The Chess Experience

103 Our guest is an inspiring adult improver, Dr. Ryan Thomas. Ryan is a surgeon, a cancer researcher, and a father of two. With all that, he’s still highly dedicated to chess improvement and his love of the game. Ryan regularly attends OTB classical tournaments, and his current USCF rating is 958 with a goal of 1200.In this episode, we discuss:Ryan’s journey from casual high school player to avid tournament competitor later in life. How all chess players share common bonds regardless of...

102 Learning from a prolific chess author and course creator is always exciting. Today we dive into various chess improvement topics from Serbian International Master, Boro Zlatanovic.Boro has published over two dozen courses and books. And in just five years!And his two most recent courses have been published with Chessable, including Masterpieces of Amateur Play and Conversion in the Endgame.One thing that stands out about Boro, and that I find refreshing, is that while we’re in an era...

101 Megan Lee is an inspiration to all of us adult improvers. Even with a busy work life running two businesses, Megan has had an incredible year: reaching her lifetime rating peak (2297 FIDE), earning the FM title, and competing in the US Women’s Championship.In fact, this year will be her third invitation to that prestigious event.Yet she does this all on the side while she juggles a typical but heavy load of adult responsibilities.In this episode, we discuss:Why Megan can achieve more in c...

A quick update on why the show has been MIA for three weeks (spoiler: COVID.) And when I'll resume...

0100 She’s rated one of Italy’s top female players and has coached adult improvers for years. And she is this show’s first Italian guest! WIM Tea Guecci has had an impressive chess career. She broke records by age twelve, becoming the youngest ever to win the Italian Women’s Chess Championship.She’s also played and represented her country in two Chess Olympiads.Recently, she launched her first Chessable course called, “My Secret Sveshnikov: The Sicilian by a Sicilian.”NOTE: To win the full vi...

099 She’s been awarded “Chess Coach of the Month” by Chess.com. Plus, she has a master’s degree in psychology. Meet WFM Fruzsina Szente-Varga! Hailing from Hungary, Fruzsina has spent the past several years coaching adult club players and beginners.Additionally, she regularly creates excellent chess content through her Twitch & YouTube channels.In this interview, we discuss: How she uses her master’s degree in psychology to help her students.Common mistakes she sees club players maki...

098 Adult club players are a fast-growing part of the chess community. But this growth is relatively new. And the community may not have fully caught up to our sizeable presence. So, in a first for this podcast, I’ve brought in two guests to help me discuss this subject and propose some ideas to make the community more engaging for us adult amateurs.Kamryn Hellman is an adult improver who rose to 2000 Chess.com Rapid in less than a year. Since then, she’s launched a YouTube channel and create...

097 Playing against 1.d4 can be awkward. Many club players say they’re less sure of what to do positionally and have more difficulty finding tactical possibilities. Even the most popular, and arguably best, opening responses like the Slav or the Queen’s Gambit Declined can leave club players unsatisfied.Why is that?And are there any openings that can at least ease this challenge?My guest, IM Mateusz Kolosowski, is here to help.He brings a decade of coaching experience to bear on this subject....

096 After a two-week break, we are back! For the first time, I explain what I have in store for the podcast for 2024…and beyond. (Hint: it’s all good news!) From new episode formats to a different category of guests, I share my ambitions for this show.I also preview the upcoming launch of my community-themed membership for adult chess improvers, which will also have some connections to the podcast.The final part of this brief episode updates my struggles with regaining my former chess skills....

095 GM Alex Colovic is an exceptional course creator and an engaging writer on all things chess. He returns to the pod to discuss some intriguing subjects from his weekly newsletter. I hand-picked three topics Alex wrote about that I found fascinating. We dive deep into each one:Why pro chess players (outside the Top 50) can't make a living competing anymore?Can you create a certainty of winning before the game begins that helps you play better?How can you ensure you bring a fighting spirit t...

094 Kaja Snare, a pro chess broadcaster, has been leading chess into a new and more accessible era of live coverage. Gone are the days of top-level chess being watchable only for the most dedicated to the game. With her co-hosts, GM David Howell and WGM Jovanaka Houska, Kaja anchored one of the most popular live chess broadcasts our sport has ever seen.And for good reason…At Chess24, Kaja was part of a team that worked hard to make chess more accessible and more exciting for the general...

093 An exciting new chess coach has hit the scene. NM Robert Ramirez has seen a huge growth in popularity in the past several years. Already, his YouTube channel has grown to 140K subscribers at the time of this episode. He’s launched two Chessable opening courses in the past year alone...And his coaching advice and videos are being shared all over Chess Twitter.As you watch his videos and listen to Robert speak, it’s no surprise.His advice is extremely helpful (he may have solved my ti...

092 It’s rare to see an adult chase a title and work full-time as a chess content creator. With passion and confidence, that’s exactly what this week’s guest, Elaynah, is doing with her chess life. It's an inspiring journey because, only two years ago, she was an absolute beginner who was beaten easily by her cousin at a Christmas party.Now?She’s rated 1800 Chess.com Rapid and has 22K followers for her chess Twitch channel - with both of those numbers quickly rising!In this episode, we c...

091 This week’s guest, Emilia Castelao, approaches chess in rare but special ways. First, she’s making chess her career. Though not as a player, coach, or content creator. Instead, she’s pursuing a Ph.D in chess history.For most folks, that would take up a majority of their waking hours. Emila, however, has another major chess ambition.To improve the chess world for women.To that end, she recently co-founded a non-profit organization called the Women in Chess Foundation. Its goals are 1) to m...

090 With natural charisma and exceptional chess skills, Dina Belenkaya is perfect for this new era of chess. A serious student of the game all her life, she competed professionally and earned the WGM title in 2016. In 2020, Dina began her new career as a streamer and content creator... Just two years later, her popularity soared. Dina delivered bold and funny interviews with the world’s top players at the FIDE Grand Prix, and the videos went viral.Dina has a sharp wit and a sense o...

089 It’s rare to see an adult club player make a career in chess. This week’s guest, Ono, has done just that. He started like many of us: inspired to dive into the game after watching the Queen’s Gambit. Which progressed into working studiously on his chess.Then, he embarked upon a chess blog, called The Ono Zono. Not long after the blog gained traction, Ono started coaching beginners.Since then, he’s developed a roster of students, appeared on several chess podcasts, and continue...

088 Like many chess subjects, knowing what to study for strategy is a bit murky. Especially if you’re a semi-confused club player like myself. So, who better to chat with about this topic than an author who has written three books on the subject? Welcome today’s guest: IM Thomas Willemze.Over the past six years, Thomas has published three popular books and several courses on the subject of strategy, all specifically aimed at the club player.In this episode, we discuss:Why it’s helpful to stud...

087 Rarely have I publicly reflected on my experiences from running this podcast. Or what I’ve learned from talking to so many titled players, coaches, and commentators. But it’s been a little over two years since the show’s launch. And it has recently crossed 250K downloads (woohoo!)To top it off, we’ve delivered eighty guest interviews and counting.So, I figured a little reflection was due.In this episode, I share insights on the improvement, insights on the chess community, and a few “behi...

086 She’s a rock star of chess accomlishments. WIM Natasha Regan has represented England in two chess Olympiads. She’s co-authored two award-winning chess books with GM Matthew Sadler. And, in recent years, Natasha has co-created three Chessable courses on strategy.Even outside of chess, Natasha impresses.She earned a degree in mathematics from Cambridge University, has had a career as a professional actuary, and is an accomplished Go player.In this episode, we cover:Three strategies to...

085 GM Noël Studer is a fountain of superb chess advice. Many folks loved his first appearance on the show (Ep. 67.) And that’s why he’s here a second time! It’s rare and special to have a Grandmaster working hard to help club players improve their game.And, now, he even helps beginners.A former Swiss chess champion and the youngest GM ever from Switzerland...Noël has just released a comprehensive course to help beginner players (links are below.)In this episode, we discuss:Three strategies t...

084 Hungary has a rich history of producing chess stars. Even at the adult improver level, you have the impressive accomplishments of our guest, Kincső Toth.She’s already reached 1900 FIDE and is gunning for the Woman FIDE Master (WFM) title - which requires a 2100 rating plus norms.And she does this all while earning her computer engineering degree in Budapest.Kincső infuses even more chess into her life by moderating online events for Chess.com and running a Twitch channel with thousands of...

The life of a chess player is often emotional. There can be huge wins and the joy of learning, but also painful losses and sluggish improvement. Helping me gain new insights into how to address these challenges is clinical psychologist and co-host of the ChessFeels podcast, Julia Rios.Julia combines her professional knowledge with her chess experience to offer some brilliant insights into “chess psychology.”In this episode, we discuss:Does chess offer more emotional challenges than other ende...

082 Many adult improvers ask this question at least once: Should I get a chess coach? This episode is designed to help you figure out what to look for in a coach and how to maximize the experience.Helping me discuss this topic is IM Yuriy Krykun.Yuriy is a well-known course creator with Chessable, and a superb coach who’s helped countless students.In this episode, we cover: What are some of the qualities you should look for in a chess coach?Do you need to work towards a specific goal wit...

Renowned chess coach and co-founder of the Chess Dojo, IM Kostya Kavutskiy, returns to the podcast! Previously, we talked mostly about how to read annotated game books (Episode 17).This time, we cover a wide variety of topics. Including:What new insights the Chess Dojo has learned on helping adult improvers from running their online membership, called “Training Program.”Kostya’s recent OTB tournament experiences and how he chooses which ones to attend.His improvement approach for his personal...

080 What can you learn from a year of coaching from one of the world’s best chess coaches More than can ever be packed into a single podcast episode! BUT we cover the top five lessons I learned from IM Andras Toth - with Andras doing a deep dive into each one.Andras is an extraordinary chess coach. He has a YouTube channel full of entertaining videos on powerful chess improvement help.Plus, he has a wide variety of Chessable courses on essential topics every adult club player should learn.In ...

079 Sometimes a passion for chess runs so deep you want to make it your life. That’s the story of South Africa’s WIM Charlize van Zyl. While she earned the WIM at just age 13, she didn’t fully realize her passion for the game until she left it for five years and then returned to it as an adult.From there, she earned her way to multiple Chess Olympiads and is now gunning for the WGM title.Plus, she has a chess business and recently became a reporter for FIDE’s most elite tournaments.We also di...

078 Dedicating three years of your life to chess as an adult is huge. Especially when it includes OTB classical tournaments and running a chess YouTube channel. That’s been the story of Sam Canciobello.Inspired by the Queen’s Gambit, her passion for chess - now in its fourth year - has been consistent and impressive.In this episode, we cover the different stages of her chess life, her long-term goals, and lessons she’s learned along the way. We also discuss:Was it worthwhile...

077 Part of being a chess player is losing many games. But what if those experiences didn’t have to be so painful? To that end, I solicited advice on how to deal with the most difficult losses.I received feedback from the adult improver community on social media, a handful of chess coaches, and a dash of my insights.Then, I collected what I felt was the most helpful advice, categorized them, and put them into a 5-step process. It can be used anytime you endure a particularly emotional or upse...

076 Jennifer Shahade returns to the podcast! 2023 was a major one for her, and we discuss the major milestones of her year.If you’re not familiar, Jennifer is a 2-time US Women’s Chess Champion, author of 4 chess books (including the recent hit Chess Queens), and a long-time advocate of making the chess community a better place for women and girls.In this episode, we talk about:A recent, fun chess experience she’s had on Jeopardy.Her new tactics book, Play Like a Champion, that features...

075 NM Dan Heisman is a world-renowned chess coach and author. He’s on the verge of publishing his thirteenth, and perhaps final, chess improvement book. In this episode, we take a retrospective of some of Dan’s best books and offer improvement advice relevant to each book.It’s an honor to celebrate Dan’s amazing multi-decade career as a chess author and his third appearance on the podcast.Some tips we discuss:Surprising advice from Dan on the #1 principle that should guide your study plan.Ho...

074 Many great women players deserve more attention. Consider that even the games of women's world champions are rarely studied. This shouldn't be the case any longer since their chess is instructive, and their personal lives are rich and inspired.Thankfully, WIM Luciana Morales (along with co-author NM Bryan Tillis) shines a light on the first five women world champions in a new and unique course.Not only does it contain a hefty dose of chess improvement lessons for club players...But ...

A second visit to the pod from chess coach & author, FM Nate Solon! In recent years, Nate has become a well-known chess educator.He’s co-authored the highly-praised book, Evaluate Like a Grandmaster. In 2023, he released his first Chessable course on the Reti opening for White. Plus, Nate regularly publishes a popular e-newsletter on improvement advice called, Zwischenzug. (Links to all these are below!)In this interview, we discuss:Preparation and performance lessons learned from Nate’s ...

072 She’s been making a splash in the chess world. Not only is WIM Fiona Steil-Antoni a regular commentator for top-level tournaments...she’s also become a key commentator for Hikaru’s Twitch channel while he competes at the Candidates and other key events.Plus, this year she’s created video instruction for two Chessable courses. One is for the Scotch opening. The other covers tactics. Both courses are aimed at us: club players.This speaks to her strength of making complex chess easy to under...

Not many chess resources are aimed directly at helping the adult improver. But the superb new book by well-known chess podcast host, Ben Johnson, does exactly that. Released this fall, it’s called Perpetual Chess Improvement.The book covers a broad range of topics for not only boosting your chess abilities but also answering difficult questions like: “Do you need to study endgames?” “How should you approach rating plateaus?”Ben’s book is pure gold for us adult improvers. Each page is chock fu...

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070 A small number of chess players make remarkably quick progress. Perhaps even fewer of those are adults. Which is why the achievements of this week’s guest, Kamryn Hellman, are so remarkable.She started playing chess for the first time as an adult. And, in just a little over a year, Kamryn rose to a 2000 Rapid rating on Chess.com. Because progress this fast is rarely seen by adults, we explore her journey and how she achieved it.We discuss:Her top three “difference makers” for reachi...

For two decades, IM Dean Ippolito has been one of America’s top coaches. Throughout his career, he’s coached several scholastic talents to national titles. Plus, he’s authored six chess books. Dean’s own chess journey is just as impressive. He was a rising child star and competed professionally for a few years after high school.Today, he runs a successful coaching business called Dean of Chess Academy, which offers online classes and camps.In this episode, we also discuss the scourge of adult...

