Perpetual Chess Podcast
Perpetual Chess Podcast features weekly conversations with chess players, trainers, and enthusiasts about their careers, projects, and the latest chess news. Host Ben Johnson interviews grandmasters and amateurs alike, exploring best practices and current trends in the chess world.
Episodes
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 posit
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 rea
EP 487- Matt Rathkey on Chess Improvement, Jazz Improvisation, and Learning How to Learn
Can a background as a professional jazz musician help you improve at chess? Matt Rathkey says “yes.”.
Matt is this week's guest on The Adult Improver Series. Like many players, he fell back in love with chess during the COVID pandemic and soon found himself playing regularly, watching top-level broadcasts, and solving puzzles. Along the way, he drew upon lessons from years of studying music, part
EP 486: James Black Jr. on Going from Scholastic Star to Chess Mentor
As a scholastic player, James Black Jr. was an All-American who won numerous national titles and trophies, both as an individual competitor and as part of the famed IS 318 chess program in Brooklyn, New York, as featured in the documentary Brooklyn Castle. Alongside FM Joshua Colas and IM Justus Williams, James became one of the youngest African-American National Masters in U.S. history.
After st
EP 485: GM Simon Williams on Mistakes, Revival, and the Future of Chesspublishing
GM Simon Williams returns to Perpetual Chess for the first time in several years. Simon is one of chess's most recognizable personalities, known as the Ginger GM through his work as a streamer, commentator, author and Chessable creator. He is also an accomplished tournament player, having shared first in the 2010 London Chess Classic and finished second in the 2004 British Championship.
Simon joi
EP 484: Jordan Himelfarb on Interregnum and the Drama of the 2024 Candidates Cycle
Jordan Himelfarb is an award-winning editor for the Toronto Star and an avid games player who became fascinated by elite chess during the pandemic. That fascination eventually led to his excellent new book, Interregnum : Inside the Grueling and Glamourous Battle to Become the Next King of Chess, a detailed and highly readable chronicle of the 2024 FIDE Candidates cycle.
Jordan traveled to events
EP 483- Paulo SantAnna: What Happens When a Retired Adult Treats Chess Like a Full-Time Job?
Paulo SantAnna is living the dream of many adult chess improvers. The retired software engineer has spent the past several years devoting serious time and energy to improving his game, and the results have been impressive. When Paulo rekindled his interest in tournament chess, his FIDE rating had fallen to a recent low of 1850. Through years of hard study, travel, disciplined training, and resilie
EP 482- GM Ivan Sokolov on Talent, Training and Modern Chess
GM Ivan Sokolov is a former top-15 player who won major tournaments across multiple decades and became national champion of both Yugoslavia and the Netherlands. In classical chess, he scored memorable wins against Kasparov, Kramnik and Anand.
In recent years, Ivan has become equally respected as a trainer and author. Most notably, he worked with the gold medal-winning Uzbek team at the 2022 Chess
EP 481- IM Greg Shahade: Inside His Incredible Jeopardy Run
IM Greg Shahade has long been well known in the chess world as a three-time national scholastic champion and the founder of the Pro Chess League and the US Chess School. Recently, however, he reached a much broader audience with an impressive run on the syndicated trivia show Jeopardy!.
Greg amassed over $75,000 in winnings, dethroning 31-time champion Jamie Ding along the way. He joined me after
EP 480- GM Eugene Perelshteyn & NM Mike Mahoney: Chess Rocky-Taking on Nakamura & Niemann at the Naroditsky Memorial
When I read on GM Eugene Perelshteyn’s blog that his amateur friend had signed up to compete against players like Hikaru Nakamura and Hans Niemann in the Naroditsky Memorial, I knew I had to hear this story.
That friend is NM Mike Mahoney. Mike is a pharmacist by day and a devoted online blitz player by night. For Mike, chess is usually a way to unwind, not something he takes too seriously. But h
EP 479 – GM Rafael Leitão on Sindarov’s Historic Candidates Win, His Training Methods & What Comes Next
With the FIDE Candidates now in the rearview mirror, 7-time Brazilian Champion and Chess.com “Game of the Day” columnist GM Rafael Leitão joins me to help break it all down. We discuss:
Sindarov’s incredible performance and the training methods that helped him ascend to the top
Vaishali’s strong finish and her chances against Ju Wenjun
Rafael’s take on opening trends, and which pl
EP 478 – GM Ben Finegold on the Candidates, the Hans–Magnus Netflix Documentary, and TakeTakeTake’s Bold Business Move
It has been a busy time in the chess world, as dramas new and old bubble to the surface. GM Javokhir Sindarov is on the verge of winning the FIDE Candidates. A highly anticipated Netflix documentary has just been released about the Hans–Magnus controversy, and there is even some business intrigue, as an app co-founded by GM Magnus Carlsen is set to compete directly with Chess.com.
