Perpetual Chess Podcast

Ben Johnson
  • 4.8 (616)
  • Hobbies
  • Updated Weekly

Perpetual Chess features weekly conversations with the chess world's best players, trainers and accomplished amateurs about their careers, current projects, best practices and the latest in chess news. Learn more at PerpetualChessPod.com

  1. 15h ago

    EP 495- How Bill Goichberg Changed American Chess with FM Jon Jacobs 

    With the recent news of his passing, this week we look at the remarkable and wide-ranging chess legacy of FM Bill Goichberg. Among many other distinctions, Bill was the founder of the Continental Chess Association and the creator of the U.S. National Scholastic Championships, and he left an indelible mark on the U.S. chess scene. My guest is chess journalist FM Jon Jacobs, who is working on an independent biography of Bill. Jon grew up in New York and got to know Bill personally as a top young scholastic player, with a young Bill Goichberg directing some of his formative tournaments in Brooklyn. Decades later, Bill sat down for 15 hours’ worth of interviews with Jon, which Jon has been crafting into a book. In our interview, we discuss Bill’s business legacy, chess accomplishments, family life, and much more. Bill changed the course of American chess, and I am grateful to Jon for joining me and fleshing out his life story. 00:00 - Intro and remembering FM Bill Goichberg 0:02- Maurice Ashley tweet regarding Goichberg- https://x.com/MauriceAshley?lang=en06:13 - Jon’s first memories of Bill08:14 - How Bill got started organizing tournaments14:16 - Growing chess in the pre-Fischer era18:21 - Bill’s proudest contributions to US chess22:54 - Continental Chess and its competitors24:39 - How big a business did CCA become?29:50 - Bill’s wife Brenda and their life together35:35 - Bill’s beginnings as a chess player39:48 - How strong was Bill as a player?44:07 - Did Bill ever work outside of chess? Mentioned: CCA and Domainvision.com https://www.chesstour.com/aboutcca.htm47:38 - The Continental Chess business model51:54 - Why Jon is writing Bill’s biography57:01 - Where to follow Jon’s work 1:00:00- Thanks to Jon for coming on, you can follow his Facebook page here-  https://www.facebook.com/p/A-Pawn-Made-Flesh-61568668591626/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  2. Aug 11

    EP 494- GM Jacob Aagaard on How to Improve Calculation & Learn From Your Mistakes 

    GM Jacob Aagaard is an award-winning author, a renowned trainer who has worked with GMs Sam Shankland, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and many others, and the co-founder of Quality Chess. Despite all of his accomplishments and the many demands on his time, Jacob retains his passion for chess books and chess improvement. He returns to the podcast to discuss: How to actually improve at calculation, including why many club players should spend more time solving simple tactics rather than difficult calculation exercises Some of the key concepts from his excellent new book, A Killer Guide to Attacking Chess How to categorize the mistakes in your games without overcomplicating the process Some of the forthcoming chess books he is most excited about Jacob also teases an exciting new project with GM Garry Kasparov and shares his thoughts on the Olympiad, the FIDE election, and the health of the chess publishing business, among many other topics. There is always so much to learn from Jacob, and I greatly appreciate his generosity with his time. This week’s podcast is brought to you by Chessiverse.com. Be sure to check out their many features, and use code “Perpetual30” to receive a 30% discount on premium offerings and IM John Bartholomew’s Scandinavian Course.  00:00 Introduction  0:02- GM Jacob Aagaard joins 0:08- The Upcoming  Chess books Jacob is most excited about Naroditsky Memorial Box Set Quality Chess Chess Metamorphoss by GM Nikita Vitiugov Grandmaster Training Camp with GM Sam Shankland Unlock Your Chess Creativity by IM Richard Palliser  Winning Chess Tactics by GM Yasser Seirawan The Evans Gambit by IM Andrew Martin 17:00 Jacob’s Writing Workflow and Challenges 21:30 The Role of AI in Chess Writing 30:00 Patreon mailbag question: How does Jacob’s new book compare to his Excelling at Chess Series?  33:00- Patreon mailbag question: How does Jacob recommend one improve at calculation? 41:00 Patreon mailbag question: What is Jacob’s advice for how to categorize the mistakes you make when reviewing and trying to learn from your games? 43:33 Categorizing Mistakes in Chess 45:00 Recommended Chess Books for Improvement Mentioned: Attack with Mikhail Tal Alekhine’s Best Games Books by GM Larry Christiansen Life and Games of Mikhail Tal 48:00 Working with GM Garry Kasparov on an updated The Great Predecessors Series  57:00  Patreon mailbag question: How is the chess publishing business doing? Does Jacob have any plans of streamlining the digital availability of the New in Chess Magazine archive?  01:10:00 Patreon mailbag question: Jacob’s thoughts on the Chess Olympiad, the FIDE election and Gukesh-Sindarov 1:16:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Jacob’s motivation for continuing to compete occasionally  01:17:00- What Jacob learns from being an adult improver at guitar  Mentioned: Jake Workman is Jacob’s guitar teacher  01:24:00- Thanks to Jacob for joining the show again! Here is how to keep up his work: Killer Chess Training https://killerchesstraining.com/ Books https://www.newinchess.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?authors=Jacob+Aagaard+Madsen&q=%2A If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  3. Aug 4

