New In Chess Podcast

This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a narration from “The Essential Sosonko”, a collection of chess portraits based on personal stories authored by chess grandmaster Genna Sosonko. Continuing where we left off in Episode #33, Sosonko invites us to sit beside him as Olga Clark continues her talk about Capablanca and the time that they spent together both in Europe and in America, punctuated by the actuality of being in the restaurant that she and Capa favoured and used to frequent.Narrated by professional voice actor Nick Murphy, in “‘I knew Capablanca…’” Sosonko shows us the human sides of Capablanca, effectively portraying the life of a man in whose life, as it appears, chess just happens to have found its place."The Essential Sosonko" is available in its entirety on the New In Chess website: https://www.newinchess.com/the-essential-sosonko 

This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with Swedish grandmaster Tiger Hillarp Persson. Tiger is a three-time Swedish champion and has been described as one of the most creative and original players of our game. His creativity is on display in his latest book, “Tiger’s Chaos Theory”, in which, perhaps unsurprisingly, the topic of creativity in chess plays an important role.Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Tiger talks about creativity, the development of his chess philosophy throughout the years, and how this is reflected in his latest work."Tiger's Chaos Theory" is available for purchase on the New In Chess website: https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=41&q=tigers+chaos+theorhy&cvid=c748d3ce43f94efcaa1629a62b82fa03&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQABhAMgYIAhAAGEAyBggDEAAYQDIGCAQQABhAMgYIBRAAGEAyBggGEAAYQDIGCAcQABhAMgYICBAAGEAyCAgJEOkHGPxV0gEIMzQ3MmowajGoAgCwAgA&FORM=ANNAB1&PC=U531 0:00 – Intro 1:33 – How did Tiger feel when finally holding the book he’d spent so much time working on? 3:04 - Tiger clarifies at what age he started playing chess and recalls playing with his father 5:02 – Why did his parents pick the name Tiger? 9:11 – How did Tiger’s “Tiger’s Chaos Theory” come about? 11:18 – Tiger’s database of his own games that impacted the way he played in the future 14:56 – Why Tiger’s book does not propose a “grand theory” of chess 17:21 – The chapter on queen sacrifices 20:30 - Why a good chess player should strive for objectivity 23:10 – Tiger’s use of metaphors and stories in his writing 26:31 – Why Tiger talks to his pieces, and his students should too 29:43 – Tiger’s scepticism towards material 30:41 – Tiger clarifies certain quotes from the book 31:12 – AD BREAK 33:37 – How does this book relate to Tiger’s other passions, like go and music? 38:40 – Tiger’s humble beginnings and relative disregard for money 42:01 – Tiger’s favourite classical music 46:21 – AD BREAK 47:21 – Why Tiger considers chess more of a science than an art, the role of the engine 58:01 – Outro

This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with American IM John Donaldson. At this year’s Olympiad, John will be captaining team USA, the top seeds in Budapest. John has a long history of captaining the American Olympiad team, making his debut in Dubai in 1986 and leading the team to gold in Baku in 2016. This year will be his fifteenth time accompanying the American team to the event, which he describes as arguably the most exciting chess event in the world. Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, John looks ahead to this year’s event, analyses each teams’ chances, and shares some Olympiad stories from the past. 0:00 – Intro 1:49 – John explains the significance of the San Francisco Mechanics Institute 5:06 – Why John thinks the Olympiad is the most exciting chess event 7:59 – How did John get his job as the first captain of the US Olympiad team? 13:28 – Was John always the “player-coach”? 15:20 – How does John see his role as captain, and how does this compare to the captain’s role back in the day? 27:05 – AD BREAK 28:03 - This year’s American Olympiad team, the strength of the current playing field and the other frontrunners 32:39 – Netherlands being a remarkable 4th seed in this year’s Olympiad 33:25 – Uzbekistan and Kramnik’s captaincy 36:35 – Norway and Magnus 39:20 – The Olympiad often being a tournament for young stars to break out 40:20 – AD BREAK 40:53 – Last year’s Olympiad in Chennai 41:55 – The many format changes the Olympiad has undergone throughout the years 46:50 – John’s nail-biting experience winning Olympiad gold in 2016 52:18 – What was it like to manage a team of “stars” as John did in 2016? 56:48 – AD BREAK 59:38 – John carrying his passion for reading over to his players 1:02:32 – John’s upcoming book for Bobby Fischer 1:06:59 – Outro