Joining me to d
EP 477- Jennifer Shahade on Cheating, AI, and Thinking Like a Chess Player
Jennifer Shahade is a two-time U.S. Women’s Champion, poker professional, commentator, and acclaimed author. This week, she returns to the pod to discuss her new book Thinking Sideways: How to Think Like a Chess Player and Win at Life. Drawing on chess, poker, and psychology, Jen shares practical tips and memorable stories about decision-making, creativity, and improvement.
We discuss:
Why s
Bonus Pod: Sindarov’s Historic Start + Inside the FIDE Candidates with Mike Klein
FM Mike Klein of Chess.com joins the show from Cyprus to give an on-the-ground look at the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament. We discuss the incredible start by GM Javokhir Sindarov, and what Mike has observed from his interactions with the rising star. Mike also describes the tournament atmosphere,shares behind-the-scenes stories from the venue, and provides insights on the Women’s Candidates rac
EP 476-Vlad Ghita: Is the Rating System Still Broken? A Data-Driven Investigation
It has been over two years since FIDE implemented major changes to its rating system aimed at combating rating deflation. But are those changes actually working?
My guest, Vlad Ghita, joins me to dig into the data. Vlad is a Romanian arbiter, instructor, and chess enthusiast with a master’s degree in physics. In his new e-book, The Rating Revolution, he takes a rigorous, data-driven look at how t
Book Recap #38- Silman’s Chess Odyssey + Stories from a Former Student with Gaurav Datta
The Perpetual Chess book discussion series Chess Books Recaptured returns with a personal, funny, and heartfelt episode.
Gaurav Datta, a longtime student and close friend of IM Jeremy Silman, joins me to discuss Silman’s Chess Odyssey: Cracked Grandmaster Tales, Legendary Players, & Instructions and Musings. This memoir and collection of writing was Silman’s final work, and it beautifully capture
EP 476- GM Jan Gustafsson previews the 2026 FIDE Candidates
The 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament is almost here, and GM Jan Gustafsson joins the podcast to break down the entire field. As a leading opening theoretician who has worked on GM Magnus Carlsen’s World Championship team, Jan brings unique insight into this high-stakes event. Jan will be on site in Cyprus providing commentary alongside his longtime friend GM Peter Svidler. In this episode we go pla
EP 475- Matt Biancuzzo (Byredofantome) on Keeping Chess Fun, Ignoring Rating, and Making Viral Chess Videos
This week’s guest on the Adult Improver Series is Matt Biancuzzo. Matt is a 31-year-old New York City consultant who is very active in both the local chess scene and on social media. He has taken full advantage of New York’s many chess opportunities, regularly attending chess gatherings and pub nights while also competing in tournaments locally. Over the past few years he has improved from below 1
EP 474- NM Han Schut on GM Jan Timman’s Legacy, Chess Improvement, & Using LLM’s to Create Helpful Chess Tools
This week’s returning guest is NM Han Schut. Han is a former corporate executive turned Chessable author and trainer, known for his expertise in the Chess Steps Method and chess technology. Han joins me to reflect on the legacy of his fellow Dutchman, GM Jan Timman, who recently passed away. He shares personal anecdotes and discusses Timman’s impact as a world-class competitor, prolific author, an
EP 473- GM Aman Hambleton on SCC London, The London System & The Future of Chess
GM Aman Hambleton has been busy lately. In addition to his usual role as a popular Twitch streamer and Youtuber for the Chessbrah channel, he recently returned from London, where he was one of the lead commentators for Chess.com’s Speed Chess Championship. He also has recently released his highly anticipated Chessable course, Aman Hambleton’s London System. In our conversation we discuss:
Wh
EP 472- Author Katie Kormanik on How Chess Helped Shape Her Life, and Why She Left it Behind
What role does chess play in our lives? That’s a recurring question on Perpetual Chess, and one that author Katie Kormanik explores in her new, personal memoir, Adventures of a Chess Girl. A former top scholastic player, Katie looks back at the competitive years of her early 20s and reflects on how chess became a refuge during a stressful and uncertain time. The game allowed her to travel widely a
EP 471- Dr. Kevin Scull on Adult-Only Tournaments, Plateaus and Progress
Is it possible to continue to get better at chess once you hit your 50s? The Adult Improver Series returns, and that’s one of the central questions I explore with today’s guest, long-time friend of the pod and fellow chess podcaster Dr. Kevin Scull.
Kevin is the host of the popular Chess Journeys podcast, where he interviews adult chess improvers on a weekly basis. In our conversation, he shares
EP 470- GM Yasser Seirawan on Fischer, Najdorf, Silman & How he Became a GM-Level Storyteller
In the 9 years of Perpetual Chess’ existence, GM Yasser Seirawan is the most requested guest by listeners. It took some time to make it happen, but today the renowned commentator, author, and 4-time US Champion delivers. We chat about:
Yasser is renowned as a storyteller- what does he think the origins are of this skill?
Stories about Bobby Fischer, Bent Larsen, GM Miguel Najdorf, a
EP 469- Author Brad Stulberg on What ‘Excellence’ Means for Amateur Chess Players
Best-selling author Brad Stulberg has devoted a large part of his professional life to studying what it means to be excellent. He has interviewed peak performers in fields ranging from athletics and music to, of course, chess. His new book, The Way of Excellence distills all he learned. In our conversation, Brad shares tons of helpful advice for anyone looking to improve at something. We tackle t
EP 468- FM Carsten Hansen on Tactics Plateaus & The Best Recent Chess Books
Prolific author and book reviewer FM Carsten Hansen returns to Perpetual Chess to talk chess improvement, chess publishing, and to provide a rundown of standout recent chess books. We start with a listener question about plateauing in tactics training. How do we know if we’re just hitting a speed bump, or if we’ve reached our ceiling? From there, we dive deep into chess books, sharing recommendati
EP 467- GM Surya Ganguly on Gratitude, Overcoming Bad Tournaments & Life Lessons from Vishy Anand
Grandmaster Surya Ganguly is a six-time champion of India, a popular Chessable author, and a former member of Viswanathan Anand’s World Championship preparation team. He is also a co-founder and coach at ProChessTraining.com, where he works with students ranging from adult amateurs to elite grandmasters.
Surya joined me shortly after returning from the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships, wher
EP 466 – Gaston Franco on the Remarkable Turnaround of the Hammersmith Chess Club and How to Grow Chess in Your Community
Twelve years ago, the Hammersmith Chess Club in London was down to fewer than 20 members and facing an uncertain future. Today, thanks to committed volunteers, a welcoming culture, and the broader boom in chess, it’s the largest chess club in London, and was recently named ECF Chess Club of the Year.
I’m joined by Hammersmith Club Captain Gaston Franco to discuss the club’s remarkable turnaround
EP 465: Chess Improvement Q&A with IM Junta Ikeda - Tactics, Time Trouble & Training Resources
Japanese-Australian chess player, trainer, and content creator Junta Ikeda is the 2013 Japanese National Chess Champion and a runner-up in the 2020 Australian Championship. These days, with a full-time job outside of chess, Junta devotes most of his chess energy to helping others improve. He has shared countless insights on his excellent blog, Infinite Chess, which I’ve been reading religiously si
EP 464- IM John Donaldson- Bobby Fischer’s Chess Improvement Advice, the Story Behind His Colossal Rating Leap
What can Bobby Fischer still teach us about chess improvement? In this episode, renowned trainer, author, and historian IM John Donaldson returns to discuss Fischer’s writing, advice, and training methods, as featured in his new book Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer. We explore Fischer’s views on openings, what he said about his own IQ, and what modern players can realistically take from his appro
EP 463- FM Nick Matta on Immersion, Mindset, and a Remarkable Decade of Chess Improvement (Adult Improver Series)
The Adult Improver Series returns with the remarkable story of FM Nick Matta, a five-time Louisiana State Champion who made one of the most unusual rating climbs in recent memory. Nick returned to tournament chess as a college freshman and went from roughly 1400 to 2400 USCF over the next decade. In our conversation, he breaks down the habits and mindset shifts that fueled that rise, including:
EP 462- FIDE World Cup Reflections with GM Felix Blohberger: Blunders, Bouncebacks, Tiebreaks and The New Candidates Field
As a fascinating and upset-laden FIDE World Cup comes to an end, 2022 Austrian National Champion GM Felix Blohberger joins me to break down the key moments, share stories from his own World Cup experience, and reflect on his chess career. GM Blohberger has been offering insightful commentary on his YouTube channel where he has been sharing his thoughts on the FIDE World Cup, and was able to elabo
EP 461- IM John Bartholomew on Chess Improvement Lessons, The Scandinavian Defense & His New Business Venture
IM John Barthomew is a former scholastic national champion turned popular and longtime chess Youtuber and serial entrepreneur. His clear and friendly teaching style has garnered him over 200,000 subs and many devotees of the Scandinavian defense, the opening for which he is best known. In our conversation we discuss:
Five chess improvement conclusions that John drew from playing in (and docu
EP 460- FM Peter Giannatos on GM Daniel Naroditsky’s Life, His Last Days & How We Can Honor Danya’s Legacy
FM Peter Giannatos, founder of the Charlotte Chess Center, was a close friend of GM Daniel Naroditsky and played a pivotal role in encouraging Daniel to build his post-collegiate life in Charlotte. Peter and the tight-knit Charlotte community spent significant time with Danya, including in the days leading up to his tragic passing. In this conversation, Peter reflects on their friendship, shares w
EP 459- GM Maurice Ashley on Pursuing Excellence, Seeking Novelties, and His Extraordinary Chess Journey
This week’s guest is U.S. Chess Hall of Famer GM Maurice Ashley. Maurice will forever be known as the first African American to earn the Grandmaster title, yet he has gone on to build a varied and distinguished career across all facets of the game. He is a popular author and highly regarded Chessable creator, a teacher, an organizer, and a frequent commentator for major chess events, often from th
EP 458: Pawel Kacprzak: The Founder of Chessvision.ai on Scanning Chess Diagrams, Digital Flashcards, and Building a Chess Business
Polish programmer and chess enthusiast Pawel Kacprzak joins me to share the story behind Chessvision.ai. Chessvision.ai is a helpful app and browser extension that can scan chess diagrams and connect them to related YouTube videos and chess books, and allows you to easily turn these positions into digital flashcards. We talk about how Pawel’s side project grew into a full-time business, what it ta
Bonus Pod- After Plenty of Upsets- 32 Players Remain in the FIDE World Cup (with IM Michael Rahal from Goa)
The 2025 FIDE World Cup has been as dramatic as ever. Top seeds like GM Gukesh D, Ian Nepomniatchtchi, and Anish Giri have been eliminated, but we still have some top 10 stalwarts remaining, as well as many surprise advancers to the Round of 32.
Joining from Goa, FIDE Press Officer IM Michael Rahal helps break it all down. We discuss:
Should we be surprised by the number of upsets?
The
EP 457- IM Carissa Yip: Her Memories of Danya, Pursuing Chess Professionally and Reflecting on her 4th US Women’s Championship
Fresh off her third consecutive (and fourth overall) U.S. Women’s Championship title, I was honored to catch up with 22-year-old IM Carissa Yip. Carissa has taken a gap year from Stanford University and is immersed in a demanding schedule of training and competition. She’s had some excellent results this year and is now ranked #21 among women in the world.
Despite her success, Carissa has also ex
EP 456- GM Andy Soltis on Plateaus, Dual Careers, and his Many Brushes with Chess Legends
GM Andy Soltis is a U.S. Chess Hall of Famer, prolific author, and longtime Chess Life columnist who has left a lasting mark on American chess while balancing a decades-long career as an editor at the New York Post. His recent memoir, Deadline Grandmaster, retraces those parallel paths and shares remarkable stories such as playing a 16-year-old Vishy Anand, meeting Mikhail Tal, corresponding with
[Replay] GM Daniel Naroditsky's 2020 Perpetual Chess Interview
As the chess world digests the devastating news of the passing of Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, I found myself thinking back to our first interview in August of 2020 (Episode 191). At the time, as chess boomed during the pandemic, Danya was ascending from promising young American player to chess commentating superstar. In the interview Danya’s eloquence, empathy, and hilarious impersonations
EP 455- Marcos Patricio Macedo: A Forensic Detective’s Reflections on Chess, Balance, and Burnout
The Adult Improver Series returns with a fascinating story that highlights the broad appeal of chess. Marcos Patricio Macedo is a Brasília-based forensic detective, dad, and chess enthusiast who rediscovered the game in 2018 and hasn’t stopped since. Chess has become a welcome escape from the pressures of his homicide-investigation work, and he’s helped build community both locally and among fello
EP 454 — Hanging Pawns (Stjepan Tomić) Shares Chess Book Recs for Every Level & Discusses His Big New Project
Stjepan Tomić has built a sizable following through his beloved Hanging Pawns YouTube Channel, but good old-fashioned chess books remain his true passion. That passion has led to his ambitious new project, ChessReads.com, a free platform designed to help players of all levels find the right book for their needs through crowdsourced reviews. The project already features its own YouTube channel, Dis
EP 453- IM-elect Tatev Abrahamyan on the Long Road to her New Title.
