Perpetual Chess Podcast

GM Avetik Grigoryan is the founder and lead trainer of the education chess website Chessmood.com. I last interviewed Avetik in 2020, and his company has seen explosive growth since then. We discussed what Avetik has learned about growing a chess start-up, but also what he has learned about the challenges adults face in trying to improve at chess. Whereas previously Avetik thought the biggest obstacle was that people set unrealistic goals, now he sees a few bigger issues. We also talked about how artificial intelligence will impact chess improvement in the future and some of the tools Chessmood is working on to make improvement easier. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.Their new courses include  Chessable- Gukesh’s Masterful Moves.If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro To sign up for a free month of Chess

This week’s guest, GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez is an accomplished trainer, player, Chessable author and one of the busiest players on the US tournament circuit. As such a frequent competitor, Fidel has had more than his share of successes (including winning the 2023 World Open!), but I have nonetheless often wondered how he finds the time and energy to play at a high level so frequently and consistently. Hearing Fidel’s fascinating life story helped me untangle the mystery. Fidel and I covered a ton of topics, including:  Why he quit his job as a computer programmer in 2023 to work full time in chess His long and winding path from Cuba to the United States  Attending Webster University with GM Wesley So, IM Eric Rosen and others  The most common mistakes he sees by his amateur students  How much he worries about OTB cheating as a frequent competitor for the top prizes His deep love for the Scotch Opening  This nearly 90-minute conversation flew by, and I am confident that you will enjoy it, as I did. Tim

It is World Championship season again! The FIDE World championship takes place from November 25 to December 13, in Singapore. As you probably know, GM Ding Liren will be defending his title against 18 year old wunderkind, GM Gukesh D. This is a unique matchup which features a fast-rising top 5 challenger, and a slumping World Champion who has fallen out of the top 20. Joining me to discuss it are three separate guests in the following order: Top trainer, author, and Ding Liren biographer, GM Davorin Kuljasevic shares his match thoughts. How does Ding’s recent play differ from that of “peak Ding?”   Author of From Boy to Man to Challenger: The Fiercest Battles of Gukesh D ,  IM Cyrus Lakdawala on why he thinks Gukesh has a chance to be an all-time great.  Statistician, and co-founder of Chessgoals.com, NM Matt Jensen on the betting markets, the likelihood of a tiebreak, and one key statistical factor that favors Gukesh.  Chatting about the World Championship always gets me excited for the match, and this y

GM Ben Finegold is back to share his thoughts on all of the recent crazy chess news. The popular commentator, YouTuber, and Chessable author and I discuss the controversies and highlights of the US Championships, as well as the most recent cheating accusations leveled by GM Vladimir Kramnik. Do these accusations have more merit than other recent ones? We also discuss OTB cheating, as Ben draws some comparisions to cheating episodes in the game of Bridge. Lastly, we discuss why the Nimzo-Indian is a favorite opening of Ben’s and Ben shares a few of his favorite stories related to chess and gambling. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.  Check out Ben’s course, Starting Out: Nimzo-Indian.  If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Mentioned:  GMs Daniel Naroditsky and Vladimir Kramnik on the Levitov channel  ht

Peter Doggers is an award-winning chess journalist who is currently the director of News and Events at Chess.com. His role has given him a ringside seat to modern chess history, as he has attended many of the world’s top events, and interviewed the likes of GM Garry Kasparov, Hikaru Nakamura, and countless others. Peter’s new book, The Chess Revolution: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age covers everything from the beginnings of chess, to its many representations in pop culture, to the explosion in popularity the game has experienced in the internet age. Peter’s excellent book covers chess from all angles, so we zeroed in on a few of my favorite topics from the book including: the history of chess and computers, recent stories around chess cheating, and their implications for the future of chess, the rise of Chess.com, and the story behind the making of Peter’s book. Every chess fan will learn something from Peter’s book, and I greatly enjoyed discussing it with him. Timestamps of topics discussed are b

This week’s guest is renowned author and 2-time Massachusetts state champion, FM Charles Hertan. Charles’ new book, The Real Paul Morphy takes an all-encompassing look at the complex legacy of Paul Morphy. Morphy is widely regarded as the best player of the 19th century, yet still might be underappreciated. What made Morphy’s play so special?  Why isn’t he mentioned more often in the chess G.O.A.T. conversations? What led to his mental health struggles and early chess retirement? In addition to discussing Paul Morphy, we talk about why Charles’ playing career. He reviews why he retired from OTB chess near a peak rating of 2500 USCF, and Charles shares chess improvement advice from his classic tactics manual, Forcing Chess Moves. As always, approximate timestamps of topics discussed can be found below.  Chessable Pro-  Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.  Check out their new offerings including GM Garry Kasparov’s much anticipated Chessable debut! If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following

This week’s returning guest is ChessDojo co-founder, IM Kostya Kavutskiy. Kostya joined me after returning from a busy summer of chess travel in Europe. Kostya has recently redoubled his efforts to earn the Grandmaster title, and has been competing OTB frequently. He also attended the Olympiad and gave a fascinating first-hand perspective of what it was like to be in Budapest. Kostya has been writing about both his GM quest and the Olympiad on his recently launched blog, Kostya goes for GM. As an experienced trainer, and Chessable Author, Kostya is always insightful on the challenges of chess improvement, both his own, and that of the Chess Dojo members across the rating spectrum. With that in mind, we began the conversation by discussing the challenges Kostya is facing, as well as those from some podcast listeners.  After 30+ minutes of chess improvement talk we discussed the Olympiad, what is new with the ChessDojo, and even a forthcoming book. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below.  0:00-  T

“Coming back to classical chess was the best decision of my life,” Selim said.  IM-elect Selim Citak came out of semi-retirement on a whim a few years ago, needing one more norm and some more FIDE rating points, in order to earn the IM title. Selim quickly discovered that adjustments were necessary, as his rating plummeted from over 2300 to 2150 while he grappled with the stronger new generation of chess players. Through hard work, sacrifice, and psychological adjustments, Selim turned things around and gained the 250 FIDE points and final norm necessary to earn the IM title at age 39! In our conversation, Selim shares his remarkable story, along with plenty of chess improvement advice. Selim is very active in the Turkish chess scene as an author, Chessable author and commentator.  He joined me just after attending the Olympiad as a second to young star GM Yagiz Erdogmus. Selim also shared what makes GM Ediz Gurel and him such special talents, and why Turkey is a potential rising chess power. This was an insp

This week’s returning guest is the renowned author, Chessable author and trainer, GM Axel Smith. Axel, of course is best known for the groundbreaking tactics manual, The Woodpecker Method, and is finally releasing its much-anticipated sequel, The Woodpecker Method 2: Positional Play.  While the first Woodpecker volume focused on tactics, this one helps readers learn critical positional patterns. In our conversation, we discuss the challenges of and logistics behind selecting over 1000 positional puzzles. We also have a wide-ranging discussion about Axel’s latest thoughts about chess improvement, a topic he has covered in excellent books like Pump Up Your Rating and Street Smart Chess. We touch on how Axel’s chess goals have evolved now that he has a family, his advice regarding offering draws, and even the parallels between trying to improve at distance running and at chess. As always links of topics referenced are below.    Book available from Quality Chess and Forward Chess, coming soon to Chessable  http

Sam Kahn is a writer and film producer by day with a passion for chess, and particularly, the lessons we can learn from chess history. Sam is especially fascinated by the distinct chess styles that one can see by playing through the games of prior greats like Lasker, Pillsbury and Capablanca. He writes about the lessons we can learn from these players in his excellent new collaboration with IM Cyrus Lakdawala, A Century of Chess Book 1: 1900-1909. Of course, before Sam became consumed by chess history, he obsessively focused on his own game. Sam has his share of stories from all-nighters at NYC chess dens, and reflects on how he achieved the 2100 USCF level, and why he thinks it will be challenging to reach a highe level.  Based on his own experiences, Sam also shares tips for navigating the narrow path from “degenerate” chess obsessive to healthy chess hobbyist. As an avid reader of Sam’s blogs (both chess and non-chess), I was excited to hear him reflect on his own chess story. Timestamps of topics discusse

