Perpetual Chess Podcast

Our guest this week is one of the world’s leading experts on chess ratings. Mark Glickman is a senior lecturer on Statistics at Harvard University, from which he completed a Ph.D. in statistics. Mark has been researching and sharing ideas about ratings for decades, and has been the chairman of the US Chess Ratings committee since 1992. He is the inventor of the Glicko and Glicko2 rating systems, versions of which are used on liChess and Chess.com. He is also a USCF Master, and has written and co-written several papers on ratings. In our conversation, we review the history of chess ratings, the efficacy of the “Elo rating system,” rating deflation and other potential issues with the current online and OTB systems. This was a fascinating conversation during which I learned a great deal! More info and shownotes below. 0:00- We begin by discussing how Mark became interested in ratings, and a bit about the history of chess ratings. Mentioned: Arpad Elo, Kenneth Harkness Bradley-Terry Model, Ernst Zermelo15:15- Mark tells the funny story of some work they did developing a “rating” model for Tinder to improve their dating app. 17:00- Why have ratings been such a boon for the popularity of chess?21:30- Patreon mailbag question: “What does Mark think of IM Ken Regan’s concept of Intrinsic Rating?”Mentioned: Dr. Ken Regan’s paper on Intrinsic Rating, Episode 136 with IM Kenneth Regan 28:00- Does Mark think the FIDE and USCF rating systems are working?34:00- What is the history of Mark’s “Glicko system” and where does the name come from? Mentioned: Dr. Christopher Chabris37:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 38:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!41:00- Patreon mailbag question: How do we know if rating gains reflect a gain in strength rather than just that they were underrated to begin with? 47:30- Patreon mailbag question: What could FIDE and US Chess learn from the advances in rating systems that have been made by online video game sites?Mentioned: Trueskill Ranking System52:00- Has Mark had any conversations with FIDE about implementing changes to the rating system? 54:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought you in part by Chess.com! Among their many resources, you can check out their Drills here and their vision trainer here.  54:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 56:00- Mark has written that the ELO rating system may have a deflationary tendency. Mark explains why this is, and suggests some potential fixes. Mentioned: Pandemic Lag by Dr. Kenneth Regan 1:06:00- Mark reflects on his own competitive chess career and shares a few stories and study tips from his journey to USCF Master. Mentioned: Alexey Troitsky 1:14:00- Are there any lessons to be derived for chess from the sports analytics revolution? 1:18:00- Could Mark envision a universal rating system across live and online sites? Mentioned: Rating conversion site here1:20:00- Thanks so much to Mark for sharing his knowledge. You can keep up with him via his website:http://www.glicko.net/index.htmlYou can read his papers here:http://www.glicko.net/research.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Noel Studer is a top Swiss player and a winner of many Swiss national titles. He has a popular and insightful blog called Next Level Chess, where Noel shares great chess improvement advice, book recommendations, and relates anecdotes from his experiences as a chess professional. Noel recently surprised his readers by announcing that at the age of 24 he is retiring from professional chess. In our conversation, Noel shares the reasons for his decision, and dispenses all kinds of awesome chess improvement advice. It was both helpful and enjoyable to hear all of Noel’s recommendations and stories. Please read on for lots more details and any relevant links.  0:00- What led to GM Noel Studer’s decision to retire from OTB chess at the age of 24? What is he planning next? Mentioned: Derek Sivers 13:30- What will be the topic of Noel’s upcoming chess course? 16:00-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 16:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought you in part by Chess.com! Among their many resources, you can check out their Drills here and their vision trainer here. 17:30- Patreon mailbag question from Neal Bruce! “What are the most common mistakes Noel sees from amateurs?” Mentioned: Atomic Habits 23:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is the minimum amount of work to do to maintain a level while one is unable to train chess seriously due to life circumstances?” Mentioned: FIDE World Rapid and Blitz 2021 29:00-  Patreon mailbag question “How much do openings matter for club players?” Mentioned: GM Ben Finegold, Noel’s posts Chess Improvement: Simple not Easy, What is The Best Chess Opening?, GM Surya Ganguly, GM Avetik Grigoryan’s Post: How to Memorize Chess Openings and Variation- Without Forgetting Them a Few Days Later   36:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What would Noel recommend for breaking through a tactics training plateau?” Mentioned: The Woodpecker Method , Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos, GM Pentala Harikrishna  48:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels- Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!48:30-  Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 49:00- What are the best sources of motivation for chess improvement? How did Noel get through a period where he was bullied as an adolescent? Mentioned: Simon Sinek’s Start With Why 1:01:00- What approach does Noel recommend for analyzing games after you play them? Mentioned: How to Analyze Your Game Part 1, How to Analyze Your Game Part 2 1:11:00- What lessons has Noel learned from working with GMs Artur Yusopov, Josif Dorfman, Markus Ragger?Mentioned: My Favorite Chess Advice: Talk With Your Pieces, IM Mark Dvoretsky, IM Josh Waitzkin’s The Art of Learning 1:22:00- What are Noel’s favorite books?Mentioned: Atomic Habits, The Art of Learning, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Learn from the Legends, GM Boris Gelfand’s Books ,GM Judit Polgar’s Books, GM Alireza Firouzja, Bortnyk-Studer 2014, Harikrishna-Studer 20191:31:00- What is Noel’s life like away from the board? Mentioned: Lucy the Golden Queen’s Instagram! 1:32:00- Thanks so much to Noel for sharing his insights!Be sure to subscribe to his blog/newsletter at https://nextlevelchess.blog/You can follow him on Twitter here  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Ross Franco is a 28 year old Applied Mathematics Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley who is also an accomplished chess improver. As Michael tells us, his interest in chess was sparked when he was looking for an engaging hobby while fighting leukemia in 2013. He started following the 2013 Carlsen-Anand World Championship match, and his interest has blossomed from there. Michael’s chess rating has also blossomed, as he has slowly climbed from beginner level to a 2300 peak Lichess Rapid Rating in the subsequent 8 years. In our interview, Michael details the books, experiences and lessons that have influenced him along the way. Please read on for lots more details and any relevant links. 0:00- Michael shares the unique story of how in 2013, the leukemia diagnosis left him looking for an engaging hobby, which turned out to be chess. Michael followed the 2013 Carlsen-Anand match and developed a particular affinity for Magnus Carlsen. Mentioned: Chess Network YouTube Channel, PowerPlay YouTube Channel 10:30- Michael began his chess climb with about an 1100 LiChess rating. Which books helped him ascend from there? Mentioned: A First Book of Morphy, How to Reassess Your Chess 19:30-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them Here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!20:15- How did Michael approach game analysis and learning from his games when he was climbing from Lichess 1100 to 2000 or so? Mentioned: Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces by GM Igor Stohl 25:30: Once he started grad school, Michael was able to take advantage of an IRL chess club at University of California-Berkeley. What lessons did he learn from face-to-face games with stronger players? Mentioned: Chess Club at Berkeley 30:30- What was Michael’s approach to studying openings? 34:00- When did Michael play his first tournament? What does he advise other online players who are new to tournaments? 43:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here.43:30-  Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site,and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.44:30- Michael shares some more book recommendations.Mentioned: Pump Up Your Rating, Essential Chess Sacrifices, Thinking Inside the Box, Winning  Chess Middlegames, Chess Structures, James Altucher interview with GM Judit Polgar, Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos 49:00- What was Michael’s approach to studying tactics? 54:30- Michael shares the various online resources he has joined:Mentioned: IM Andras Toth Twitch channel, Chessbrah Twitch channel, Morphy Chess Club Discord, GM Jesse Kraai The Plus Minus Equal of Chess Improvement 57:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Has Michael’s mathematical background helped him succeed at chess?” Michael also gives some background on his academic/professional career. 1:02:00- What are Michael’s 3 biggest chess improvement tips? Play longer games and analyze them in depth.  Play higher-rated people  Enjoy the game, expand your chess culture!  