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Episodes

Nov. 13, 2022

Ep. 49: Chess Openings Masterclass feat. FM Carsten Hansen

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....

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Nov. 6, 2022

Ep. 48: The Nimzo & Queen's Indian Defenses: A Complete System Agains…

This episode is a primer on the Nimzo & Queen's Indian Defenses for adult improvers and club-level players. These two openings can be used as a complete system against 1. d4. Fighting for control of the e4-square is a major t...

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Oct. 30, 2022

Ep. 47: The Chess Cheating Crisis: Implications for the Amateur Playe…

Candidate Master and renowned chess educator Brian Karen returns to the podcast to discuss the chess cheating crisis as it relates to the amateur player, among other topics. Some of our talking points include: How the prevale...

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Oct. 23, 2022

Ep. 46: The Dangers of Playing Too Literally

Neal discusses the dangers of playing chess too literally or "inside the box." Sometimes deviating from conventional chess principles is a smart play. ♟This podcast is sponsored by Chessable . Check out a list of our favorite...

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Oct. 16, 2022

Ep. 45: The Truth About Chess Engines for Club Players

Analyzing your tournament games with a computer program such as Fritz or Stockfish is perhaps the most important component of any improvement plan. However, using a chess engine can sometimes be confusing at the amateur level...

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Oct. 9, 2022

Ep. 44: "Waiting" Moves, Chess Podcasts, & Other Musings

💻Be sure to 💻 We have preview clips for select episodes and are gradually adding content. Please join our community! This season's first solo episode is divided into two main segments with some additional subtopics thrown in. First, Neal argues...

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Oct. 2, 2022

Ep. 43: Are Electronic Notation Devices Legit? feat. Joey Troy, Creat…

💻Be sure to 💻 We have preview clips for select episodes and are gradually adding content. Please join our community! ♟This podcast is sponsored by ♟ Electronic Notation Devices (ENDs) offer a convenient way for players to keep score...

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Sept. 24, 2022

Ep. 42: Playing in Tournaments With a Full-Time Job feat. Dan Levin (…

💻Be sure to 💻 We have preview clips for select episodes and are gradually adding content. Please join our community! ♟This podcast is sponsored by ♟ We've all heard of players who study several hours a day. Nice work if you can get it,...

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Sept. 17, 2022

Ep. 41 (S3 Premiere): IM Justus Williams on Chess Improvement, Brookl…

♟This podcast is sponsored by . Chessable uses science-backed learning and the concept of spaced repetition to ensure retention. ♟ For this Season 3 Premier, Neal spoke with IM Justus Williams. Justus is featured prominently in the 2012...

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July 31, 2022

Ep. 40 (S2 Finale): Tournament Strategy feat. GM John Emms

🎤Follow us on Twitter: ♟This podcast is sponsored by . Chessable uses science-backed learning and the concept of spaced repetition to ensure retention. ♟ Grandmaster John Emms is a distinguished chess professional. He is one of the...

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July 24, 2022

Ep. 39: Endgame Tips for Improvers

🎤Follow us on Twitter: ♟This podcast is sponsored by . Chessable uses science-backed learning and the concept of spaced repetition to ensure retention. ♟ This episode is a discussion of common endgame ideas, themes, and mistakes at the...

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July 17, 2022

Ep. 38: Why Your Rating Is Not Increasing

🎤Follow us on Twitter: ♟This podcast is sponsored by . Chessable uses science-backed learning and the concept of spaced repetition to ensure retention. ♟ This episode explores possible reasons why your rating is not increasing. It may...

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July 10, 2022

Ep. 37: The London System for Club Players

🎤Follow us on Twitter (X): The London System has become one of the most popular openings for White. While it's a staple at amateur events, many top players use it as well, including GMs Magnus Carlsen, Gata Kamsky, Simon Williams, and Anish Giri....

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July 3, 2022

Ep. 36: The French Defense for Club Players

🎤Be sure to follow us on Twitter: ♟This podcast is sponsored by . Chessable uses science-backed learning and the concept of spaced repetition to ensure retention. ♟ The French Defense (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5) is one of the most respected...

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June 26, 2022

Ep. 35: Chess Improvement While Parenting feat. Jay Kleinman (USCF 19…

🎤Be sure to follow us on Twitter: ♟This podcast is sponsored by . Chessable uses science-backed learning and the concept of spaced repetition to ensure retention. ♟ This week I spoke with my friend Jay Kleinman, a fellow chess amateur...

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June 19, 2022

Ep. 34: Confidence at the Chessboard (Game Analysis #3)

🎤Be sure to follow us on Twitter: ♟This podcast is sponsored by . Check out their courses today!♟ Happy Father's Day to all the chess dads out there! In this episode, I will discuss the chess thought process through the lens of two of...

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June 12, 2022

Ep. 33: Annoying & Distracting Chess Behaviors

🎤Be sure to follow us on Twitter: ♟This podcast is sponsored by . Neal is currently enjoying the course entitled , based on the book of the same name.♟ We've all been there: the opponent who won't sit still or who keeps adjusting every...

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June 5, 2022

Ep. 32: Winning With Off-Book Ideas feat. Jarrod Tavares (USCF 2000)

🎤Be sure to follow us on Twitter: For this interview episode, I spoke with USCF Expert Jarrod Tavares. Jarrod is an amateur/club player who has achieved tournament success with an unconventional, anti-book style. Amateur players and adult...

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May 29, 2022

Ep. 31: The Benefits of Speed Chess feat. NM Tyrell Harriott

🎤NEW Twitter page for the podcast: 🎤Be sure to follow us! While some favor slower time controls, blitz & rapid games are more popular than ever, mainly due to the explosion of online chess. Can speed chess actually help you in slow games...

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May 22, 2022

Ep. 30: Dubious Study Plans, The Comparison Game, & More

Are you constantly comparing your chess progress to that of others? Are four, five, or six-hour-a-day study plans effective for amateur players? I offer opinions on these topics and more. The segments in this episode include:...

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May 15, 2022

Ep. 29: "The Seven Deadly Chess Sins" (advanced chess psychology)

This episode is a book review/discussion of the acclaimed text (Amazon) by Jonathan Rowson. This is a follow up to Episode 16 which discussed (Amazon) by Simon Webb. I believe these two outstanding books are probably the only resources you need for...

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May 8, 2022

Ep. 28: Avoiding Mistakes feat. GM Romain Edouard

Grandmaster Romain Edouard joins the podcast this week to explain how players of all levels can minimize mistakes in their games. Be sure to check out Romain's chess.com lesson on this subject (affiliate link), as well as his...

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May 1, 2022

Ep. 27: Facing Unusual Openings (Game Analysis #2)

This is the second episode in our Game Analysis Series where I thematically discuss one or more of my OTB games. Some of the concepts from this episode include: Positional ideas vs. tactics Adults vs. kids Unconventional open...

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April 24, 2022

Ep. 26: Learning & Improving feat. FM Roger LaFlair

For this interview episode, I spoke with Fide Master Roger LaFlair. Roger teaches high school chemistry and chess at a private school here on Long Island in NY. He also has an active roster of private chess students. Roger...

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