068 You may know him as best as “Fun Master” Mike, the face of ChessKid. For the past decade, Mike has been the Chief Chess Officer of ChessKid, the scholastic version of Chess.com. His mission has been to make the game fun and accessible for an ever-growing audience of young chess players.While my show primarily focuses on adult improvers, I’m always interested in how we grow this great game of ours, and reaching kids is a big part of that.And who better to discuss this subject than with Mik...

067 How should you spend your chess time if you want to improve? The problem for adult improvers isn’t always about having too little time or energy to get better. Often, the challenge is knowing how to use that time effectively. That’s where GM Noël Studer comes in to help us. A former Swiss chess champion, and the youngest GM ever from Switzlerland, Noël is now helping chess improvers fine-tune their study programs.The result?Better progress without having to spend countless hour...

This week features South Africa’s most charismatic chess streamer and commentator: WIM Jesse February. Jesse has had an impressive tournament career that’s still going strong as she works toward the WGM title. Some of her accomplishments include representing the South African Women’s Team in three Chess Olympiads. Plus, she's a two-time winner of the South African Women’s Chess Championship.We chat about Jesse’s incredible and recent experience doing commentary for the inaugural Global ...

065 WCM Alexandra Prado is a strong amateur player with a fast-rising chess Twitch channel. Rated 1859 FIDE, she has a renewed interest in competing in OTB classical. Plus, she’s aiming for the Woman FIDE Master (WFM) title. On that goal, she’s getting coaching help from Chess Dojo’s IM Kostya Kavutskiy, which we discuss in this episode.We also chat about her chess life in Bolivia, what has helped her improve the most as a player, and her unexpected opportunity to play in-person bl...

064 For the past two decades, WGM Anna Zatonskih has been a powerhouse among women chess players in America. She is a 4-time US Women’s champion (06’, 08’, 09’, and 11’.) Plus, she’s been a member of every US Women’s team for the Chess Olympiad since 2004.And while she has struggled a bit competitively in recent years, Anna just achieved an incredible first-place victory at the prestigious Cairn’s Cup in St. Louis in June of 2023.This event gathered some of the world’s best female chess playe...

In the best possible way, Daniel King is a “triple threat” of chess: A GM professional competitor who’s played against some of the world’s best…A commentator who delivers GM-level analysis that’s easily accessible for us club players… And an educator who’s served up a library of phenomenal books, courses, and videos that’ll sharpen our chess skills.Not enough?He’s also a skilled and passionate musician who regularly plays in bands.Daniel launched his chess life with an exciting competitive ca...

After a brief break, the latest on the next episode's release. Plus, a little info on the upcoming membership for this podcast, The Chess Experience. If you don't want to miss its announcement, sign up here: Get the info here when The Chess Experience Membership releases.

062 Few people have attended the world’s top chess tournaments. Or interviewed the most talented chess players on the planet, including legends like Garry Kasparov. But Peter Doggers has lived this life for nearly the past twenty years.In 2007, he launched the company Chess Vibes. At its peak, it was one of the world’s biggest online news sites for chess. It covered top events and offered in-depth journalism.Six years later, Peter sold Chess Vibes to Chess.com and became their Director of Con...

061 It’s not often a chess content creator is an everyday superhero who’s also a school teacher and mother of three. But that’s what makes NM Laura Smith so special. She gives much of her free time to helping others in chess, both as a coach, a Twitch streamer, and now…a brand-spankin’ new Chessable author!Laura was one of my first guests to appear on the show, and the first interview I ever recorded.So, I’m thrilled to have her back on the podcast to update the latest in her chess life.Her n...

Diving head-first into chess as an adult beginner ain’t easy. Yet some folks do it incredibly well. And with inspiring dedication. That’s the adult improver story of Norway’s Solveig. After watching the Magnus-Nepo World Championship match, she committed to the game in January ‘22. At the time, she was rated well below 1000.Since then, she’s worked with two coaches, attended over half a dozen OTB classical tournaments, and follows weekly study plans.Now, her FIDE rating is already o...

059 Need some inspiration on your chess journey from a fellow adult improver? This week’s guest is a powerhouse. Even though she didn’t begin chess until adulthood, Stacia Pugh has soared to 1800 USCF - and still rising!Plus, she’s attending OTB classical tournaments nearly every month and has a chess coaching business called, Chess Is Best.In this episode, we discuss: Stacia’s Top 8 Chess Improvement LessonsHow switching from d4 to e4 dramatically improved her chess - and why other club...

058 Ah! The dreaded “life got in the way” scenario. When it does, our chess progress stalls or suffers. In this journey update, I explain how a prolonged health problem threw a monkey wrench into my chess goals.The good news is that during these months, while my tactical vision waned, I eventually gained two key insights into how to manage a setback in my chess studies. I hope nothing ever slows down your chess progress…But if that happens, this episode may give you some camaraderie and ...

057 Becoming a titled player without a chess coach is no easy feat. Yet that’s exactly what Kassa Korley achieved. When he was 15, he became the youngest Black American to earn the NM title.Since then, he’s become an International Master.And, in recent years, he garnered two of the three norms needed in his pursuit of the Grandmaster title.Again, all on his own. No coach.Kassa’s chess journey is wildly impressive. Yet, as you hear him tell his story, it’s surprisingly relatable for a cl...

056 Coach. Titled player. Entrepreneur. These are just a few of the impressive achievements of WIM Lena Miladinovic. Hailing from Serbia, and becoming a 3-time national champion, Lena has experienced nearly every major corner of the chess world.She’s also run tournaments, become a FIDE-certified arbiter, and in recent years built a unique chess business.Lena wants to make it easier for the chess community to connect. To find each other. And expand on their love for the game.So, she crea...

055 Quick rating gains. Thousands of new followers on Twitch. As she revived her love for chess, Jules Gambit has shown an impressive record of improvement. Not to mention she's made a splash in the chess streamer community - all in the same short period of time!In less than a year, Jules has seen a 600+ rating increase. And, at the recent US Amateur Team tournament, she achieved an OTB classical rating performance of 2000 USCF!Jules is a dynamic, engaging personality with a lot o...

054 This episode features one of the three "senseis" of Chess Dojo, IM David Pruess, for a deep dive on a variety of chess topics. Whether it’s discussing if the latest World Championship is worthy of our time, or what he still wanted to contribute to chess after decades of being in the game - you can count on David to bring depth and sharp analysis to our chat. Plus, as the co-founder of one of the best chess education platforms in the world, David offers great improvement insights for ...

053 The next World Chess Championship match is around the corner! While there’s no Magnus, there’s still plenty to be excited about. This preview episode is made for the club player or casual chess fan - meaning it’s accessible and easy to follow.I interview FM Carsten Hansen, one of the most prolific chess authors around, and in our discussion, he’ll help you: 1) understand what makes this a rare match-up, 2) the styles of each player and how they’ll clash, and 3) who’s expected to win and w...

052 How do we grow the game? A major way has been the huge popularity of live-streamed events with star players and world-class commentary. But whether that commentary is engaging and accessible to chess fans is critical to our game’s popularity.So, what should you look for in chess commentary?That’s a major theme that I discuss with GM Jon Ludvig Hammer in this week’s episode.Hammer has been a professional commentator for nearly a decade. He regularly works for TV 2 Norway. He’s also been a ...

051 Like many areas of chess, it can be difficult to study endgames. There’s an ocean’s worth of books and courses on the subject. But where to begin? To help me simplify this subject for club players, I’m excited to bring IM Yuriy Krykun back on the show.For starters, Yuriy is renowned as one of Chessable’s top course creators (his Dynamic Italian course is one of my favorites!)Plus, from years of coaching amateur students, Yuriy understands well how to teach endgames in a practical way.In t...

050 We are finally back after a 6-week health hiatus! Today’s guest is the #1 rated woman in Romania: IM Irina Bulmaga. Irina is a professional chess player who is working full-time chasing the GM title as an adult.Another impressive stat?Irina has been in the FIDE Top 100-rated Women in the world since 2012.In a career full of amazing accomplishments, Irina has represented Romania in seven Chess Omplyiads since 2010.As a humble club player, I’m always impressed by those who are so good at ch...

Sorry for my absence the past few weeks. Here's why. (But I hope to be back very soon.)

049 After 800 hours of chess, you should learn some stuff. That’s roughly the amount of time I spent playing and studying the game in 2022. And, yes, for all that effort, there’s a nagging concern that I should be way better. But I did learn a few things along the way...In fact, 2022 marks my second full year of being a serious student of chess since my middle school days, when I first took the game seriously.Much of the year required an "aggravating patience" - is that a thing? - as my ratin...

048 Few Grandmasters are as entertaining as Ben Finegold. His blend of humor, truth-telling, and exceptional chess skill are rare in the streaming world.Ben hails from Detroit, Michigan. Raised in a chess family, he ultimately tied as the highest-rated American-born player in the US with a USCF rating of 2662.He now lives in Atlanta, where he streams regularly on Twitch with his wife, KarenThe channel has amassed over 124K followers, and his YouTube channel has 113K subscribers. Those numbers...

This is a brief 3-minute "episode" to announce a brief holiday break and to encourage some reflection on your chess progress. As described, please let me what you've achieved this year in chess that you feel good about. You can do so by tagging me in a post on Twitter (@Lona_Chess), emailing me (scroll to the bottom for my address), or sending me a message here.Happy Holidays! And I'll talk to you soon!>> Join my official FREE club for The Chess Experience on Chess.com<&l...

047 Many chess players fall into a trap. They get too obsessed with chess and their progress. Stress and worry can replace joy and discovery. But not for this week’s guest. Fellow adult improver, Amy Shaw, has found a great balance between striving for consistent improvement and loving the game…And she’s done it without the sometimes unhealthy drive for rating gains that can plague chess players.In addition to working as an English professor by day and playing in a rock band by night…Amy has ...

046 When you’re in bad position or down material, it’s easy to lose hope. We’ve all been there. But today’s guest, NM Jeremy Kane, explains how and why you should usually keep fighting.His book, The Next To Last Mistake, teaches folks specific strategies needed to hold a draw or even win in losing positions.Plus, we discuss his work building the vast library of fun, unique, and helpful chess lessons for Chess.com as their Curriculum Director.Finally, Jeremy shares his somewhat “relaxed” appro...

045 Have you ever put a ton of energy and work into chess…but your results failed to match your expectations? So, you became frustrated. Dejected. Maybe even disillusioned with the process.This is the potential downside that comes with a passion for chess:Burnout.That happened to my guest, Omar Mills.Omar is my inaugural adult improver guest (it’s about time I feature some fellow adult club players!) He has been serious about chess for the past two years, studying and playing for hours ...

044 Few American women in chess are as inspiring as Irina Krush. That may be obvious from the title of this episode alone. But to listen to Irina tell her story in this interview…To hear her wisdom, strength, and charisma - you get the full measure of why she’s so inspiring to chess players worldwide.No surprise, though from the person who's been an unprecedented 8x US Women’s Champion.AND the only American woman to have earned the GM title.In this episode, we discuss:Her feelings on he...

043 Born in Romania. Daughter of two International Masters. The young chess star, WGM Sabina Foisor, moved to America as a young adult and conquered the women’s chess scene by winning the 2017 US Women’s Championship.In this episode, we discuss: What it’s like growing up in a chess family with high expectations for success.The emotional journey of preparing & competing for the 2017 US Women’s Championship while her mother became seriously ill.Improvement questions on pawn structures,...

042 The #1 female player in Germany for many years: GM Elisabeth Paehtz.Even beyond her impressive accomplishments as a chess player, which include:Winning the 2018 European Women’s Championship in rapid chess.Representing Germany for the Women’s Chess Olympiad over 10 times.Elisabeth has some refreshing and pleasantly unexpected insights about the game. In this episode, we discuss:Why she never “loved chess” but still has a deep passion for the game.How being an adult has changed her p...

041 You may know her as one of the featured students from the 2012 documentary, Brooklyn Castle. A superb film that covered a low-income, junior high school’s talented chess team. One of the main students the film explored was the inspiring story of Rochelle Ballantyne.Ten years after its release, Rochelle is now a 3rd-year law student at New York University.She also recently re-committed to her goal of becoming the first American Black woman to earn the NM title.In this episode, we cov...

040 Few people today are creating as many highly praised chess courses as IM Christof Sielecki. Since the start of this podcast, I’ve looked forward to one day having him as a guest on the show. Now he’s here!His story may resonate with other adult improvers...It wasn’t until age 13 that he began his chess journey in earnest. And it wasn’t until his late 30’s that he strived for his biggest achievement: earning his IM title.After discussing his chess life, in this episode we talk about: ...

039 Another chess journey update from your favorite podcast host! Every few months, I serve up a solo show that offers my latest insights and struggles, all from my hard-working path toward improvement. But this isn’t just an audio “chess diary.”I try to bring everything back to lessons we can all use and learn from. Hope you enjoy!In this episode:Why emotions caused an avoidable & heartbreaking loss in my recent OTB tournament.Does a recent 200-point blitz rating increase suggest my ches...

038 Yuanling wowed me. Of course, her accomplishments as a chess player are mighty: She’s been the #1 female Canadian player and the youngest Canadian female to earn the WIM title.And, as you’ll hear, Yuanling has a great ability to find meaningful connections between chess and life - a topic we discuss at length in this episode.If that weren’t enough, she has a compassionate heart.In 2009, she launched the non-profit Chess in Library program that offers chess instruction to underprivileged p...

037 IM Greg Shahade always brings a good time.His charisma and relaxed humor make for a dynamic, fun conversation in every interview he gives.And this one is no different!We cover a range of topics, including the difference between improving at chess versus trivia (it helps explain why chess is so difficult!), his spontaneous approach to life, and:Why blitz can improve your chess if you follow his two suggestionsTime management advice for those who play too slow (and too fast!)Will he ever do...

036 Jovanka Houska is a bright star. Anyone who’s watched her live can see she imbues her top-notch commentating at Chess24 with a joy for the game. Plus, she helps us club players more easily understand top-level play.Jovanka is, of course, not only a star in the chess commentating world…She’s also conquered the competitive scene as an eight-time British Women’s Chess Champion.And her competitive spirit still burns. She regularly attends tournaments and works to raise her rating to previous ...

035 It’s easy to think of chess improvement as only involving the study of specific areas of the game like strategy or openings.But there are other, critical parts to improvement, as well.Which is why I chat with NM Bryan Tillis and discuss: The importance of having a WHY for your chess goalsHow to balance fun with doing what’s necessary to improveAsking whether your training is matching your goalsAnd, towards the end of the episode, Bryan offers several pieces of great advice for ...

