Ep. 88: Amateur Chess Legend Andy Ansel on his Massive 15,000+ Book Collection, Playing 3 World Champions, & Whether Club Players Should Use Classic or Modern Books for Improvement
Andy Ansel is a devoted chess enthusiast who is well known for his impressive book collection which features over 15,000 items. He also has an extensive tournament background with a peak rating of USC...
12 Nov 202352min
Ep. 87: David MacEnulty, Renowned Chess Coach Portrayed in the 2005 Film "Knights of the South Bronx," on Teaching, Learning, Improving, Tournament Skills, Cheating, & More
David MacEnulty is a legendary chess coach best known for his work with disadvantaged children at Community Elementary School #70 in the South Bronx in New York City. He took them from beginning playe...
5 Nov 202350min
Ep. 86: Chess Improvement Without Books feat. Xilin Chen (USCF 2144)
For this season's first interview episode, Neal spoke with Xilin Chen, a 24-year old student at Stonybrook University and a Long Island Chess Club regular. Xilin described his chess improvement activi...
29 Okt 202350min
Ep. 85: Trendy Chess Improvement Advice
There's a lot of chess advice out there, but is all of it sound? Will these suggestions really help you, especially if you're an emerging player looking to get to the intermediate level? While this e...
22 Okt 202335min
Ep. 84: Mastering the Middlegame, Part 2: Are There Flaws With Silman's Imbalances?
This week we continue our discussion of IM Jeremy Silman. Some are critical of his method, and while Neal considers Silman's system to be essential for improvement, he shares a few nitpicks of his own...
15 Okt 202337min
Ep. 83 (S6 Premiere): Mastering the Middlegame for Club Players: The Legacy of IM Jeremy Silman
Welcome to Season 6! Sadly, renowned chess educator IM Jeremy Silman passed away recently. Many consider his content to be essential for amateur improvement. He is probably best known for his system o...
8 Okt 202335min
Ep. 82 (S5 Finale): My Opponent is Smoking a Cigarette: Chess Clubs Then vs. Now feat. Brian Karen (Chess Coffee Talk #3)
This episode is our Season 5 Finale. Season 6 coming soon! Our guest this week is Brian Karen, a Candidate Master, chess educator, historian, and regular contributor to the podcast. We discussed the...
17 Sep 202345min
Ep. 81: The English Opening (1. c4) from Black's Perspective
In this episode, we unravel the English Opening from Black's point of view for club players and adult improvers. We tackle the unfamiliarity and anxiety that comes with confronting 1. c4 and share thr...
10 Sep 202327min
