Ep. 187: The 2200 Myth: Why Most Adult Chess Players Won't Make Master

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 Jul 34min

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 Jul 43min

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 Mai 52min

Most adult chess players are not held back primarily by calculation or opening knowledge. They are held back by ego: the need to look smart, play "real chess," attack beautifully, avoid embarrassment,...

17 Mai 45min

This week, we revisit The Amateur's Mind by IM Jeremy Silman, this time through the Chessable edition. We've long argued this is the most important book for adult improvers, not because it hands you l...

10 Mai 51min

Most adult players default to playing more games when they want to improve, but that instinct is often backwards. In this episode, we argue that structured study is the real driver of progress for clu...

3 Mai 56min

GM Daniel Gormally returns to the pod to unpack Netflix's Untold: Chess Mates, the documentary covering the Magnus Carlsen - Hans Niemann controversy. We separate the signal from the noise, offering a...

19 Apr 52min