EP 431- GM Mihail Marin:The Award-Winning Author shares Chess Wisdom from Across the Generations

Apr 22, 2025

01:12:47

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GM Mihail Marin is a prolific and popular author, trainer, and 3-time Romanian national champion. He has made numerous contributions to the chess canon but is probably best known for the book Learn from the Legends, published in 2005, which received high praise from GM Daniel Naroditsky, IM Jeremy Silman, and many others. In 2025, its much-anticipated sequel, Learn from the Legends 2: Chess Heroes at Their Best has finally been released. GM Marin joined me to discuss:

The different format chosen for this sequel compared to the original
Things to know about each of the players featured in Mihail's new book: GMs Stein, Keres, Bronstein, Portisch, and Polugaevsky
His own rise up the chess ranks
Why chess was a uniquely appealing profession in Communist Romania

GM Marin has accumulated a litany of stories from a life among the world's top players, and it is always a pleasure to speak with him! Timestamps of topics discussed are below."

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Prior Interview- Episode 316

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2023/2/7/ep-316-gm-mihail-marin-the-renowned-author-and-trainer-on-learning-from-larsen-tal-polgar-and-other-legends

0:00- What was Mihail Marin’s approach to chess improvement as an up and coming player?

Mentioned: Karpov-Unzicker 1975

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067846

Also mentioned: GM Florin Gheorghiu, GM Mihai Suba . Psakhis-Marin 2000

17:00- Mihail shares a little bit about each player covered in Learn from the Legends 2, including Stein, Polugaevsky, Bronstein, Keres and Portisch

Mentioned: Korchnoi-Portisch Candidates Match 1983

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=93347

Also mentioned: Bronstein’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Keres-Benko 1962 (adjourned on move 41)

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1072970

GM Jan Timman’s Curacao 1962: The Battle That Shook the Chess World

https://www.amazon.com/Curacao-1962-Battle-Minds-Shook/dp/9056911392

34:00- In the modern chess age is it still possible to have a distinct chess style?

Mentioned:

Spassky Fischer, game 8, move 15:

https://lichess.org/study/FeAwvrlI/nNPKlIqp

Spassky-Polgar 1993-