The Chess Angle

**Note: Alex King earned the FM title after this was recorded. The episode title has been updated but the original show notes are below. This week I spoke with National Master Alex King who resides in Memphis, Tennessee. Alex is an active tournament player, teacher, and writer. His 6-part article series for Chess Life magazine on the Tarrasch Defense  begins with the March 2022 issue. Alex is also an accomplished musician, and he composed and performed all the music in this episode. Some of our talking points include: Chess improvement tips for amateurs The prevalence of chess cheating The relationship between music and chess Alex's links & info: Marshall Spectator articlechess.com: AlexanderKing lichess: OjaiJoao E-mail: snarkusmusic@gmail.com Our links: WebsiteTwitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

I spoke with Candidate Master and renowned chess educator Brian Karen. He is one of the most active teachers in the country. Some of our talking points include: Tournament players vs. hobbyists A rating system based on norms, rather than individual games Studying chess Does preparing for a specific opponent actually make a difference at the club level? Links referenced in this episode: Chess Book Collectors FB Group Fide World Chess Championship FB GroupThe Seven Deadly Chess Sins (affiliate link) Chess for Tigers (affiliate link) Brian's email: briankaren@usa.net Our links: WebsiteTwitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

Arguably, certain "theoretical advantages" often have less significance at the amateur level. For example, material imbalances such as "having the two bishops" or "being up the Exchange" are often overrated when non-titled players face off. Our Links: WebsiteTwitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

For the podcast's first interview format, I spoke with National Master Tim Mirabile. This is our uncut, unedited conversation. Below, Tim shared a list of some favorite books and a link to an article about the growth mindset: Bobby Fischer – My 60 Memorable Games Robert Burger – The Chess of Bobby Fischer Alexander Kotov – Think Like a Grandmaster, Play Like a Grandmaster Andrew Soltis – The Art of Defense in Chess Vladimir Vukovic – The Art of Attack in Chess John Nunn & Peter Griffiths – Secrets of Grandmaster Play Alex Dunne – How to Become a Candidate Master Mauricio Flores Ríos – Chess Structures: A Grandmaster Guide Reuben Fine – Basic Chess Endings Jonathan Speelman – Analyzing the Endgame Eduard Gufeld – Exploiting Small Advantages Mark Dvoretsky & Artur Yusupov – Original 5 book series (Training for the Tournament Player, Opening Preparation, Technique for the Tournament Player, Positional Play, Attack and Defense) Chess Informant, Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, Encyclopedia of Chess Middlegames: Combinations, Encyclopedia of Chess Endings (somewhat obsoleted by database, training software, tablebases) Growth Mindset article Our links: WebsiteTwitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

Dive into the intriguing world of chess puzzles and discover their true impact on skill enhancement. Explore common mistakes made by players of all levels, illustrated by a surprising blunder from a recent tournament. Uncover time-wasters in chess improvement, along with practical tips for more effective study habits. Delve into the importance of quality over quantity in puzzle practice, and find out about a recommended puzzle book tailored for amateurs. It's a treasure trove of insights for anyone looking to sharpen their game!

Certain chess mistakes appear in amateur games with unwavering consistency. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com (affiliate link). Our links: WebsiteTwitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

Some chess players use gamesmanship to beat their opponent. Our links: WebsiteTwitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

In this episode, I discuss the modern classic "Chess for Tigers" by Simon Webb, which I believe is the best primer on chess psychology for amateur players. It is linked below along with the chess clock I mentioned. These are affiliate links which help support this podcast at no additional cost to you. Chess for Tigers  LEAP Chess Clock Our links: WebsiteTwitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

A discussion of the thought process before making a move. This episode is for amateur players of all levels. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com (affiliate link). Our links: WebsiteTwitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

Is the amateur chess scene more competitive than ever before? We take a look at that, and poker somehow makes its way into the discussion. Below are links to the books mentioned in this episode. These are Amazon affiliate links which help support this podcast at no additional cost to you. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com (affiliate link). The Biggest Bluff Outliers The Amateur’s Mind Our links: WebsiteTwitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com