As the FIDE Chess Olympiad enters the homestretch, it has been as entertaining as ever. It is hard to keep up with all of the emerging storylines, but Chessable's Mr. Dodgy joined me from Budapest to discuss a few, as well as to describe the atmosphere in Budapest and at the playing hall. Topics covered include: the cell phone camera controversy, GM Ding Liren's disappointing performance, India's dominance, and the inspiring story of Eman Sawan. You can find links to all of the stories referenced below. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the tournament! 0:00- Welcome  3:00- How Budapest compares to the 2022 Chennai Olympiad  5:55- The Women in Chess Foundation 08:56- The Kramnik camera phone controversy  12:00- GM Ding Liren’s uninspiring performance at the tournament  15:00- Final thoughts: Is India inevitable?  Find out more about the phone in the playing hall controversy here: https://x.com/chess24com/status/1837226230082588923 Chessbase India shorts: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChessBaseIndiachannel/sho

The Adult Improver series returns to Perpetual Chess to spotlight another accomplished amateur. This week we are joined by 48-year-old data scientist, NM Matt Gross. Matt returned to tournament chess after a 17-year hiatus with a mission to earn the USCF Master title. With a 2140 rating, Matt did not need to earn so many additional points to reach his goal, but he found that the game had evolved and competition was much tougher in 2021 than in had been in  2004. Matt could no longer rely on outcalculating his opponents and playing dodgy openings, He soon realized that  he would need to revamp his entire chess game. He decided to focus on building a solid repertoire, and, most of all,to work assiduously to improve his chess intuition.  Matt’s mission to make NM took a few years, but he managed to earn the title in 2023, possibly making him one of the oldest players to earn the NM title in the past few years. Our conversation is about how he went about this.  In addition to the insights from this conversation,

This week I am honored to be joined by author, trainer, and 2 time Swedish National Champion, GM Tiger Hillarp Persson. Tiger has a unique background for a GM, as at the age of 26, when  he was not yet an IM, he decided to pursue chess professionally nonetheless. From there he made rapid progress and has been an active player ever since. But Tiger is equally passionate about another complex game, Go, which he started playing at the age of 40. He has become a master-level player, and has represented his native Sweden in international Go tournaments as well. In our conversation, Tiger discusses the challenges and rewards of improving at both games, and why he thinks substantial improvement is possible at both if one is honest with oneself and works hard. We also discuss Tiger’s fantastic new book, Tiger’s Chaos Theory. The book deconstructs and gives vocabulary to some uncommon and important patterns and situations in chess, and is a pleasure to read. I found this conversation very insightful, and I trust that

The 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad begins September 11, 2024 in Budapest, and will feature many of the world’s top players. It is always a fun tournament for players and fans alike with its unique format and the opportunity for players to represent their countries. Joining me to help preview this year’s edition is 14- time British Chess Olympian, author, and 3 time British champion, GM Jonathan Speelman. Before Jon joins me, I discuss storylines I am excited for, including Magnus’ return to classical chess, a star-studded Indian team, and the Olympiad debut of a young British star. At the 14 minute mark, GM Speelman joins me to share some of his own Olympiad memories, as well as to share his thoughts on this year’s edition. The Olympiad is always one of my favorite tournaments to follow, and you can be sure that Perpetual Chess will be following and covering this year’s edition in detail. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Check out the app of our new sponsors Chess Universe in your app store.  https://che

On September 6, almost two years to the day after their fateful game at the Sinquefield Cup, Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann will meet at Chess.com’s Speed Chess Championship. They will play in front of an audience in Paris, France.  Joining me to discuss the history of this feud, and the details of this match is popular commentator, YouTuber and Twitch streamer GM Ben Finegold. Does Hans have a chance given his impressive play lately? Since Magnus has been refusing to play Niemann, is there a chance that Magnus won’t show up to the match? What openings might we expect?  We dive into these questions and many more in our conversation.  All the information you need about the match is here: https://www.chess.com/events/info/2024-speed-chess-championship Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com! Check out my new course here, Identifying Critical Moments in Chess, here: https://www.chessable.com/identifying-critical-moments-in-chess/course/248353/ 1:30- Hans has been on a massive heater and has cracked the top 20

