A podcast dedicated to the journey of adult chess improvement. Each week a guest will join me to discuss what has worked for them, what hasn't worked as well, and the status of their journey.
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Ep. 15 Pascoe (1800 USCF)
This week on Chess Journeys, I’m joined by Pascoe. After solving chess as a child, Pascoe returned to chess as an adult improver. This week Pascoe shared his story of improvement over an 8 year span. We discussed his different rating gains which he attributes to a fleshed out opening repertoire and endgame study. We also discussed his love hate relationship with some of Jeremy Silman’s most lauded books. Pascoe recommends Reassess Your Chess, Silman’s Complete Endgame Course, 100 Endgames you must know, and Move First, Think Later.
Ep. 14 Max (2000 USCF)
This week on Chess Journeys, I had the pleasure of talking to someone in the middle of a ratings gain. Max Farberov recently went 5-0 in a tournament, sending his rating over 2000 USCF. Max provided a tournament report for his inspiring success. We discussed Max’s approach to improvement which focuses mainly on analyzing his own games. We also talked about Max’s thoughts on videos, books, and other tools such as Chessable, and Chessbase. If you are looking to support the show financially, please visit https://www.patreon.com/ChessJourneys
Ep. 13 IM Andras Toth
This week on Chess Journeys, I chat with the legendario himself, IM Andras Toth. Coach Andras and I discussed a wide range of topics such as his decision to teach primarily adults, his relationship with chess improvers and the chesspunks community, his favorite video series, and many other improvement tips. In other news the show now has a patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/ChessJourneys Please do not feel obligated to donate!
Ep. 12 Ono (1100)
This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Ono. We discussed the challenges of fitting chess into a full and busy adult life. Ono talked about creating long term goals based on learning rather than rating. He provided books and videos that have helped him. Ono also discussed his process of mostly improving by playing rapid games and examining them without an engine. Something that I aspire to but struggle to do.
Ep. 11 Nate Solon (FM - FIDE Master)
This week on Chess Journeys, I had the pleasure of talking to Nate Solon. Nate is a data scientist and a high level chess player (FIDE Master). We talked about Nate’s approach to chess improvement and how it has changed from his childhood years to improving as an adult. We covered a wide range of topics such as how data can affect improvement and whether structure has the positive effect that we think it has. Be sure to check out Nate’s newsletter at: https://zwischenzug.substack.com/.
Ep. 10 Omar (1000)
This week on Chess Journeys, I talked with Omar’s about his experiences as a player recently picking up chess. We chatted about his initial dreams of becoming a GM and drawing Magnus to the reality check of his first tournament. Omar shared his over the board experiences, giving newer players great insights into the highs and lows of these experiences. We also discussed his improvement plans. Be sure to check out Omar at https://www.instagram.com/chess_chronicles/channel/. Lately, I’ve been streaming Alekhine’s Best games at https://www.twitch.tv/tinygrimes.
Ep. 9 Fionn (2050 Lichess Rapid)
This week on Chess Journeys, Fionn and I talked about different types of chess learners. Despite having a PhD, Fionn is very much a video oriented learner. We also discussed social vs. lone learners, book vs. video, and active vs. passive learning. We compared some of our favorite video content creators that bring out our active learning side.
Ep. 8 Sophie (2200 NM)
This week on Chess Journeys, Sophie and I discussed her transition from teenage scholastic player to adult improver and the new balance that needs to be struck. We discussed the transition from playing against kids to playing against adults. But primarily we focused on the psychological aspects of chess. We explored topics such as the perils of having our identity tied to success and improvement. Sophie also reflected on her unique method of breaking out of ratings plateaus by caring less and playing a lot of blitz.
Ep. 7 David (1900)
This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with David. He’s in his twenties and has been playing for several years. We focused primarily on his method for working out of rating plateaus. He successfully navigated a year-long pause at 1500 and is currently stuck at 1900. We also discussed interesting topics such as the plague that is online cheating, how we process it, and randomness in chess.
Ep. 6 Kirk (1800 Rapid)
This week on Chess Journeys I bring in Kirk. Kirk and I talked about his systematic approach to juggling work, family, and chess improvement. We also discussed the issue of working through rating slumps and stagnation. Kirk suggested that not focusing on improvement was the answer for him. Kirk also suggested blending a variety of types of content to help improvement.
Ep. 5 Jessi Shakarian (650 Chess.com)
This week I’m joined by Jessi Shakarian. She’s new to chess, first learning the moves this year! Jessi shares with us the experience of a new chess player and the impact that chess has had on the rest of her life. We discuss a wide variety of topics such as the value of ratings and coaches. Be sure to check out Jessi’s blog at https://jshakarian.medium.com/
Ep. 4 Rainer Franke (1478 Lichess, 361 USCF)
This week I’m joined by Rainer Franke, a fellow adult improver. Rainer has a wide range of ratings from 1478 on LIchess to 361 over the board USCF. We talk about his progress and process including setting schedules, the mental side of chess, and Rainer’s favorite resources.
Ep. 3 Dr. Patzer (1500 FIDE)
This week Dr. Patzer and I discussed his chess journey. We talked about his mindmap and understanding one's priorities and making goals based on them. We discussed the pain of not making progress on your rating even though every other metric points to improvement. I think Dr. Patzer's journey will resonate with many adult improvers, and he provided endless great suggestions. https://patzersreview.blogspot.com/ - Check out Dr. Patzer's Book Reviews Dr. Patzer's Mind Map
Ep. 2 - Ben Johnson (Perpetual Chess - 2100 USCF)
This week I am lucky to have a most distinguished guest, Ben Johnson. Ben hosts two amazing chess improvement podcasts, Perpetual Chess and How to Chess. We talk about his chess journey and his new found commitment to improve at chess. We discuss strategies, hurdles, and a whole lot more.
Episode 1 - Jim (1400 Lichess Rapid)
For the first episode, I talk with Jim, an adult improver who has been working hard on his chess during the pandemic. He has clear goals and regularly updates the "state of his game." He is thoughtful and introspective about the process that he has been using for adult chess improvement. If you want to be a guest on the show, reach out to drscull on Chess.com or tinygrimes on lichess.