1:05:00- Thanks so much to Michael for sharing what he has learned about chess improvement. You can reach him via his Lichess account, NoseKnowsAll, here:https://lichess.org/@/NoseKnowsAll Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Programming Note- this podcast is also being published in video format on Tryfon’s YouTube channel-link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw1o0opNJ-sTryfon Gavriel, better known as “KingsCrusher” was one of the trailblazers of “Chess YouTube” and still uploads regularly to his following of over 110,000 subscribers. Tryfon launched his channel on a whim in 2007, and spent years as one of the most popular chess channels in the world. It was fun to hear Tryfon take us through those early days of online chess content, which feel like so long ago. As we discuss, Tryfon also has a keen knowledge of chess history, with a special interest in Bobby Fischer, Paul Morphy, and Mikhail Tal. Tryfon shares what makes these players so special and how we can apply lessons from their games. Tryfon is a bullet chess specialist who believes that studying these greats has even helped him at the fastest time controls. It was fun to talk chess history, chess content history and get some improvement tips from one of the original chess content creators! Timestamps and lots more details below. 0:00- We discuss the early days of Tryfon’s YouTube channel in 2007 and his website Chessworld.net! Mentioned: Veratasium YouTube algorithm,  Chess on the Web by Sarah Hurst, Richard Palliser and Graham Brown, Sam Copeland’s TIme Lapse Video of the Most Popular Chess YouTubers, Agadmator, MatoJelic, GothamChess, ChessNetwork,  21:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com. Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here.21:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site,and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.22:00- From the Patreon mailbag: “Tryfon’s two most popular videos are about Bobby Fischer, and Tryfon is a big fan. What books has he read about Bobby Fischer?” 28:00- What sparked Tryfon’s interest in writing a LiChess blog? 30:00- What captivates Tryfon about Fischer, Morphy and Tal? 39:00- Patreon mailbag question- “Will the King’s Gambit ever feature in elite chess again?” This segues to a discussion of other openings that are underrated for club players Mentioned: Chris Callahan’s Twitter thread on how openings perform at different levels, Episode 221 with Chris Callahan46:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out what's new from them Here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast as well!46:30- Tryfon offers many chess courses on Udemy, including its most popular chess course, what was the inspiration for branching out from YouTube?Mentioned: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 53:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What tips can we share for a 1200 player working to improve calculation and visualization skills?” Mentioned: Peter Giannatos’ Everyone’s First Chess Workbook, Benedictine’s Visualization Series, Chess Steps 2: Thinking Ahead, IM Ken Regan paper- Intrinsic Ratings Compendium 1:12:00- As a top junior, Tryfon played Demis Hassibis of DeepMind as a kid. How was Demis’ game? 1:18:00- Thanks so much to Tryfon for joining the show. Here is out to keep up with him. YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/user/kingscrusherUdemy Courses- https://www.udemy.com/user/tryfon-gavriel/Twitter-https://twitter.com/kingscrusher?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Lichess- https://lichess.org/@/Kingscrusher-YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chess Books Recaptured is back for another monthly book review/recap. This month I am joined by UX designer and recently-minted chess enthusiast, Jessi Shakarian to discuss the 1921 classic, Chess Fundamentals by former World Champion, Jose Raoul Capablanca. Jessi provides the perspective of someone new to chess who was looking to learn some basics from one of the all time greats of the game. I try to give some historical perspective on the book, as well as to detail why this did not turn out to be my favorite book, despite its being written by one of my favorite players. Of course, there are still many useful insights and beautiful chess moves in the book, and we try to share a few highlights in our conversation. As always, you can find more details and timestamps below.0:00- We introduce this month's guest co-host Jessi Shakharian. Jessi shares a bit about her background and her recent deep dive into the chess world, and chess books in particular. 