Perpetual Chess Podcast

The 2024 FIDE Candidates tournament is off and running with some entertaining chess and plenty of surprises. (Although perhaps the identities of the leaders in the Open and Women’s sections aren’t as surprising.) I have been riveted by this tournament and am hoping to provide audio analysis and perspective from different guests on each rest day. In today’s pod, I briefly share my early impressions, than welcome recent guest Denis Markov back to the podcast. Denis had just returned from attending Rounds 1 and 2 in Toronto and described what it was like to attend the event. We went into everything from FIDE’s cheat prevention methods, to what the viewing experience is like within the venue. Whether you are thinking of making a last minute trip to Toronto, or just want to live vicariously through Denis, I think you will enjoy his report of a trip that Denis says he definitely will not regret. We will be back with more coverage of this fantastic tournament on the next rest day, Friday April 12. 00:02 - Introduction and Plan for Perpetual Chess Coverage02:00- Tournament Standings and Ben’s early Impressions11:00 -Preview of Round Five Pairings13:30- Denis Markov joins for a trip report from Toronto (previously heard on Episode 359) 13:57- Buying Tickets and Ticket Options15:40- VIP Tickets and Balcony Experience17:32- What it is like watching the players 19:50- Player Interactions and Autographs23:00- The Fan Zone and Chess Personalities26:47 -Spotting Chess Personalities31:41-Meeting Gukesh and Viswanathan Anand33:57-- Comparing the Candidates Tournament with attending the 2016 World Championship Match36:57- Denis' Final Thoughts If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: Ben Johnson | creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Adult Improver Series returns this week, with a guest who has improved his chess rapidly. Jordan Groff is a 24 year old Connecticut-based chess instructor who was recommended as a guest to me by GM Eugene Perelshteyn. Jordan resumed chess in 2018 after some years away, and has gone from 1864 to more than 2260 in about the last few years. During  our interview, Jordan shares several ‘secrets” to his success. Aside from a lot of hard work and frequent competition, Jordan particularly credits a focus on the psychological aspects of OTB chess, and on opening preparation and tactics work. You can find out many more details in my interview with Jordan.  it is inspiring to see such fast progress! Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below.  0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black  If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro0:00- You can find all of the information you need about the Las Vegas Chess Festival and the National Open here. I hope to see you there!https://www.vegaschessfestival.com/national-open/0:01- What got Jordan back into chess  in 2018, after some years away? Mentioned: Ginger GM, Chess Network 13:00- What is Jordan’s approach to the study of openings? Mentioned: GM Eugene Perelshteyn, FM Nate Solon20:00- Has Jordan studied a lot of tactics? 25:00- What made Jordan decide to “play up” and play in higher sections?32:00- What is Jordan’s approach to studying endgames?  37:00- What sort of stuff does Jordan do in his lessons with GM Eugene Perelshteyn? 43:00- Was it challenging for Jordan to earn the National Master title? What are his next goals? Mentioned: Here is Jordan’s LiChess coaches page:https://lichess.org/coach/jmwgroff48:30- What is Jordan’s best advice for people who are stuck?52:00- Jordan’s recommended chess resources:Mentioned: How to Reassess Your Chess, Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, Under the Surface, Seven Deadly Chess Sins If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The FIDE Candidates Tournament begins on April 4 in Toronto, Canada, and I could not be more excited to see who gets to challenge for the FIDE World Championship. As is tradition on Perpetual Chess, we have a few great guests joining to help discuss the action. First up is 7-time Brazilian champion & Correspondence GM, Rafael Leitão. In addition to a vast resume as a player, Rafael regularly annotates top-level games for Chess.com news coverage. Reviewing these games in detail on a daily basis gives Rafael unique insights into the tendencies of the world’s top players. Rafael and I discuss what to watch for in each player’s performance, fun facts, and what opening choices we might see from each player. Following Rafael, I am joined by Tai Pruce Zimmerman, a/k/a Chess by the Numbers. Tai shares and discusses the win probability of both the open and the women’s candidates, and we also compare the output of Tai’s probabilistic model to the betting markets. Last but not least, I am joined by “On the Queenside,” who has built a large following on Twitter and Lichess for covering Women’s Chess in detail. We discuss whether it is a good idea to run the Women’s Candidates concurrently with the open, and which players we are excited to watch. As always, the timestamps of the guests, as well as the topics and players discussed can be found below.0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. New courses include Introduction to Chess Calculation, and GM Ganguly’s Lifetime Repertoires: Sidelines and Flank Openings for Black  If you use the link below to sign up for a Chessable pro membership, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro0:01- Format notes on the FIDE Candidates, including tournament schedule, tiebreak rules, and the Perpetual Chess’ plan for covering the event. Mentioned: More info on the Candidates here, including tiebreak info:More from Chess.com here09:30- GM Rafael Rafael Leitão joins me for a detailed Candidates discussion!Mentioned: Rafael’s prior interview was episode 147. 15:00- Can Ian Nepomniatchtchi “threepeat” at the Candidate? 21:50- GM Nijat Abasov.25:30- GM Fabiano CaruanaMentioned: Leitao-Caruana 2010 30:00- GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshababu32:30- Hikaru NakamuraMentioned: GM Daniel King’s YT Candidates Previews:Gelfand-Nakamura 2010 37:45- Alireza Firouzja44:00- GM Vidit Gujirathi47:00- GM Gukesh Dommaraju51:30- Who does Rafael predict will win? Mentioned: Bwin’s betting market on the Candidates:54:00- Rafael shares his thoughts on the Women’s Candidates. More info here: 59:00- Rafael discusses his own chess career, and what is new from our prior interview. This includes a compelling argument for Chess960. Mentioned:GM Luis Paolo Supi,  Supi-Carlsen 2020 1:09:00- Thanks to Rafael for joining me! Here is how to keep up with him:Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@rafaelleitaogmX/Twitter- https://twitter.com/rafpig?lang=enWebsite- https://rafaelleitao.com/articles/1:10:00- Tai Pruce Zimmerman aka Chess by the Numbers rejoins me to talk Candidates statistiics!  Mentioned: Betting market here1:31:00- What does Tai’s model say on who is most likely to win the Woman’s Candidates?1:41:00- Thanks to Tai for joining me! Follow him on X here:1:42;00- On the Queenside joins. Is it a good idea to have the Women’s Candidates run concurrently with the Open Candidates for the first time? Mentioned: On the Queenside’s preview of the Reykjavik Open1:50:00- Be sure to follow On the Queenside on Twitter/X and on Lichess!Twitter/XLiChess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Noel Studer, 2-time Swiss National Champion, shares insights on chess improvement like diagnosing weaknesses, ideal chess trainers, limiting blunders, tactics improvement, and overcoming psychological pitfalls. He also discusses his new course for beginner players aiming for 1200 level.

This week on the podcast we delve into the topic of how to teach chess to kids who are new to the game. My guest, Carol Ann Caronia has been teaching curriculum and afterschool chess classes in Brooklyn, New York for decades. Her new book, Strategic Moves: Mind-Building Chess Exercises for Kids, shares all that she has learned from these experiences. The topics we cover include, differences she has noticed between teaching girls and teaching boys, managing after-school classes, and whether or not we should let new students/our kids win when we play them. Carol Ann has accumulated some amusing stories during  her time teaching, including a tale of two parents getting into a fight over their kids chess game. As we discuss, Carol Ann has worked closely with legendary teacher Bruce Pandolfini, and taught a 5 year-old Fabiano Caruana! If you are a chess parent, a teacher, or simply someone who would like to be able to teach a new player the game effectively, this is the episode for you. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 0:00- Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. In addition to GM Friedel’s course, Endgame Labyrinths is now on Chessable.  If you use the link below to sign up for Perpetual Chess, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro0:01- What advice would Carol Ann give to those facilitating scholastic chess classes? 12:00- What recommendations would Carol Ann give for anyone teaching chess to a brand new player? Should we let the kids win? 15:00- Has Carol Ann noticed a difference in teaching chess to girls and teaching chess to boys? Mentioned: My 60 Memorable Games 20:00- What advice does she give to parents whose kids become tournament players? 23:00- Carol Ann discusses some of her star students, including a 5 year-old Fabiano Caruana Mentioned: Bruce Pandolfini, GM Robert Hess 27:00- How is it different teaching chess as part of a curriculum compared to after school classes or chess clubs? 28:30- Carol Ann shares a story of two parents getting in a fight over a game during parent visitation day. 32:00- In the age of devices, does Carol Ann notice any difference in the attention span of kids? Mentioned: Paul Morphy, Judit Polgar 34:00- Should “touch-move” be enforced with kids? 36:30- What can teachers and volunteers do to help make up for any shortcomings in the school systems?39:00- Has Carol Ann noticed any change in the popularity of chess in the wake of Queen’s Gambit? 40:30- What skills does Carol Ann think chess might help develop? 43:00- Carol Ann shares some closing recommendations for resources Mentioned:Jeff Coakley’s books, Everyone’s First Chess Workbook If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we get to catch up with one of the original and most popular Perpetual Chess guests, GM Jan Gustafsson. Jan, of course, is a renowned opening theoretician, commentator and trainer, who has worked on GM Magnus Carlson’s World Championship team, and is currently the coach of the German National Team. Jan has recently released a highly anticipated Chessable course, Gustafsson’s  Aggressive 1. E4 (co-authored with CM Vjekoslav Nemec).  We discuss the lines Jan selected for this course, but also catch up on a wide variety of topics including life after Team Magnus, life after Chess24, life after the Chicken Chess Club podcast, chess cheating, the Bundesliga and the FIDE Candidates. It is always amusing and informative to chat with Jan, and this time is no exception! Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. 0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. Chessable has tons of new offerings in addition to GM Jan Gustafsson brand new course on 1. E4!  If you use the link below to sign up for Perpetual Chess, it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro0:01- Welcome back Jan! Patreon mailbag question: “What chess generation does Jan identify with?”0:05- Jan recently competed in the renowned German Chess League, the Bundesliga. How were the games, and what was his schedule like? Mentioned: GM Viswanathan Anand, Nakamura, GM Vincent Keymer 9:30- How did Jan enjoy the Chess.com Team Challenge match, where he and Peter Svidler lost to a team with GM Robert Hess and GM Daniel Naroditsky You can watch the match replay here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pl3TNUTtqQ11;00- Will Jan be playing his aggressive 1. E4 repertoire in the Bundesliga? Was it challenging to work on this course as a lifelong 1. D4 player. 14:30- Why did Jan decide to focus on the Dubov Italian within his course? 20:00- Why did Jan pick the classical against the Pirc? 24:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Why did Jan make an aggressive repertoire rather than a “chicken” repertoire?” 27:00- Did Jan have a secret blitz account to try these lines? 28:15- Patreon mailbag question: “Why does Jan stream in German rather than English?” 30:00- What does Jan miss most from Chess24? 32:00- Will Jan do a banter blitz for Chess.com ? 33:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Whither the Chicken Chess Club Podcast?” 36:00- What are Jan’s thoughts about the upcoming FIDE Candidates?41:00- Is Jan still working with GM Anish Giri? 42:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What emotions did Jan feel when Magnus announced his stepping down from the World Championship cycle?” 46:00- What does Jan think of Chess960/Freestyle chess? 50:00- Jan’s 2024 calendar including coaching the German Olimpiad team. 57:00- Jan asks me for chess book recommendationsMentioned; Think Like a Super GM, In Black and White 59:00- Has Jan seen any good movies or TV shows lately? Mentioned: Mr and Mrs. Smith, Shogun, Blue Eyed Samarui, The Bear,  1:02:00- How are Magnus’ Carlsen’s Fantasy Basketball skills? 1:04:00- Has Jan seen GM Hans Niemann’s vlog? Mentioned: GM Hans Niemann’s YouTube 1:06:00- What does Jan think of all of the recent cheating accusations we have been hearing about? Mentioned: Episode 368 with Erik Allebest 1:10- Thanks to Jan for joining me again!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Josh Friedel covers common beginner and intermediate mistakes in chess, discusses Freestyle Chess, and gives advice on goal-setting. He shares insights from his Chessable course and talks about his OTB career, hobbies like cooking, tennis, and guitar.

GM Paul van der Sterren shares insights on his breakthrough in chess at age 37, mindfulness in chess, clashes with Polgar sisters, Korchnoi, and Tal. Transition from chess to meditation teaching. Challenges of adult chess improvement and enjoyment, exploring the impact of technology on chess focus, and the need for psychological resources in sports psychology literature for chess players. Delve into the parallels between cycling and chess, memorable games, and the impact of online chess on the game's popularity.

