Ep. 155: Why Many Adults Give Up on Chess, and How You Can Be the Exception
In this episode, we dive into the hidden challenges adult players face when returning to chess after a long break, and the powerful mindset shifts that separate those who thrive from those who quit. W...
1 Juni 202537min
Ep. 154: Wasted Prep? Why Your Opponent-Specific Prep Might Be Useless Below 2000
In this Listener Mailbag exclusive, we discuss whether prepping for specific opponents is worth it at the amateur level, and a bunch of other stuff too... 📧 If you have a question, comment, or topic...
25 Maj 202537min
Ep. 153: There is NO Advantage to Having the White Pieces at the Amateur Level
This week is all about chess opening philosophy. We discuss a number of ideas about opening prep and argue that having the White pieces does not provide any meaningful advantage at the club level sinc...
18 Maj 202539min
Ep. 152: Grinding Out Endgame Wins at the Club Level (Game Analysis #14)
This week we discuss endgame strategy for club players and some other stuff as well. Grinding out a win in an "even" endgame is a mixture of patience, stubbornness, and luck. A .pgn for the game we an...
11 Maj 202538min
Ep. 151: You Have 8 Years to Improve, Then It's Game Over: A Discussion & Debate About Adult Chess Improvement feat. NM Tim Mirabile
A number of years ago, GM Andy Soltis claimed that once a chess player becomes serious about the game, there is an 8-year window during which he achieves 90% of his maximum chess potential. Anything b...
4 Maj 202547min
Ep. 150: The Jobava London System: A Chess Opening for Busy Adults
The Jobava London (1. d4, 2. Nc3, 3. Bf4) is an opening system that is easy to learn, yet still has a lot of sting, especially against ...g6 set-ups by Black. It can easily throw off an opponent who's...
27 Apr 202540min
Ep. 149: Build Your Technique, Build Your Rating: The Game-Changer You Need
This episode is a review of the chess.com course "Build Your Technique" by FM Thomas Wolski. This is a highly recommended training module for adult players looking to improve. We also share some chess...
20 Apr 202538min
Ep. 148: Can An Adult Beginner Reach 1600?
This week we discuss ratings and improvement for busy adults. You may wish to check out the Reddit post referenced in this episode. 📧 If you have a question, comment, or topic idea for a future epis...
13 Apr 202538min
