Quillette Podcast From Cult Child to Chess Wunderkind
21 snips
Oct 20, 2025 Danny Rensch, Chief Chess Officer at Chess.com and author of the memoir Dark Moves, shares his extraordinary journey from the Church of Immortal Consciousness to chess fame. He discusses the therapeutic nature of writing his memoir and the emotional complexities of revisiting his past. Rensch candidly explains how intelligent individuals are drawn to cults, emphasizing the manipulation by charismatic leaders like Stephen Camp. He reflects on the burden of discovering chess as his 'ordained purpose' amid a tumultuous upbringing.
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Chess As An Escape Route
- Danny Rensch was born into the Church of Immortal Consciousness and escaped largely because of his chess talent.
- Chess success let him travel, gain independence, and eventually leave the cult environment.
Memoir As Dual Purpose
- Writing Dark Moves mixed therapy with a literary project and became a way for Danny to process trauma.
- He deliberately aimed to tell a balanced story, not just a sensational cult expose.
Let Therapy Focus The Present
- Good therapy focuses on the present and revisits the past only as needed to reduce current triggers.
- Avoid continuously searching for new traumatic material while trying to heal.