This week I am excited to be joined by chess YouTube star and popular Chessable author, NM Robert Ramirez. Robert has a unique story amongst master-level players, as he spent his early years in Cuba and began tournament chess at the relatively late age of 12. As one of the older kids in his chess class in Cuba, Robert felt like he had to “play catch up” from the beginning, and this perspective steered him toward less popular openings like the Pirc defense and the King’s Indian Defense. Robert continued his pursuit of chess when his family emigrated to the U.S. in 2016, and ultimately became a successful chess teacher. With less work and extra free time during the pandemic, Robert launched his YouTube channel. Robert’s channel took a while to catch on, but he now has over 120,000 YouTube subscribers. His Chessable course, which is based on his battle-tested repertoire, has drawn rave reviews. Robert showcases an ability to relate to people and a lucid teaching style that likely contributes to the success of everything that he does. It was a lot of fun hearing his story and his chess advice. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. 0:00- Thanks to our presenting chess education sponsor, Chessable.com. In addition to NM Robert Ramirez’s course, be sure to check out new ones like FM Dalton Perrine’s The French Simplified.  If you use the link below to sign up for Perpeutal Chess it helps to support the pod! https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro0:01- We start with a tournament rundown. What has Robert learned since coming back to OTB a few years ago, and what was different about his approach in a successful recent tournament? Mentioned: Tournament crosstable here, 6000 Problems de Ajedrez, Lessons with a Grandmaster 15:00- What are the origins of Robert’s YouTube channel? Mentioned: Robert’s series with Omar, aka Chess von Doom 21:00- What are the secrets to the Pirc defense? Mentioned: 2 Adult Improvers and one Training Plan28:00- Does Robert need to switch his openings since he is known for the Pirc and King’s Indian Defense?30:00- Robert discusses his childhood in Cuba and what it was like coming to the U.S. at age 16 and resuming chess here?46:00- The differences between adults and kids in chess learning . Mentioned: Fallow123 on Chess.com 56:00- Robert’s closing chess improvement advice 58:00- Where do Robert’s skills as a presenter come from?Thanks to Robert for joining the show! Here is how to keep up with him: Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@NMRobertRamirezChessable:https://www.chessable.com/counterblow-a-complete-fighting-repertoire-for-beginners/course/199358/Twitter/x: https://twitter.com/NMRobertRamirez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recorded on January 31, 2024 Featuring guest co-host FM Nate Solon With talk of online cheating recently dominating chess conversations, Chess.com CEO and co-founder Erik Allebest joined me (and guest co-host FM Nate Solon) to discuss the issue at length. While Erik acknowledges that chess cheating is an existential threat to the game, the research of his Chess.com team suggests that people overestimate the frequency of online cheating occurrences. Erik also discussed Chess.com’s current and forthcoming anti-cheat measures, their policy regarding not naming suspected cheaters, and Erik’s thoughts on some recent headline-grabbing comments by GM Fabiano Caruana. We also covered a lot of topics unrelated to online cheating, including The Magnus-Hikaru match that fell through last year, the closures of Chess24 and the Pro Chess League, Chess.com’s relationship with FIDE, and Erik’s reflections on the Niemann-Carlsen story. As Erik discussed, there will still be a lot more information coming out about that story in a forthcoming Netflix documentary. I appreciated Erik’s willingness to speak so openly about so many issues and think that you will learn a lot from the conversation. 0:00- Be sure to check out Chessable’s new courses including GM Srinath Narayanan’s brand new course on the Classical Sicilian, and if you use this link to sign up for Chessable Pro, and/or make a Chessable purchase, it will help support Perpetual Chess. https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro0:01- Here are the links to subscribe to guest co-host FM Nate Solon’s blog and to check out his new learning cohort, The Chess Gym:https://thechessgym.com/https://zwischenzug.substack.com/0:03- Erik Allebest joins the podcast! We begin by discussing chess cheating. Mentioned: Erik’s first interview with Ilya Levitovhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZDRrWAx2Rk(there is a part 2 to that interview that was released after this podcast was recorded)NY Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/22/crosswords/chess-cheating-online-fide.html13:30- What does Erik think of GM Fabiano Caruana’s recent suggestions of widespread cheating during Titled Tuesday? Mentioned; Nate’s post called Beating Hikaruhttps://zwischenzug.substack.com/p/beating-hikaru27:00- More on cheating, including whether they have considered having players play from centralized locations and other issues. 31:00- What goes into their policy of not naming cheaters, might that policy be changed? 40:00- Has Chess.com had discussions with FIDE about sharing info about who has been banned from their site? 42;00- Would Chess.com consider being involved in a new chess governing body? Mentioned: Episode 364 with GM Patrick Wolff 49:00- What happened with the match between Magnus and Hikaru that fell through last year? Mentioned: The State of Chess.com 2023:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri3Z809CbS855:00- What will be the subject of a forthcoming Netflix chess documentary?Mentioned: GM Sam Sevian 57:00- What did the CHess.com team learn from the Niemann-Carlsen controversy? 1:01:00- Why was the Pro Chess League shut down? What about Chess24? 1:11:00- Was selling a partial stake of Chess.com to the private equity firm General Atlantic related to the Play Magnus acquisition? Mentioned: Isai Scheinberg, General Atlantic Announces Investment in Chess.com:https://www.generalatlantic.com/media-article/chess-com-announces-growth-investment-from-general-atlantic/1:20:00- Closing thoughts- what is Erik excited for in the coming year? Thanks to Erik for joining us, and to FM Nate Solon for co-hosting! If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here:https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices