Episodi

  • EP 505- GM Melik Khachiyan on Building a Winning Team and Developing Chess Talent

    EP 505- GM Melik Khachiyan on Building a Winning Team and Developing Chess Talent
    Oct 27 2026
    GM Melik Khachiyan is a California-based, award-winning chess trainer and the 2023 U.S. Senior Champion. Melik is also the captain of the U.S. Women's Olympiad team, so it was the perfect time to catch up with him following the team's fourth-place finish at the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan. We discussed: Melik's reflections on the Olympiad, including the difficult decisions and psychological challenges of captaining a national team. Why he is optimistic about the future of U.S. women's chess. Stories from OTB encounters with GMs Nakamura, Kamsky and Mickey Adams Plus, for video viewers, Melik gives a quick tour of hsi new chess academy in Glendale, California. And, of course, Melik shares chess improvement advice for players of different ages and levels. 🎙️ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and sponsor: Claude AI Check them out at Claude.ai/chess 01:53 GM Melik Khachiyan joins the show 02:38 Reflections on the U.S. Women's Olympiad performance 05:32 Helping players bounce back from tough losses 08:32 Why the U.S. women are now serious medal contenders 11:39 Patreon mailbag question: How does Melik decide who plays and who sits? 17:48 Catching up with chess legends at the Olympiad 19:08 Illness at the Olympiad and the challenges of tournament scheduling 23:49 Alice Lee and Carissa Yip's GM ambitions 25:04 Playing in the Olympiad vs. captaining a team 29:16 Melik's new chess academy in Glendale 35:42 Fitness, competitive chess, and hopes of returning to the U.S. Senior Championship 39:50 Memories of playing Hikaru Nakamura, Michael Adams, and Gata Kamsky Check out Melik’s games vs. Nakamura, Adams and Kamsky here: https://lichess.org/study/DbVY7xXk/ZbZ9GiTw 45:28 Learning from the world's best players 48:05 Chess improvement advice for kids and adults 50:00- Thanks to Melik for joining me again! You can reach him via his website: https://www.gmmelik.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    57 min
  • Ep 504- John Hartmann on the U.S. Championships, Chess Books, and the Future of Chess Technology

    Ep 504- John Hartmann on the U.S. Championships, Chess Books, and the Future of Chess Technology
    Oct 20 2026
    John Hartmann is the award-winning editor of Chess Life magazine, a longtime book reviewer, and an expert on ChessBase, engines, and chess technology. He joined me shortly after a visit to St. Louis to discuss the ongoing U.S. Chess Championships, the renovations to the St. Louis Chess Club, the latest in chess technology, and his new AI-assisted chess newsletter, First Look Chess. We touched on: John's observations from the U.S. Chess Championships, including the tournament races, the atmosphere in the playing hall, and the impressive renovations to the St. Louis Chess Club. The latest on Stockfish, the enduring value of ChessBase, and the many new chess apps, including ChessEver, ChessMonitor, and ChessCEO. The vision behind John's daily chess newsletter, First Look Chess, and how AI has made such a project possible. As we always do when John visits the pod, we also discussed noteworthy chess books, including GM Alex Fishbein's Fighting Father Time, and the challenges of finding time to work on our own chess games. Thanks to our sponsors, Claude.ai. Check them out at Claude.ai/chess 0:00 Intro and welcome back to John Hartmann 1:30 John's visit to the U.S. Chess Championships Read John’s article here: https://new.uschess.org/news/club-notes-st-louis 4:30 The new prize encouraging fighting chess 6:00 Inside the renovated St. Louis Chess Club 12:00 What it's like to watch the world's best players up close 16:30 The Women's Championship, Alice Lee and Rachael Li 19:30 The explosion of new chess apps 25:00 Is ChessBase still essential? 28:30 What's new with Stockfish? 32:00 John's new project, First Look Chess 37:30 How US Chess does and does not use AI in its chess coverage 43:30 Covering chess news beyond the biggest headlines 47:30 Finding time for tournament chess as a busy adult 50:00 Chess books, Fighting Father Time, and new training tools 54:30 Why John loves older chess books 58:00 Boris Gelfand, chess literature, and how young players learn 1:00:00- Thanks as always to John for sharing his expertise, you can check out and sub to First Look Chess here: https://firstlookchess.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 ora e 6 min
  • EP 503- GM Nikita Vitiugov on Chess Legends, Career Crossroads, and Team Nepo

    EP 503- GM Nikita Vitiugov on Chess Legends, Career Crossroads, and Team Nepo
    Oct 14 2026
    GM Nikita Vitiugov is a former Russian champion who reached a peak ranking of #15 in the world. He has represented both his native Russia and England at the Chess Olympiad and worked on the World Championship team of his boyhood rival, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. In his excellent new book, Chess Metamorphosis, he candidly reflects on his varied chess experiences. In our conversation, we discuss: What he learned from working with players like Nepomniachtchi and Peter Svidler, and what he observed from seeing them up close. How two unforgettable training camps with GM Viktor Korchnoi altered the trajectory of his career. Why he has accepted that his best competitive years are behind him, and what that means for his future. How professional chess has changed, and why he might not pursue a chess career if he were starting out today. We also discuss the candid, behind-the-scenes photos featured in Nikita's book, his passion for cooking and football, and much more. I loved reading Nikita's book, and it was an honor to hear more about it. 0:00 Intro Thanks to our sponsor Claude AI. Check it out at Claude.ai/chess 2:00 GM Nikita Vitiugov joins the show 3:00 Why Nikita wrote Chess Metamorphosis 6:30 Why Nikita suspects that his best competitive years are behind him 10:00 How professional chess has changed 14:00 Growing up alongside Ian Nepomniachtchi 18:30 Training with the legendary Viktor Korchnoi 23:30 Working with GM Peter Svidler Mentioned: Svidler on being a practical player- https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gi9KryNqkNEPZzN3obeU6?si=a7e7505918ed441e 27:00 What makes Nepomniachtchi and Svidler so talented? 29:00 Behind the scenes of Team Nepo, including a funny story about a thermos 35:30 Working with GM Peter Leko 38:30 Moving to England and adjusting to a new life 41:00 Nikita's passions for cooking and football 45:30 His transition to coaching and advice for aspiring professionals Thanks to GM VItiugov for joining me! You can order his book and find a free preview via the links below: https://www.newinchess.com/chess-metamorphosis https://forwardchess.com/product/chess-metamorphosis?section=Products Photo in thumbnail by Etery Kublashvili Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 ora e 6 min
  • EP 502: GM Mauricio Flores Rios on Finding Lessons in Olympiad Games

    EP 502: GM Mauricio Flores Rios on Finding Lessons in Olympiad Games
    Oct 6 2026
    As a three-time Chess Olympian representing Chile, GM Mauricio Flores Rios, renowned author of Chess Structures, has fond memories of this timeless, biennial tournament. But these days, he is more interested in the instructive quality of the games than in the races for medals. In our conversation, Mauricio discusses some of the most instructive Olympiad games that he reviewed on his YouTube channel before we pivot to a broader conversation about the Olympiad, chess improvement, the challenges of interviewing chess prodigies, and the evolution of his chess startup, ChessMind AI. Before we say goodbye, Mauricio shares some improvement advice based on his interactions with countless amateur chess players. It’s always fun chatting with Mauricio! 0:00 IntroThanks to our sponsors, Claude.ai/chessCheck out Claude-coded Chris Wainscott’s chess site: guessthemove.net3:30 Mauricio joins and reflects on playing in three Chess OlympiadsCheck out Mauricio’s confusing Olimpbase page here:https://www.olimpbase.org/players/l9dxlxdl.html9:00 How Mauricio finds the most instructive Olympiad games12:30 Favorite games and lessons from the eventCheck out Mauricio’s bullet win over GM Vincent Keymer here:https://lichess.org/sVl59MdM?pov=ChessMindAIThe most interesting game:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3SxghzYRB0&list=PLfOXGLq2wea8&index=13Mauricio’s annotations of Abdusattorov-Caruana:https://chessmind.ai/events/chess-olympiad-2026/game-of-the-day/round-9/Mauricio’s Erdogmus-Oro annotations:https://chessmind.ai/events/chess-olympiad-2026/game-of-the-day/round-10/16:00 What stands out about today’s chess prodigies?18:00 What Mauricio has learned from interviewing top young players22:30 Patreon mailbag question: How does Mauricio differentiate his YouTube channelin a crowded field? 25:30 The evolution of ChessMind AI and what users want most32:30 The challenges of building a chess startup in the AI era47:30 Mauricio’s chess improvement advice and YouTube plans Thanks to Mauricio for joining me! Here is how to keep up with him: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCafpDJknMf7fr1Wlw6jAEMQChessMind AI: https://chessmind.ai Email: mauricio.a.flores.math at gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    54 min
  • EP 501: Leah Brown: How an Adult Improver Went From Beginner to 1600+ in Under 2 Years

    EP 501: Leah Brown: How an Adult Improver Went From Beginner to 1600+ in Under 2 Years
    Sep 29 2026
    The Adult Improver series returns to spotlight another guest who has benefited from chess and improved significantly at the game. Chess was recommended to Leah Brown as a healthier outlet for a mind that, in Leah’s words, tends to “torture itself.” Leah began playing tournaments less than two years ago and already has a peak rating of over 1600 USCF. In our conversation, Leah shares the training approach that has helped propel these gains, including: A lot of OTB chess with comprehensive review A heavy reliance on books, particularly those by IM Jeremy Silman A painful adjustment to 1. e4 openings that will hopefully provide long-term benefits Leah also highlights the importance of finding a friendly chess community in Massachusetts and shares the story of beating a GM in a simul. Tune in to hear the rest of this inspiring story. 0:00- Intro Links Mentioned: Perpetual Chess Patreon Spotify Adult Improver Playlist Website Form to be considered as an adult improver guest 1:45 Meet Leah Brown 2:39 How chess became a healthy outlet Mentioned: BIllerica Chess Club https://billericachess.42web.io/?i=3 FM Sandro Safar https://lichess.org/coach/Sandro970 The Real Paul Morphy by FM Charles Hertan 5:08 Finding a welcoming OTB chess community 7:11 Getting serious about improvement 10:28 Jeremy Silman and learning through chess books 15:28 What fueled Leah’s rapid rating gains? 20:42 Lessons learned the hard way and switching to 1. e4 31:38 Rating goals and the ambition to earn a title 35:34 Advice for adult improvers 37:09 The role chess plays in Leah’s life 40:31 Beating a GM in a six-hour simul game Mentioned: GM Nadia Kosintseva 45:25 Closing Advice for Navigating the Chess Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    50 min
  • EP 500: Jan Henric Buettner on FIDE, Freestyle Chess and the Game’s Untapped Potential

    EP 500: Jan Henric Buettner on FIDE, Freestyle Chess and the Game’s Untapped Potential
    Sep 18 2026
    Jan Henric Buettner is a German entrepreneur, co-founder of Freestyle Chess alongside Magnus Carlsen, and a candidate for FIDE President. In his business career he has worked in technology, venture capital and hospitality. In our interview, we discuss: The logistical problems some participants encountered at the Olympiad and Jan’s own experience in Samarkand Why Jan believes chess still has vast untapped potential Whether Freestyle Chess can appeal to a wide audience Whether an outsider can defeat FIDE’s establishment candidate What Jan considers chess’s most undervalued commercial asset We also touch on lessons Jan has learned from his varied business career, the potential threats posed by AI, and why he believes chess is a great game to introduce to the next generation. 🕒 Timestamps 0:00 Intro and Episode 500 housekeeping This podcast is brought to you in part by Claude AI. You can try it out via the link below: claude.ai/chess3:53 Jan Henric Buettner joins the show4:40 Early logistical problems at the Chess Olympiad9:00 Jan’s business background and what drew him to chess13:40 Building Freestyle Chess and attracting sponsors16:34 Is Freestyle Chess accessible to traditional chess fans?20:25 Jan’s own chess experience22:01 FIDE elections, corruption allegations, and Jan’s chances24:06 Jan’s platform and plans for making FIDE financially independent28:55 Women in chess, cheating, and rating reform34:00 Chess.com’s dominance and the possibility of new competitors35:30 Turning chess players into chess spectators38:00 Why Jan believes the FIDE brand is undervalued39:47 Wadim Rosenstein, Timur Turlov, and the possibility of a split vote40:41 What Jan would do if he loses the election42:09 Could FIDE postpone the election?43:53 Jan’s concerns about AI, venture capital, and the future49:42 Why chess offers an antidote to technology overload Thanks to Jan for joining me! You can learn more about his campaign here: https://janhenricbuettner.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    56 min
  • EP 499- IM Thomas Willemze on Game Review, Openings & Training with Focus

    EP 499- IM Thomas Willemze on Game Review, Openings & Training with Focus
    Sep 15 2026
    IM Thomas Willemze is a popular author, Chessable creator, and trainer who has worked with the Dutch National Youth Team, among countless other students. A data analyst by day, Thomas brings an analytical approach to thinking about the core components of chess improvement. In our conversation, we draw on Thomas's experiences as both a player and coach to tease out practical lessons for improving players. We discuss everything from game review and opening preparation to how to improve your focus while studying and playing. Thomas also shares some book recommendations, reflects on learning chess from the creators of the Steps Method while they were still developing it, and recounts what happened when, at age 40, he gave himself a year to seriously pursue his GM ambitions. Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below. Free perpetual Chess Discord: https://discord.gg/UpRTQfjQB Free Newsletter: https://benjohnson.substack.com/ 00:00 Introduction to the Interview with Thomas Willems Thanks to our sponsors, Claude AI, check them out at: Claude.AI/chess 02:01 Introduction to IM Thomas Willemze 04:07 The Intersection of Data Science and Chess 07:09 Thomas’ Training and Coaching Philosophy 09:55 The Chess Steps Method and Early Chess Education mentioned : Rob Brunia and IM Cor van Wijgerden 15:36 Addressing Weaknesses and Improving Skills Mentioned: Fundamental Chess Endings, Dvoretsky’s books, GM Yury Averbakh’s books 18:08 Common Pitfalls for Adult Players 20:51 Patreon mailbag question: How can we improve our focus when playing games and studying? 23:55 Defensive Awareness and Identifying Threats 27:00 Patreon mailbag question: Does Thomas see parallels between chess and football/soccer strategy? 28:48 The Balance of Attack and Defense in Chess 30:28 Effective Study Strategies for Ambitious Players 32:07 Reviewing Games: Learning from Mistakes 33:34 The Competitive Landscape of Modern Chess 38:26 Preparing for Upcoming Tournaments 40:05 Choosing an Opening Repertoire 42:01 Current Projects and Future Endeavors 44:08 Chess Content Recommendations and Personal Interests Mentioned: 100 Endgames You Must Know 50:00- Thanks to IM Willemze for joining me. You can reach him via his Chessable author’s page: https://www.chessable.com/author/Willemze/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    52 min
  • EP 498- IM David Vigorito on How to Improve as an Adult & Build a Better Opening Repertoire

    EP 498- IM David Vigorito on How to Improve as an Adult & Build a Better Opening Repertoire
    Sep 8 2026
    IM David Vigorito is a three-time state champion, renowned opening theoretician and trainer, and the author of many highly regarded books and Chessable courses. His latest course, 1. e4: The Gold Standard, offers an ambitious, principled repertoire against all of Black’s major responses. In our conversation, we discuss: How David’s process for researching openings has changed as engines have grown increasingly powerful. What adult improvers can learn from David’s own unusual chess journey and the huge rating gains he made in his late teens, 20s, and 30s. Why players should sometimes deliberately play openings and positions that make them uncomfortable. The challenges of finding opportunities to compete while balancing chess with work and family obligations. David also shares a funny story about the unexpected chain of events that followed our first interview in 2019, explains some of the ambitious choices in his new 1. e4 repertoire, and shares his strong opinions on Chess960 and some recent trends in professional chess. It’s always fun to catch up with David, and there is lots of practical chess advice in this one. 0:00 Intro Thanks to our sponsor Claude.ai Check them out at Claude.ai/chess 2:30 David’s new 1. e4 course and how engine-era opening research has changed 6:55 Why David recommends ambitious, principled opening lines 15:15 How much opening theory do amateur players actually need? 20:40 Adult improvement: what helped David make huge rating gains 26:00 The New England chess scene and David’s tournament schedule 31:55 A funny story stemming from David’s first Perpetual Chess interview 38:20 Improving by working on your weaknesses 44:00 Following professional chess and David’s dislike of alternative scoring formats 45:40 Why David has no interest in Chess960 Vigorito-Aagaard 2025 https://www.chesshere.com/master-games/1822045?fen=r1bqk2r%2Fpppp1ppp%2F2n2n2%2F1B2p3%2F1b2P3%2F2N2N2%2FPPPP1PPP%2FR1BQK2R+w+KQkq+-+6+5 50:30 What’s next for David https://www.chessable.com/author/dvigorito/ 52:00- Thanks to David for joining me! Be sure to check out his courses on Chessable: https://www.chessable.com/author/dvigorito/ If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    56 min