This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a riveting interview with the First Lady of Chess, Judit Polgar. With the Olympiad in Judit’s home city Budapest around the corner, it’s hard to think of a better guest!Judit Polgar is the strongest female chess player of all time. At the age of 15 years and four months she broke Bobby Fischer’s record to become the youngest grandmaster in history. For more than two decades she competed successfully with the very best and became the first and only woman ever to enter the world top-10. In her career she defeated eleven(!) current or former World Champions in classical or rapid chess. Judit retired from professional chess in 2014 but continues to be one of the most beloved ambassadors of the game. Judit also organises the Global Chess Festival, which will be held for the tenth time during this year’s Budapest Olympiad. Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Judit shares Olympiad memories, speaks about the philosophy of her festival and sketches the outlines of a new title system to erase the difference between Open and Women’s competitions.0:00 – Intro 2:10 - How are Judits days filled in Budapest with the Olympiad coming up? 5:18 - What makes the Global Chess Festival in Budapest so special? 9:20 - What is Judits motivation for organising the festival? 13:25 - How did Judit react to the news of the Olympiad being held in Budapest? 15:15 - Why the Olympiad is a great place to meet old friends 17:04 - The Olympiad's unique atmosphere and the Bermuda party 19:06 - How does Judit remember her first Olympiad as a young girl? 22:02 - Did Judits success improve the family's relationship with Hungarian authorities? 23:47 - AD BREAK 24:20 - Judits as a pioneer for women players 26:18 - "Polgaria" 30:46 - The adjustment of playing the Olympiad with men 33:27 - What does Judit think of women's events? 37:45 - Judit suggests abolishing women's titles 41:41 - How does Judit reflect on her Olympiad achievements? 45:30 - Bled 46:36 - AD BREAK 47:35 - Judits experiences as Hungarian team captain 55:12 - Who are Judits favorites and dark horses? 1:00:20 - Magnus's participation 1:03:32 - The Chinese team 1:05:38 - Do Judits female mentees have the same passion and discipline for the game as the young men? 1:07:30 - Outro

This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with Indian grandmaster Vishnu Prasanna, better known as Coach Vishnu. Vishnu is best known as the first trainer of Gukesh D, who will challenge reigning champion Ding Liren for the world title later this year. Vishnu has deep ties to the Indian city of Chennai, where he and his wife operate the Vishnu Chess Academy. Interviewed by our brand new host Jacob Aagaard, Vishnu talks about his school, the city of Chennai, and the meteoric rise of Gukesh. 0:00 – Intro 4:10 – Chennai as a chess city5:42 – The importance of Vishy Anand for the city of Chennai 7:18 – Gukesh’s formative years 10:40 – Vishnu’s coaching methods with Gukesh 13:15 – What was the role of the engine in their training sessions? 16:13 – AD BREAK 17:06 – What caused the split between Vishnu and Gukesh? 25:10 – Vishnu’s family life and other business ventures 29:30 – Outro

This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a narration from “The Essential Sosonko”, a collection of chess portraits based on personal stories authored by chess grandmaster Genna Sosonko. This week’s episode features the first half of the story of legendary World Champion Capablanca. José Raúl Capablanca (1888–1942) was a Cuban chess prodigy who became the third World Chess Champion, reigning from 1921 to 1927. Often referred to as the "Human Chess Machine" due to his exceptional endgame skills and nearly flawless technique, Capablanca is celebrated for his natural talent and intuitive grasp of the game. His crowning achievement was his victory over Emanuel Lasker in 1921, which made him the World Chess Champion. Known for his clarity of play and the ability to exploit the smallest of advantages, Capablanca was unbeaten in tournament play from 1916 to 1924, an unprecedented record. Though he lost the title to Alexander Alekhine in 1927, Capablanca's contributions to chess theory, especially in the endgame, remain highly influential. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest natural talents in the history of chess. "The Essential Sosonko" is available in its entirety on the New In Chess website: https://www.newinchess.com/the-essential-sosonko 

This week's episode of the New In Chess Podcast features a narration from Genna Sosonko's “The Essential Sosonko” on Lev Polugaevsky.An expert on the Sicilian Defence, Polugaevsky wrote two books on the opening and has one variation named after him. He was one of the strongest chess players of the late 1960s and early 1970s, but had to bow to his nemesis Viktor Korchnoi twice in the Candidates Tournament.Narrated by professional voice actor Nick Murphy, in “‘I must work, I must work…’” Sosonko shows us the struggles of a world-class player plagued with human features: from excessive awe for his opponents to the bad timing of occasional absent-mindedness."The Essential Sosonko" is available for purchase on the New In Chess website: https://www.newinchess.com/the-essential-sosonko 

This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with American FIDE master and chess author Charles Hertan. Charles’s latest work “The Real Paul Morphy” focuses on the life and career of one of the most enigmatic figures in chess history. Paul Morphy (1837-1884) learned chess at a young age and quickly made a name for himself as a prodigious talent. Known for his brilliant, aggressive style and deep understanding of the game, Morphy quickly vanquished all opposition in the United States. At one point, he travelled from his native New Orleans to Europe to seek stronger opposition, but to no avail. When a match with Howard Staunton did not materialise, Morphy, age 22, returned to the United States and promptly retired from chess to start a legal career. He would repeatedly decline invitations to return to competitive chess, even as his law practice failed to pick up steam. In his later years, Morphy developed severe mental illness and died at the young age of 47. His short but brilliant career would earn him the nickname “The Pride and Sorrow of Chess”, which has stuck to this day. Charles Hertan is not only good at chess and writing, he has also worked as a psychotherapist, which informs much of his understanding of Morphy’s eccentric mind. Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Charles takes us deeper into his writing process and gives his assessment of Paul Morphy as a chess player and human.“The Real Paul Morphy” is now available for purchase on the New In Chess website: https://www.newinchess.com/the-real-paul-morphy Timestamps 0:00 – Intro 1:43 – How did the concept for “The Real Paul Morphy” come about? 2:55 – How good was Morphy in Charles’s estimation? 5:00 – Morphy’s incredible natural talent 10:25 – Morphy’s dominance in the US and first European tournaments 13:01 – AD BREAK 13:53 – Morphy’s gentle personality 17:19 – Why did the match with Howard Staunton fall through, according to Charles? 19:20 – The difficult character of Howard Staunton 24:11 – Frederick Milnes Edge 29:03 – AD BREAK 30:26 – Morphy’s mental illness, comparison with Fischer 35:40 – Morphy’s later years as a psychotic 38:15 – The women’s shoes myth 40:41 – Can we draw a connection between Morphy’s brilliance and madness? 44:00 – Morphy’s disdain for chess as a hobby worthy of pursuing as an occupation 49:40 – AD BREAK 50:12 – Charles’s desire to keep Morphy’s legacy alive 55:20 – The “romantic” label, Charles’s assessment of Morphy, Staunton and Anderssen 58:10 – Morphy’s influence on the game, Wilhelm Steinitz 1:00:10 – Will Charles write about Pillsbury next? 1:02:20 – Outro

This week's episode of the New In Chess Podcast features the second half of the narration from Genna Sosonko's “The Essential Sosonko” on Mikhail Botvinnik. Continuing where we ended two weeks ago, we find Botvinnik giving his perception on several his chess colleagues. He then proceeds to talk about other matters that are close to his heart, such as the future of computer chess and his own painful losses. Narrated by professional voice actor Nick Murphy, in “His Journey to Immortality” Sosonko does recites a long monologue given by the former World Champion himself, in a way making this chapter a double autobiography. 00:00 Introduction 01:18 Botvinnik's position to the divide between Karpov and Kasparov 04:34 Botvinnik's regards on Kramnik, Shirov and Beliavsky 07:27 Botvinnik defused Bronstein, Smyslov and Tal 09:35 How Botvinnik took care of himself 12:13 Botvinnik on the future of computer chess 13:03 AD BREAK 13:56 Botvinnik's relation with and views on politics 17:31 What old age meant to Botvinnik 23:08 Botvinnik remembered his painful losses 24:28 Botvinnik's principles and convictions 27:17 AD BREAK 27:50 To understand Botvinnik is to understand him in the context of his time 30:44 The last time Sosonko met Botvinnik 34:30 Botvinnik’s death and the journey to immortality

This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with FIDE Master Jimmy Adams. Jimmy has had a rich career in chess publishing, both as an editor (CHESS magazine, Batsford and others) and as a writer and compiler of countless books. Among his best-known books published by New In Chess are impressive tomes on Breyer, Chigorin and Zukertort. His latest chess-historical gem is an impressive four-volume set dedicated to the career of late Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres. Paul Keres is regarded by many as the strongest chess player to never win a world championship. His impressive play and charming personality made him a popular figure both in and outside the chess world. When he died at the relatively young age of 59, a crowd of 100,000 Estonians turned out for his funeral procession in Tallinn. However, his life was also marred by stress and health issues, brought on in a large part by the suffocating grip of the Soviet regime on chess. Together with Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Jimmy reflects on the life and career of “Paul the Second”, which includes various personal encounters with Keres as well as many stories involving other legendary players, including Fischer, Korchnoi and even Capablanca.Jimmy's full Paul Keres series will be published in november and can be pre-ordered at a 20% discount on the New In Chess website: https://www.newinchess.com/keres 0:00 – Intro 2:40 – Jimmy’s initial obsession with Paul Keres 5:15 – What attracted Jimmy to Keres specifically? 8:45 – Meeting Keres personally 15:20 – Keres’s hilarious Capablanca anecdote 17:02 – AD BREAK 18:10 – Keres’s love of tennis, attending the Wimbledon final 20:45 – More funny anecdotes about Reti, Flohr 24:05 – Was Keres politically pressured by the Soviet regime to not defeat Botvinnik? 28:55 – Keres’s constant harassment by the KGB 31:53 – AD BREAK 33:58 – Keres’s best results 36:20 – Keres’s personal issues 40:30 – The things that surprised Jimmy the most about Keres 43:15 – Jimmy’s discussion with Korchnoi about Keres 44:00 – Why was Keres always the “eternal second”? 45:49 – Keres’s friendship with Spassky 48:25 – Keres’s fluency in several languages 50:33 – Jimmy tells a hilarious story about Fischer and Najdorf 53:26 – AD BREAK 54:06 – Keres’s relationship with Fischer 1:00:10 – Keres’s great annotations 1:03:16 – Keres’s legacy, large state funeral in Estonia 1:07:57 – Outro