EP.34 - Woman International Master Fiona Steil-Antoni

This week I am pleased to be joined by 4-time Latvian champion, GM Arturs Neiksans. In addition to his accomplished, (and ongoing)  competitive career, Arturs is a respected coach, commentator, Twitch streamer,  and Chessable Author. Arturs recently added a new line to his resume as he became the trainer of IM Levy Rozman! As Levy trains for the GM title, he has been posting instructive excerpts of his frequent lessons with Arturs. In our conversation, we hear Arturs’ perspective on the origins of their collaboration and what Levy needs to work on in order to potentially ascend to the next level. Arturs also reflects on his own bumpy journey to the GM title and shares plenty of general improvement advice and . Lastly, as chess cheating has (again) been in the news, Arturs provides his personal perspective on the unfortunate fall from grace of his fellow Latvian player, GM Igors Rausis (who later changed his name to Isa Kasimi, and is now deceased). It was a pleasure to talk chess with Arturs, and I look forward to learning more from him both on his own channels, and on that of Gotham Chess!   Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:02- How did GM Arturs Neiksans become Levy Rozman’s coach? What does Levy need to work on to become a GM? 17:00- Arturs quit chess at 18 and came back at 27. What drove him away and what brought him back?  23:00- How will Arturs balance responsibilities like playing on the Latvian national team with coaching Levy? 28:00- How challenging was it for Arturs to become a GM in his late 20s? 35:00- It was Arturs who saw GM Igors Rausis (who was caught cheating during an OTB tournament) attempting to compete under a new identity. What was the story behind that? 44:00- What was Arturs approach to chess study as a kid?  48:00- Does Arturs play a narrow or broad opening repertoire? 51:00- Thanks to Arturs for joining me!  Here is how to keep up with him: Chess.com https://www.chess.com/member/gmneiksans YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChrqQ5BlmmGkaVmraYQw-IQ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/gmneiksans Chessable courses: https://www.chessable.com/author/GMNeiksans/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11 Kesä 202455min

This week I got the chance to catch up with author, trainer and Chessable author, GM Eugene Perelshteyn. We begin by discussing a recent online cheating controversy. An anonymous account was banned from Chess.com after beating GM Daniel Naroditsky in an online bullet match using only the “Meadow Hay” Gambit. Is this gambit so bad that it makes cheating likely? This controversy served as a springboard to discuss both online cheating and dodgy gambits. Eugene has recently released a course “Every Gambit Refuted” so he also shared general advice on how to react when you face an unknown gambit. These days, gambits can be particularly dangerous, as creators like IM Eric Rosen and GothamChess teach their audiences tricky openings. Finally, Eugene and I discuss some issues from the world of professional chess, including a lack of affordable opportunities to compete for the non-elite, the FIDE Candidates (which Eugene attended) and “the great eval bar debate.” Eugene is always insightful and it was great to catch up with him!  ERROR CORRECTION- In the podcast, I said that the online match that led to the Viih_Sou account getting banned was a bullet match, but it was 3 0 time control. My apologies for the mistake- Ben Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:01- Eugene Perelshteyn joins me! We begin by discussing recent cheating controversies. This includes a recent controversy involving an account being banned after winning a bullet match against GM Daniel Naroditsky. GM Brandon Jacobson was playing the Meadow Hay Gambit. Is this gambit any good?  More info on Chess Reddit:  https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1claxsm/its_me_viih_sou/ https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1ctu6qc/question_what_happened_in_full_with_brandon/ Mentioned: Jospem on Chess.com, Episode 368 with Erik Allebest  18:00- How have creators like IM Eric Rosen changed the paradigm when it comes to gambits? Mentioned: Fight Like Magnus, Lifetime Repertoires: Hyper Accelerated Dragon  22:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Eugene’s advice for how to approach playing against gambits you don’t know?  Mentioned: Eugene’s Chess.com Lesson plan on Gambits is here: https://www.chess.com/lessons/every-gambit-refuted 32:00- What is different about how a player like Pragganandhaa uses surprise openings compared to club players? 37:00- Eugene shares his own perspective on attending the FIDE Candidates in Toronto.  42:00- Does Eugene think evaluation bars should be used during chess broadcasts? 48:00- Has Eugene been pleased with the reception of his collaboration with FM Nate Solon Evaluate like a Grandmaster?  51:00- What else is Eugene working on? Mentioned: Chess Openings for Black explained,GM Lev Alburt, GM Roman Dzindzichashvilli  55:00- What does Eugene think of recent discussion about a lack of financial opportunities for “middle-class” Grandmasters?  Mentioned: GM Jorden van Forreest tweet here: https://x.com/jordenvforeest/status/1790333612874666440  1:08:00- Thanks to Eugene for joining me!  Check out his Chessable courses here: https://www.chessable.com/author/EugenePerel/ Contact him via Twitter https://x.com/EugenePerel?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Or Chess.com https://www.chess.com/member/eugeneperelshteyn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 Kesä 20241h 14min

