needed to become a grandmaster. Also, setting goals for chess improvement vs. fostering a natural love for the game.

• "Chess openings are like fashion"

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.

Thanks to GM Eugene Perelshteyn for coming onto the show. You can follow him on Twitter: @EugenePerel

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

David Llada is one of the most prolific chess photographers in history, who has documented the highest levels of chess across the planet over the last two decades. As a former journalist and deeply devoted chess fan, he has poured his soul into forging friendships with chess players and into promoting the sport. On this week's episode of 64, I spoke to David about a wide range of topics, such as the essence of chess photography, his current job with FIDE as its Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, the chess boom in 2020, female representation in chess, and Anatoly Karpov anecdotes. David's book "The Thinkers" can be purchased on Amazon and he is currently working on a sequel. Until then, you can follow him on Twitter, @davidllada.

GM Ori Kobo wears many hats. He is one of the strongest players in Israel, and recently delivered a strong performance in the Israeli Chess Championship. Beyond the chessboard, he is a student of psychology, and he is also a prolific chess coach, who has not only coached strong players in Israel, but is also MY chess coach! On this episode of 64, I discuss GM Kobo's chess career in brief; from the chess culture in his hometown of Jerusalem, to his ups and downs on his way to the grandmaster title. We talk about the recent controversy surrounding Iranian players forced to forfeit matches against Israelis, and about support for chess in Israel. We lastly dive into GM Kobo's chess philosophy and discuss how to improve broadly as a chess player. You can find GM Kobo on Twitch, where he's recently started FallenChessKnights with some friends and hopes to popularize chess with a younger generation in Israel.

WGM Dina Belenkaya is an active tournament player, chess commentator, and streamer. As a player, she has won the St. Petersburg Chess Championship four times, and has played in several European Championships and World Cups (including in 2021!). As a commentator, she has provided commentary for the Online Olympiad, Corporate Chess Championship, and even official commentary for the FIDE broadcast of the 2021 Women's World Cup. She also streams chess on Twitch with her sister Asya, and their channel (@TheBelenkaya) has seen massive growth over the last year. I was delighted to have WGM Belenkaya on my show this week.

Some highlights from this week's episode:

• Collaborating on content with "chess influencers" in Sochi

• Transitioning from playing in the Women's World Cup to providing official commentary for FIDE

• The difference between knockout vs. Swiss tournaments as a player vs. as a fan

• How does Dina make commentary exciting for classical chess tournaments? Plus, how to be a "good" chess commentator

• Getting started streaming on Twitch during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Learning chess from her mom and battling against a "patriarchal" chess culture in Russia

• Ideas for combating gender disparities in the chess world, particularly in terms of participation and prize money

• Dina's short-term and long-term career goals

• FIDE's great progress in promoting careers for women across the chess world, from arbiters to executive positions

• Sharing a similar opening repertoire with me, and geeking out over the Caro-Kann :-)

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess.

Join my Patreon!

Thanks to WGM Dina Belenkaya for joining the show -- follow her on Twitter and subscribe to her Twitch channel!

I'm a big fan of Chessable -- create an account here!

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

GM Peter Svidler is an 8-time Russian Chess Champion, former World #4, multiple-time Candidate for the World Chess Championship, legendary chess commentator and author, and perennial Hearthstone player.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

Matt Thomas is a Chessboxing World Champion, chessboxing commentator, and founder of the nonprofit Brawl for a Cause.

Follow Matt on Twitter and Twitch!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

John Hartmann is the CIO and Editor of Chess Life Magazine, and has spent nearly a decade reviewing chess books and writing articles for the magazine. He even does a podcast for the US Chess Federation with the subject of Chess Life's cover each month! John was gracious enough to share an hour of his time with me in what has been my favorite interview to date on this week's episode of "64".

We talk about John's editorial philosophy, as he tries to craft a magazine for all kinds of chess players from beginners to grandmasters. We talk about good chess journalism and the state of tournament play today. As someone with a massive chess library, John explains the importance of reading chess books and actively engaging with material. We also talk about the return of OTB chess across America, as I share my recent experience at the Marshall Chess Club.

