Dan Bock - Breaking Barriers: How He Gained 400 ELO in His 40s

In this episode, I’m excited to host Dan Bock, also known as Bold Move by Dan on X. Dan’s journey is truly inspiring—he achieved a 400-point rating increase as an adult improver, documenting every step of his path to success in his popular blog, Chess Improvement Lab. In our conversation, we dig deep into his unique approach to learning, his use of flashcards for improving his game, and how structured thinking, deliberate practice, and checklist routines shaped his path to improvement. Dan shares invaluable advice for chess enthusiasts, highlighting how he leverages detailed self-analysis and carefully constructed personalized checklists to eliminate blunders and refine his thought process. We discuss the importance of targeted improvement, how repetition and review play a role in learning, and why he believes in prioritizing one’s own mistakes as the best path to growth. With over 2,000 custom flashcards, Dan takes a practical and organized approach to chess that keeps him motivated and consistently improving. We also dive into some of Dan’s most effective strategies, including his innovative “Move Highlighter” tool and how he learns from his blitz games. This episode covers crucial improvement techniques and is packed with actionable tips on everything from blunder checking to cognitive habits that any adult improver can apply.

00:00 Introduction 02:02 Dan's Brief Chess History 04:42 11 Things I Did to Gain 400 Points 05:47 The Role of Blitz 09:22 Flashcards 11:20 Engine Feedback 12:16 Move Highlighter 15:09 Anki 19:25 Learning From Own Mistakes 23:12 Checklists 25:58 Checks Captures Threats 30:05 Dan's 3 Checklist Questions 31:42 What Does Their Move Unblock? 38:08 What Does My Move Unprotect? 40:07 The Importance of Playing Games 42:53 If I Make This Move, Am I Allowing a Check? 48:32 What is Becoming Loose If I Make This Move? 50:50 Did I Carefully Check For Alignments Before Making My Move? 53:53 Wishful Thinking 54:20 Loose Piece + Alignment 56:28 If I Make That Move Am I Allowing a Knight Fork? 59:31 If I Make That Move Am I Allowing a Pawn Fork? 01:01:19 Can They TRAP One of My Pieces If I Make That Move? 01:02:42 If I Make That Move Am I Allowing an Unstoppable Passed Pawn? 01:04:41 Simplifying & Focusing on Fundamentals