The Perpetual Chess Book Review series, Chess Books Recaptured is finally back! I am honored to be joined by renowned author and chess journalist Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam to discuss GM Jan Hein Donner’s The King: Chess Pieces. The book is widely considered a 20th century classic and has been recommended by the likes of GMs Peter Svidler and Jan Gustafsson. It is a compilation of chess columns from a 3-time Dutch national champion, who spanned the chess generations between Max Euwe and Jan Timman. Donner is a brilliant, prescient and provocative writer who chronicles his own career, and also opines as the careers of Fischer, Spassky, Tal and others unfold in his proximity. Reading The King is a fun way to retrace 20th-century chess history, and the life and career of Donner. But, in my opinion, the book is not without its flaws. Donner’s writing is sometimes offensive, particularly when he bombastically shares his views about women in chess. I was grateful to have Dirk Jan help me discern whether Donner was being sarcastic in some of his more scathing columns. After we finish discussing the book, I chat with Dirk Jan a bit about his current projects, and his work on New in Chess’ excellent new podcast. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:02- What is Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam’s personal history with The King and with its author, GM Jan Hein Donner?  Mentioned: Dutch novelist Harry Mulisch 0:09- How is the English edition of The King, connected to the history of New in Chess publishing? Mentioned: Allard Hoogland, Taylor Kingston’s review of the 1997 edition of The King: https://www.chesscafe.com/text/donner.txt 12:00- We discuss Donner’s personal life, including the one, short-lived, real job that he had at IBM.  Mentioned:  Hein Donner: The Biography by Alexander Munninghoff  18:00- Some of Donner’s most famous writing is very sexist- how was it viewed at the time?  Mentioned: GM Jan Gustafsson  23:00- Did Dirk Jan work directly with Richard de Weger, the book’s translator?  24:00- Likes and dislikes from the book, starting with his acquaintance with Donner’s beautiful reflections on Fischer and Spassky.  Mentioned: Richard James’ review of Hein Donner, The Biography: https://britishchessnews.com/2020/08/07/hein-donner-the-biography/ 42:00- What was Donner’s opinion of legendary Dutch World Champion, Dr. Max Euwe?  43:00- What did Donner mean by his famous quote “Chess is a game of chance?” We also discuss a few other memorable quotes.  48:00- Was Donner being sarcastic when he wrote at length that “women cannot play chess”?  54:00- Why is Donner’s rivalry and demeaning writing about Dutch champion Lodewijk Prins, such a famous part of Dutch chess history?  Mentioned: GM Ben FInegold’s video on Donner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXqpyLUt6mM 59:00- Closing thoughts on The King 1:03:00- Dirk’s thoughts on the Candidates and his other current big project Mentioned: The Real Paul Morphy by FM Charles Hertan, Games and Goals  1:08:00- How is Dirk Jan enjoying podcasting? Mentioned: New in Chess Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Mj990NfwvaOh4GCKWLMJ7?si=2ec5f58435f44686 Episode 207 with Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam  Thanks to Dirk Jan for sharing his knowledge and experiences with this book! Be sure to sub to the New in Chess Podcast!  https://open.spotify.com/show/2Mj990NfwvaOh4GCKWLMJ7?si=eb1eca7173d44ae2 If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:  https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

31 Touko 20241h 16min

This week IM Levy Rozman (Gotham Chess) makes his annual return to Perpetual Chess to discuss what is new with him. I was particularly excited to chat with Levy as he recently announced his renewed pursuit of the GM title. Levy has been sharing lesson snippets and discussing his tournament plans on his channel, but I wanted many more details. What did he learn from his first norm-chasing experience? What will he do differently this time? Does he think he will be able to stick with it? Although most of us will never make GM, Levy’s quest to make it to the next level is relatable for me and for many other chess players. Aside from his OTB comeback, we discussed the swift rating-rise of popular gamer, Tyler 1, and the successes and lessons learned from Levy’s book.   Levy shared a few stories from meeting celebrities in recent months. It's always fun catching up with Levy, and I am especially excited to follow his renewed pursuit of the GM title! Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:00- What will be different about levy’s second public quest for GM? Will his mental health be ok? What will he do differently?  Mentioned: Road to GM Episode 3 with GM Arturs Neiksans  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFILafuQgPg&t=1704s 11:00- What will Levy do to address the weaknesses that GM Neiksans highlighted?  Mentioned: IM Alex Ostrovskiy  15:00- Levy discusses his upcoming tournament in Spain.  17:30- Will Levy stream his tournament games? What tournaments is he planning to play?  26:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What can Levy’s fans do to support his renewed GM quest?”  29:00- Will Levy hire a sports psychologist?  31:00- Does Levy have a timeframe in mind for this GM pursuit?  34:00- Levy has been covering popular Twitch streamer and gamer Tyler1’s unusual chess progress. What interests him about this story?  Mentioned:  Tyler1 is a ChessGM! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gler9fDuhRY 41:00- What led Levy to work on his fitness?  43:00- Has Levy been pleased with the reception to his book? Mentioned: Rey Enigma, Blitzstream  49:00- What was the story behind meeting NBA superstar Luka Donkic?  53:00- What was it like to finally meet Magnus Carlsen IRL?  55:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Can Levy tease any upcoming collaborations?” Mentioned: More info in an article from Tarjei Svensen here: https://www.chess.com/news/view/4-million-buy-in-tournament-wadim-rosenstein-abdusattorov-caruana-nepomniachtchi-niemann 58:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How will Levy work on positional evaluation in his renewed GM quest?”  Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagard’s books  https://www.amazon.com/Books-Jacob-Aagaard/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AJacob+Aagaard 1:00:00- Thanks, as always to Levy for joining me!  In addition to the usual channels, you can get inside access to his GM quest via his Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/gothamchessofficial If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

28 Touko 20241h 6min

This week the Adult Improver Series returns with an extremely insightful guest. Dan Bock is a North Carolina-based software engineer and dad, who finally got serious about chess improvement in 2021. At this time, Dan began to compete frequently, utilize digital flashcards, and make a conscious effort to make friends in the chess world in order to help make his hobby more fulfilling. Dan’s results have been rare and inspiring, as he has seen USCF rating rise from the high 1500s to the high 1900s (USCF) in the last 3 years. As Dan explains, while he is very directed in his decisions of how to approach chess study, he does not put in outlandish an number of hours of study per day. He is very focused on what actually decides the outcomes of his own games, and has made constant progress by keeping that as his North Star. I find Dan’s story very inspiring and am excited to see his continued progress!  You can find the Adult Improver Spotify Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=29035838af4d4345 0:00- You can find more information about the National Open here: https://www.vegaschessfestival.com/national-open/ The live “My System” podcast with GM Alex Fishbein will be on Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 PM.  Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0:02- When did Dan decide to get serious about chess improvement? How did he know how to approach studying?  Mentioned: Chess Journeys Episode 93 with Dan: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Xg3JotQTg4NoThsn9pPhw?si=14bfea1e50df4df5 Mentioned: Dan’s post 11 Things I did to Take my USCF Rating from 1547 to 1976  https://chessimprovementlab.substack.com/p/11-things-i-did-to-take-my-uscf-rating 09:00- Why did he decide to emphasize OTB chess for improvement?  10:45- How does Dan use checklists to help his thinking processes? Mentioned: Dr. Nick Vasquez’s post discussing checklists: https://nickvasquezmd.substack.com/p/simpler-chess-ask-questions 16:00- Patreon mailbag question: How does Dan suggest spending one hour per day on chess? Mentioned: Anki flashcard app: https://apps.ankiweb.net/ 23:00- Aside from using digital flashcards, what else would Dan recommend?  Mentioned: Dan’s Post: “What Really Decides Games at the 1900 Level?”  https://chessimprovementlab.substack.com/p/what-really-decides-games-at-the 28:00- How did Dan cure his time-trouble addiction? 33:00- What is Dan’s approach to openings, and especially the Dubov Italian? Mentioned: Chessbook.com, CM Han Schut and GM Jan Gustaffson’s Chessable courses on the Dubov Italian  https://www.chessable.com/dubovs-explosive-italian/course/80152/ https://www.chessable.com/gustafssons-aggressive-1e4-part-1/course/207313/ 41:00- Does Dan still work without a coach?  42:00- Dan and Ben’s improvement takeaways from the FIDE Candidates 45:00- We discuss Dan’s approach to the Italian Opening Mentioned: TheOnoZone’s Blog: https://lichess.org/@/TheOnoZone/blog/learning-to-learn/Xg3xJ4qX Ono’s HowtoChess interview: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0fKVmwuQZkWV9orWqnnchF?si=090bccbf5a284f85 52:00- What does Dan look for when choosing a chess tournament?  Mentioned: My Two Favorite Chess Tournament https://chessimprovementlab.substack.com/p/my-two-favorite-chess-tournaments 56:00- How does Dan balance socialization with chess study at tournaments? Does Dan exercise during tournaments?  58:00- Closing thoughts! Mentioned: How to Reassess Your Chess  1:00:00-  Subscribe to Dan’s blog here: https://chessimprovementlab.substack.com/ Follow him on X here: https://x.com/boldmovebydan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21 Touko 20241h 6min