3:45- Patreon mailbag question- “What approach has Jessi taken to reading chess books?”8:30- Patreon mailbag question- “What tips can Ben share for how to analyze games?Mentioned: How to Chess” interview with GM Davorin Kuljasevic10:00- We discuss Jose Raoul Capablanca’s background and the context of the book’s publication in 1921. Mentioned: GM Mikail Botvinnik, LiChess study with Chess Fundamentals,  GM Nick DeFirmian’s Chess Fundamentals Revised Book Recap #18 of My System with IM Christof Sielecki, Everyman’s Chess Fundamentals, Martin Justesen’s new version of Chess Fundamentals 17:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out whats new from them here: New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com18:00- What do we think of Capablanca’s famed “learn the endgame first” philosophy? What are the pros and cons of the book itself? Jostein Langstrand’s Review of Chess Fundamentalsi, Edward Winter’s Capablanca: A Compendium  30:00- What insights does Capablanca share about the relative value of the chess pieces, especially about how the bishop compares to the knight?39:00- Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel here.39:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site,and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%40:00- What did “Friend of the Show” Fred Wilson think of this book? What alternative books might we recommend? Mentioned: Fred Wilson books in NYC, Episode 86 with Fred Wilson, Learn to Play Chess Like a Boss, A First Book of Morphy, Capablanca’s Best Chess Endings, Logical Chess Move by Move, Make it Stick, Episode 242 GM Surya Ganguly, How Grandmasters Memorize Opening Variations by GM Avetik Grigoryan 55:00- What grade would we give Chess Fundamentals? Mentioned: Episode 240 Pawn Book Championship with Neal Bruce 58:00-Coming next month- Chess is My Life with John Fernandez Thanks to Jessi Shakarian for helping out this month!  I will be making another donation to Chess in Slums on her behalf. You can follow her on Twitter here.  1:00:00- Blindfold Puzzles! Puzzle #1- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. e5 Ne4 6. d3 Bc5! 7. dxe4 Black to move and win For the answer, go to #1 here Puzzle #2- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Bc4 Ng4 7. O-O Qh4 8. h3 Nxf2 9. Qf3 Nxh3+ 10. Kh1Black to move and force mate For the answer, go to #2 here * Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Maxime Vachier Lagrave is a 3 time champion of France, 2 time Sinquefield Cup winner, and perennial top 10 player in the world. Maxime joined me from his home in Paris while on a brief break from a hectic tournament schedule. In addition to some events in St. Louis, Maxime recently played in FIDE World Cup in Russia, and won the Zagreb Grand Chess Tour event in July. Maxime was very candid in our conversation as he discussed his recent successes, his 2nd place finish in the 2020-2021 Candidates Tournament, his thoughts on the World Championship match, and his opinions on the formats and qualification criteria of various important tournaments. It was amazing to hear the honest reflections of a chess player who is amongst the best in the world and still working to get even better! Please read on for more details, timestamps, and relevant links.  0:00- We begin by discussing Maxime’s recent travels and chess events.Mentioned: MVL interview with Agadmator, FIDE Candidates, FIDE World Cup, FIDE Grand Swiss in Riga 11:00- Does Maxime feel that his OTB game has been progressing? Which upcoming tournaments are his biggest priorities?Mentioned: GM Ian Nepomniatchi, GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda, GM Sergei Karjakin, GM Teimour Radjabov, 2022 FIDE Grand Prix 20:30- Patreon mailbag question: How does Maxime feel about the current rules for qualifying for the FIDE Candidates tournament and the formats for FIDE’s other major events. 27:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here.27:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site,and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.31:30- Maxime has several GMs on his team, as well as a performance coach. What do they work on? How did he feel that GM Ian Nepomniachtchi handled his nerves in the Candidates?Mentioned: MVL In Conversation with GM Surya Ganguly  37:30- What are Maxime’s thoughts on the upcoming World Championship match?41:30- How much does Maxime discuss match preparation strategy with other elite players?42:00 Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Check out whats new from themhere:New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.comAlso don’t forget to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast!47:00 Patreon mailbag question: What is Maxime’s training regimen?Mentioned: Maxime’s blog post and video is here.49:00- Patreon mailbag questions: How does MVL’s prep regime change for an open tournament ascompared to a closed? Has his prep routine changed as he has gotten stronger?Mentioned: GM Etienne Bacrot58:00- Is Maxime in favor of OTB playoff matches for the FIDE Candidates and FIDE Grand Swiss?Mentioned: IM Greg Shahade1:02:00- Has Queen’s Gambit changed chess at the elite level?GM Anish Giri interview with IM Levy Rozman, Twitch Streamer, NM Kevin Bordi aka Blitzstream1:07:00- Patreon mailbag question: why did Maxime decide to pursue a degree in Mathematics?1:15:00- Is MVL inspired by the longevity of his favorite tennis player, Roger Federer1:17:00- What are Maxime’s thoughts on GM Alireza Firouzja joining the French team?1:19:00- Maxime is famous for his devotion to the Najdorf and the Grunfeld defenses. Is it