JulesGambit is a popular Twitch streamer and YouTuber who rediscovered chess while at university and has seen rapid growth in her rating and her online following. Jules joined me shortly after competing in the BotezChessCamp, a unique tournament where she lived in a house with other female chess stars like the Botezes and Anna Cramling and competed in a tournament. Jules was the lowest-rated entrant, but gained rating and drew 2-time US Women’s Champ Jennifer Yu in a classical game. This incredible result comes on the heels of a 2 year period where she has taken her rating from 1000 USCF to around 1800. In our conversation, we discuss the keys to Jules’ progress, the story behind the BotezChessCamp and what Jules plans to study next as she turns her attention to chess full-time. Jules is quick to credit many well-known chess players for helping fuel her growth as chess player, student and presenter, and it was inspiring to hear someone so motivated to continue her chess growth.  Thanks to our sponsors Chess

GM Pontus Carlsson is a Grandmaster, trainer, entrepreneur, and the founder of the non-profit Business Meets Chess & Kids. Pontus is always forthright and entertaining, and in his third visit to the podcast, we  caught up on chess topics including:  The unique stress of being World Chess Champion, and Pontus’ thoughts on the upcoming match  Pontus’ advice for helping to remember openings Will Pontus be following the Hans-Magnus speed chess championship match? What happened the first time Pontus encountered an 8 year old Magnus Carlsen (no relation) at a Scandinavian championship event?  The positives and negatives of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz occurring in New York this year We also discussed online chess cheating, the upcoming Olympiad, and an online chess charity event which Pontus will be organizing this weekend, called Chess 2 Change. This is a fun event for amateurs to play in, meet successful chess and business personalities, and is potentially life-changing for the young chess talents who parti

FM Kamil Plichta is a renowned opening theoretician, Chessable author, trainer, and blitz/bullet specialist. In our conversation, Kamil highlights several important chess improvement-related topics:  The value of learning by emulating those slightly higher rated than you  Knowing when to withdraw from a brutal tournament  Advice for choosing openings  We also chat about Kamil’s pursuit of the IM title, the London System, the English Defence, and much more. It's always fun to talk chess with Kamil, and it had been too long since our previous interview! Timestamps for topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com. If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use this link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:00- Kamil discusses the value of learning from studying games from the next level up, rather than from Super GM games Mentioned: Lego Chess  11:30- Kamil is one norm away from the IM title. How is the journey?  18:00- Kamil r

As the co-founder of Quality Chess Books and Killer Chess Training.com, GM Jacob Aagaard is always a busy man. This year, the award-winning author and trainer has been even busier. It was recently announced that his company, Quality Chess Books is acquiring two of the biggest chess publishers (New in Chess Books and Everyman Chess) from Chess.com. Jacob joined me to tell me the story behind these acquisitions, as well as the decision of his co-founder, GM John Shaw to retire. Jacob is always insightful and opinionated about professional chess, so we also got the opportunity to hear his takes on Ding-Gukesh, rating deflation, and IM Levy Rozman’s quest for the GM title, among other topics. As always, Jacob was very generous with his time, and you can find timestamps of topics discussed below.  Jacob’s prior appearances on Perpetual Chess:  Episode 111 Episode 166 (with GM R.B. Ramesh) Episode 296 Bonus pod on the Carlsen-Niemann scandal Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com. Be sure to check out new courses

On this week’s Perpetual Chess, the popular and sometimes entertaining GM Jan Gustafsson returns! Jan, of course, is a popular commentator, Twitch streamer, Chessable author, and renowned opening theoretician. His last visit to the podcast was a mere four months ago, but a lot has changed since then. GM D Gukesh has qualified for the World Championship match, and it has been revealed that Jan worked on GM Ian Nepomniatchtchi’s team. In this interview, Jan reflects on these occurrences and describes what it was like to be in Toronto as a second for the FIDE Candidates. He also looks ahead to the Gukesh-Ding World Championship match, which will take place in November in Singapore. Jan also answers plenty of listener questions on a wide range of topics, including the upcoming Olympiads, the closing of Chess24, the status of the Chicken Chess Club Podcast, and, of course, the openings covered in his new Chessable course, GM Jan Gustafsson Aggressive 1. E4 part 2 (co-authored with CM Vjekoslav Nemec). We covered a