Episodes

🎤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...

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: The "tournament hall" vs. the "study hall" Handling decision fatigue from all the available study material The essential areas of focus for beginners OTB vs. online strategy The comparison game Talent vs. hard work Is studying several hours a day actually necessary a...

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...

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 chessable course on facing the English opening (1.c4). I caught up with Romain during his current visit to the US for his stint as GM in Residence for the St. Louis Chess Club. Romain's books discussed in this episode: The Chess Manual of Avoidable Mistakes Chess Calculat...

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 openings Thoughtless one-move attacks As mentioned in this episode, please follow us on Twitter and comment on our pinned post about your rating goal for 12/31/22. Our links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

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 can be reached at rlaflair@gmail.com. We touched on a variety of topics regarding tournament play and chess improvement. Some of our talking points include: The dangers of "me chess" Awareness of your opponent's ideas Avoiding impulsivity & impatience The London System for...

This episode details some of my experiences as a club player and tournament director in three parts: Why I started the Long Island Chess Club What it's like directing and playing in the same tournament Some funny stories from the club Our links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

This is the first episode for our new Game Analysis Series. I will thematically break down one or more of my OTB games, covering a variety of chess concepts and ideas for the amateur and club player. Some of the themes from this episode include: Why you shouldn't fear higher-rated opponents How to play against lower-rated opponents How to handle draw offers The French Defense advance variation Our links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

**Note: Alex King earned the FM title after this was recorded. The episode title has been updated but the original show notes are below. This week I spoke with National Master Alex King who resides in Memphis, Tennessee. Alex is an active tournament player, teacher, and writer. His 6-part article series for Chess Life magazine on the Tarrasch Defense begins with the March 2022 issue. Alex is also an accomplished musician, and he composed and performed all the music in this episode. Some of our ...

I spoke with Candidate Master and renowned chess educator Brian Karen. He is one of the most active teachers in the country. Some of our talking points include: Tournament players vs. hobbyists A rating system based on norms, rather than individual games Studying chess Does preparing for a specific opponent actually make a difference at the club level? Links referenced in this episode: Chess Book Collectors FB Group Fide World Chess Championship FB Group The Seven Deadly Chess Sins (affilia...

Arguably, certain "theoretical advantages" often have less significance at the amateur level. For example, material imbalances such as "having the two bishops" or "being up the Exchange" are often overrated when non-titled players face off. Our Links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

For the podcast's first interview format, I spoke with National Master Tim Mirabile. This is our uncut, unedited conversation. Below, Tim shared a list of some favorite books and a link to an article about the growth mindset: Bobby Fischer – My 60 Memorable Games Robert Burger – The Chess of Bobby Fischer Alexander Kotov – Think Like a Grandmaster, Play Like a Grandmaster Andrew Soltis – The Art of Defense in Chess Vladimir Vukovic – The Art of Attack in Chess John Nunn & Peter Griffiths –...

For many players, chess study is a grey area. It's not just WHAT to study but HOW. We believe is one of the best puzzle books for amateur players. For online instructional content, we recommend . These are affiliate links which support the...

Certain chess mistakes appear in amateur games with unwavering consistency. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com (affiliate link). Our links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

Some chess players use gamesmanship to beat their opponent. Our links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

In this episode, I discuss the modern classic "Chess for Tigers" by Simon Webb, which I believe is the best primer on chess psychology for amateur players. It is linked below along with the chess clock I mentioned. These are affiliate links which help support this podcast at no additional cost to you. Chess for Tigers LEAP Chess Clock Our links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

A discussion of the thought process before making a move. This episode is for amateur players of all levels. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com (affiliate link). Our links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

Is the amateur chess scene more competitive than ever before? We take a look at that, and poker somehow makes its way into the discussion. Below are links to the books mentioned in this episode. These are Amazon affiliate links which help support this podcast at no additional cost to you. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com (affiliate link). The Biggest Bluff Outliers The Amateur’s Mind Our links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

In this two-part episode, I discuss the psychology of your opponent's rating, and then share some incidents I witnessed involving chess parents. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com (affiliate link). Our links: Website Twitter Facebook E-mail: info@thechessangle.com

Note: There is an updated version of this episode: I share some time-saving tips & tricks for busy individuals with limited study time. Check out for their fantastic online chess suite as mentioned in this episode. 🎯 Support the...

I discuss how players react when losing a game or facing a worse position. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com. 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.com links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.

A discussion of what happens when "internet players" join live events. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com . 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.com links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.

A brief update of the podcast. Thank you for listening!

Here, I sort of reverse course from Episode 3 and talk about why I suddenly like 5-minute online games after criticizing them for some time. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com. 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.com links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support t...