Episodes

This week's pod is a dedicated Listener Mailbag episode. We challenge some of the pushback that's out there about IM Jeremy Silman's system of imbalances and discuss some other topics as well. Referenced: Ep. 83 (S6 Premiere)...

This week we dive into what separates winning amateur chess players from the rest - and what’s often just noise and distraction. We break down the skills, habits, and strategies that lead to consistent tournament success and ...

You guys asked for more tournament stories, so this week Neal goes into full TD mode to discuss recent antics and shenanigans from the Long Island Chess Club. You can't make this stuff up! This is followed by an extended List...

This week we discuss a chess improvement philosophy based on the book (Amazon) by Matthew Syed. We also cover some additional topics from our Listener Mailbag. Chapters: Intro & Listener Mailbag Playing Unrated Games & Bots Online Facing the...

This week, Neal discusses the infamous "hand hover" at OTB events and other topics related to chess improvement and tournament strategy. Chapters: Intro & Listener Mailbag Thoughts on Chess Coaching How to Handle Fatigue Taki...

is available on our . In this episode we discuss chess improvement and tournament strategies for players over 50 with some additional topics from our Listener Mailbag. Chapters: Intro and Listener Mailbag Winning Won Positions Spectator...

is available on our . First, Neal engages with listener feedback, discussing their chess improvement journeys and suggestions for future episodes. The conversation then transitions into an exploration of rook and pawn endings, emphasizing...

is available on our . This week we discuss the importance of calculation, the choice between rapid and blitz games, and ten common hidden mistakes that players of all levels make. These mistakes range from erroneous pawn grabs to...

is available on our . Welcome to Season 9! This episode is a response to the Reddit post Neal discusses various topics, including the importance of analyzing both wins and losses, the debate surrounding the London System, and the...

is available on our . This episode is a pre-season bonus pod. Season 9 of the podcast begins on Sunday, January 5, 2025. Moving forward, all episodes will have a full video version on our , so whether you prefer to watch or listen, we've got you...

This episode is our Season 8 Finale! Neal will be taking an extended end-of-year break and will return with Season 9 in January 2025. This week, we continue our discussion on chess teaching with a focus on materials, resource...

What are the qualities of a good chess coach? How can one become a chess teacher? How should lessons be organized and scheduled? This episode is Part One of Two about chess teaching from both the teacher and student point of ...

This week, we share our thoughts about online chess cheating. We believe it is rampant, while the online servers seem to downplay the amount of cheating taking place. We hypothesize that cheaters are using specific methods in...

This week, Neal discusses attacking play for the amateur player. Arguably, club players should approach attacks differently than titled players. This episode is divided into three segments: Listener Mailbag (elderly advice, w...

Beating or drawing higher-rated opponents stems from winning the psychological game, since attempting to outplay them based solely on chess skill usually fails. We also discuss the following: Stop doing THIS and your rating w...

James Nidds is a 58-year-old amateur player and LI Chess Club regular rated 1808 (US Chess) at the time of this recording. He offers a great deal of advice and perspective on chess improvement as an adult. Talking points incl...

🎯 Please SUBSCRIBE to our ! After much planning and preparation, you're excited to play in a 6-round weekend event, but find yourself 0-3 heading into round 4 and feeling frustrated and dejected. Should you finish out the tournament or...

🎯 Please SUBSCRIBE to our ! What are the qualifications to be a "good" chess player? This week's episode is a reaction to the Reddit post We cover the following and more: Should you tell your opponent he forgot to press his clock? How to play...

This week's offering is a dedicated Listener Mailbag episode. We cover the following and more: Using "inflection points" to improve Does using a chess engine "turn off your brain?" Should you study with an amateur chess coach...

This week's episode is a response to the Reddit post At the time of this recording, there were over 150 responses. The following concepts, among others, were frequently cited as being difficult to understand: Pawn play En passant Rook and pawn...

Most players agree that slower time controls are beneficial for chess growth, but what about blitz chess? Can online blitz chess help you improve? Are certain blitz time controls better than others? Should you always play wit...

Your opponent has a better position or plays a move that catches you by surprise. Rather than keep your composure while patiently analyzing, you become frustrated, despondent, and convince yourself your position and/or your o...

For club-level chess players and adult improvers, an argument can be made that amateur games are significantly more instructive than Grandmaster games. Amateur games feature themes, ideas, mistakes, and erroneous thought proc...

Developing tournament players are often told the following: study tons of Master games, drill tactics, review mate-in-one puzzles, and do not spend more than 10% of your study time on openings. Is this advice accurate, somewh...