034 Carissa is a shining star. The youngest American woman to earn the IM title. Winner of the 2021 US Women’s Championship. Top-ranked female US player in 2019.If that weren’t enough, Carissa is the youngest female ever to beat a Grandmaster (she did so at age ten.)Even with so many accomplishments, Carissa remains humble and down-to-Earth.And she has a great sense of humor. In this episode, we discuss: What caused her sudden rating climb?The ups and downs of her 5-year journey to ...

033 Angelika is rapidly building a name in the chess world as a dynamic coach, streamer, & course creator. Hailing from Ukraine, and now living in Germany, Angelika is a superb chess player with a FIDE rating of 2075 (and on her way to earning the WGM title.) She’s been coaching kids and adults alike for the past 7 years.After years of building a strong following on her Twitch channel, this year she released her first opening repertoire course for 1.d4 on Chessable. We talk abo...

032 Another chess journey update from your favorite podcast host! Every few months, I serve up a solo show that offers my latest insights and struggles, all from my hard-working path toward improvement.No matter your rating…I believe you’ll find some snackable morsels of chess wisdom (even if it comes from my failures!)Highlights you can expect:Is King safety a chess problem or a psychological problem?Coach IM Andras Toth spots one of my top barriers to improvement (hint: it’s not more tactic...

031 Making chess simple for club players isn’t easy. But GM Alex Colovic has a special ability to do just that. It’s why his opening courses are known for simple, clear instruction... How Alex is able to simplify opening theory is one of the key points we discuss in this episode.The other great topic we discuss is that Alex strived for years in his 30s to earn the GM title - a rare feat at that age.His story is an inspiration with key lessons for all of us, no matter our rating.In this e...

030 To some, chess is just a game. But it can also be a valuable tool for giving us powerful life lessons. And these lessons can teach us how to achieve our goals better. Or improve our career. Sometimes, though, those insights aren’t always obvious to us...So, we need a little help or awareness in uncovering them.That’s what today’s guest, FM Alisa Melekhina, explains in my conversation with her.And it’s also the subject of her superb book, Reality Check. In this episode, you’ll discove...

029 Eric Rosen is perhaps best known for off-beat openings and stalemate traps. But don’t underestimate his incredible coaching skills. In this interview, Eric offers powerful advice in answering questions from my Twitter followers on improving as adults.Before we get into the heart of sharpening your chess skills...The episode first covers Eric’s career as one of the world’s top chess streamers and content creators…Including his favorite types of content and how he strikes a balance be...

028 Bruce Pandolfini is arguably America’s greatest chess coach. His impact on growing the game throughout the world is immeasurable. Bruce is the author of dozens of superb chess books. All are great, and many are still must-reads for beginners and club players.He’s been the coach for such top players as Fabiano Caruana and Josh Waitzkin.Bruce has also been the consultant for the most popular chess stories ever put to screen: Searching for Bobby Fischer & The Queen’s Gambit.In this episo...

027 If you've studied chess, then you know development is vital. Yet there’s more to this principle than just the obvious “get your pieces out.” Even titled players can struggle with effective development…Which means club players should always be working on this nuanced skill.To help, this episode discusses the subject at length with WGM Ekaterina Atalik. Katya (for short) is the European Women’s Chess Champion and the 5-time Women’s Champion of Turkey.She’s also authored the Chessable course...

026 How do you ensure chess improvement? The old magic pill would be nice, but we know that doesn’t exist. The next best thing? Put energy and work into five key areas…This may not guarantee improvement, but doing them will give you the best fighting chance to see results.And, hey, given the mysterious ways of chess improvement, that’s sometimes the best we can do.So, what are the key areas? FM Nate Solon explained them in his 2021 article entitled, The Chess Improvement Checklist.Impressed w...

025 There are several ways to #GrowTheGame. One is through helping folks play better. Another is to find ways to make chess more appealing and accessible for everyone - regardless of where you live or your skill level.This week’s guest, Nigarhan (or Naycir, as she’s known online), has chosen to make the second option her mission.A fellow adult improver and amateur player herself…Nigarhan has become well-known in chess circles as a streamer with an irresistible wit and passion for the game.She...

024 The 2022 Candidates was a wild ride. Predictions were shattered. A dominant performance surprised many. And the looming question of “Does second place matter?” hung in the air.For the first time, The Chess Experience is reviewing a world-class tournament!To help discuss the highlights (and lowlights) of the event, along with some lessons that can help club players…I interviewed WIM Fiona Steil Antoni, a professional commentator of top chess events,Fiona has been commentating for the past ...

A brief 2-minute update about the next episode (coming later this week) which reviews the Candidates. And a little message of motivation to keep striving with your chess!

023 Adult improvers, ironically, have limited time to improve. Which is why it’s so helpful to know the answer to this question: “Of all the mistakes we make, which ones are the most important to fix?” That’s what today’s episode is about…Identifying the key mistakes made at the board by adult improvers (most of whom are club players) and finding solutions to them. To help, I’ve brought back for a second time National Master, Dan Heisman. He is the ultimate coach for adult improvers...

022 If you’re over 30, you might wonder: “Will aging affect my chess improvement? Should I adjust my program any differently due to my age?” These are compelling but often difficult questions to answer... On the one hand, we want to be optimistic and aim for whatever chess goal we desire, without concern over biology getting in the way... And, yet, biology is real. Athletes understand this - both amateur and professional alike. Which is why it’s worth taking a look at this...

021 This week’s format is different. Every few months, I’ll create a solo episode where I update you on my own chess journey: The top challenges I’m having, the best insights I’ve gained, and the latest wisdom my coaches, Andras Toth & Dan Heisman, have offered me.I’ll try to frame it in ways that benefit you, so that you get a heap of value from listening. This week’s topics:Why I no longer play the French Defense and key resources for determining how/when to change your openings.Th...

020 You may have first heard of WGM Irene Sukandar in 2021, when her popularity soared after defeating Dewa Kipas, a man who infamously cheated in an online game against IM Levy Rozman.But, in this interview, we discuss what I believe Irene should be what be most well-known for:1) Growing the fame and respect of chess in her home country of Indonesia, and 2) Being an inspiration to chess players throughout the world who wish to make chess a major part of their lives.Irene is a profession...

019 With so many hours put into our chess practice. The experience of a long-term rating decline or plateau can be frustrating. Even painful. Shouldn’t we see positive rating results if it’s been X number of months or years?Not always.But that doesn’t mean you’re not improving. Or that the tide won’t eventually turn.In this episode, Woman International Master and popular chess streamer, Anna-Maja Kazarian, tell us about her struggle with a long-term rating decline.First, though, we discuss he...

018 You just finished a Rapid or Classical game. Now it’s time to pluck some hard-earned lessons from the experience. But wait: should you turn on the engine? Annotate the game with notes? Review it intensely for an hour or more? Or maybe just glean one key lesson and call it a day?These issues and more are discussed in this episode with the phenomenal WGM Katerina Nemcova.First, we learn about Katerina’s exciting journey to the top of women’s chess in the Czech Republic. And how she lat...

017 Kostya is one of the co-founders of the incredible Chess Dojo. It's a channel and business designed to help chess improvers (most of whom are adults.)In this episode: Why you should bother reading annotated game books.An answer to the age-old question: how many of the endless variations should you go over?Should you read an annotated game book more than once?A rarely talked about benefit to playing classical games that can make a huge impact on your improvement.--------Want to join m...

0016 Offering live commentary of world-class chess is no easy task. Your audience is often club-level players and beginners. So, you'll have to strike a balance between explaining obscure GM strategy…While also delivering fun commentary that keeps your viewers engaged…That’s what this week's guest, WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili, does all the time for Chess.com and FIDE. In this episode, we dive into the story of a commentator for these incredible events.Keti makes top-level chess easy to...

015 All chess players struggle to improve. But there are some mistakes made along the way that are unique to adults. Thankfully, there are easy solutions that’ll remove these roadblocks and get you back on the road to faster improvement…To help identify and fix these mistakes, I interview the straight-talking FM Peter Giannatos…Peter is the founder of the Charlotte Chess Center, a powerhouse chess club in the United States.Plus, he’s the author of the book & course, Everyone’s First Chess...

014 Today you get a 2-topic episode: 1) Adult chess improvement tips from WGM Jennifer Shahade; and 2) A discussion on her new book, Chess Queens, about the celebration & deeper understanding of women in chess.There’s hardly anyone who has done more to make this game more inclusive for women and girls than Jennifer...She’s a true inspiration in our community.Not only is she a 2-time US Women’s Champion and Woman Grandmaster…Jennifer has also tirelessly spent the past two decades improving...

013 There’s a small percentage of people who can inspire us to be better at chess. One of those rare folks is FM James Canty III. Few would bet money that a guy in his late 20s could go from National Master to Grandmaster.It’s almost never done.Why?Because, like us club players, he grapples with adult responsibilities that make improvement difficult: a full-time job, limited energy, and time.But James is a powerhouse of positivity, discipline, and a tireless work ethic.In this interview, Jame...

012 There are nitty-gritty ways to improve: like focusing on tactics or endgame study. But what about big picture improvement skills? For discussion on that, I brought National Master, James Altucher, who is also a successful author and entrepreneur…James has written several business & personal development books…Most relevant is Skip the Line, which teaches you how to improve at a skill faster than expected…Plus, on his podcast, The James Altucher Show, he talks with highly successf...

011 We all know chess is for everyone. Yet there are dramatically fewer women and girls in chess…It’s an issue we ought to tackle head-on so we can make the game more welcoming to women and girls.Thankfully, this week’s guest doesn’t just wonder how to solve the problem…Ingrid Gayle, the owner of Girl Boss Chess (GBC), is taking action every day to make chess a better community.How?GBC’s primary mission is to bring more women into the game from the ground up:By giving young girls a safe space...