aphilosophical or practical choice to frequently play those openings?Mentioned: GM Wesley So1:23:00- Thanks so much to Maxime for joining the show.You can read his reflections on his blog here:        https://www.mvlchess.com/en/#panel1If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here:Ben Johnson is creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon                          Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21 year old GM Andrew Tang (aka “PenguinGM”) is a former National High School champion chess player, popular Twitch streamer and Princeton University student. He is best known as one of the strongest “bullet chess” players in the world. Andrew is quite possibly the fastest moving Grandmaster in the world and has had many epic online battles with other elite bullet players like GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Daniel Naroditsky, and GM Alireza Firouzja. In our conversation, Andrew shares some great stories from his bullet battles, and talks about the origins of his chess skills. Other highlights of the interview include the lessons he learned from his childhood coach IM John Bartholomew, the feeling of playing GM Magnus Carlsen in person in the World Blitz championship, and his professional plans when he finishes college. This was a fun conversation with a very talented young man. More details and timestamps below. 2:00- How is Andrew so fast at chess? When did he realize he was good at bullet? What kind of mouse does he use? Mentioned: IM Ali Mortazavi, Azio Exo1 Gaming Mouse 10:00- Does Andrew play video games? Mentioned: Video of Andrew playing 2D Aim, Cloud9 Gaming 12:00- How did Andrew learn to convert winning endgames so quickly? Mentioned: GM Daniel Naroditsky 13:30- Who, in Andrew’s opinion, are the best bullet players in the world? Mentioned: GM Magnus Carlsen, GM Alireza Firouzja, GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM Daniel Naroditsky, FM OrangeGhost (not OrangeCrush, as I said) 16:15- How does GM Andrew Tang describe his exchanges with GM Magnus Carlsen ?Mentioned: FIDE World Rapid and Blitz, Watch Andrew’s OTB Blitz Match with Magnus here20:00- What are Andrew’s goals in Classical chess, if any? What are his professional plans for life after college? 23:30-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 24:00- Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 25:00- How seriously does Andrew take his blitz game? How did he develop his tactical vision? Mentioned: Episode 164 with IM John Bartholomew 29:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Do you have any advice for getting better at time management in blitz?”33:00- Does Andrew plan on playing in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz if it happens? 39:30-  Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.comAlso be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:https://howtochess.com/40:00- Who is the strongest player Andrew has ever played in classical chess? Mentioned: GM Le Quang Liem, GM Wesley So, GM Alireza Firouzja, GM Nikola Mitkov44:00- What was it like to have IM John Bartholomew as a coach? 47:30- What are Andrew’s most memorable online bullet escapades? 51:00- Quick hitter round. Andrew answers Twitter questions relating to browser tabs, playing chess against prisoners, blindfold chess, and his upcoming schedule. Mentioned: Video of GM Andrew Tang playing blindfold UltraBullet 1:10:00- Thanks to Andrew for coming on the show! Here is how to keep up with him:Twitch-https://www.twitch.tv/penguingm1YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcJxY7NovRrYCsxyl6qaFLATwitter-https://twitter.com/penguingm1Email- Penguingm1 at gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Anna Muzychuk is the winner of 3 FIDE World Championship events, and is consistently amongst the highest-rated woman players in the world. In 2012, Anna made history when she became the 4th Woman in history to cross the 2600 FIDE rating. After a lull during the Covid-quarantine, Anna has been actively competing again, and she made a deep run in the FIDE World Cup. Anna came in 4th place in this prestigious event, which earned her a coveted spot in the 2022 Women’s Candidates Tournament. The winner of that Candidates Tournament will challenge GM Ju Wenjun for the Women's World Championship title. As we discuss, Anna’s schedule of competitions is generally packed, but the Covid quarantine gave her a chance to try out commentating, Twitch streaming and even organizing a tournament, with her sister GM Mariya Muzychuk. We discuss which new hobbies Anna is likely to stick with, as well as her thoughts on many recent and upcoming events, and, of course, Queen’s Gambit. As always, timestamps and the details of all that we covered can be found below. 