Episodes

Get ready to sharpen your chess skills with National Master Jerald Times, a revered chess educator and CEO of Chess Across Borders. We'll traverse across the chessboard of Jerald's experiences, from his nostalgic moments playing chess on a Navy ship to his enlightening journey of teaching and transitioning to a more dynamic playing style. Ever wondered about the psychological transformation of chess players? Our conversation reveals the intriguing shift from reactionary to responsive play, empha...

Are you ever too old to get better at chess? Join me as I sit down with National Master, top podcaster, successful entrepreneur, and best-selling author James Altucher, who is on a thrilling journey to regain a rating of 2200. Despite being in his 50s, James is determined to prove that age is just a number when it comes to mental capacity and improvement. From discussing strategies of the game to understanding the importance of physical and mental health, our conversation is full of insights tha...

This week's episode is our Season 4 Finale. SEASON 5 COMING SOON! This is an updated version of the very first episode of this podcast, "Chess Openings and the Club Player." We cover: The main goal of the opening System and thematic openings Is there an advantage to having the white pieces? Should you play complicated, theoretical openings? The importance of a consistent opening repertoire Neal's personal opening choices Referenced (Amazon links): The London System in 12 Practical Lessons Win Wi...

We cover: Touch move Trapped pieces Does playing through Master games really help? Is a knight on the rim always dim? Should you move the same piece twice? Speculative vs. combinational sacrifices "Shuffling" moves Initiative vs. development Referenced: Winning Chess Tactics (Amazon) Introduction to Tactics (chess.com) Step Up In Tactics (chess.com) Game Analyzed: 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 Bf5 4. c4 c6 5. Qb3 Qb6 6. c5 Qxb3 7. axb3 Nbd7 8. Nc3 e6 9. h3 Be7 10. b4 O-O 11. Be2 b5 12. Nf3 a6 13. O-...

National Master Nick Panico returns to the podcast for our first "coffee talk" episode. These episodes will feature a guest and include the full conversation, including the pre/post interview segments that are typically off-air. Essentially, we'll press "record," let it run, and publish the whole thing. We covered a variety of topics for amateur players of all levels. If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com . Our links: Website Twitter YouT...

Neal plays a round of Puzzle Rush during the episode! For most of us, "life happens," and lengthy chess study sessions are not possible on a consistent basis. Neal recently created a simple, condensed study routine that can be used intermittently when life gets busy. This allows your chess abilities to stay sharp during those times. The basic idea is a daily study plan of about 15-30 minutes (as your schedule allows) consisting of one 5-minute Puzzle Rush, followed by one other short segment of ...

For this interview episode, Neal spoke with National Master Anthony Levin, a NY based chess player and the News Manager for chess.com. Anthony shared his insights on adult improvement and his own personal journey. Talking points include the following: Puzzle Rush vs. speed chess The mythical "phase out" of classical chess Anthony's role as News Manager for chess.com Chess improvement tips Endgame realities for amateur players Referenced: Shereshevsky's Endgame Strategy Smyslov's Endgame Virtuoso...

Live, over-the-board (OTB) tournament play is the ultimate in chess competition. It's fun, exciting, and aesthetically pleasing. However, rated chess events are not always unicorns and rainbows. There's a harsh reality to tournament play that is often omitted from the discourse on chess. Neal discusses some hard truths about tournaments, shares some of his own personal journey as a player and TD, and provides some tips and tricks along the way. Some of this episode's talking points include the f...

This episode offers some direct and pragmatic ideas for club players when facing a higher-rated opponent. Talking points include the following: Why chess generally hates the underdog Why there's often more pressure on the higher-rated player Upsets happen quite often at the amateur level Is creating complications the ONLY way to beat these players? (hint: no) An effective mindset approach that you probably haven't tried before Strategic draw offers to place pressure on your opponent Referenced: ...

This week's episode is a thematic analysis of an amateur game featuring the Steiner Variation of the French Defense (1.e4 e6 2. c4!?). Some other common French sidelines are discussed as well. Additional talking points include the following: Queenside castling The Hedgehog formation Does it make sense to to "prep for an opponent" at the club level? Blind spots when analyzing Game Referenced: 1. e4 e6 2. c4!? b6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 Bxc3 5. dxc3 h6 6. Qd4 Qf6 7. e5 Qe7 8. Bf4 Bb7 9. Be2 Nc6 10. Qd3 ...

This episode covers so-called "club-level" time controls, such as G/90 and G/60. These usually include a time delay ranging from 5 - 30 seconds per move. Neal also shares his thoughts on speed chess as it relates to amateur players and improvement. In addition, some helpful resources that may be underutilized by many are discussed. Additional talking points include the following: The (imaginary) decline of slow time controls DAUT: Don't Analyze Unnecessary Tactics* Your puzzle rating or online r...

This week's episode discusses study plans, training programs, and improvement as it relates to the amateur and club player. If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com . Our links: Website Twitter YouTube Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com The Chess Angle is sponsored by Chessable . Check out a list of our favorite courses!

This episode is a review of (Amazon) by IM Jeremy Silman. This is an excellent all-in-one reference book for improvers and club players, covering all phases of the game as well as practical matters (blunders, time pressure, chess psychology,...

This episode explores the psychology of facing a lower-rated opponent who is playing really well. This is often highly frustrating for tournament players. Many times, however, it's more about your own mindset than your opponent's abilities. Conversely, this episode will explain the "ratings walk" phenomenon when facing a higher-rated opponent. Have a question or topic for consideration in a future episode? E-mail us at info@thechessangle.com . Mentioned: Chess for Tigers (Amazon) The Survival Gu...

This week I spoke with National Master Nick Panico. Nick is a fellow educator with a background in science and has also been active as a storm chaser. Nick shared his vast experience from the amateur chess scene and our conversation went in a lot of interesting directions. Some of our talking points include the following: Tips for improvers The amateur tournament scene Should you play gambit openings? Cheating & sandbagging Bishop & knight mate Nick's journey to NM Online vs. OTB chess Our links...

To kick off Season 4, Neal spoke with Grandmaster Alex Lenderman. Alex resides in Brooklyn, NY where he was a member of the famous chess team at Edward R. Murrrow HS that won multiple national high school titles. This was depicted in the 2007 book The Kings of New York (retitled Game of Kings ) by Michael Weinreb (Amazon). Alex was the winner of the 2021 US Open and is active as a chess coach for both children and adults. Some of this episode's talking points include the following: Why many adul...

The Chess Angle is sponsored by This week's episode is our Season 3 Finale and features International Master Jay Bonin, a legend of the New York chess scene. He is one of the most active tournament players ever, having amassed an estimated 30K - 40K...

The Chess Angle is sponsored by This week's episode features WFM Maaike Keetman. We covered a number of important topics for adult improvers and amateur players. Maaike is the VP of Content for Chessable and is active with the ChessQueens Foundation...

The Chess Angle is sponsored by This episode offers some practical advice and insight for improvers and emerging tournament players. Some of the talking points include: How many games a year do you need to play to increase your OTB rating? Should...

The Chess Angle is sponsored by Offering or accepting a draw is often a critical decision in a chess game and is the subject of much discussion and debate. Our guest this week, National Master Robert Guevara, is a tenacious player who declines...

The Chess Angle is sponsored by This episode is dedicated to all of the school teachers out there. Our guest this week, Dr. Stephen Wefer, is an adult improver (USCF 1691), HS science teacher, and Long Island Chess Club regular. He has also...

The Chess Angle is sponsored by In this solo episode, Neal shares some thoughts on a number of topics related to tournament chess. Talking points include: Non-resigning in overwhelmingly worse positions with no time-pressure issues Queen trade...

Nick Figorito is a member of the Long Island Chess Club who recently earned the title of National Master (USCF 2200). In this episode, Nick shares his journey to Master, busts some common chess improvement myths, and offers some additional insight. Nick can be reached at nfigorito@ymail.com. Some of our talking points include: Is there a "formula" or systematic study plan to achieve a Master rating? Can anyone make Master? Nick's surprising viewpoint on opening theory Why he hates the Najdorf Si...

The Chess Angle is sponsored by Fide Master Carsten Hansen is a prolific writer who has authored an astounding 46 chess books and is a #1 best selling author on Amazon. Recently published books include and , co-authored with Cyrus Lakdawala....