This week I am excited to be joined by the popular chess streamer, YouTuber, commentator, and champion player, WIM Anna-Maja Kazarian. Anna-Maja joined me from her home in the Netherlands after concluding a busy few months of competitive chess. Although she had her share of setbacks, these tournaments were largely successful, as Anna-Maja recently earned her first WGM Norm!  Our conversation gave Anna-Maja the chance to reflect on the recent lessons she has learned as well as her goals both as a chess player and content creator. As she told me, Anna graduated from university somewhat recently and feels that this gives her an opportunity to devote all of her energy to chess improvement. She reflected on what aspects of the game she needs to work on, and also shared recommendations and advice for listeners. Last, and possibly least, we reflected on “Shoegate” the bizarre scandal where Anna-Maja somewhat unexpectedly made global headlines for her choice of footwear during the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz tournament. I am excited to see Anna-Maja’s continued norm pursuit and really enjoyed chatting with her. Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below.  Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 02:00- What is the status of Anna-Maja’s quest to earn the WGM title?  Mentioned: Anna-Maja’s The Chess Experience Podcast Interview  Anna-Maja’s game recap of earning her norm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVm2KeXwzds 09:00- Is it challenging for Anna-Maja to focus on her tournament games when she is streaming them?  Mentioned: Episode 326 with Dina Belenkaya  18:00- What is Anna-Maja’s approach to openings?  20:00- Does Anna-Maja have a study plan? What books is she studying?  Mentioned: Zurich 1953, 100 Endgames You Must Know, Van Perlov’s Endgame Tactics, GM Jacob Aagaard’s Attacking Manual, The Steps Method  25:00- What are Anna-Maja’s upcoming tournaments?  Mentioned: Sharjah Masters  26:00-Anna discusses her professional plans after finishing university last year.  27:00- How is it received when Anna-Maja studies chess on stream?  Mentioned: StudyTime Twitch  https://www.twitch.tv/studytme 33:00- What are Anna-Maja’s reflections on “shoegate”?  Mentioned: NY Times- “Chess Federation Fines Player over her Sports Shoes”  40:00- What other tournaments does Anna-Maja have coming up?  44:00- Anna-Maja describes her work with the Chessqueens Foundation  49:00- What are Anna-Maja’s favorite open tournaments? Does she do a lot of socialzing during rounds?  52:00- Is Anna-Maja working with a coach?  55:00 Anna-Maja’s closing thoughts.  Mentioned: Alliance E-Sports  Thanks to Anna-Maja for joining me! Here is how to keep up with her: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/amkazarian/ Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/annamaja YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKOoBA2bTAVj_MaPHzMSdg X/Twitter- https://twitter.com/AMKazarian?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14 Touko 20241h 2min

Azel Chua is a 21-year-old Singapore-based self-taught Candidate Master who has built his own chess skills from the ground up. As Azel explains, he began working on his visualization skills as he sought a way to study chess during high school classes that did not especially interest him.. From there, Azel has developed a unique framework for calculating in chess that he calls “The Burger Technique,” as covered in his popular Chessable courses on Calculation.  In our interview, we discuss this technique, as well as hearing Azel’s thoughts and experiences with utilizing resources such as YouTube, and Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual. Azel also shares some helpful tips on ways to improve one’s chess intuition, and he delves into his background and the chess scene in Singapore. As always, timestamps of topics discussed can be found below.  Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 03:00- What did Azel learn from studying the classic book Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual during high school classes?  Mentioned: Calculation Masterclass with Chessgoals 7:00- What was Azel’s approach to chess improvement?  10:00- Why does Azel think that the common tactic-solving advice of looking for “checks, captures and threats” might be bad advice?  12:15- What is”the Burger technique?”  17:30- Where did he come up with the name for “the Burger technique?”  21:00- What was Azel’s mix of studying vs. competing as a tournament player?  22:00- How does Azel describe the chess culture of Singapore? 25:00- What were the biggest contributors to Azel’s improvement? 27:30- What can we do to improve our chess intuition? 32:00- What was Azel’s approach to openings? 36:00- Does Azel follow professional chess? Or read about chess history? 37:00- How does Azel find teaching material?  39:00- What is reciprocal thinking?  Mentioned: IM John Bartholomew‘s Video: The Power of Reciprocal Thinking  45:00- Thanks to Azel Chua for joining me! You can check out his Chessable courses here: https://www.chessable.com/author/AzelChua/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

7 Touko 202449min

We are back for one more 2024 FIDE Candidates reflection as we start to take stock of a historic tournament. Joining me (again) to discuss it is renowned trainer, opening theoretician, Chessable author, and 2022 Dutch National Champion, GM Erwin Lami. Erwin has frequently collaborated with GM Anish Giri, and he was on the World Championship preparation team for GM Veselin Toplov. Erwin shares his thoughts on GM Gukesh’s impressive ascendance, Fabiano and Nepo’s disappointment, and what this result does and does not mean for the trajectory of professional chess. We also discuss the performance of the other players, the Women’s Candidates, and Erwin’s plans for 2024. I always love to hear Erwin’s perspective, and discussing this tournament was not an exception. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.  Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com! Check out what they have to offer, and if you sign up for Chessable Pro (as you should), use this link to help support Perpeutal Chess: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 0;00- Upcoming events and info: Chess in the Schools Poker Fundraiser; https://secure.givelively.org/event/chess-in-the-schools-inc/chess-in-the-schools-poker-night-fundraiser National Open/Las Vegas Chess Festival Info: https://www.vegaschessfestival.com/national-open/ 4:30- GM Erwin L’Ami joins me! What does he think made this tournament was so compelling?  10:00- How surprised was Erwin by Gukesh’s performance? What should we expect from him from here?  18;30- Patreon mailbag quesiton: “How can Caruana recover from his devastaiting loss to Nepo? “  .27:00- What did Erwin think of Nepo's performance? 29:30- Where does Nakamura go from here? Will this be his last Candidates?  38:00- What went wrong for GM Alireza Firouzja?  43:00 What are Erwin’s thoughts on Pragganandhaa’s performance?  46:00- What were Erwin’s thoughts on the Women’s Candidates?  49:00- Where might the World Championship be held? Would it help or hurt Gukesh if it were in India?  53:00- Who does Erwin think would be the favorite in Gukesh vs. Ding? Mentioned: Gotham City Podcast with GM Gukesh  57:00 Does the format for the Candidates or Candidates qualification need to be changed?  Mentioned: IM Greg Shahade’s blog post  1:08:00- What are Erwin’s remaining 2024 plans?  Thanks as always to GM Erwin L’ami for providing his perspective!  If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

27 Huhti 20241h 17min