0:00- We discuss the recent FIDE Women’s World Cup and the 2022 Candidates Tournament for the Women's World Championship.Mentioned: GM Ju Wenjun, GM Tatev Abrahamyan13:00- Anna’s training regimenMentioned: Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual, Theory and Practice of Chess Endings by GM Alexander Panchenko, the books of GM Jacob Aagaard, Chess Calculation Training: Middlegame by GM Romain Eduoard,and Learn from GM Michal Krasenkow .19:00- What is it like to frequently play her friends and her sister in Elite Women’s events?Mentioned: GM Mariya Muzychuk, IM Elisabeth Paehtz, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina23:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com. Chessmood offers a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel here. 24:00- Anna’s upcoming tournament schedule. 28:30- Patreon mailbag question: “How have you balanced competing and preparing for top women events with trying to improve your chess level by playing significantly stronger opponents? Mentioned: 2021 European Club Cup31:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What has led to her decisions regarding which country to represent?” Mentioned: Boris Kutin, GM Levon Aronian, GM Alireza Firouzja 38:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels - Chessable.comMore info on the How to Chess podcast here:https://howtochess.com/39:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out the site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.40:00- Anna and Mariya’s parents are both professional chess trainers, Anna shares a bit about the way she and her sister were taught as kids. 48:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How should club level players approach game analysis?” 55:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is the key to calculating at an elite level?”57:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What did Anna think of Queen’s Gambit? Did Beth Harmon’s life resemble Anna’s in any way?” Mentioned: GM Garry Kasparov visits US Chess Girls Club 1:06:00 -Anna famously refused to play in the 2017 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz in Saudi Arabia when she would have been required to wear a hijab and an abaya during the tournament competition. Patreon mailbag question: “Does she think that her stance helped change things?” Mentioned: Anna’s Facebook Post is here1:11:00- Anna discusses the first annual Muzychuk’s Sisters Cup, in Ukraine. Mentioned: Read more here1:14:00- What are Anna’s plans for her Twitch channel? Mentioned: Challenger’s Chess Cup1:22:00- Thanks to Anna for joining the show! Here are the best ways to keep up with her. Twitch channel- https://www.twitch.tv/annamuzychukFacebook- https://www.facebook.com/anna.muzychuk.9, Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/anna_muzychuk.official/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Surya Ganguly is one of the top players in India, and was the India national champion for 6 consecutive years starting in 2003! He has won countless medals in National team events, and was the Asian champion in 2009. GM Ganguly also works actively as a trainer, and most notably, worked on the preparation team of of GM Viswanthan Anand for the 2008, 2010 and 2012 World Championship Matches. Given this unique experience, I couldn’t wait to hear GM Ganguly’s insightful reflections on the upcoming World Championship match. GM Ganguly is also an active trainer for us non-World Champions, and in fact, has recently released his first Chessable course, Lifetime Repertoires: Nimzo/Semi-Tarrasch. Last but not least, Surya is a founding trainer of ProChessTraining.com. This experience informs Surya’s ability to share some useful tips for young chess talents and adult improvers alike. Please read on for more details and timestamps. 0:00- World Championship Match Talk! As a former member of GM Anand’s World Championship team, what would a prep team’s routine look like 100 days before the match? Mentioned: The Anand Files, Mind Master, Episode 156 with FM Michiel Abeln, Episode 177 with GM Peter Heine Nielsen, Surya’s YouTube show, In Conversation with GM Viswanathan Anand, GM Peter Leko, Challenger’s Chess Tour with Kramnik and Polgar 23:00- Patreon mailbag question- Does Surya think that his past work on World Championship Teams makes him more likely to be hired on another team? 25:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 26:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 27:00- What does Surya mean when he says, in his new Chessable course, “Memorization without understanding is a sin.” Mentioned: Lifetime Repertoires Nimzo and Ragozin38:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.comAlso be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:https://howtochess.com/38:30- What is the vision behind ProChessTraining, which Surya has launched with GM Ramesh R.B. and GM Magesh Panchanathan? 51:00- How does Surya advice to budget one’s chess study time? 58:00- When Surya was 9 years old, Surya worked on the demonstration board when GM Anand came to Kolkata for an elite tournament. What does Surya remember about this experience? Mentioned: GM Luke McShane, GM Levon Aronian, GM Alexander Grischuk, GM Etienne Bacrot, GM Ruslan Ponomariov, GM Sergei Azarov, GM Mark Paragua, GM Paco Vallejo 1:01:00- Surya tells a memorable story of playing a 13 year old Magnus Carlsen in 2004. Mentioned: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1283190, GM Yevgeniy Vladimirov 1:05:00- Patreon mailbag questions: How are Surya’s ping pong skills? Who is his favorite player other than Anand?Mentioned: GM Bobby Fischer 1:07:00- GM Ganguly did not have a coach until he was already a titled player. What was it like to workwith legendary GM Alexei Shirov? 1:10:00-Thanks to GM Surya Ganguly for joining us. You can root for him in the following upcoming tournaments Sharjah Masters 2021, Bundesliga, and the FIDE Grand Swiss. Here are the other links you might find helpful:Pro Chess Training:https://prochesstraining.com/Surya’s Chessable Course:https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-nimzosemi-tarrasch-part-1/course/66522/Surya’s Twitter:https://twitter.com/suryachess64?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorSurya’s Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/suryasekharchess/?hl=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Perpetual Chess, we have two interviews in one for you! Return guest, FM Peter Giannatos, who many know as the founder and head of the award-winning Charlotte Chess Center and Scholastic Academy, is also an extremely accomplished adult improver, and in the first half of this interview, Peter shares many inspirational words and his best chess improvement advice.  As we discuss, in the past decade, Peter has made the difficult climb from 2100 to 2390 USCF! Peter has also improved his blitz game, but, as Peter explains, he does not think that requires the same skill set as playing slower tournament games.In the second half of the interview we turn our attention to Peter's new book and Chessable course.. It is a great resource for newer chess players and chess teachers. Last, but definitely not least, we discuss the current system for players seeking to earn the Grandmaster title. There has been a fair bit of conversation and controversy on this topic of late, so it was great to have one of the world’s leading organizer’s of “norm tournaments' ' help us separate fact from fiction.0:00- Peter shares his beginnings in tournament chess and discusses the 2 major rating plateaus he faced (Approximately 1600 and 2100 USCF)Mentioned: Episode 201 with FM Peter Giannatos, Episode 151 with JJ Lang, Matthew Noble, On the Origin of Good Moves, A First Book of Morphy, NM Dominique Myers, Noel Studer’s Blog16:45- Peter talks about how his chess evolved in his 20s and the ways that GM Ben Finegold and GM Alexander Shabalov helped Peter improveMentioned: Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos, 26:30- How do adult improvers approach chess improvement differently from kids? Mentioned: #chesspunks, Neal Bruce 33:00- How did Peter change his opening repertoire once he started working with GM Alexander Shabalov? 37:45- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%. 38:15- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by Chessmood.com They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here. 40:00- How many hours per week did Peter study while his rating was climbing?Mentioned: Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual, Perfect Your Chess 48:00- How does Peter adapt his game for speed chess? Mentioned: Simple Chess, How to Reassess Your Chess 57:00- Recommendations for players rated below 1600Mentioned: Step 2 Thinking Ahead, Forcing Chess Moves 1:05:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here. New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.comAlso be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:https://howtochess.com/1:06:30- Peter’s improvement bullet points Play Stronger Players  Be willing to change things up and exit your comfort zone  Work hard! Do 10-15 minutes puzzles that push yourself  (my addition)- find a training partner  1:14:00- We discuss Peter Giannatos’ new book and Chessable course Everyone’s First Chess Workbook,Mentioned: Laszlo Polgar’s Chess, Al Woolum’s Chess Tactics Workbook, Chess Steps Books 1:21:00- We discuss a recent, somewhat controversial New York Times article about how title norms are achieved.Link for the article hereMentioned: GM Abhimanyu Mishra, GM Sergey Karjakin, GM Bobby Fischer, GM Judit Polgar Ian Nepomniatchi’s tweet is here, IM Nikolas Theodorou, GM Nigel Short, IM John Bartholomew . Chess for Charity Jacksonville 1:55:00- Thanks so much to Peter for coming on the show! Here are the links you need to reach Peter or buy his book/course:See a preview of the book hereBuy the book here:Buy it in Chessable form here:Follow Peter on Twitch here: Email him here: Peter.giannatos at charlottechesscenter.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices