Podcasts about pro chess league

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=pro 0:01- 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 Levitov https://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.html 13:30- What does Erik think of GM Fabiano Caruana's recent suggestions of widespread cheating during Titled Tuesday?  Mentioned; Nate's post called Beating Hikaru https://zwischenzug.substack.com/p/beating-hikaru 27:00- 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=Ri3Z809CbS8 55:00- 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out our new Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/chickenchessclubThe 46th episode of the Chicken Chess Club by GMs Jan Gustafsson, Laurent Fressinet & Peter Heine Nielsen.0:00 Intro & Smalltalk06:15 Chessable Masters play-in (featuring Laurent)23:20 Pro Chess League (not featuring Laurent)26:05 European Championships32:23 Norway Chess field announced38:26 Lichess Olympiad statement43:00 Offerspill training camp (Magnus will Inspire)52:32 Ramirez/CSQ podcast & discussion of Olympiad captains01:12:25 Correspondence update01:18:44 5 minutes of FIDE

Check out our new Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/chickenchessclubThe 45th episode of the Chicken Chess Club by GMs Jan Gustafsson, Laurent Fressinet & Peter Heine Nielsen.0:00 Intro & smalltalk03:57 European Championship (mostly the chicken's successes from the distant past)15:19 Magnus Carlsen's final classical games as World Champion & discussion of Ding vs Nepo38:29 PRO Chess League update40:47 Kramnik "breaks his silence"55:01 Chess joins the Olympics!59:08 Alejandro Ramirez update01:17:11 Peter's Correspondence update01:23:33 New motto!01:24:39 Patreon suggestion & questions01:33:30 1 minute Dutch recap

Jennifer Shahade grew up in a family of gamers. Her brother is IM Greg Shahade is founder of the PRO Chess League and the US Chess School, while her mother, Dr. Sally Solomon (1940-2013), was an avid bridge and poker player. Her father, FM Michael Shahade is a four-time state champion and taught her chess at five. Jennifer did not take to the game right away, gravitating instead to acting and writing. When she got back into it in high school, she fell in love and quickly improved, becoming a National Master at the age of 16, and the first female to win the US Junior Open. She went on to win two US Chess Women's Championship titles and a Silver Olympic medal.Jennifer's joint passion for games and art led to dozens of creative projects through her career, including authoring Chess Queens, which chronicles the true stories of the top women players in history, intertwined with Jennifer's own life. She's also the host of two award-winning podcasts, the GRID and Ladies Knight. The show is a game within a game, as Jen fills out the entire 169 grid of possible poker hands, with no repeats.Jennifer is the MindSports Ambassador at PokerStars and loves to show how games like poker and chess can help anyone make better decisions. Her titles include a Championship belt at the Open Face High Roller Championship in Prague. Jennifer fights to make games more inclusive through her work with US Chess Women, where she helps bring chess to girls, gender minorities and women. She's also an ambassador for Poker Power, an organization that aims to “flip the table” and teach one million women poker.Here is what you can expect on this week's show!0:50 What is a Grandmaster3:10 Authoring books is kind of a big deal9:50 Battling Artificial Intelligence12:54 Does chess have more drama than poker?15:24 Scandals32:34 Life skills learned from chess and poker40:26 Parallels between poker and chess50:35 Making games and the world more inclusionary1:01:35 Does poker hold a mirror to rising inequality?1:09:30 Hula Hooping▬ Winning the Game of Life ▬▬▬▬▬▬Check out other "Winning the Game of Life" episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/WinningTheGameofLifeConnect with Jennifer Shahade:Twitter: @JenShahadeInstagram: @jenshahadeFollow "Jungleman" Dan Cates on social:Websites: https://www.wtgol.comInstagram: @wtgolpodcast@thedancatesTwitter: @junglemandan

Speaking with Greg, an International Master and chess pioneer. He's made chess YouTube videos before it was popular, is the commissioner of the PRO Chess League, the creator of the US Chess School, and much more.

The chess world has been rocked this week by the sudden withdrawal of GM Magnus Carlsen in the early rounds of the Sinquefield Cup. Although only explained by a cryptic tweet, this unprecedented action has been widely interpreted as an allegation of foul play by GM Hans Niemann, who had defeated Magnus in the prior round.. This has been a complex story with tentacles reaching all over the chess world and making headlines beyond it. In this podcast I briefly attempt to catch listeners up on the key events, and then welcome IM Greg Shahade to try to provide a bit of clarity about what we know right now. Greg is the founder of the Pro Chess League and the US Chess School and in the latter role has observed Hans' chess talent as he has risen up the ranks. Greg shares his perspective of Hans' personality, and of the overall story. Links to the important topics referenced can be found below 0:00- I go through the timeline of events and share a few thoughts.  18:00- IM Greg Shahade joins to discuss the news A few quick notes and links Perpetual Chess Link Fest Sign Up- https://benjohnson.substack.com/ Chess Reddit Megathread https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/x7igg5/megathread_hans_niemann_allegations/ Hans Niemann Round 5 interview-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=CJZuT-_kij0 GM Jacob Aagaard Blog post about his experience working with GM Hans Niemann  https://forum.killerchesstraining.com/t/paranoia-and-insanity-by-jacob-aagaard/856 Chess.com statement  https://twitter.com/chesscom/status/1568010971616100352?s=20&t=lM603tHenLUdoXSKjm4aBQ My March 2022 Interview with GM Hans Niemann https://open.spotify.com/episode/6SNm7UTFwTtzEnabV1p2in?si=6d79b33cdeaf4a5d Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com and Aimchess!  Chessable- https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ Aimchess- https://aimchess.com/try?ref=benjohnson12 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Sahaj Grover is an Indian born, South Africa based chess trainer and Chessable Author. He amassed many youth titles, and was the 2017 and 2018 South African Open Champion. Sahaj is also the co-author (with FM Daniel Barrish) of https://www.chessable.com/timeless-technique-strategic-endgames/course/42898/ (Timeless Technique: Strategic Endgames), a great practical guide to endgames for intermediate and advanced players. In our conversation, Sahaj shares some tips for blending the study of "practical" endgames and "technical" endgames and discusses his own endgame education. He also tells the story of what he learned from a memorable Pro Chess League game against GM Magnus Carlsen! You can check out Sahaj's Chessable Courses here: https://www.chessable.com/author/sahajgrover/ (https://www.chessable.com/author/sahajgrover/) Check out 100 Endgames You Must Know (another course we discussed) Here: https://www.chessable.com/100-endgames-you-must-know/course/5193/ (100 Endgames You Must Know - MoveTrainer® Course - Chessable)

