#5 Sara Herman: Chess Content Creation, Chess Tournaments + Rating Anxiety Ono Another Chess Podcast

Ono (⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠) talks to Sara Herman (@ZefCatt) about Chess Content Creation, Chess Tournaments + Rating Anxiety, and more. Sara is a chess streamer + YouTuber as well as a chess tournament veteran.

On this episode:
(01:42) What Sara loves most about chess

(03:06) Struggles of being a content creator

(06:16) Is chess Sara’s job?

(07:31) Sara’s 500 tournament chess history

(08:56) Sara’s battle with rating + ego

(11:00) Why chess brings out strong emotions

(12:45) How Sara disconnects rating + happiness

(16:37) Why you need to enjoy your training

(19:01) Chess as a conversation

(23:55) Showing emotions at the board

(27:55) When Sara played Nxd5

(29:27) Staying flexible in chess

(33:05) Why you must work on weaknesses

(34:16) Opening study discussion

(37:58) Sara’s chess tournament experience

(43:00) Playing up a section in tournaments

(44:07) Playing higher- vs lower-rated players

(48:44) What inspired Sara to make vlogs

(50:54) Self-deprecating humour + chess

(55:42) General advice for Adult Improvers

Come talk with Sara + Ono in the Zoom Hangout on Friday, November 17th @1800 UTC!
Sign up to ⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠ to get the Zoom link (free 7-day trial).

More info:

Sara’s incredible positional sacrifice (Nxd5)

NM ChessDoofus Blunder Compilation (Lichess Study)

Sara's vlog on the Denver Open⁠

Has Chess Ruined My Life (TheOnoZone Blog)

Ono's Adult Improver Chess Coaching

Follow Sara Herman:
YouTube @ZefCatt | Twitch @ZefCatt | sara.herman.chess@gmail.com | Twitter @ZefCatt | Lichess @ZefCat

Follow TheOnoZone:
Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Lichess ⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠info@theonozone.com⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠www.TheOnoZone.com⁠⁠⁠

On the ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠, you can download a free ⁠⁠⁠Study Plan Template⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠Wordy Chess Book List⁠⁠⁠, as well as find out more about Ono's ⁠⁠⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠⁠⁠ who supported this episode: Laura Holmes | Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

Thanks to Sara Herman for coming on the podcast, my wife Yara for being the other half of TheOnoZone, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening!