Ep. 197: Chess Openings and the Law of Diminishing Returns
Many adult club players don't study too little opening theory - they study too much. In this episode, we explore the trap of diminishing returns in opening study, why understanding ideas matters far m...
9 Elo 43min
Ep. 196: Rook Slides, Queen Slides, & Other Chess Blind Spots
Many chess blunders aren't caused by poor calculation - they're caused by visual blind spots. In this episode, we explore why certain types of moves consistently escape our attention, how those blind ...
2 Elo 26min
Ep. 195: Why Your Chess Rating Swings So Much
Your chess rating can easily swing 100 points or more, but it doesn't necessarily mean you've become a better or worse player. In this episode, we react to a fascinating article on rating variance and...
26 Heinä 32min
Ep. 194: Are You a Chess Improver... or a Course Collector?
In engineering, a single point of failure is the one weak component capable of bringing down an entire system. Chess improvement often works the same way. In this episode, we explore why your rating m...
19 Heinä 42min
Ep. 193: The Yellow Zone: Where Adult Chess Improvement Actually Happens
If you're holding off until you're fully rested, completely focused, and free from distractions before playing or studying chess, you may be waiting a very long time. Most adult improvers live in the ...
12 Heinä 34min
Ep. 192: Zapp Chess: The One App That Hooked Me
I break my long-standing rule about not playing chess on my phone to talk about Zapp Chess, a listener-recommended app that surprised me. It blends fast, gamified play with real competitive chess deci...
5 Heinä 43min
Ep. 191 (Midseason Finale): Is YouTube Actually Better For Adult Chess Improvement Than Chessable? feat. Steve Rosenblatt
In this midseason finale episode, Neal talks with Long Island Chess Club regular Steve Rosenblatt for a wide-ranging conversation on adult chess improvement. The two debate whether YouTube videos or C...
24 Touko 52min