    EP 493- GM Vasif Durarbayli: Why Every Serious Chess Player Needs a Coach 

    GM Vasif Durarbayli is a former World Youth Champion and two-time champion of his native Azerbaijan. Now based in St. Louis after graduating from Webster University, Vasif has turned much of his attention to ChessEver, an app designed to make following live chess easier. In our conversation we discuss: •• Why he believes every serious chess player needs a coach, and how not hiring one nearly derailed his own career. • Vasif's outstanding performance at the Naroditsky Memorial blitz, including a near-upset of Hikaru Nakamura. • An unforgettable over-the-board encounter with legendary GM Viktor Korchnoi. • How chess broadcasting can be improved, and his ambitious long-term vision for ChessEver. This was a really enjoyable conversation, and I recommend ChessEver to anyone who enjoys following top-level tournaments. 00:00 - Intro 01:16 - Insights from a top 10 finish at the Naroditsky Memorial blitz tournament Check out Vasif’s Naroditsky Memorial games here: The Nakamura game is game 13, 35. Rxa7! Was mate in 12.  https://lichess.org/study/UoNAiYdm/TehrviPk 03:52 - Playing Korchnoi 05:02 - Playing style: aggressive opening choices and psychological play 06:45 - The influence of legendary players and their aura on Vasif 09:16 - Off-the-board aspects of chess improvement and coaching advice 12:37 - Strategies for handling lost positions and psychological tactics 15:08 - The significance of coaching and Vasif’s past mistakes in self-improvement Vasif’s thoughts on Gukesh’s slump here: https://x.com/durarbayli/status/2079565216413556923 24:52 - The power of strategic preparation stories from chess books Mentioned: The Random Book that Made me a Grandmaster https://durarbayli.com/a-random-book-made-me-a-grandmaster/ The Method in Chess by Josif Dorfman https://www.amazon.com/Method-Chess-Iossif-Dorfman/dp/2957289024 30:00- Why we should not emulate Sindarov’s study approach Mentioned: Fooled by Randomness 39:06 - The journey from competitive chess to creating Chess Ever 44:50 - The vision for Chess Ever: following games, broadcasting, and innovation 53:41 - Monetization plans and future features of Chess Ever 58:51 - How Chess Ever differs from other streaming and follow platforms 61:47 - The future of chess broadcasting, AI commentary, and competition 63:48 - Final thoughts and encouraging feedback from listenersResources: Chess Ever App Road to Mastery by Golovka Static and Dynamic by Dorfman Nasim Taleb - Fooled by Randomness Connect with Vasif Durabayi: LinkedIn Twitter Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. Jul 28

    EP 492: Mr. Dodgy on Improving at Classical Chess + Chess Fam

    ⁠Michael Duke (better known as Mr. Dodgy, or @chessproblem on X) is a Chessable author, the co-founder of Chessfam, and co-host of the Chicken Chess Club podcast. He has built a large online following through his passion for chess and his sharp sense of humor. But aside from the jokes, Michael has become more serious about improving his own game. With a FIDE rating just shy of 2100, Michael was frustrated that he consistently performed much better in rapid than in classical chess. In order to change that, he sought out GM Alex Colovic for coaching after trying several instructors. He worked to address the biggest weaknesses in his game, including lazy calculation and overly ambitious opening choices. The work paid off as he defeated a grandmaster for the first time at age 38 and later held GM David Howell to a draw in a rapid game. In our conversation, Michael shares what he learned about improving as an adult, why his rapid results have always been better than his OTB results, and the practical changes that helped close the gap. We also discuss Chessfam, the ambitious new platform he co-founded to make finding and entering chess tournaments easier, as well as his observations from the recent European Chess Union Congress and the upcoming FIDE presidential election. (Please note this interview was recorded before Arkady Dvorkovich withdrew from the race.) As always, timestamps for all topics discussed are below. 00:04 Introduction to Mr. Dodgy  02:51 Chess Improvement Deep Dive and Dodgy’s recent achievements  Mentioned: GM Alex Colovic’s Substack 05:42 Lessons from Grandmaster Alex Colovic GM Alex Colovic- How to Become a Grandmaster https://www.quora.com/How-did-you-become-a-grandmaster/answer/Alex-Colovic?share=55b455d3&srid=hY2IT 08:49 Strengths and Weaknesses in Rapid vs Classical Chess 11:52 Opening Strategies and Learning Approaches GM Alex Colovic’s Suggestions for the Alapin- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6K0YFRN20U 14:38 Daily Practice and Calculation Work 17:49 Patreon Mailbag Question: Can We Expect another Mr. Dodgy Chessable course?  20:33 Recommended Resources for Improvement Mentioned: Improve Your Chess Calculation by GM RB Ramesh, Think Like a Super GM by GM Michael Adams and Philip Hurtado, Perfect Your Chess by GM Volokitin and IM Grabinsky  25:20 Exploring Diverse Thinking in Chess 26:15 Influential Players and Their Styles 27:21 Dodgy's Grandmaster Victory Story 30:19 Chess Party: A Unique Event Experience 35:45 Introducing Chess Fam: A New Chess Platform Mentioned: Sligo International, Maia Chess Festival, Sitges International  39:55 The Business Model Behind Chess Fam 43:54 Navigating New Skills in Chess Fam 48:01 Getting Involved with Chess Fam 48:26 The Need for Chess Tournament Reviews 50:43 Creating a Welcoming Environment for New Players 52:39 The Rise of Casual Chess Events 54:07 Insights from the ECU Congress 55:40 Understanding the Role of the ECU 59:00 The Future of European Chess Mentioned: GM Peter Arnaudov from ModernChess.com, Business Meets Chess & Kids & GM Pontuss Carlsson 01:05:07 FIDE Elections and the Importance of Term Limits Thanks to Mr. Dodgy for joining! Here are links to his stuff: X: https://x.com/ChessProblem Chessable- https://www.chessable.com/courses/s/dodgy/ Chessfam- https://chessfam.com/ Photo in thumbnail by David Llada Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  5. Jul 21

    EP 491: Lessons from the Naroditsky Memorial with FM Dalton Perrine, GM Eugene Perelshteyn and NM Mike Mahoney

    By all accounts, the Naroditsky Memorial was a touching tribute to the legendary streamer, educator and grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky. This week I welcome three guests to share their stories from the memorable event in Charlotte. Popular Chessable author and coach FM Dalton Perrine reflects on the lessons and memorable experiences of the tournament. Dalton also shares chess improvement insights from his excellent Chess Chatter newsletter and discusses Chessalyz, the AI-powered chess improvement platform he co-founded. Following Dalton, GM Eugene Perelshteyn and NM Mike Mahoney return to the podcast for an update on the "Chess Rocky" story. They discuss Mike's results after months of training for the event, along with unforgettable stories from the tournament, including their encounter with legendary GM Vasyl Ivanchuk. As always, I enjoyed hearing the stories and lessons from Dalton, Eugene and Mike, and I think listeners will find plenty to learn from their experiences. 00:04 Introduction and Background 01:01 The Narodzki Memorial Tournament Experience 04:01 Learning from Danya's Speedruns Mentioned: Chessbase India- Naroditsky Memorial Coverage https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL2unSfeOdoM Chessbase India Interview with Danya’s Mother: Daniel Naroditsky's mother shares heartfelt message to the chess community 06:53 Atmosphere and Community at the Tournament 10:04 Performance and Reflections on Games 13:01 Simplicity in Chess Improvement 16:02 Chessalyze: The AI-Assisted Coaching Platform 22:12 Future of Chessalyze and User Feedback 27:57 Advice for Ambitious Club Players Mentioned: Survive and Thrive: How to Blunder Less and Defend Better https://www.chessable.com/survive-thrive-how-to-blunder-less-and-defend-better/course/80629/ 34:00- Upcoming Tournaments and Projects Thanks to Dalton for joining! Here is how to keep up with him: Chess Chatter Blog Chessalyz.ai DaltonPerrine.com 38:00 GM Eugene Perelshteyn and NM Mike Mahoney join me Mentioned: Ivanchuk is here, GM Steven Zierk Sindarov-Woodward 2026 https://www.chess.com/events/2026-naroditsky-memorial-masters-rapid/03/Sindarov_Javokhir-Woodward_Andy IM Sagar Shah-Mahoney 2026- https://lichess.org/study/IgNM0rNc/ZiaxROGi 48:32 The Pressure of Competition: In-Person Challenges 54:37 Reflections and Future Aspirations 55:00- Thanks to Eugene and Mike for joining! You can keep up with Eugene via his Substack, https://eugeneperel.substack.com/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. Jul 14

    EP 490- Bruce Pandolfini on 50 Years of Teaching Chess 

    Bruce Pandolfini is an American chess legend who has written many popular books, consulted on The Queen's Gambit and numerous other films and television projects featuring chess, and worked with countless future masters, including GM Fabiano Caruana and IM Josh Waitzkin. Bruce rejoined me to reflect on what he has learned from an incredibly varied career in chess, from helping cover the 1972 Fischer-Spassky World Championship for PBS to nearly fifty years as one of America's most influential chess teachers. In our conversation, Bruce discusses the nature of chess talent, what separates students who improve from those who don't, how technology has changed the way chess is taught, and shares memorable stories from his decades as a teacher, author, and film consultant. 00:00 Introduction and Bruce's background 00:23 Bruce's career highlights and teaching philosophy 06:06 Traits of successful chess players 09:10 Adults vs. kids in chess learning Mentioned:  Dream Moves by GM Miron Sher  19:28 Talent and hard work in chess Mentioned: Reveal Your Chess Style by GM Andy Soltis ,  Deadline Grandmaster  24:00- Working on the movies Searching For Bobby Fischer, and Fresh  31:58 The health and future of chess 40:15 Chess legends and historical stories 45:00- Patreon mailbag question: Would Bruce consider revising and updating any of  his books? 48:28 Bruce's involvement in media and films 56:16 Reflections on chess evolution and technology Mentioned: Thinking Sideways, Dark Squares, Bobby Fischer’s Chess Queen, Rebel Queen, The Seventh Seal, From Russia with Love, Casablanca  01:03:14 Advice for chess enthusiasts and closing thoughts If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  7. Jun 30

    EP 489- IM Rose Atwell on Discipline, Improvement, and Chess Psychology 

    17-year-old IM-elect Rose Atwell is one of the brightest young stars in American chess. She recently earned her International Master title, tied for first at the National High School Championship, and qualified for the U.S. Women's Olympiad team for the first time. Rose has also built a loyal following on social media by candidly chronicling her tournament experiences. She shares instructive positions and the lessons she learns from both her successes and setbacks. In our conversation we discuss: Her approach to reviewing games and systematically addressing weaknesses How she uses digital flashcards and "mixed tactics" to accelerate improvement Why she believes homeschooling has benefited both her chess and her education The chess advice she would give to her younger self  Rose is an impressive player and a great ambassador for the game. I appreciate her taking the time to join me during a very busy tournament schedule. 00:00 Introduction to Rose Atwell 03:23 Lessons Learned From a Disappointing Recent Tournament 06:24 Reviewing Games and Learning from Mistakes 09:29 Training Routines and Adjustments 12:33 Coaching Dynamics and Study Habits Mentioned:  Rose Atwell interview with GM Mauricio Flores Rios https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w-JQbZUIRs “Class in Session” with WGM Sabina Foisor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6YiEvust3k 15:24 Digital Tools and Flashcards for Improvement 18:23 Balancing Study and Physical Health 21:23 Family Background and Support 24:31 Competitive Mindset and Gender Dynamics in Chess Mentioned: Judit Polgar book trilogy  https://forwardchess.com/product/judit-polgar-how-i-beat-fischers-record 31:32 Upcoming Tournaments and Travel Plans 33:58 Meeting Chess Heroes and Inspirations 36:00 Balancing Chess and Education 39:01 The Future of College and Chess 39:52 Attributing Success and Overcoming Challenges 42:04 Social Media and Sharing Chess Experiences 43:57 Advice to Younger Self and Emotional Resilience 46:05 The Importance of Identity Beyond Chess 49:02 Reading and Maintaining Focus 51:22 Chess Training and Future Goals 57:00 Thanks to Rose for joining me! Here is how to keep up with her: X: https://x.com/atwell_rose?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roseatwellchess/?hl=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  8. Jun 23

    EP 488- GM R.B. Ramesh on Calculation, Confidence, and Coaching Champions 

    Renowned author and trainer GM R.B. Ramesh is one of the rare coaches who has worked extensively with the world's elite players while still providing practical advice for ambitious amateurs. Long respected as one of chess's leading trainers and authors, Ramesh has helped guide the development of stars such as GMs Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali, and Aravindh Chithambaram. As his students continue to reach new heights, Ramesh remains committed to sharing lessons that can benefit players at every level. For that reason, it was exciting news when he recently announced the relaunch of his YouTube channel, where he plans to regularly share free instructional content. In our conversation, we discussed: • What he has learned from coaching elite players• When to focus on calculation versus pattern recognition• The risks of burnout for top young players We also discussed Ramesh's plans for future content, whether he has any new chess book recommendations, and how aspiring players can make the most of their limited study time. There is always so much to learn from GM R.B. Ramesh. Thanks to this week’s sponsors, Chessiverse.com. Use code “Perpetual30” to save 30% on premium offerings, and IM John Bartholomew’s Complete Scandinavian Course.  0:00 Introduction 2:10 GM Ramesh joins. Why is he relaunching his YouTube channel? 4:50 What Ramesh has learned from coaching elite players like Praggnanandhaa and Aravindh Chithambaram 7:45 Why young players focus too much on openings 10:00 How strong players think: candidate moves, objectivity, and avoiding analytical bias 13:30 Visualization, calculation, and why club players struggle to analyze deeply 16:15 Common problems even elite players face: time trouble, concentration, and handling losses Check out Ramesh’s interview with Praggnandhaa here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU0J3ftM8BQ 21:00 How coaches can help players overcome psychological obstacles 27:00 Patreon mailbag question: Might players like Praggnandhaa and Gukesh be dealing with issues like burnout, and a lack of balance in their lives? Mentioned: https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/others/right-now-it-s-a-challenge-to-enjoy-chess-gukesh-101781022470045.html 31:30 The dangers of playing too many tournaments 35:15 Long-term burnout concerns for today's generation of prodigies 37:20 Patreon mailbag question: What does Gukesh need to do to regain his best form? 44:45 Does being World Champion create unique psychological pressure? 48:45 Listener question: Pattern recognition vs. calculation 51:00 Analysis vs. calculation: an important distinction 54:10 How adults with only a few hours per week should spend their chess study time 55:30 Future books, Chessable courses, and long-term projects 57:30 What viewers can expect from Ramesh's YouTube channel 1:00:30 Training camps, teaching philosophy, and adapting to students 1:02:30 Why Ramesh stopped reading most chess books 1:04:00 The psychological side of coaching and improvement 1:06:30 Final advice for amateurs and aspiring professionals 1:07:40 Outro Thanks to GM Ramesh for joining me again! Be sure to SUB to his YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@RameshRB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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About

Perpetual Chess features weekly conversations with the chess world's best players, trainers and accomplished amateurs about their careers, current projects, best practices and the latest in chess news. Learn more at PerpetualChessPod.com

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Johnson
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    585
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2023 Perpetual Chess LLC
  • Show Website
    Perpetual Chess Podcast

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