John has been inviting listeners to come check out the U.S. Open Tournament later this summer in Cherry Hill, NJ. Until then, with a USCF membership you get Chess Life for free, which is one of the most widely read chess magazines in the world.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.

Tarjei Svensen is the most prolific journalist working in the chess world today. Currently writing featured articles on chess24, Tarjei has also written for Chess.com, and many other platforms. With over 21,000 followers on Twitter, Tarjei is also one of my main sources for chess updates + tournament coverage for my own podcast.

Tarjei joined me earlier this week to talk about the impact of the Russian invasion on the future of chess. Tarjei shared his thoughts on Sergey Karjakin's future in chess, being unblocked by Hikaru Nakamura on Twitter, and shared some of his favorite stories that he's written for the chess world.

I didn't mention this on the podcast, but going into college I wanted to be a journalist, and I learned a lot from Tarjei -- hope to have him back on the podcast again :-) until then, you can follow Tarjei on Twitter here. (Also, I apologize for mispronouncing your name!)

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable! If you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64pod

Check out 64: A Chess Channel and if you liked the show, follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

Also, if you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks to Chessable for sponsoring 64: A Chess Podcast, and thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast as well -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

MrDodgy is the organizer of the most prestigious chess tournament in the world -- the MrDodgy Invitational -- and an Olympic champion.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

WFM Fruzsina Szente-Varga is a Twitch streamer and chess coach.

If you are interested in coaching from Fruzsina, click this link!

Follow WFM Fruzsina Szente-Varga here on Twitch, Twitter, and Instagram!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code 64SQUARES at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

Max Farberov is an USCF expert-level chess player from New Jersey. He has been coaching chess for several years and is trying to grind towards the National Master title. On this episode of 64, I spoke to Max about his recent tournament success at the Cherry Blossom Classic. We talked broadly about chess improvement and about OTB chess, including things that any player can do to start making gains in rating. Max is currently taking students and has a YouTube channel (ChessGainz) where he provides educational content about chess.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.

GM Maurice Ashley is one of the greatest chess commentators of all time. The first black grandmaster in history, GM Ashley was inducted into the US Chess Hall of Fame in 2016.

Check out The Secrets of Chess Geometry on Chessable and start changing the way you see the chessboard today!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code 64SQUARES at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

NM Ben Johnson is the host of the Perpetual Chess Podcast, which recently joined the Blue Wire Podcasts family. Perpetual Chess has 1,000,000+ streams in over 100 countries and, since its inception five years ago, has been the gold standard for chess podcasts. Ben has interviewed everyone from competitive tournament players to World Champions (Anand and Kramnik) of the game.

Ben's podcasting empire has expanded well beyond traditional interviews with GMs and other figures in the chess world. With Chessable, he has started the How to Chess Podcast, where he and his guests share nuggets of chess wisdom in shorter length episodes. He hosts an Adult Improver series of his podcasts with all kinds of interesting guests from around the world and across the rating ladder. He also has another series on book recaps of chess book classics. Outside of podcasting, Ben achieved the National Master (NM) title many years ago, played poker professionally for several years, and has experience as an independent

In short, there's something for everyone with an interest in chess to check out on the Perpetual Chess Podcast. Long-time listeners of 64: A Chess Podcast will know that I've been a huge fan of Ben's work with the Perpetual Chess Podcast, and it was a pleasure to talk about recent news in the chess world, as well as general podcasting, with someone who has inspired me to work very hard on my own podcast. I want to thank Ben for coming onto the show this week, and to thank you all for checking out this episode of 64: A Chess Podcast.

Some highlights from this week's episode:

• Ruminations about the nature of the "chess pod-o-sphere"
• Ben and I discuss the Champions Chess Tour Final, its surrounding drama (NFTs, Hikaru Titled Tuesday, etc.), and the tour format
• We also briefly discuss FIDE's recent sponsorship agreement with Motiva, a breast implantation company. Check out Lichess's article on this agreement here
• What was the chess pod-o-sphere like in 2016? How did Ben ultimately find success?
• Ben's favorite interview on the Perpetual Chess Podcast
• How did the chess boom impact the Perpetual Chess Podcast growth?
• Ben talks a bit about his own chess goals, including returning to OTB chess and being inspired by the adult improvers who come on his show.
• Some b3 cowboy discourse
• Yet another edition of Aimchess Instant Insights!
• BONUS BASKETBALL CONTENT: Ben Johnson rants about Ben Simmons, and other light NBA discussion

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess.

Join my Patreon!

Thanks again to Ben Johnson for coming onto the show. Follow Ben on Twitter here!

Follow Perpetual Chess Podcast!

Follow How to Chess!

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

Julia Rios is the co-host of the Chessfeels Podcast.

Follow Julia on Twitter here and check out the Chessfeels Podcast, perhaps the most unique and fresh podcast about chess.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

FM Nate Solon is a new author on Chessable, founder of the Zwischenzug newsletter, former professional poker player, and data scientist who rejoins the podcast for the second time.

Subscribe to Nate's newsletter and check out his new Chessable course on the Reti Opening in 100 lines!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube!

We start off the month of May by interviewing Chicago's very own NM Gopal Menon. Gopal is a jack-of-all-trades in the chess world, serving as a second for a grandmaster, coaching students, and will soon be a published chess author! Gopal is currently writing a chess book, and we discuss the process of compiling chess positions and composing chess literature. We talk about the differences between studying chess with books and with online tools. Gopal discusses ICC nostalgia as a former 3100+ player on that server, and I discuss the future of chess servers (Kasparovchess?). We recap the Candidates Tournament -- how excited are we for Ian Nepomniachtchi to face Magnus in Dubai this November? Lastly, we talk about competitive chess online. Gopal has a YouTube channel where he provides instructive content, so don't forget to subscribe to him there!

Joe Lee, aka JoeBruin, is the commissioner of the Collegiate Chess League.

Recorded 4/24/2023. On this episode, I mentioned this NYT Profile on Chess.com

.64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64 :)

IM Greg Shahade is the commissioner of the PRO Chess League. Along with his sister Jennifer (who was on my podcast a few months ago!), Greg was a talented junior player in his youth who has worked on growing chess in the United States for his entire career, both as an educator and as an organizer of chess events. Among many other achievements, he has one GM norm, and was awarded the Samford Fellowship in 1999. He also founded the New York Masters and the U.S. Chess League (the predecessor to the PRO Chess League).

This week on 64; A Chess Podcast, IM Shahade joined me for a laid-back discussion on Game 9 of the World Chess Championship, the growth of chess online and in the United States, and how chess can take advantage of this watershed moment it's having re: interest and place in culture. I'm grateful that Greg could join this podcast on such short notice, and I hope we do it again! I had a lot of fun recording this one, and am looking forward to the rest of this World Chess Championship.

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

We talked about...

• Game Nine -- Nepo's colossal blunder, chess psychology, and the cursed press conferences throughout the World Championship

• We dive into the more recent history of U.S. chess. I reveal a new project that I've started working on, and Greg shares some thoughts and stories of Garry Kasparov

• I ask a bunch of questions about PRO Chess League: most importantly, do I have a shot at making it on a team? We also talk about creating better, more welcoming environments at OTB tournaments and chess clubs

• Greg talks about looking forward to the possible Firouzja-Carlsen matchup, the general difficulty of playing in a tournament like the Candidates, and preview the FIDE Grand Prix

• As always, another edition of Aimchess Instant Insights

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Follow me on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks again to IM Greg Shahade for coming on the podcast -- follow him on Twitter here!

Tatiana Flores is a chess journalist for Chessbase and Chess.com, and is the current FIDE World Champion for People with Disabilities. On this week's episode of 64: A Chess Podcast, Tatiana shares her story with me -- how chess helped her recover from health problems a few years ago, and how she won the World Championship a few months ago. We also talked about her favorite moments as a chess journalist, and Tatiana shared her thoughts with me about how the chess world can improve the sport for its female players.

Follow Tatiana on Twitter! Thanks for coming on the show :-)

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

Check out 64: A Chess Channel and if you liked the show, follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

Also, if you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks to Chessable for sponsoring 64: A Chess Podcast, and thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast as well -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Trym Sørsdal is the Director of Community Operations at Chess.com. He is also one of my best friends in Copenhagen, with whom I've played a ton of OTB chess in the last few months. We decided to try something different on the podcast today, going for an unfiltered, 2 hour conversation over some beers with the Real Madrid-Manchester City game in the background. I hope you guys enjoy this episode!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

Check out 64: A Chess Channel and if you liked the show, follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

Also, if you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks to Chessable for sponsoring 64: A Chess Podcast, and thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast as well -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

WGM Jennifer Shahade is a 2-time U.S. Women's Chess Champion, former Candidate in the Women's World Cup, a professional poker player, fellow podcaster, and critically acclaimed author of the books "Chess Bitch" and -- most recently -- "Chess Queens". She is also a dear friend of the podcast, and joined me last month to promote "Chess Queens".

Purchase "Chess Queens" now on Amazon or at your local bookstore!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable!

CODA: Over the last month I have been insanely busy with work and travel in Europe, but I'm finally finding the time and motivation to keep working on the show. I thank you all for sticking with me and hope you enjoy the rest of Season 2 of 64: A Chess Podcast. And once again, thank you Jennifer for joining me on the show -- hope we can do it again soon...

WGM Andreea Navrotescu is a mainstay of the French national team and 6-time French Youth Champion.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

Derek Wilder has used his chess knowledge and his inspirational spirit to guide Walter Chrysler Elementary School's chess team to several state and national championships. Three years ago, Derek worked on a chess documentary, "Why We Play", which highlighted the careers of Detroit's best chess players; after watching that documentary, I knew I had to learn more about Detroit's chess world. On this week's episode of 64, I interviewed Coach Wilder about the chess scene in Detroit, and about scholastic chess in America. Coach Wilder describes his role as a "motivational speaker" for his students during tournaments, and discusses his goals for his own chess improvement. We also talk about chess podcasting, and about hitting & climbing the rating "wall". Coach Wilder occasionally streams on Twitch (@dee_wildman) and is the host of a great chess podcast, too; subscribe to his podcast, Detroit Chess Killers, wherever you get your podcasts!

Happy 2022, everyone! I'm joined this week by Benjamin Portheault (@BenjiPortheault), a performance coach for mental athletes who has worked with chess players across a wide range of ratings -- from tournament players to someone (anonymous) who was trying to qualify for the Candidates. This was a lovely discussion that covered a bunch of topics, from the 2021 World Championship to sleep deprivation (!!!!). I'm grateful to Benji for coming on the show and hope to have him again!

I've opened a YouTube channel called 64: A Chess Channel -- click the link and subscribe! I have some amazing content coming out there this year, and will start putting my podcasts on there later this month. You can also follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

---

ChessBase article about Isabelle Choko

Ladies' Knight episode with Isabelle Choko (shoutout to WGM Jennifer Shahade!)

Ivanchuk-Jobava 1-0 (2010)

Morozevich-MVL 0-1 (2009)

GM Noel Studer is a 2-time Swiss Champion and author of the Next Level Chess Newsletter.

Subscribe to Noel's great newsletter here!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

In May 2021, WIM Jesse February won the Women's African Individual Championship, just the second South African player to win the tournament ever. Taking first place in this tournament means that Jesse will be awarded the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title if she reaches 2100 rating. In just a few days, Jesse will compete for the World Cup in Sochi, Russia. She also streams with WCM Rebecca Selkirk on their Twitch channel, HashtagChess, which has grown very quickly over the last year. I am very grateful that Jesse joined me this week on 64: A Chess Podcast to talk about her chess career.

Episode highlights:

• Her success at the African Championship -- previous attempts at winning the tournament and the moment she realized that first place was in reach

• Being selected as a wildcard for the World Cup in Sochi, Russia, and World Cup preparation

• Representing South Africa in strong tournaments (Women's World Championship, the Olympiad, etc.)

• Growing chess as a streamer in South Africa and beyond

• The process of becoming a partner with Chess.com and Twitch & crushing online tournaments

• The chess scene in South Africa -- lack of tournaments, lots of travel, and future opportunities to grow the game

• Wine farms!!!

• Working towards the WGM title -- Jesse talks about her plans to play in lots of tournaments and describes some of her improvement goals as she continues her climb to 2100.

• Jesse "sells" the French Defense (my least favorite opening)

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.

Thanks to WIM Jesse February for coming onto the show. You can follow her on Twitter: @Jesse_Feb

For a great chess stream, subscribe to @HashtagChess on Twitch and YouTube

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

GM Simon Williams is a world-class commentator, author, and streamer. He pioneered chess content creation on the Internet, and remains beloved by the chess world for the infectious enthusiasm and burning passion he brings to chess.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64 :)

GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko, aka "Miro", is a 2-time Ukrainian Chess Champion, FIDE Senior Trainer, and a long-time legendary commentator of chess.

"Am I A Chess Tourist?"

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

GM Noël Studer is a (2-time) Swiss Chess Champion. He was awarded the grandmaster title when he was 20 years old, making him the youngest person in Switzerland's history to reach GM. During his chess career, he played many top events including the Biel Chess Festival, GRENKE Open, and Gibraltar Masters; he also represented Switzerland in several Chess Olympiads. He started "Next Level Chess", a chess blog, in March 2021, and announced his retirement from professional chess in August 2021 to focus on his health and on helping others improve their chess. You can follow him on Twitter here.

I'd tried to get GM Studer on the podcast for almost a year, and the wait was certainly worth it! We dived deep into his chess blog, and discussed the state of professional chess in 2022. Noël was gracious enough to share some anecdotes from his days as an up and coming professional chess player, and was uninhibited when sharing his opinions about FIDE and what needs to happen next for the growth of chess as a sport. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it!

Check out "Next Level Chess" to start making serious improvement towards your chess goals. Sign up for Noël's newsletter here: https://nextlevelchess.blog/newsletter/

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64pod

Check out 64: A Chess Channel and if you liked the show, follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

Also, if you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks to Chessable for sponsoring 64: A Chess Podcast, and thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast as well -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Julesgambit is an up-and-coming Twitch streamer, streaming chess at twitch.tv/julesgambit.

Jules is also on TikTok and YouTube -- check her out there and make sure to subscribe to her Twitch!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

This week on 64: A Chess Podcast, I was joined by GM Ruslan Ponomariov. GM Ponomariov was the youngest GM in history when he obtained the title, won the 2002 FIDE World Championship at 18 years old, and has played & won many elite tournaments, including the Tal Memorial 2006, San Sebastian 2009, and the Ukrainian Championship in 2011 and 2013. He recently played in the FIDE Grand Swiss and is still playing tournaments and coaching the next generation of chess talent.

It was wonderful getting Ruslan's opinion on recent chess news, discovering some of the behind-the-scenes drama behind a planned Kasparov-Ponomariov match that would have reunified the split World Championship titles in the early 2000s, and talking about what's next for his chess career. Thanks Ruslan for coming on the show -- I hope to have you back soon!

I've uploaded the video of our conversation to 64: A Chess Channel, so check out the video, and please subscribe if you enjoyed this episode! You can also follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

GM Benjamin Bok is a Dutch grandmaster and Twitch streamer, currently ranked #4 in the Netherlands.

(recorded before Magnus withdrawing from the Drama Cup)

Follow and subscribe to Benjamin on Twitch -- one of my favorite streamers in chess today!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code 64SQUARES at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

Tai Pruce-Zimmerman (@chessnumbers), also known as "Chess by the Numbers", has been running a chess blog for many years. Fueled by statistical analysis and intense attention to trends in the chess world, he has reported about everything from the rise of chess prodigies to probabilities of tournament results. His work has also fueled a lot of the discussion that I've had about certain storylines in top-flight chess.

With the World Chess Championship just days away and with a certain teenager capturing headlines Internationally for his dramatic climb to the top of the chess world, I thought it would be a great time to bring Chess by the Numbers on my show to talk Alireza, Magnus, and statistics. We got into a lot of interesting side discussions about rating inflation and many different sports. This episode really got me excited for the future of chess, and I hope it gets you pumped too!

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

We talked about...

• Move over, Magnus! The Alireza effect is in full swing. We do a deep dive into Alireza Firouzja's phenomenal 2021, pondering Alireza as prodigy, as elite player, and as possible heir to the throne.

• Tai talks about following Firouzja's journey since February 2015 (on his "Prodigy Watch" feature of his chess blog) and how beating Magnus Carlsen's record of youngest 2800 feels like "full circle"

• A beginner's guide to rating inflation, the 2800 club, and on Magnus Carlsen's "plateau" at 2850 elo

• A little World Chess Championship talk -- for more, see Tai's episode with the Perpetual Chess Podcast, released recently

• Could Firouzja be the first player to take the #2 spot from Magnus in the classical ratings list? And where did this massive step forward come from?

• The current and future projects from Chess By The Numbers, including the return of Prodigy Watch to his blog. Plus, two "amateur statisticians" talk about the tools Tai uses for his work

• Classical vs. rapid chess, from a spectator point of view. Plus, my suggestions to make classical chess more fun to watch

• As always, another edition of Aimchess Instant Insights

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Follow me on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks again to Tai Pruce-Zimmerman for coming on the podcast -- hope to have you back!

lularobs is a chess streamer from Jersey, UK. She started playing chess almost a year ago, when "The Queen's Gambit" was capturing the attention and imagination of audiences all over the world. She started streaming shortly after -- since then, she's gained 3,500 followers on Twitch, and recently became a partner streamer with Chess.com. A few days ago, she won the second edition of the Dragon Masters tournament on Chess.com -- her first ever tournament!

Her chess skills have progressed rapidly as well; she's gone from a total beginner to nearly 1500 elo in just under a year, and Lula recently hired a chess coach for more focused improvement. She might also the world's biggest fan of 1.b4, the Polish Opening. Having watched her streams over the past few weeks, I can say that she has a very bright future both as a chess player and as a streamer. It was a delight to have Lula on the show, and I am so glad that we did this podcast episode.

We talked about...

• What effect did "The Queen's Gambit" have on Lula's decision to start playing chess? How did her perception of "chess players" change over time, and how were her first days of streaming?

• The Dragon Masters online tournament -- how she prepared for her first ever chess tournament, and how she felt after winning the whole event

• Twitch discussion -- dealing with backseating, tilting in front of viewers, and Lula's strategies for growing her stream over the last year

• What makes Chess so watchable compared to other games?

• Impostor syndrome across the rating ladder, plus a mention of Garry Kasparov's connection to Hearthstone

• Lula discusses her upcoming OTB tournament in a few weeks -- her first ever! -- and her plans for chess improvement and stream growth over the next few months

• As always, another edition of Aimchess Instant Insights

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Thanks so much to lularobs (twitch.tv/lularobs) for coming on the podcast -- hope to have you back again! Follow her on Twitter here!

Follow me on Twitter and Twitch! Thank you so much as always for listening.

JJ Lang is the resident philosopher of Chess Twitter. He splits his time finishing his PhD dissertation in philosophy at Stanford University, and teaching chess to students online. On this episode of 64, JJ and I preview the Candidates Tournament in Russia, and make predictions on who will win. JJ talks about his love for philosophy, and its roots in chess. JJ explains how studying in New York improved his game, and discusses his current road to the National Master title. JJ can be found on Twitter (@ChessFeels) and is offering coaching to novice & intermediate players.

GM Anish Giri is the No. 1 ranked chess player in the Netherlands, and one of the strongest chess players in the world, currently ranked No. 10 on the FIDE Top 100 Ratings List for May 2022.

A four-time Dutch champion, Anish has been a mainstay of professional chess in the past decade. He is one of the greatest players in the history of the game, achieving a live rating of 2802.8 in February 2015, and reaching World #3 in Jan 2016. Most significantly, he won the MrDodgy Invitational in 2020 and 2021. Beyond his professional chess career, Anish is a prolific Chessable author, occasional streamer, and renowned as King of Chess Twitter.

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Follow Anish on Twitter, and follow 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64 :)

Martin Justesen is a published chess author from Denmark. Martin's books are aimed for adult improvers like him, across all levels. He recently adapted Jose Raul Capablanca's classic "Chess Fundamentals" into algebraic notation so that newer players would be able to tap into his vast knowledge. He's also written books on blindfold endgame calculation, "headachingly hard" mate-in-two puzzles, and even an opening journal for recording OTB ideas in openings. Because Martin is Danish, we also talked a bit about Danish chess and this episode has made me really hyped to try out OTB chess in Denmark. I want to thank Martin for coming onto the show this week and for tolerating me butchering Danish pronunciations!

Some highlights from this week's episode:

• Martin talks a bit about what he's currently doing in chess -- playing in a weekly tournament, possibly playing some league chess, and taking lessons

• Why did Martin decide to start writing chess books?

• Logistical difficulties with publishing his most recent book

• Will we ever see Martin's books adapted to a digital format (i.e. Chessable)?

• Danish chess -- Nimzowitch, Larsen, Nielsen, and a big question -- will Martin and I play OTB chess against each other in Copenhagen?

• How do Danes feel about their fellow Scandinavian, Magnus Carlsen?

• Danish chess culture

• Another edition of Aimchess Instant Insights!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess.

Join my Patreon!

Thanks again to Martin Justesen for coming onto the show. Follow Martin on Twitter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here. Also, the "tank video" he mentioned can be found at this link.

Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64Podcast

Follow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

FM Michiel Abeln is a chess author, best known for his critically acclaimed book "The Anand Files" which details the games and stories surrounding Viswanathan Anand's three World Championship titles. Michiel has recently published a Chessable course on the Leningrad Dutch, a dynamic response to 1.d4 which is aimed towards adult improvers.

Long-time listeners know that I adore "The Anand Files". It is a unique book; part game collection, part journalism, part narrative storytelling, painting a vibrant picture of the 15th World Champion and the team that supported him through his World Championship run. With the Carlsen-Nepo match coming up in a few weeks, I also thought it might put the podcast in a World Championship atmosphere. In any case, it was great to pick FM Abeln's brain about chess culture.

We talked about...

• The Leningrad Dutch course -- why he wrote it, what his goals were for the course, and comparing it to other books on the Dutch

• Quality over quantity -- FM Abeln's work ethic and goal to create flawless chess content. We also touch upon misleading claims re: improvement from publishers and marketers in chess

• The Anand Files -- across the episode I ask questions about the creation of the book, such as the interview process with Vishy and his seconds, how he annotated the games, and what he thinks about the project now that it's available for purchase. I basically just raved about the book and asked all the questions I've wanted to know while I continue reading the book. If you own the book, this might be especially fun for you, and if you don't, consider it a sneak peek :)

• World Championship dynamics -- how do teams form for a player? What is the hierarchy between the champion/challenger and his seconds? How does a coach give advice to a player like Magnus Carlsen or Vishy Anand?

• Magnus vs. Nepo -- given what he knows about World Chess Championship matches, what does FM Abeln think about the upcoming match later this month? Does Nepo have any chances to usurp the throne? What can we expect from the match in terms of strategy game-by-game?

• Vishy's legacy -- is Viswanathan Anand underestimated as a chess player, at least outside India? We discuss Vishy's career and his impact on chess

• As always, another edition of Aimchess Instant Insights

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Thanks so much to FM Michiel Abeln for coming on the podcast -- hope to have you back soon! Follow him on Twitter here.

Follow me on Twitter!

Follow me on Twitch (pleaaaaaase!)

FM Michiel Abeln's Leningrad Dutch course can be purchased here, and his book "The Anand Files" can be bought here

This week I am joined by the lads from the Chess Pit Podcast-- Jon, Phil, and Robin. I came on their podcast during the Magnus-Nepo match and discussed the state of the chess media-sphere (you can check out that episode here). We continued that discussion on this episode of 64: A Chess Podcast, and also gave our thoughts on the perils of being hyperfixated on immediate and stark chess improvement.

Talking with the Chess Pit guys made me feel like I was sitting on my couch talking sports with my pals. John, Phil, and Robin are hilarious -- please give them a follow on Twitter, and subscribe to their podcast! -- I'm a big fan of theirs and super grateful that they found time to record with me last week! I hope we do it again soon.

Also, I've made a Youtube channel -- 64: A Chess Channel -- so check it out and please subscribe if you enjoyed this episode! You can also follow me on Twitter and Twitch :-) thanks again for listening to this week's episode of 64!

If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

NM Jeremy Kane is the Curriculum Director for Chess.com. He won the Wisconsin State Championship in 2007 and has worked as a chess teacher/coach/mentor for many years. He last made an appearance on the podcast in July, where he teased a book called "The Next to Last Mistake" which he had been writing for several years. Next month, the book will be released! I invited Jeremy back on the show for a deep dive into the thoughts that went into writing the book. We also talked a bit about the atmosphere and storylines around the World Chess Championship, which is starting next Friday!

Having received an advance copy of "The Next to Last Mistake", I can say that it is a fantastic and necessary addition to chess literature. It focuses on skills like resilience and creating complications from a practical and educational standpoint, which are topics that are oft neglected despite being able to impact one's improvement in chess. It's also a book that I think will be very helpful for my own chess improvement. I give the book two thumbs up -- you can pre-order/purchase the book on Amazon now. Thank you for listening to this week's episode of 64!

Check out the Magnus-Nepo Prediction Challenge at www.magnusnepo.com!

We talked about...

• "The Next to Last Mistake" -- who is the book written for? What gaps in the chess literature does he hope to fill with it? How does

• How to get the most out of the book -- analyzing with a real board vs. computer, and changing one's chess mindset towards finding resilient and creative ideas over the "best" move in tricky or worse positions

• How Jeremy's extensive experience/career as a chess coach informed the way he wrote "The Next to Last Mistake"

• The case for chess books over online chess courses

• Magnus-Nepo: how does Jeremy think Ian Nepomniachtchi and Fabiano Caruana signing contracts with Chess.com impact the company in the short and long-term?

• Secret chess accounts of the world's elite on rival websites

• What is the main storyline/angle for this World Championship for people who might be interested in chess but have never watched?

• What might be the consequences of a Nepo WCC win in December? Plus, showing some love to London 2013 and Yekaterinburg 2020/21 (iconic!)

• As always, another edition of Aimchess Instant Insights

Thanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!

Thanks again to NM Jeremy Kane for hopping on the podcast again! Third time's the charm, perhaps? :-) Follow him on Twitter!

Follow me on Twitter and Twitch! Thank you so much as always for listening.

Geert van der Velde is the CEO of Chessable (and a good friend of the podcast!).

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

GM Ori Kobo -- my chess coach -- returns to the podcast.

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!

WFM Devina Devagharan is a Twitch streamer, chess coach, and fellow podcaster.

Devina streams chess at twitch.tv/twitchlezgo. Check out her website at www.devinadev.com to learn more about Devina & sign up for private lessons!

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Follow Devina on Twitter, and follow 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch.

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64 :)

GM Cristian Chirila hosts the C-Squared Podcast. He is also the trainer & second of GM Fabiano Caruana, his co-host on C-Squared, and is a long-time commentator for the St. Louis Chess Club.

Sub to the C-Squared Podcast on Spotify and YouTube -- currently my favorite chess podcast :-)

64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Chessable -- if you want to learn more about Chessable & my favorite courses, check out go.chessable.com/64podcast

If you want to support the podcast, subscribe to my Patreon (for as little as $1 a month!)

Don't forget to check 64: A Chess Podcast on Twitter and Twitch!

Thanks for listening to this episode of 64!