Welcome to the April edition of One Move at a Time! Our guest today is IM Greg Shahade, who founded the US Chess School in 2006 and which resumes classes this year in a victory for a post-covid world. He also founded the New York Masters and the U.S. Chess League which is now known as the PRO Chess League. He is a former member of the Executive Board of US Chess. Greg won three national scholastic championships: tying for first in both the 1993 National Junior High School Championship and the 1996 National High School Championship, and winning the 1996 United States Junior Open outright. He won the prestigious Samford Fellowship, annually awarded by the U.S. Chess Trust to the top U.S. prospect under the age of 25, in 1999. His dad is FM Michael Shahade and his sister Jennifer is a two-time US Women's Champion and our US Chess Women's Program Director.

IM Greg Shahade is the commissioner of the PRO Chess League. Along with his sister Jennifer (who was on my podcast a few months ago!), Greg was a talented junior player in his youth who has worked on growing chess in the United States for his entire career, both as an educator and as an organizer of chess events. Among many other achievements, he has one GM norm, and was awarded the Samford Fellowship in 1999. He also founded the New York Masters and the U.S. Chess League (the predecessor to the PRO Chess League). This week on 64; A Chess Podcast, IM Shahade joined me for a laid-back discussion on Game 9 of the World Chess Championship, the growth of chess online and in the United States, and how chess can take advantage of this watershed moment it's having re: interest and place in culture. I'm grateful that Greg could join this podcast on such short notice, and I hope we do it again! I had a lot of fun recording this one, and am looking forward to the rest of this World Chess Championship.If you like what you've heard this week and want to support my podcast financially, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $1 a month!We talked about...Game Nine -- Nepo's colossal blunder, chess psychology, and the cursed press conferences throughout the World ChampionshipWe dive into the more recent history of U.S. chess. I reveal a new project that I've started working on, and Greg shares some thoughts and stories of Garry KasparovI ask a bunch of questions about PRO Chess League: most importantly, do I have a shot at making it on a team? We also talk about creating better, more welcoming environments at OTB tournaments and chess clubs Greg talks about looking forward to the possible Firouzja-Carlsen matchup, the general difficulty of playing in a tournament like the Candidates, and preview the FIDE Grand PrixAs always, another edition of Aimchess Instant InsightsThanks as always to Aimchess for sponsoring the podcast -- use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess!Follow me on Twitter and Twitch!Thanks again to IM Greg Shahade for coming on the podcast -- follow him on Twitter here!

NM Jeremy Kane is the Curriculum Director on Chess.com, the largest chess website in the world. He has worked with top grandmasters and chess personalities on curating and developing lessons which millions of users have utilized to improve their chess. Jeremy is also a chess coach, an alumnus of the University of Chicago, and a one-time alternate player for the Chicago Blaze, which played in the short-lived (but never forgotten) U.S. Chess League, a pre-cursor to the Pro Chess League. I was delighted to have Jeremy join the show today.Episode highlights:Jeremy's career highlights, including winning the Wisconsin State Championship as a teenager and joining Chess.com as its Curriculum DirectorsJeremy's favorite courses on Chess.com, including "Every Gambit Refuted" by GM Eugene Perelshteyn (friend of the pod!)How Jeremy designs curriculum and recruits players to give lessonsChicago Blaze and U.S. Chess League memoriesSome lukewarm Chess World Cup takes as of the end of Round 2: COVID surprises, dramatic upsets, and who we've been rooting forLevon Aronian joining the U.S. chess team despite being the "Pride of Armenia" and its impact on U.S. chess going forwardJeremy gives his thoughts on what he'd like to see in the world of online chess going forwardA growing share of competitors (Kasparovchess, chess24, lichess) in the online chess market General advice for chess players going to their first OTB tournamentsJeremy's working on a new book called "The Next To Last Mistake" which will be out at the end of Summer 2021, so look out for that! 64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off your first month with Aimchess.Join my Patreon!Thanks to NM Jeremy Kane for coming onto the show. You can follow him on Twitter: @chessmensch. You can buy his book on the Chicago Blaze here.Create an account on chess.com here!Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64PodcastFollow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

Originally aired September 27, 2020 Follow ChessDojo here: Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojolive​ Discord: https://discord.gg/sUUh8HD​ Twitter: https://twitter.com/chess_dojo​ Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo

Originally aired October 5, 2020: The Dojo (IM Kostya Kavutskiy, IM David Pruess, GM Jesse Kraai) discusses the latest PRO Chess League cheating controversy and what should be done about online cheating. Follow ChessDojo here: Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojolive​ Discord: https://discord.gg/sUUh8HD​ Twitter: https://twitter.com/chess_dojo​ Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo

In an annual tradition, IM Greg Shahade returns to the show. Greg is the founder of the Pro Chess League as well as the US Chess School, and is a former scholastic champion turned adult-improving, dangerous speed chess specialist. His Chess.com blitz rating hovers in the 2600-2700 range, and he has beaten the likes of GM Alexey Shirov and GM Praggnanandhaa in recent Chess.com TItled Tuesday tournaments. Greg breaks down the secrets to his success- it turns out it has involved a lot of hard work on his openings! He also impart lessons from his success in order to help improving players lower on the rating ladder. Additional topics include:  the growth and evolution of chess, why Greg isn’t as vocal about his chess promotion ideas anymore, plus he answers a few fun Patreon mailbag questions. Whether you agree with Greg’s views of chess or not, its always fun to hear his perspective. Please read on for lots more details and timestamps.    Prior Interviews with IM Greg Shahade  Episode 1 Episode 55 Episode 107 Episode 159 0:00-  Greg’s blitz rating has been consistently improving even as he hits his early 40s. What are his study tricks? What approach should he take to study openings?   Mentioned: Chessable.com, GM Alexei Shirov, GM Kiril Alekseenko, GM Jan Gustafsson’s Lifetime Repertoires Course, GM Elshan Moriadibadi, The London System, IM Andras Toth, GM Magnus Carlsen  10:00- A question from the Patreon mailbag. What is the best way for a beginner to study an opening repertoire?  Mentioned: Fight like Magnus: The Sveshnikov Sicilian, Lifetime Repertories: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense, Sam Shankland’s 1. D4 Chessable course  18:00- What is the status of Greg’s blitz game?  Mentioned: GM Kirill Alekseenko, GM Conrad Holt    22:00- What is the status of Greg’s Twitch streaming career?  23:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Get Chessable’s IOS app if you haven’t already, and you can check out their latest offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/   23:45- Patreon question: “Dude, when is Greg going to start blogging again?” We also discuss the ongoing Chess.com I am Not a GM Tournament Mentioned: IM John Bartholomew, I am not a GM Tournament, IM Levy Rozman, IM Tania Sachdev, IM Kostya Kavutskiiy, Alexandra Botez, IM Lawrence Trent    30:00- Another Patreon question relates to the status and format of the 2021 Pro Chess League, which of course also leads to a discussion of the explosion of popularity in online chess.  Mentioned: Klay Thompson, Lennox Lewis, Gordon Hayward, Leveon Bell   37:00- Another Patreon question: are there improvements to the Pro Chess League website in the works?    39:00- Perpetual Chess is brought in part by AImchess.com which collates data from your online games and gives you actionable advice and lessons. Check out the site, and if you subscribe use the Promo code “Chess30” to get a 30% discount.   39:00- Patreon question- has Greg read any good books lately? This segues into a general discussion of how to study chess.   Mentioned: Playing 1. E4 by GM John Shaw, GM Peter Svidler, 100 Endgames You Must Know  Endgame Strategy by Mikhail Sherevsky, Vancura Defense, Frontal Defense, Jeremy Silman’s Endgame Course, GM Jacob Aagaard    49:00- In his chess development, did Greg do any targeted blindfold chess training?  Mentioned: Chessboard Magic by Irving Chernev, GM Jeffrey Xiong, GM Ray Robson, IM Christopher Yoo   56:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com!  Check out their blog here:  https://chessmood.com/blog  and check out their YouTube, featuring Lessons with a Grandmaster here: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChessMood   57:00- Greg answers a Patreon question pushing back against the importance of the idea that Classical Chess wouldn’t exist if chess were invented in modern times. (As Greg has previously said)  Mentioned: GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM Alexander Grishchuk, IM Andras Toth    1:03:00- Greg makes his brief, shining singing debut on The Perpetual Chess! And then gives some shout outs.  Mentioned: Episode 204 with FM Nathan Resika, Episode 12 with Christopher Yoo   Agadmator, Chessbrahs, IM Levy Rozman, Jennifer Shahade, The Botez Sisters, GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM David Howell, GM Jovanka Houska, Kaja Snare, Mark Crowther, ChessDoJo YouTube Channel- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsFJol3ToXA&list=PLH4lD9b6ZgbeAzMlaYoWSHL_lEF5BWZA0 Thanks as always to Greg for joining the show! You can follow him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/gregshahade?lang=en   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we are joined by chess player, trainer and author GM Wojciech Moranda. GM Moranda is one of the top players in Poland, with a FIDE rating of 2618. and he has won many tournaments in his career. Wojciech has also been a frequent competitor in  the Pro Chess League, where he has beaten the likes of GM Fabiano Caruana and GM Alexander Grischuk. As a trainer, GM Wojciech has worked with both amateur adults and with top young players in conjunction with the  National Youth Chess Academy of the Polish Chess Federation. GM Moranda is a chess bibliophile who has developed a unique chess  instruction style, which is on display in his excellent new book, Universal Chess Training, which was recently published by Thinkers Publishing.  In our conversation we talk about the book as well as chess improvement more generally, including getting Wojciech’s takes on the age old questions of what to study, how to study, and how much to study. If you are looking to improve your own game you are assured to pick up something both from Wojciech’s book, and from our conversation. Please continue reading for timestamps and relevant hyperlinks.    0:00- We begin by discussing GM Moranda’s new book from Thinker’s Publishing, Universal Chess Training.  GM Moranda shares how he decided on the unique presentation style of this book, and what he likes and dislikes about other recent chess books.  Mentioned: Reshevsky-Petrosian 1953 (25...Re6), Jon Edwards, My Great Predecessors, Kasparov-Topalov 1999, Episode 199 with Dr. Barry Hymer and GM Peter Wells    24:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. One of their latest offerings is a Lifetime Repertoires course on the Taimanov Sicilian by GM Harikrishna. Check it out here: https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-taimanov-sicilian/course/45749/?utm_source=chessable&utm_medium=tw   25:30- GM Moranda answers a question from the Patreon mailbag about whether playing blitz and rapid is bad for one’s chess development.  Mentioned: Lichess.org, Episode 200 with GM Boris Gelfand,  GM Alireza Firouzja   34:30- We discuss how much one should study, and how one should allocate chess study time.  Mentioned: Applying Logic in Chess by IM Erik Kislik    41:00- Are the rumors true that GM Moranda has a law degree? How did Wojciech get into chess?  Mentioned: FM Kamil Plichta    48:30- GM Moranda answers another question relating to the state of the chess culture in Poland.  Mentioned: GM Jan Krzysztof Duda, Paul Morphy, The Queen’s Gambit Series    56:30- What are GM Wojciech’s favorite chess books?  Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard’s Grandmaster Preparation Series, Beyond Material, GameChanger    1:03:00- GM Moranda has some experience teaching blindfold chess and visualization. What advice does he usually give his students?    1:19:00 Thanks so much to GM Moranda for sharing his chess wisdom! You can reach him via email at wojciech.moranda@gmail.com You check out a teaser  of Universal Chess Training here: https://thinkerspublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Teaser-PDF-Wojciech-Moranda-Universal-Chess-Training-1.pdf and  you can buy it here: https://thinkerspublishing.com/product/wojciech-moranda-universal-chess-training/ Its also available from Forward Chess here:  https://forwardchess.com/sample/universal-chess-training See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since our first interview in June of 2019, IM Cyrus Lakdawala has increased the number of books he has authored to 50! Cyrus’ newest published book is Rewire Your Chess Brain: Endgame Studies and Mating Problems to Enhance Your Tactical Abilities . I have been excited for this book because endgame studies have frequently been mentioned by guests as an effective way to improve one’s visualization abilities and pattern recognition. The book did not disappoint me! It is filled with creative, diabolical and often difficult chess problems that can stump you for hours or days. We also discuss Cyrus’ recent award-winning book  In the Zone: The Greatest Winning Streaks in Chess History. In the book, Cyrus deconstructs the magic of chess hot streaks and reveals who he thinks had the most impressive tournament performance of all time. For those interested in chess improvement, this interview is packed with useful advice. Cyrus shares his advice for how to tackle difficult chess problems, and reveals a simple formula for how one should allocate one’s chess study time. Please read on for lots more details and timestamps.   0:00-  We begin  by discussing his newest, the excellent book of endgame studies and difficult mate problems, Rewire Your Chess Brain.     Mentioned: Episode 129 With Cyrus Lakdawala: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perpetual-chess-podcast/id1185023674?i=1000440582141 Chess Endgame Studies and Compositions Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/544412592978833 Also Mentioned:  GM Max Illingworth, Jonathan Fry, GM Nigel Short, GM Alexei Shirov, Joseph William Abbott    “It’s not the solving that matters, it’s the combination of straining to solve… mixed with seeing an original pattern in the solution, and you are adding to your internal database a new pattern.”  13:15- This episode is brought to you in part by Chesskid.com. If you sign your child up for a Gold level Membership,  you can use promo code “HOMEFUN” for a 10% discount, and if you are interested in bulk discounts on chess club memberships, you can email sales@chesskid.com    14:15- Cyrus answers a Patreon mailbag question relating to the proper way to tackle chess endgame studies.  As Cyrus explains, the key is to strain for the answer.    Mentioned: Reti-Alekhine 1925, Satanick Mukhuty, Steven Dowd    25:15- What are some common themes you might come across in chess studies?  The Blathy 1962 endgame study we discuss can be found here:  https://share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/share/?p=PpLRGEZBY5eLQlzzQQv+/N4VI8U9AXmYqIP6SVLGeTjkwp8mnb+O+65veM1erWS7 28:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. Whether you are interested in openings, endgames, or chess history, Chessable has plenty of books and courses to help you learn and retain the information you learn using its MoveTrainer technology.  https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 29:30- We talk some chess improvement, as Cyrus answers another question from the Patreon mailbag- What aspects of studying chess are overrated and underrated?  35:30- In the wake of the recent Pro Chess League cheating scandal, we discuss the issue of cheating in chess a bit. Background on the cheating scandal here: https://www.chess.com/news/view/saint-louis-arch-bishops-2020-pro-chess-champions Mentioned: GM Tigran L. Petrosian, GM Wesley So, GM Miguel Quinteros 43:15- Another recent book of Cyrus’ In the Zone: The Greatest Winning Streaks in Chess History, just won an award for Best Instructional Book from the Chess Journalists of America. What can we learn from studying the winning streaks of the greats?  Mentioned: Paulsen, Morphy, GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Veslin Topalov, GM Levon Aronian, GM Magnus Carlsen. GM Bobby Fischer, GM Bent Larsen, GM Mark Taimanov, GM Alexander Alekhine  58:30- One more supporter question for Cyrus:  Who would he pick as the best opening, middlegame, and endgames specialists in chess history?   Mentioned: GMs Kasparov, Korchnoi, Karpov, Carlsen, Alekhine 1:00:30- Thanks to Cyrus for rejoining the show!  You can buy his books here: https://www.amazon.com/Zone-Greatest-Winning-Streaks-History/dp/905691877X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=K2M59FKPTJUD&dchild=1&keywords=cyrus+lakdawala+chess+books&qid=1602458255&s=books&sprefix=cyrus%2Cstripbooks%2C139&sr=1-1 Join the Facebook Chess Endgame Studies and Compositions  Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/544412592978833 And contact Cyrus here: https://www.facebook.com/cyrus.lakdawala See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the Pro Chess League (of which he is the commissioner) set to resume on Monday, January 6,  it was a great time for my old friend, IM Greg Shahade to make another visit to Perpetual Chess. Greg broke down all of the changes that have taken place with the league’s format, and previewed some some of the interesting matches and players that we will see this season. We also had a lot of chess news to talk about, ranging from the World Championship Candidates selection process to some recent speed chess controversies involving prominent chess professionals. Greg also dispensed some great advice on chess improvement in our wide ranging conversation. Please read on for more details and timestamps!  If you are not seeing embedded hyperlinks in your podcast feed, you can find them here: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2020/1/5/episode-159-im-greg-shahade-is-back-again 0:00- We start off by getting Greg’s perspective on some recent chess controversies, both “online” and offline. These include a controversial blitz game between Magnus Carlsen, and strong young GM Alireza Firouzja, and a not safe for work, viral clip of a blitz game by super GM Gata Kamsky. Mentioned: IM Lawrence Trent, Video of IM Shahade vs. IM Trent Grudge Match, FIDE World Rapid and Blitz, Zhigalko-Nakamura controversy, Chess24 “Famous Effing Legend”,  16:00- We follow up on another controversy, GM Kirill Alekseenko’s selection for the wildcard spot in the upcoming Candidates’ Tournament.  CORRECTION- I mentioned the wrong tournament in which Alekseenko excelled, he came in 3rd place in the FIDE Grande Swiss, not the FIDE World Cup.  Mentioned: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave’s Open Letter regarding qualification process, MVL interview with Chess.com’s Peter Doggers, GM Anish Giri  26:00-  The Pro Chess League is coming back, with major changes to the format! Greg tells us  the reasons for the changes and discusses some of the teams to watch out for. The first match takes place on Monday, January 6 at 2pm EST.  Mentioned: St. Louis Arch Bishops, Fabiano Caruana, GM Leinier Dominguez, GM Wesley So,GM Le Quang Liem, GM Alexander Grischuk, GM Alireza Firouzja, GM Ivan Saric, GM Anish Giri, New York Marshalls, GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM Sam Sevian, Turkey Knights, Armenia Eagles,GM Gabriel Sargissian, Poland Hussars  36:30- We discuss the exciting changes that are taking place with faster time controls and Chess960 becoming more popular at the Elite level.   Mentioned: Puzzle Rush World Championship, Chess.com Speed Chess Championship, New in Chess Magazine  44:00- A Patreon supporter of the podcast asks, “How would Greg change tournament formats for the casual chess players?”  Mentioned: Bill Goichberg of the Continental Chess Association  53:30- Chess improvement talk! A couple of Patreon supporters submitted questions to Greg regarding improvement. Questions include: 1) Is there is a chess book that hasn’t been written, but should be?   Mentioned: GM Jan Gustafsson, A Grandmaster, actually tried the novelty Greg mentioned. 1:04- Greg submits his resume to join #TeamScandi! Mentioned: IM Lawrence Trent, GM Bryan Smith  1:08- A couple more Patreon mailbag questions- Who was the youngest IM Greg lost to in a serious game? And a listener asks for practical advice about how to think about the imbalances from Jeremy Silman’s Reassess Your Chess.  Mentioned: GM Alex Lenderman, Perpetual Chess Recaptured: Reassess Your Chess  1:17- Is chess a sport? Does it really burn one zillion calories?

