Danny Rensch

International chess master Danny Rensch discusses applying chess strategies to leadership, self-improvement, and decision-making. Topics include parallels between chess and business, navigating growth while maintaining values, vulnerability in leadership, strategic thinking in AI, and scaling remote corporate cultures.

Danny Rensch, Chief Chess Officer at Chess.com and author of Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life, shares his compelling journey from a cult upbringing in Arizona to finding purpose through chess. He reveals how his talent was co-opted by the cult as a propaganda tool and discusses the psychological impact of separation from his mother. Danny dives deep into the manipulative teachings of the group, addressing themes of trauma, identity, and resilience. His story highlights chess as both a prison and a means of liberation.

Danny Rensch, International Master and Chief Chess Officer of Chess.com, shares his gripping story from a troubled childhood in a spiritual cult to becoming a chess authority. He discusses how chess was both a refuge and a source of trauma. Danny reveals the psychological challenges he faced, the explosive growth of Chess.com fueled by 'The Queen's Gambit,' and the implications of recent cheating scandals. This candid conversation dives into the essence of resilience and transforms pain into purpose, all through the lens of a game he loves.