Despite an impressive chess résumé as one of the U.S.’s top women players, Tatev Abrahamyan has had moments when she questioned whether it was all worth it. After a prolonged slump, she not only considered giving up on ever earning the International Master title, but she nearly quit competitive chess altogether. Fortunately, Tatev persevered. Earlier this year, she unexpectedly finished second in
EP 452: GM Daniel King — The Grand Swiss, Candidates Spots, and What It Takes to Win High-Stakes Swiss Tournaments
The FIDE Grand Swiss always seems to deliver drama, and this year’s edition was no exception. To help break it all down, I am joined by popular commentator, Chessable author, and host of the Power Play Chess YouTube channel, GM Daniel King.
In our conversation, Daniel shares his takeaways on: • The common thread that fueled the successes of GMs Anish Giri and Matthias Blübaum • Standout performan
EP 451: GM Elshan Moradiabadi on Intuition, Coaching, and Why Fun Is Vital for Chess Improvement
North Carolina–based trainer and author Elshan Moradiabadi has won over 25 tournaments and was the 2001 National Champion of his native Iran. Despite his many accomplishments, Elshan is deeply reflective about the proper role chess should play in one’s life. While he has no regrets about the sacrifices he made, his experiences have given him valuable lessons to share, including:
Why you shoul
EP 450 – Hikaru in Louisiana: Stories from His Surprise Appearance in the Louisiana State Championship
As you may have heard, GM Hikaru Nakamura made a surprise appearance at the Louisiana State Championship, as part of fulfilling FIDE’s World Championship qualification criteria. In return, the players he encountered gained memories and stories they’ll never forget. In this multi-guest special episode, I speak with several of Hikaru’s opponents, as well as the tournament’s organizer, to hear thei
EP 449- GM Jesse Kraai on Confronting Tournament Fears, Mental and Physical Fitness, and What’s Next for Him and ChessDojo
ChessDojo’s GM Jesse Kraai is always one of my favorite people to talk chess with, yet somehow it had been five years since his last visit to the pod. Jesse returned at a great time, having been both studying and competing actively, and recently achieving his goal of qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Senior Closed Championship. His recent over-the-board activity provided a springboard for us to discuss
EP 448- NM Max Farberov on Beating Plateaus, Springing Opening Surprises, and Why Speed Chess Matters
NM Max Farberov is a 27-year-old chess instructor, Chessable author, and online speed-chess specialist with a Chess.com blitz rating north of 2600. He joined me after a busy chess summer that included his first European open and one of his best OTB results to date: winning clear first in the Under-2300 section of the Washington International. As Max explains, this breakthrough came only after mont
EP 447: Going Pro at 57- GM Alex Fishbein on How New and Challenging Training Methods Fueled an Upset win at the US Senior Invitational
Going Pro at 57: `GM Alex Fishbein on How New and Challenging Training Methods Fueled an Upset win at the US Senior Invitational
At 57 years old, Tennessee-based Grandmaster and Author, Alex Fishbein, has built an impressive chess résumé, with 12 state-championship titles across four states and multiple appearances in U.S. Championship events. But until recently, his chess had always been balanc
EP 446- IM Greg Shahade on The State of Professional Chess, Why He Loves the Daily and Classical Formats & Adult Improving at Trivia
IM Greg Shahade was the very first guest of Perpetual Chess and has remained a frequent and insightful contributor ever since. A former youth national champion, Greg has subsequently been involved in the chess world in an array of capacities —founder of the US Chess School (which provides free training to top American juniors), creator of the now-defunct Pro Chess League, and a near-2800-rated b
EP 445- “It Worked So Well That I Stopped Doing It”: Adult Improver Nicholas Sloan on Dealing with Burnout After a Rapid Rating Rise
Nicholas Sloan is a Wisconsin-based Network Engineer, a dad of 4, and an extremely motivated chess improver. Usually. But after an incredible run of gaining 500+ rating points in two years, fueled by consistent hard work and a unique study approach, Nick hit a wall. He gave back 150 rating points, and lost his motivation to work hard on chess. That can happen when you are a family man who is worki
EP 444 – Dr. Benjamin Balas on Chess Streaks, Blunders, and Brain Science
Dr. Benjamin (Ben) Balas is an MIT-educated professor of psychology at North Dakota State University, where his research focuses on visual recognition. He’s also a passionate chess player who blogs frequently about the intersection of science and chess. On his popular LiChess blog, Ben (aka NDPatzer) has explored topics like whether streakiness exists in chess, the science of blunders, and how con
EP 443- GM Jan Gustafsson on Building Opening Repertoires, Freestyle Chess, Father Time, and the Usual Array of Nonsense
Opening expert, Twitch streamer, former Team Magnus member, and longtime friend of the pod, GM Jan Gustafsson is back for another fun and far-reaching interview! We talk about the origins of his new Chessable course on the Austrian Defense, how his approach to repertoire building has evolved, and get his take on the recent Freestyle Chess drama in Vegas. Jan also reflects on the legacy of GM Boris
EP 442- GM Johan Hellsten: Why Defending Is So Difficult — And How to Improve At It
EP 442- GM Johan Hellsten: Why Defending Is So Difficult — And How to Improve At It
GM Johan Hellsten returns to Perpetual Chess for a deep dive into one of the most overlooked yet essential chess skills: defense. Johan is the 2006 Swedish National Champion, and a renowned author and coach, best known for his Mastering Chess series. In this interview, he shares insights from his latest book and
EP 441- WCM Hannah Sayce: The 24-year old Twitch Streamer on the Key Factors Behind Her Rapid Rise to the WCM Title
In just a few years, 24-year-old Australian Twitch streamer Hannah Sayce went from playing casual online games during lockdown to earning the Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title and competing in international tournaments. Her post-lockdown rise has taken her from below 1000 to a 2300 Chess.com blitz rating. In this conversation, Hannah shares the highs and lows of her chess journey and the strategi
EP 440- GM Alexandr Fier: “I Blunder a Lot” – One of the World’s Most Active Grandmasters on Intuition, Endgame Studies, and Maintaining His Love For the Game
GM Alexandr Fier is a 5 time champion of Brazil and 9 time chess Olympian. He also recently qualified for the FIDE World Cup for the 8th time by finishing tied for first at the American Continental tournament. But aside from all of his impressive accomplishments, what interests me most about GM Fier is how frequently he competes. Last year alone, he played nearly 200 classical games,, and he has
EP 439 — Samuel Sonning (Founder of NoctieAI): The Instructive Value of Memorizing Games, the Benefit of Losing Rating Points, and a Deep Dive on Chess and AI
This week’s guest is Samuel Sonning, a Swedish computer scientist, former Google engineer, and founder of NoctieAI—a user-friendly chess platform featuring rating tests and bots designed to play like humans. In our conversation, Samuel discusses his unique improvement philosophy as an adult learner, including how memorizing famous games helped him build intuition and visualization skills. A passio
EP 438- Tony Ballard: Chess, Freedom, and Lessons Learned From 26 Years in Prison
In this memorable episode of Perpetual Chess, we welcome back Tony Ballard, who spent 26 years incarcerated and credits chess with helping him change the course of his life. When we last spoke in Episode 289 (2022), Tony was still in a minimum-security facility. Now fully free, he’s making the most of his second chance. He’s working full-time at the Paul Mitchell Barber School, has founded a nonpr
EP 437- Coach Jay Stallings and NM Adam Weissbarth talk Chess Teaching, Chess in the Movies and The Challenges and Rewards of Running a Chess Business
This two-part episode of Perpetual Chess features two of the most impactful figures in American chess education: Coach Jay Stallings and Adam Weissbarth. First up, Coach Jay shares insights from his decades of experience teaching over 30,000 students,and also discusses his recent work consulting on the chess scenes in the new Hollywood blockbuster The Accountant 2. Additionally, Jay reviews some o
EP 436- Adult Improver Torkil Jara Bårdsgjerde on How Workplace Trash Talk Sparked a Lifelong Passion for Chess
EP 436- Adult Improver Torkil Jara Bårdsgjerde on How Workplace Trash Talk Sparked a Lifelong Passion for Chess
In this inspiring and relatable installment of the Adult Improver Series, we meet Torkil Jara Bårdsgjerde, a 39-year-old father of two, from Norway who discovered competitive chess after a bit of playful banter with a workplace rival. That exchange sparked a fascination with the game—
EP 435- IM Alex Ostrovskiy on Opening Prep, Norm Tournaments, and His Core Chess Improvement Advice &
IM Alex Ostrovskiy is a former Scholastic National Champion, New York State Champion, and accomplished coach who has earned one GM norm, and reached a peak USCF rating of 2560. In addition to his coaching work, Alex is a regular commentator on GM Hikaru Nakamura's Twitch channel, and a tournament organizer who runs frequent invitational tournaments in New York City (where he has lived since the ag
EP 434- GM Mauricio Flores Rios: The Acclaimed Chess Structures Author on How to Approach Different Chess Imbalances, Chess & A.I., and The Missing Ingredient in Freestyle Chess
GM Mauricio Flores Rios' first book, Chess Structures, is a modern classic which is seemingly recommended on a weekly basis on Perpetual Chess. After nine years of work, Mauricio has recently released its follow-up, Chess Imbalances: A GM Guide. Like Chess Structures, it is a highly instructive book with a beautiful selection of games and useful guidelines to aid one's chess decision-making. We di
EP 433- GM Kenneth Rogoff: From the World Juniors to the World Bank. Dr. Rogoff on His Remarkable Transition from Top Young Chess Talent to Renowned Economist.
Dr. Kenneth Rogoff has undoubtedly had one of the highest-profile and most interesting careers of any Grandmaster working outside of chess. He is an author and Harvard professor who was once singled-out by none other than Bobby Fischer, as a player who had shown remarkable chess improvement. As a young chess star, Dr. Rogoff actually dropped out of high school to move to Europe and pursue chess pr
EP 432- NM Dana Mackenzie: The 5 Steps to Becoming a Chess Master & Other Chess Stories and Advice
NM Dana Mackenzie is a former math professor turned science writer who has maintained a passion for chess throughout his life and career changes.He is a USCF Life Master and was the 2 time state champion of North Carolina. Dana had a long running and popular chess blog which has now been turned into a book Did You Come Here to Play Chess or Have Fun? The book features plenty of chess improvement
EP 431- GM Mihail Marin:The Award-Winning Author shares Chess Wisdom from Across the Generations
GM Mihail Marin is a prolific and popular author, trainer, and 3-time Romanian national champion. He has made numerous contributions to the chess canon but is probably best known for the book Learn from the Legends, published in 2005, which received high praise from GM Daniel Naroditsky, IM Jeremy Silman, and many others. In 2025, its much-anticipated sequel, Learn from the Legends 2: Chess Heroes
EP 430: GM Susan Polgar on Perseverance and Empowering the Next Generation
GM Susan Polgar is a World Chess Hall of Famer and former Women’s World Champion. She is also the holder of numerous records, including being the first female “triple crown winner” and the first woman to earn the Grandmaster title by norms and rating. She is also an author, and Chessable author. Her latest book, Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny and the Making of Grandmaster is a candid and fa
EP 429- Omar Mills: Chess and Life Lessons Learned from Not Improving as Much as He Expected
The Adult Improver series returns to Perpetual Chess to welcome Omar Mills (aka ChessvonDoom) to the podcast. Omar fell in love with chess during the pandemic and has learned some unexpected lessons through the thousands of games he has played in subsequent years. He learned that chess improvement and maintaining a disciplined study routine is much harder than he ever could have guessed, but that
EP 428- IM Danny Rensch of Chess.com: Combating Cheats and Charting Chess's Future
IM Danny Rensch is a former child prodigy turned Chief Chess Officer of Chess.com, the largest chess website in the world. Danny rejoined me 8 years after his first visit to the podcast (Episode 18) to discuss all that is new with Chess.com. Inevitably, this means a detailed discussion of online cheat detection, and whether Chess.com thinks that their increased deterrence methods are working. But
EP 427- Key Chess Improvement Principles with GM Noël Studer: The Fallacy of Accuracy Scores, Leaky Roofs & Information Overload
GM Noël Studer is a two time Swiss National Champion turned blogger, course creator and chess trainer. Noël is also a regular guest on the podcast, and as an avid reader of his blog, I always have plenty of questions for him. This particular interview tackles questions like the following:
What has training for a marathon taught Noël about chess?
Do Grandmasters like Noël make it sound easier tha
Book Recap #38- Discussing 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know with Kevin Scull
The Perpetual Chess Book Review series, Chess Books Recaptured is back, to discuss a new tactics primer that has been getting a lot of buzz, 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know by FM Frank Erwich. My guest co-host is Kevin Scull, the host of the Chess Journeys podcast, and a dedicated student of the game. Kevin wanted to discuss this book because he felt it filled a glaring void in the marketplace
EP 426- NM Oleksandr Prokhorov on Sustaining and Growing Ukrainian Chess During the War
Oleksandr Prokhorov is a Lviv, Ukraine-based chess organizer, trainer, FIDE arbiter and Twitch streamer. Ukraine has a rich chess history and has a vibrant grass roots scene in addition to famous natives such as Vasyl Ivanchuk, the Muzychuk sisters, and GM Ruslan Ponomariov. In recent years, I have marvelled at the persistent passion for chess in Ukraine as I follow Facebook groups like the Love
EP 425- IM Willy Hendriks: The Award-Winning Author on Nimzowitsch’s Ego, Tarrasch’s Tenets and What Their Rivalry Means for Modern Chess.
IM Willy Hendriks is an award-winning chess author, historian and chess trainer. He has just released his fourth book, The Philosopher and the Housewife:Tarrasch, Nimzowitsch and the Evolution of Chess. This book is the completion of a trilogy which casts a new light on chess history and looks at the evolution of chess ideas. Willy’s newest book focuses on the early 20th century, with a particular
EP 424- GM Wojciech Moranda: Visualization, Pattern Recognition and the 5 Elements of Calculation
GM Wojciech Moranda is a high-level trainer, author and 2600+ rated player who has worked with the Polish youth national team and IM Levy Rozman among many other students. I often recommend his books for ambitious advanced players, so I was excited to welcome him back to discuss his new Chessable Course, The Moranda Method: How to Calculate Like a Beast. In the course, and in our discussion, Wojc
EP 423- FM Nate Solon on The Right Way to Learn Openings, the Fundamental Flaw of Chess Puzzles and What He Is Working on and Planning for 2025.
FM Nate Solon is a data scientist, Chessable author, New in Chess Magazine columnist and the creator of the popular and insightful newsletter, Zwischenzug. Nate joined me shortly after we played in a tournament together to share his latest chess-improvement related thoughts and to reflect on recent lessons he has absorbed. We focused on a few themes in particular:
Why Nate thinks the challenge o
EP 422- WGM Dina Belenkaya on Her Recent Tournies, Her Continued Social Media Growth, and the Vision Behind her New Chess School
WGM Dina Belenkaya is a Russian-born and schooled chess champion who is now based in Charlotte, North Carolina. In recent years, Dina has built a massive Twitch, YouTube and Instagram following, while maintaining a busy competitive schedule. In this interview, we caught up with Dina's recent OTB results, including her impressions of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz in New York City. Dina discusses th
EP 421- GM Jan Gustafsson and FM Donny Ariel discussion: Can a mid-40s working dad make Grandmaster without doing any work?
This week’s podcast is a discussion among friends. FM Donny Ariel is an NYC based former scholastic champion who has attained 3 IM Norms. These days he is a working dad, who has recently decided to pursue not only the IM title, but the Grandmaster title as well. (Donny is chronicling this journey on his YouTube channel, The Road to Chess Grandmaster). GM Jan Gustafsson, as many of you know, is
EP 420- Nikolaos Ntirlis- Opening & Engine Advice from a Top Theoretician, Author, and Correspondence Player
Nikolaos Ntirlis is a Correspondence chess champion, and computer engineer who has become well known in the chess world for his vast opening expertise. Nikolaos is quite skilled at finding original opening ideas, and has grown popular through his books, and by highlighting new opening ideas on his Twitter/X account. The ideas Nikos suggests have often seen quick adoption by Grandmasters, and he ha
EP 419- Dr. Joel Sneed on Quitting, Unquitting & Tilting- Why Even an Accomplished Psychologist & Author Struggles to Manage his Relationship with Chess
Dr. Joel Sneed is a professor, a practicing clinical psychologist and a highly-regarded chess author. And despite a busy professional and family life, Joel has achieved the rare feat of reaching a 2000+ USCF after starting tournament chess in his 30s. But, like many of us, Joel struggles to moderate his relationship with chess. He has long held a goal of reaching USCF Master, and puts a lot of pr
EP 418- Michael Franco (Adult Improver Series) on How He Got Acclimated to OTB Play, and Climbed to Nearly 2000 USCF.
The Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series returns to welcome back a guest who has continued to make steady rating progress. When I last chatted with Michael Franco, in 2021 (Episode 247), he was 7 years into his chess journey. Michael had reached a LiChess rating of 2000, but he was struggling as he tried to translate his online skill into OTB skill. He found learning to play on a 3D set challengi
EP 417- GM Alex Lenderman: A Player’s Perspective on the Twists, Turns and Controversies of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz.
35-year old GM Alex Lenderman was a World Youth Champion and has won the World Open among many other chess accomplishments, but he had never previously had the chance to play in the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz. Since it took place in his hometown this year, Alex looked at the opportunity to compete in it as “a once in a lifetime opportunity.” But since Alex is no longer a professional player and has
EP 416- IM Malcolm Pein: The Award-winning Journalist and Organizer on the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz, and Why He Is Optimistic about Chess Despite Recent Stumbles
IM Malcolm Pein is an institution in British chess who has played nearly every role imaginable in helping to grow the game. He is a former professional player who was the British Junior Champion in 1977 , but these days is extremely busy as an organizer, journalist, author, store-owner, and Captain of the England Olympiad team. After an eventful FIDE World Rapid & Blitz, I thought Malcolm would