Isaac Steincamp is only 22, but has already been quite busy making a name for himself in the chess world. He is an expert level chess player, and after recently graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, he has begun working at Chess.com as The Lead Solutions Architect. In  the past he has been a chess streamer, has made videos for ChessOpenngsExplained.com, and he founded Chess Summit. In our conversation, we talk about how Isaac got his new gig, what is going on at Chess.com, and Isaac’s chess improvement recommendations, both for his own game and for other players. Please read on for timestamps, links and more details.  0:00- Intro. We begin by discussing how Isaac ended up with the position of Lead Solutions Architect at Chess.com  Referenced NM Sam Copeland, Aran S, Nick Barton  9:00- As the Deputy Commissioner of the Pro Chess League, Isaac gives us a rundown of all that is going on with the Pro Chess League, including the Summer Series, which is winding down.  Referenced The Pittsburgh Pawnsgrabbers, IM Greg Shahade, Reykjavik Puffins, IM John Bartholomew, Chessbrahs  24:00- We dive deeper into the Fischer Random World Championship, which is a year long competition which begins on Chess.com and culminates in a live championship in Norway in October.  27:00- We digress into a discussion of the 2019 FIDE World Cup, my favorite event on the 2019 Chess Calendar. Email me if you would like to run a World Cup Pool and I will help promote it. :)  31:20- Chess improvement! A Patreon supporter of the podcast asks about the status of Isaac’s quest for the US Chess National Master Title. Why does he think he has plateaued of late? Mentioned: GM Eugene Perelyshteyn, FM Gabe Petesch  42:00- What has helped Isaac improve the most? Referenced Endgame Essentials, 100 Chess Master Trade Secrets, Chess Structures, Chess.com Survival Mode, IM Hans Niemann, IM Casper Schoppen  49:00- Another supporter of the podcast asks Isaac to share his views on the importance of “storyboarding” each game of chess.  54:00- Goodbye! You can keep up with and contact Isaac via Twitter and His Chess.com account If you would like to help support and grow the podcast, you can do so here.  

17 year old GM Nicolas "Nico" Checa is one of the young stars of the American chess scene. He recently tied for first place in the 2019 National High School Chess Championship. With a 2617 USCF rating, he is #7 on the US Chess top 100 Under Age 21 List, and has beaten Fabiano Caruana in the Pro Chess League. On top of that, Nico is a regular 17 yr old, with other interests and activities competing for his time. In our interview Nico talks about how he finds time for everything, and shares a lot about his approach to chess and chess improvement. Read on for links and timestamps. 0:00- Intro. We launch right into a discussion of how getting the GM title has changed Nico’s tournament selection and preparation. Mentioned in this segment: GM Ruifeng Li, GM John Michael Burke, IM Advait Patel, IM  Praveen Balakrishnan 8:00- As Nico finishes his junior year at Dobbs Ferry High School, he touches on his after-high school plans, and discusses the reasons that he and his family never felt that home schooling was the right choice for him. 15:30- What “gaps in his play” did Nico need to plug in order to reach the strength to get the GM title? Mentioned in this segment: IM Alexander Katz, GM Jacob Aagard Game: Checa-Katz 2018, 2019 Philadelphia International , 2019 US Junior Championship 23:55- How did Nico discover and get so good at chess anyway? Mentioned: Marshall Chess Club  Books: Chess Secrets: Giants of Power Play by Neil McDonald,  Learn from the Legends, Chess Champions at Their Best by GM Mikahil Marin, The books of GM Jacob Aagard,Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games Games: Checa-Smirin 2016, Fischer-Byrne 1956 40:30- Who are Nico’s favorite chess players? Mentioned: Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Bobby Fischer, Botvinnk, 44:30- Fast chess vs. slow chess we settle the debate once and for all!! Just kidding, but Nico weighs in and shares his ideas about the roles of classical chess and rapid chess in the chess world. Mentioned: IM Greg Shahade 47:00- We discuss Nico’s interests outside of chess, including soccer and political science.  Mentioned in this segment: GM Parham Maghsoodloo 56:00- Goodbye! Keep up with Nico via Chess.com If you would like to help support the podcast, you can do so here:

28 year old Grandmaster Romain Edouard has been a top 50 chess player in the world, with a peak rating over 2700, but in recent years, he has been quite busy with other chess related work. He is the author of the highly regarded, Chess Calculation series, and this year, has published,  My Magical Years with Topalov.a book about his time working as the second to one of the strongest players in the world. GM Edouard is also the Editor-in-Chief at Thinker’s Publishing, the publisher of his acclaimed works. For more detail about all that we discussed, plus recommendations and contact information, please read on:   0:00- Intro and discussion of GM Edouard’s new book, My Magical Years with Topalov. This book annotates games and shares stories and reflections from GM Edouard’s time working as a second to GM Veselin Topalov, between the years of 2010-2014. Romain shares how the relationship began and how it evolved in the ensuing years. 17:00- What differentiates GM Topalov’s chess style from other top-level players? 20:00- Romain discusses his most recent chess tournament. He recently played in the super strong 2019 Gibraltar International, and finished with 7 points, as part of a big tie for 6th-22nd place. 25:30- GM Edouard retells how he became the Editor-in-Chief with Thinker’s Publishing, and what that works entails. The two new books that we mention are: Gata Kamsky - Chess Gamer, Volume 1: The Awakening 1989-1996, and Michal Krasenkow - Learn from Michal Krasenkow 32:00- Romain’s gives his chess improvement advice for those with a limited amount of time. 1) Play lots of games 2) Find openings you like and know well   3) Learn Endgames from Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual 4) Practice Calculation 37:30- Discussion of the London Lions of the Pro Chess League, who have had a disappointing season, but just had a strong showing in defeating the Montreal Chessbrahs. 39:00- Discussion of GM Edouard’s favorite game of his own (Edouard-Tkachiev 2010) , as well as his favorite game of all time (Kasparov-Topalov 1999) 43:30- Goodbye and contact info, you can follow Thinkers Publishing on Facebook and their website, and GM Edouard on Facebook and Twitter.

My guest this week is 21 year old GM-elect Michael Brown. Michael just earned his final GM norm in January 2019, but the path to earning the highest chess title has come with many challenges. In our conversation, Michael walks us through how he overcame those challenges, and gives advice for how others can do the same in their own chess journeys. For many more details about our conversation, check out the timestamps below. Michael can be reached via email here.   0:00- Intro and recap of the tournament at the Charlotte Chess Center and Scholastic Academy  where GM-elect Michael Brown got that elusive and coveted 3rd GM Norm. The dramatic GM Norm clinching-game vs. FM Gauri Shankar that Michael discusses can be found here. 10:00- How did Michael stay sharp as his time became more scarce after enrolling in college? Michael mostly credits study partnering with other strong players, such as IM Keaton Kiewra,and IM Shiyam Thavandiran. 16:30- After graduating from BYU in December 2018 what is Michael’s next professional step? 19:30- We discuss Michael’s memorable experience beating world class GM Yu Yangyi in 2016.  Michael annotates this game in this very instructive Youtube video, and you can also play through the moves here. We then discuss some of the “super GMs” Michael has played in addition to Yu Yangyi. 32:00- Michael tells a couple fun stories of playing at the notoriously strong Chess.com Isle of Man International tournament in 2017 and getting to see and meet the likes of GM Vishy Anand and GM Magnus Carlsen. 39:00- What have been the most challenging periods during Michael’s chess career? How did he get through them? What advice did his trainer at the time, IM Armen Ambartsoumian, give him? 44:00- What are Michael’s favorite chess books? As a young, improving player, he learned a ton from Winning Chess Brilliancies by GM Yasser Seirawan and later used CT-ART to sharpen his tactics. 51:00- What was the connection between his choice of college, Brigham Young University, and his desire to remain dedicated to chess? What other factors went into Michael’s decision as to which college to attend?  59:00- What is going on with the San Diego Surfers of the Pro Chess League? 1:04- Goodbye and contact info

It is a wonderful day on the internet as Danny takes in some listener/watcher comments and has his own comments on the situation. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr ⭐⭐ Review Us (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/coffeehouse-blunders/id1229231959?mt=2&ls=1) ⭐⭐ Support the Show: * Subscribe to Blue Bottle and Get $10 (https://www.blunders.fm/bluebottle) * Become a Chess.com Member and Support Blunders (https://www.blunders.fm/chess)

It is a wonderful day on the internet as Danny takes in some listener/watcher comments and has his own comments on the situation. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr ⭐⭐ Review Us (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/coffeehouse-blunders/id1229231959?mt=2&ls=1) ⭐⭐ Support the Show: * Subscribe to Blue Bottle and Get $10 (https://www.blunders.fm/bluebottle) * Become a Chess.com Member and Support Blunders (https://www.blunders.fm/chess)

USCF Master Michael Aigner is a player and coach who is well-known in the Bay Area of California. He has coached many future titled players, and also holds a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.  Thanks to Michael for an informative and inspiring conversation. Read on for details of all that we discussed.0:00- Intro and quick discussion of how the Bay Area teams are doing in the Pro Chess League. What distinguishes Michael’s coaching style? Amongst his favorite games to share are those of Mikhail Tal, and any game between Carlsen and Aronian.8:00- How did Michael get into chess as a teen in the early 1990s? How did he get better quickly in the pre-computer age? (There were a lot of early losses involved.) Michael was not a big chess book aficionado but he learned openings from an encyclopedia called Modern Chess Openings and was a big fan of the book  Mikhail Tal’s Life and Games. 18:50- Michael shares some of the advice he generally gives his students. For example, he thinks 15 minute chess is a good time control to practice online, as it is fast enough to be able to play multiple games, but slow enough to have educational value for the player.What was it like for Michael to coach future GMs Daniel Naroditsky and Steven Zierk? Michael tells some great stories to illustrate the tenacity and enthusiasm that these top players showed at a young age.27:30- A brief discussion of what scholastic chess  teachers and US Chess can do to help chess players retain interest in chess past their teen years.31:00- Michael discusses the special role that chess plays in his life due to his physical condition, called quadrilateral phocomelia. As Michael discusses, this condition means that he gets around in a wheelchair, but this definitely does not deter him from competing over the board.37:30- Michael answers a question from a listener about how he handles wheelchair accessibility issues in his tournaments.44:30- Michael answers another question from a Patreon supporter of the podcast, about whether he would recommend chess as a hobby to others with physical disabilities.48:00- Michael tackles a list of questions sent in from Michael’s friend and sometime opponent, Stewart Katz, relating to chess teaching and competing.1:00- Michael discusses how he follows top level chess and names a couple of his favorite chess announcers, plus he gives his take on whether the World Championship format should be changed.1:06- Wrap up and contact info for Michael Aigner- You can keep up with Michael on his website,Facebook, Twitter and his blog. This episode is brought to you in part by Chessable.com- Check it out if you haven't already!    

This week on Perpetual Chess, Pro Chess League and US Chess School founder IM Greg Shahade makes his annual return to the podcast. Instead of giving a detailed description of all that we discussed, my New Years Resolution for the podcast is to endeavor to provide timestamps of the major topics that each guest addresses. Below, you can find this week's timestamps, including any relevant links. As always, you can keep up with Greg on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.   0-20:50- Greg previews the upcoming Pro Chess League season. It returns on January 8 on Chess.com  20:50- Greg discusses his ideas for improving the format of the World Chess Championship. The blog posts with Greg's suggestions that we referenced are here and here. 32:10- We discuss Greg’s love for Puzzle Rush on Chess.com 37:45- How necessary are chess books for improvement in the modern chess era?  The game we were discussing between FM Christopher Yoo and GM Le Quang Liem can be seen  here. 44:00- A listener inquires, whatever happened to the book that Greg discussed writing in his first appearance on Perpetual Chess? 49:10- Greg ranks his top 5 chess players of all time! 53:15- Greg’s advice for improving at blitz and action chess, including a fun story about a high stakes blitz match between Greg and GM Jan Gustafsson. 1:03:45- We devolve into non-chess related talk from this point forward- this includes a discussion of Greg’s Crossfit strategies and peccadillos, plus Greg tells the story of when he tried out for American Idol, and reveals some of his favorite songs.   This episode is brought to you in part by Chessable.com  If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here.     

This week the popular, chess improvement-focused, "adult improver" edition of Perpetual Chess returns, but with a twist. This week's improver, USCF Master Vinesh Ravuri of California, is just 17 years old. Nonetheless, I felt that motivated chess players of all ages could learn from the meteoric rating gain that Vinesh has shown in the past few years (over 1000 USCF points since 2014). Check out his US rating graph here. Here is a bit more detail about what Vinesh and I discussed: Vinesh told the story of how he got into chess, and shared why he thinks it took multiple exposures to the game, in both the U.S. and India, for a passion for it to take hold.  Vinesh and I discussed the many ways to try to improve at chess, and discussed which methods have been most effective for him. Spoiler: he has done a ton of tactics puzzles.  Vinesh shared a few book recommendations for different levels, and talked about the challenges he has faced as his rating has climbed and his free time has become more scarce.  Thanks to Vinesh for joining me, you can root on his San Jose Hackers in the upcoming Pro Chess League, and track his games or contact him about chess lessons here. This episode is brought to you in part by Chessable. If you would like to help support the podcast, go here. 

Judit Sztaray, the Executive Director of Bay Area Chess, is my guest this week on Perpetual Chess.  Bay Area Chess, based in San Jose, California, is the largest provider of chess classes on the west coast of the US, with programs in over 100 schools.  Bay Area Chess frequently runs tournaments as well as its classes, and Judit has a great deal to share about the goals and the work of the organization. In my conversation we discuss: The recent simul they hosted, conducted by Former Women's World Chess Champion Hou Yifan. Judit discussed how an event like this comes about, and how the event was received in the Bay Area.  The origins of BAC and how Judit wound up as Executive Director. Judit also discussed the funding of their program and the challenges she and her team can face in looking to raise money for BAC and for the Pro Chess League.  The role of Bay Area Chess' as supporter of the San Jose Hackers of the Pro Chess League. Judit reviewed their 2018 season and talked some about how they recruited world class players like Grandmasters Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Rauf Mamedov.  Thanks to Judit for joining me on the podcast.  You can reach her via email here, and learn more about Bay Area Chess here. 

Danny is back from hosting the epic conclusion to this year's Pro Chess League and dishes out all the details. Motz has plenty of input on chess, coffee, but also Zuckerberg's 4.5 hour long senate hearing! We discuss all this and more. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

Danny is back from hosting the epic conclusion to this year's Pro Chess League and dishes out all the details. Motz has plenty of input on chess, coffee, but also Zuckerberg's 4.5 hour long senate hearing! We discuss all this and more. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

That is right 50 episodes! We did it!!!! We reflect on the last year, what brought us to this point, and why we love each other so much. Motz breaks down Ready Player One with his full review, Danny is heading off to the Pro Chess League, and family stuff happens again! Enter the Blunders 50th Episode Contest (https://www.blunders.fm/contest) Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

That is right 50 episodes! We did it!!!! We reflect on the last year, what brought us to this point, and why we love each other so much. Motz breaks down Ready Player One with his full review, Danny is heading off to the Pro Chess League, and family stuff happens again! Enter the Blunders 50th Episode Contest (https://www.blunders.fm/contest) Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

Motz and Danny chat about Apple's new initiative to get the iPad into more schools, we break down the Pro Chess League and praise the hometown hero Caruana as he heads to take on our boy Carl! Danny also describes the state of premium chess learning that is currently happening. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

Motz and Danny chat about Apple's new initiative to get the iPad into more schools, we break down the Pro Chess League and praise the hometown hero Caruana as he heads to take on our boy Carl! Danny also describes the state of premium chess learning that is currently happening. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

It has been a week and Motz has watched Actual Cannibal Shia Labeouf about 100 times, the Candidates tournament is in full swing, and the Pro Chess League is getting ready to enter the finals. We break down all of this and more. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

It has been a week and Motz has watched Actual Cannibal Shia Labeouf about 100 times, the Candidates tournament is in full swing, and the Pro Chess League is getting ready to enter the finals. We break down all of this and more. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

First and foremost, I mislabeled the show as episode 5 in a couple of places… shouldn’t matter. This is the end.

This week’s guest on Perpetual Chess is two-  time Canadian Chess Champion turned hedge fund analyst, GM Pascal Charbonneau. In our conversation, Pascal tells us how chess helped him break into the finance industry, and he gives advice for anyone contemplating such a transition. He also looked back fondly to a time when he was more active in chess, and talked about what he misses most.  Pascal has so many chess stories and accomplishments to share.   He has beaten Vishy Anand in a classical game and has spent time with legends like GMs Karpov and Aronian. He also talked about how he finds time to play in The Pro Chess League as a working dad. Thanks to Pascal for a great talk, you can email him here. If you enjoy this podcast, you can support it here.  To take the Perpetual listener survey, go here.   

The PRO Chess League weeks 1 and 2 are over and I do a terrible job covering them. First time back jitters. Host: DJ “The Emerald Specter” Allen Contact: Email: EmeraldSpecter.com@gmail.com Twitter: @EmeraldSpecter Instagram: @EmeraldSpecter Website: www.EmeraldSpecter.com Hashtags: #chess #PROChessLeague

That is right! Motz took a 48 hour surprise trip to Hawaii only to be surprised by a ballistic missile crisis! Danny talks Werewolf and the Pro Chess League and a whole lot more. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr Enter or Pro Chess League Contest Pick who you think will be the top team in this years Pro Chess League (https://www.prochessleague.com/) for a chance to win a Coffeehouse Blunder prize pack. All entries must be in by January 21st at 8am Pacific. Leave a comment on this weeks episode on blunders.fm (http://blunders.fm/39)

That is right! Motz took a 48 hour surprise trip to Hawaii only to be surprised by a ballistic missile crisis! Danny talks Werewolf and the Pro Chess League and a whole lot more. Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr Enter or Pro Chess League Contest Pick who you think will be the top team in this years Pro Chess League (https://www.prochessleague.com/) for a chance to win a Coffeehouse Blunder prize pack. All entries must be in by January 21st at 8am Pacific. Leave a comment on this weeks episode on blunders.fm (http://blunders.fm/39)

This week marks the return of the very first Perpetual Chess guest,  IM Greg Shahade. With the Pro Chess League set to resume Thursday, January 18, Greg told us about the changes that he and the Chess.com team have cooked up with the goal of improving the viewer experience.  He also reeled off the names of some of the top players slated to play this year (Carlsen, Anand, MVL, Caruana, among others). Greg talked about the rules that are in place to incentivize teams to recruit top players, including strong female players.  Greg also named a few favorite chess books and relayed advice that he absorbed in his younger days when he took a few lessons with the legendary trainer, IM Mark Dvoretsky.  Lastly,  Greg and Ben reminisced about the time Greg had a chance to play Garry Kasparov in a simul in 1997.  Be sure to tune in to watch the Pro Chess League starting Thursday, January 18 on chess.com. 

To mark the one year anniversary of Perpetual Chess, Ben Finegold returned as our first repeat guest. When Ben first talked with us in January 2017, he talked about plans for The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Atlanta, and in the past year GM Finegold and his wife, Karen Boyd, have seen the club go from dream to reality.   Ben shared the surprises and successes that they have encountered during the club's first year. We also talked about the chess world more broadly, as Ben discussed the FIDE Candidates' Cycle (and why he picks Wesley So to win every event), and his plans for the upcoming Pro Chess League.   He also told some great stories, old and new, from his chess travels.  Follow Ben on twitter here, watch his YouTube lectures here. If you would like to donate to Perpetual Chess you can do so here.   

The PRO Chess League 2018 Qualifier is over and the results are basically in! The six definitive qualified teams and the most likely winners of the voting are discussed! Host: DJ “The Emerald Specter” Allen Contact: Email: EmeraldSpecter.com@gmail.com Twitter: @EmeraldSpecter Instagram: @EmeraldSpecter Website: www.EmeraldSpecter.com Hashtags: #chess #PROChessLeague

Welcome to the PRO Chess League Podcast! The introduction for the podcast, reasons why the podcast exists, what to expect from the podcast, and a little bit of information about what the PRO Chess League is are all contained within! Join the audience and help boost the PRO Chess League so we get more great...

Danny goes big downhill on a tricycle for Father's day all while Motz is still still attempting to recover from visiting the motherland of Magnus! We take a look at the upcoming Pro Chess League changes, how Chess.com broke the internet with big numbers, and how coffee may soon vanish! Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

Danny goes big downhill on a tricycle for Father's day all while Motz is still still attempting to recover from visiting the motherland of Magnus! We take a look at the upcoming Pro Chess League changes, how Chess.com broke the internet with big numbers, and how coffee may soon vanish! Follow Us Danny: Twitter, Twitch, Chess.com Motz: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Music : Amethyst Seer - Ouija by Adventureface Proudly recorded on Zencastr

Danny Rensch, International Master, and Chess.com VP stopped by to talk all things chess.com. We previewed the upcoming Speed Chess Championship, and reviewed the good and bad of the Pro Chess League's successful first season. We also talked about Danny's dormant chess playing career, shark tank, and how a high school dropout learned to navigate the business world. This was a fun and inspiring glimpse into the future of chess. Follow Danny on twitter here. 

With Chess.com's  Pro Chess League headed into its Final Four this weekend, Greg fought through sickness to give us a quick rundown of the teams and players that will be playing this weekend, including Carlsen,  So and Caruana. Greg also reflected a bit on the first season of the Pro Chess League and touched on his forthcoming chess book and on the upcoming US Championships. For more coverage of the Pro Chess League final 4 head over to chess.com and enjoy the extravaganza. 

Kevin Bordi, (Blitzstream on YouTube) has quickly become the most popular chess YouTuber in France thanks to his entertaining and informative videos. In this podcast, we talk about how he built his following. Bordi lived in Moscow for 10 years, and he shares some of his observations about chess in Russia. Other topics include the Cannes team of the Pro Chess League, poker. the NFL and what he teaches his chess students.