The Chess Cognition Podcast

Can Kabadayi
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A deep dive into the world of chess through the lenses of cognitive science, psychology, and teaching. Join the leading players, coaches, and scholars as they explore the intricacies of chess and the mental processes that drive success on and off the board.

  1. -1 J

    FM Niranjan Navalgund - How to Beat Stronger Players in Chess

    00:00 Intro04:38 Does this only apply to grandmasters?07:25 Quiet positions vs Chaos11:00 Play the pieces, not the player?16:50 Nothing to Lose Mentality23:15 The TRAP framework35:00 Cognitive Biases in Chess44:57 Mistakes to Avoid against Stronger Players54:42 The Impact of Chessable on TeachingIn this episode, I sit down with FIDE Master Niranjan Navalgund to explore a question that fascinates many ambitious players: how do you beat stronger opponents, especially grandmasters? We discuss the ideas behind his Chessable course How to Beat a Grandmaster, which focuses less on openings and theory and more on the practical and psychological realities of facing higher-rated players. Niranjan explains why this topic matters for everyone, not just those paired against titled players, because the same emotional patterns often show up whenever we face someone we perceive as “stronger.” We talk about pressure, authority bias, over-respect, risky overpressing, time trouble, and the need to stay objective instead of chasing perfect chess.The conversation also widens into coaching, learning, and chess culture. Niranjan shares the framework behind his course, including his TRAP model—Time trouble, Risky overpushes, Ambushes, and Psychology—and explains how stronger players can become vulnerable when they feel pressured to win. We connect this to broader ideas from cognitive science, practical tournament preparation, and even Indian philosophy, showing how mindset shapes performance before a single move is played. Along the way, we also discuss Chessable course design, how to teach adults without overwhelming them, and why good chess improvement depends not only on knowledge, but on learning how to think, prepare, and respond under pressure.

    1 h 6 min

  2. 10 MARS

    GM Lars Schandorff - How the Chessable Author of the Year Creates His Courses 🎙️ [No Board Needed]

    Lars' Chessable Courses: https://www.chessable.com/author/LarsSchandorff/00:00 Intro01:00 How Lars Creates His Opening Courses07:31 The First Key Decision When Creating an Opening Course15:03 The Importance of Openings in Chess18:46 A Story About Rook Endgames21:43 Where to Stop in an Opening Course25:47 Chess as a Lifestyle: Freedom and Identity27:52 Can Beginners Benefit from His Courses?34:33 The Role of Engines in Modern Chess Preparation40:13 His Weekly Radio Show 'Nimzowitsch'45:19 The Cultural Significance of Chess in Literature50:46 Nimzowitsch's Influence55:32 Chess Improvement in Modern Times58:40 How GM Schandorff Coaches People1:03:29 Future Plans and CoursesIn this engaging interview, Danish chess author GM Lars Schandorff shares insights into his successful courses, the art of opening preparation, and the cultural significance of chess. Lars has recently become the Chessable Author of the Year 2025, and that is very inspiring.We discussed the following topics:Lars Schandorff's approach to creating accessible and deep chess coursesThe importance of opening repertoire and strategic choicesThe influence of Nimzowitsch on modern chess ideasThe role of technology and engines in chess preparationThe cultural and historical significance of chesskeywordsChess, Chess Courses, Opening Repertoire, Chess Strategy, Chess Culture, Chess History, Chessable, Nimzowitsch, Chess Improvement, Chess Tools, Lars Schandorff

    1 h 8 min

  3. 20 FÉVR.

    GM Aman Hambleton - His London System Course, Chessbrah, and Winning Habits 🎙️ [No Board Needed]

    00:00 Intro01:31 The Chessbrah Journey09:40 The Impact of the Chess Boom12:57 The Educational Value of the Channel18:33 Building Habits Series30:11 The Role of Blitz in Improvement36:08 Creating the London System Course40:48 Unique Aspects of his London Course45:59 Connecting Openings to Middlegame54:33 Conceptual Approach and Knowing Crucial Ideas58:09 Balancing Engine Lines and Practical Play01:03:36 Speed Chess Championship Live Commentary01:12:20 The Future of Chess Content CreationGrandmaster Aman Hambleton joins the podcast to unpack the real origin story of Chessbrah, from two Canadian juniors casually “streaming” to each other with one viewer, to building a long-running, community-first brand that’s now approaching 400K subscribers. He reflects on the 2020 chess boom (lockdown + Queen’s Gambit) as an accelerator, but emphasizes that Chessbrah’s durability comes from stickiness: entertainment that keeps people watching, and instruction embedded naturally in real games, blunders, and commentary.The conversation then shifts to Aman’s first Chessable opening course, the London System repertoire, covering why system openings are realistic for most improvers, how his London is differentiated, and why practical, human-centered choices sometimes beat “engine purity.” Finally, he discusses commentating elite speed chess events, the role of the evaluation bar for spectators, and the direction of chess content into the future.

    1 h 21 min

  4. 13 FÉVR.

    FM Tarık Selbes - How Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş Became the Strongest 14-Year-Old in Chess History

    Contact FM Tarik Selbes here: https://lichess.org/@/nuagesgrisTarik's chess history blog 'Cafe Chigorin': https://tinyurl.com/yp9hhmyz 00:00 Intro 02:23 Enters Tarik Selbes 05:42 The Puzzle Grind That Built Monster Calculation Skills 12:23 The Importance of Calculation in Chess 15:36 His Work with GM Evgeny Romanov 22:15 Positional Play and Dorfman's Influence 27:09 Showing Games: Static vs. Dynamic Play 30:49 Yagiz's Early Positional Mistakes 35:09 Erdogmus - Nitish 39:47 Shaik - Erdogmus 43:59 Excellent Calculation: Erdogmus - Sapenov, 2023 49:40 His Resiliency: Santiago - Erdogmus 51:42 Present Time: Erdogmus - Svidler, 2025 55:44 Strategic Maturity: Erdogmus - Vachier-Lagrave, 2025 59:51 Erigaisi - Erdogmus, 2026: The Exchange Sacrifice That Shocked the Chess World 01:06:05 Does Yagiz Know Chess Classics and Old Masters? 01:09:35 Zurich 1953: Why You Should Read Old Books Skeptically 01:14: 36 Is Blitz Good For Your Chess? 01:21:25 Tarik Selbes’ IM Journey at 40 — Adult Improvement Tips 01:31:26 The Psychological Pressure of Being a “Future World Champion” 01:44:14 How to Define 'Talent' in Chess 01:53:54 Kids vs Adults 01:58:02 Opening Work 02:02:02 Tarik's Book Project on Max Euwe 02:04:23 The Rise of Turkish Chess In this special podcast episode, I’m joined by FIDE Master and longtime friend Tarik Selbes to break down the incredible rise of Turkish chess prodigy Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş — a player many believe has future World Champion potential. Even Magnus Carlsen has called him the strongest 14-year-old chess player ever, while Hikaru Nakamura has highlighted his extraordinary calculation skills.Tarik shares rare behind-the-scenes insights from training camps where he worked as translator for Russian coach Evgeny Romanov, revealing: • How Yağız built monster-level calculation through massive puzzle training • Why modern prodigies train differently from past generations • The key positional weaknesses he had, and how they were fixed • The balance between dynamic and static factors (Dorfman-style thinking)We also analyze instructive games against legends like Peter Svidler and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, showing how Yağız’s play has matured from pure tactical brilliance into world-class positional mastery.Beyond prodigy development, we dive into:Talent vs hard work Chess psychology and pressure at the highest levelWhy kids today train differently than adults who grew up on chess booksHow adult improvers can still make huge progress (Tarik’s IM norm journey at 40!)The rise of Turkish chess culture Tarik recently completed his final IM norm at age 40 and now needs to reach 2400 ELO to become an International Master. He is an inspiration for adult improvers.keywordschess, Yagiz Kaan, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, Tarık Selbes, chess training, calculation, positional play, chess prodigy, chess improvement, strategic training, chess analysis, chess, chess strategy, chess psychology, chess talent, chess education, chess culture, chess improvement, chess prodigies, chess classics, chess learning, adult chess improvement,

    2 h 13 min

  5. 27 JANV.

    Sam Belnap - How He Moved From 700 to 2000 ELO on chess.com in 3.5 Years 🎙️ [No Board Needed]

    Sam's Training Plan: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E1r69Q46gZX02mE5hYPjdVw4VXdz0KfjrTjvLdf3z3s/edit?tab=t.0Sam's chesscom profile: https://www.chess.com/member/eyecandewit In this podcast episode, I’m joined by my own student Sam Bellnap, who moved from 700 to 2000+ Chess.com Rapid (peaking near 2100) in around 3.5 years. Sam tells the full story and shares the study routine that helped him reach 2000. If you’re an adult improver chasing a rating goal, this conversation is a reality check and a roadmap.We get very practical: Sam explains his study plan, why he keeps openings simple (plans over memorization), how he uses targeted training to fix weaknesses (rook endgames were a big one), and how he studies strategy without getting lost in engine “best moves.” We also talk about the weekly group lesson format, how coaching helps identify high-impact leaks you can’t easily spot yourself, and why Sam believes structure beats “random grinding.”The real gem is Sam’s routine: clear start/stop cues, a pregame process goal (instead of Elo goals), and a postgame method that reduces tilt. If you struggle with rating anxiety, inconsistent performance, or not knowing what to study next, this episode is for you. Download Sam’s study guide (linked below) and try it, then tell us what changed.Keywords: adult chess improver, chess improvement, how to reach 2000 elo, chess.com rapid, chess study plan, chess routine, rating anxiety, blunder check, endgame training, rook endgames, chess coaching, process goals, chess habits00:00 Introduction to Sam's Chess Journey03:49 Impact of Group Lessons11:12 Detailed Study Guide Breakdown13:26 Behavioral Cues: Entry Cue and Exit Cue17:51 Opening Study24:42 Opening Strategies and Pawn Structures27:33 Middlegame Study 31:48 Endgame Study36:09 Grandmaster Thinking42:25 Tactics Study45:22 Setting Process Goals52:00 Square Breathing and Meditation54:41 Focus and Emotional Control During Games59:16 Jumping 250 ELO in Three Months01:02:14 Post-Game Reflection and Analysis01:06:06 Learning from Mistakes01:14:12 Why Chess?

    1 h 20 min

  6. 20 JANV.

    GM Surya Ganguly on Openings, “Why” Questions, and Chess Improvement 🎙️ [No Board Needed]

    Surya's Chessable Page: https://www.chessable.com/author/suryaganguly/Surya's 1. e4 Repertoire Part 1: https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-suryas-1e4-part-1/course/353840/Surya's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SuryachessProChess Training: https://prochesstraining.com/GM Ganguly on the Perpetual Chess Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLy5B3n5aOQ00:00 Intro02:29 Understanding vs. Memorization09:13 Opening Advantage is Not Everything11:19 How Surya Structures His Opening Courses18:30 Explaining Strange Looking Moves in the Najdorf22:27 Lessons From Team Anand25:20 Stories From Training Indian Top Players34:22 System Openings vs. Mainlines48:40 His YouTube Journey53:01 Pro Chess Training56:15 WHY We Play ChessIn this episode, I’m honored to welcome Surya Ganguly, one of India’s most respected grandmasters and opening theoreticians. A former child prodigy, six-time Indian Champion, Asian Champion, and former world #55 with a peak rating of 2676, Surya was also a key member of Viswanathan Anand’s World Championship team—achieving a remarkable 100% score as part of the preparation squad. Many chess fans also know Surya from his deep, principled work as a coach and author, including his latest Chessable course: Lifetime Repertoire: 1.e4 – Part 1 vs the Sicilian.Instead of repeating questions from his excellent appearances on the Perpetual Chess Podcast, this conversation goes deeper into how openings should be learned and taught. We explore understanding vs memorization, the importance of asking why in opening study, integrity and consistency in building a repertoire, system openings versus main lines, and how Surya adapts his teaching from 1400-rated players to elite stars like R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi.keywords: chess openings, Surya Ganguly, chess education, Chessable, opening preparation, chess strategy, memorization vs understanding, chess courses, chess training, creativity in chess, Anand

    1 h 2 min

  7. 25/10/2025

    NM Robert Ramirez - CoachChamps 2025 Winner Reveals His Winning Training Methods 🎙️ [No Board Needed]

    Info on CoachChamps 2025: https://www.chess.com/events/info/2025-coachchamps 00:00 Remembering Daniel Naroditsky02:59 Podcast Begins05:55 Takeaways from Different Rating Bands11:08 Opening Preparation17:20 Training Plans25:30 Time Management and Checkpoints27:06 Chesstempo Blitzset34:43 Psychological Aspects of Coaching37:56 Reflections on Coaching Styles45:51 How Much They Can Improve in a Month49:24 Future Improvements and Feedback51:37 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsIn this conversation, NM Robert Ramirez, an acclaimed chess coach and the CoachChamps 2025 champion, discusses his experiences and insights from CoachChamps 2025. He shares his coaching techniques, the importance of adapting to students' needs, and the psychological aspects of chess training. The conversation delves into specific strategies for different rating levels, the significance of tactical training, and the impact of preparation on performance. Robert emphasizes the need for consistency and clarity in coaching, while also reflecting on the challenges and successes of his students during the tournament.Keywords: chess coaching, tournament strategies, student performance, chess techniques, coaching methods, psychological aspects, chess tactics, training plans, time management, chess improvement

    1 h 3 min
  8. IM David Pruess - Behind the Scenes of Coach Champs 2025 🎙️ [No Board Needed]

    17/10/2025

    IM David Pruess - Behind the Scenes of Coach Champs 2025 🎙️ [No Board Needed]

    Info on CoachChamps 2025: https://www.chess.com/events/info/2025-coachchampsFollow David: https://x.com/dpruess?lang=enhttps://www.youtube.com/c/ChessDojo 00:00 Intro04:15 A 14-Year-Old Idea06:12 Surprising Takeaways from Coach Champs17:05 Psychological Training25:52 David's Most Proud Moments29:55 Unfairness 34:43 The Impact of Tie Breaks on Coach Standings41:04 Coaching Preparation and Strategies52:02 Sebu's Incredible Result59:15 Improving Skills in a Limited Time1:06:35 Draft Choices and Their Importance1:25:12 How CoachChamps Can Get More Attention1:31:50 Training Insights with LoganSeason 3 of The Chess Cognition Podcast opens with International Master David Pruess, reflecting on lessons from the first-ever Coach Champs tournament. In this episode, I sit down with David to unpack what made this event so unique, what we both learned as coaches, and our training approaches.The conversation delves into the unique challenges faced by coaches, the psychological aspects of player performance, and the importance of tailored strategies based on individual player strengths and weaknesses. David discusses surprising outcomes from the tournament, the significance of emotional management, and the need for constructive feedback in coaching. We discuss various aspects of chess coaching, focusing on the psychological impact of losses, effective strategies for tournament preparation, and the importance of time management and identifying weaknesses in players. We examine the impact of drafting choices and luck on tournament outcomes, as well as the importance of flexibility in coaching methods. The discussion also highlights the importance of teaching basic principles and endgame skills, and the role of audience engagement in chess events. Overall, the conversation provides valuable insights into improving chess performance and coaching effectiveness.Keywords:chess coaching, tournament insights, coaching strategies, psychological preparation, emotional management, player improvement, coaching feedback, chess competition, coaching experiences, opponent analysis, chess, coaching, tournament preparation, psychological impact, player profiles, time management, endgame skills, strategy, audience engagement, coaching effectiveness

    1 h 45 min
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À propos

A deep dive into the world of chess through the lenses of cognitive science, psychology, and teaching. Join the leading players, coaches, and scholars as they explore the intricacies of chess and the mental processes that drive success on and off the board.

Informations

  • Création
    Can Kabadayi
  • Années d’activité
    2024 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    32
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © Can Kabadayi
  • Site web de l’émission
    The Chess Cognition Podcast

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