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Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst 

Ben Johnson

Perpetual Chess features weekly conversations with the chess world's best players, trainers and accomplished amateurs about their careers, current projects, best practices and the latest in chess news. Learn more at PerpetualChessPod.com

Perpetual Chess Podcast

Japanese-Australian chess player, trainer, and content creator Junta Ikeda is the 2013 Japanese National Chess Champion and a runner-up in the 2020 Australian Championship. These days, with a full-time job outside of chess, Junta devotes most of his chess energy to helping others improve. He has shared countless insights on his excellent blog, Infinite Chess, which I’ve been reading religiously since its launch. There, Junta offers thoughtful advice on topics such as improving your tactics, managing the clock, and budgeting your study time. For this interview, I compiled questions based on some of his most insightful observations as we explored chess improvement from a wide range of angles. Toward the end of the conversation, we also touched on Junta’s background, chess in Japan, and even picked up a few non-chess book recommendations.

 

Check out Chessiverse and take out of their end of year sale here:

http://chessiverse.com/

Check out IM John Bartholomew’s Comprehensive Scandinavian Course here: 

https://chessiverse.com/courses/scandi

Find out more about Chessdojo’s classes here:

https://www.chessdojo.club/blog/live-classes

Use Code NY26 to get a free month of the tier program

Use Code Ben to save 10% off anything 

0:04- Junta joins me! Does Junta’s fellow Canberra, Australia resident, IM Andras Toth exist in real life?

0:06- How does Junta respond to FM Nate Solon’s inflammatory tweet about chess books?

https://x.com/natesolon/status/1988955760965963898?s=20

0:11- Junta’s coaching and content creation background 

0:12- What are the most common mistakes Junta sees amateurs make? 

0:19- What did Junta learn from the book How to Become a Deadly Chess Tactician?

22:00- Junta shares some advice from his lifelong battles with time trouble 

What I needed to cure my time trouble:

https://juntaikeda.substack.com/p/how-i-escaped-time-trouble-hell

In search of lost time: 20 Time Trouble Tips

https://juntaikeda.substack.com/p/1-in-search-of-lost-time-20-time

EP 383 with Dan Bock

24:00- How to learn to face your fears

Mentioned: The Uncool by Cameron Crowe

39:00- The Impact of Talent in Chess

Mentioned: GM Moulthan Ly, GM Max Illingworth 

47:00- How did “the worst openings player in Australia” learn to tolerate them?

Mentioned: GM David Smerdon’s The Complete Chess Swindler 

51:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! Checkout their holiday sale here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/all/offer/

52:00- What type of challenging exercises does Junta recommend in order to improve calculation?

Mentioned: IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s Endgame Studies 101, IM Tatev Abrahamyan’s Endgame Studies: Solve to Evolve, Domination by Kasparyan, Studies for Practical Players 

Sign up for Chessable Pro here:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

1:01:00- Junta’s recommended chess books and resources

Mentioned: Lichess, The Mammoth Book of the World’s Greatest Chess Games , My Great Predecessors 

My 10 Memorable Chess Books

https://juntaikeda.substack.com/p/my-10-memorable-chess-books

1:02:00- Is chess growing in Japan despite Shogi’s popularity?

1:08:00- Balancing Chess and Content Creation

1:10:00- Why Junta wishes he had committed more to chess than university 

1:13:00- Will Junta pursue the GM title?

Mentioned: Dojo Talks with IM-elect Gauri Shankar 

1:15:00- Non chess book recs!

Mentioned: Murakami, Infinite Jest, The Book of Disquiet, Finite & Infinite Games 

1:19:00- Thanks to Junta for sharing his advice and perspective! 

Here is how to keep up with his work:

Infinite Chess Blog:

https://juntaikeda.substack.com/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@juntaikeda

Website:

https://juntaikeda.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EP 465: Chess Improvement Q&A with IM Junta Ikeda - Tactics, Time Trouble & Training Resources

What can Bobby Fischer still teach us about chess improvement? In this episode, renowned trainer, author, and historian IM John Donaldson returns to discuss Fischer’s writing, advice, and training methods, as featured in his new book Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer. We explore Fischer’s views on openings, what he said about his own IQ, and what modern players can realistically take from his approach. I was particularly interested to hear John break down how Fischer went from roughly 2100 strength to an elite player in less than two years. After our Fischer deep dive, John shares his memories of a young Daniel Naroditsky and discusses the outlook for the next U.S. Olympiad team, which he has captained 15 times.

Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

And you can check out their new offerings here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 

Check out special offers from Chessdojo, Chessmood and more here:

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/partners

Sign up for my free chess newsletter here:

 https://benjohnson.substack.com/

0:02- Why was Bobby Fischer writing a chess column for Boys Life magazine? 0:07- Are world class talents like Fischer good people to give chess improvement advice? 

0:14- Bobby Fischer’s 4 Chess Improvement Tips 

0:17- Why was Fischer confident about his match vs. Spassky despite a losing record? 

0:20- How did Fischer respond when he was asked about reportedly having a genius-level IQ? 

0:24- The impact of Fischer growing up in New York City

0:43- Patreon mailbag question- Why, after all these years, is there still such a cult-like obsession with Fischer? 

1:02:00- John’s memories of GM Daniel Naroditsky, who John knew since Danya’s childhood, 

Mentioned: GM Gregory Kaidanov, GM Lev Psakhis 

1:13:00- Status of the US Olympiad team

1:19:00- Will John pursue the GM title at age 67?

Thanks, as always, to IM John Donaldson for joining me! Here is where to get Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer.

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Mind-Bobby-Fischer-Annotations/dp/1890085286/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QKKXI2SDOLYS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._2M3HsSJt-U7Bdai-uPvhA.AJtX-b-nDihPzKRJb_BUo7jCkpq_R2sPMhsked9R8GU&dib_tag=se&keywords=inside+the+mind+of+bobby+fischer&qid=1765826270&s=books&sprefix=inside+the+mind+of+bobby+fischer%2Cstripbooks%2C55&sr=1-1

Chess4Less: 

https://chess4less.com/products/pre-order-inside-the-mind-of-bobby-fischer-john-donaldson

Also available in Europe:

https://gazellebookservices.co.uk/products/9781890085285?_pos=1&_sid=e49e3c6fa&_ss=r

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EP 464- IM John Donaldson- Bobby Fischer’s Chess Improvement Advice, the Story Behind His Colossal Rating Leap

The Adult Improver Series returns with the remarkable story of FM Nick Matta, a five-time Louisiana State Champion who made one of the most unusual rating climbs in recent memory. Nick returned to tournament chess as a college freshman and went from roughly 1400 to 2400 USCF over the next decade. In our conversation, he breaks down the habits and mindset shifts that fueled that rise, including:

 
How complete immersion in chess during his college years accelerated his progress

 
Why the mental game became increasingly important as he climbed the rating ladder

 
The books, videos, and tools that helped him at each stage

Nick’s improvement in his 20s may be rare, but his insights are applicable to players of a wide range of levels. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.

Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

And you can check out their new offerings here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 

00:00 – Intro & AnnouncementsFInd out more about the teaching job opportunity at IS 318 here:

 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/796878173716685/posts/32637324772578611/

 
Join the Perpetual Chess discord here!

 https://discord.gg/27AXnaUr

03:00 – Intro & Announcements

Find out more about the teaching job opportunity at IS 318 here:

 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/796878173716685/posts/32637324772578611/

 
Join the Perpetual Chess discord here!

 https://discord.gg/27AXnaUr

06:00 – Who Is FM Nick Matta?

Mentioned

Nick was also interviewed in episode 450- Hikaru in Louisiana

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2025/9/9/ep-450-hikaru-in-louisiana-stories-from-his-surprise-appearance-in-the-louisiana-state-championshipnbsp

 Check out Nick’s USCF Rating History here:

https://www.uschess.org/datapage/ratings_graph.php?memid=12845401 His rapid rise from 1480 → 2390 and return to chess after Katrina.

Also Mentioned: Pawn Structure Chess by GM Andy Soltis, IM Jeremy Silman’s How to Reassess Your Chess, Pawn Power in Chess 

11:30 – How the Improvement Started Immersion, study habits, book recommendations, and developing a love for feedback.

Mentioned: Kasparov’s My Story with GM James Plaskett

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeEY66T0q80

GM Melih Khachiyan’s Evaluation and Planning Series on Chess.com

https://www.chess.com/video/player/evaluation-and-planning---part-1

26:00 – Openings, Training, and Evolution Why he constantly changed openings, how his training shifted as he reached master level, and learning from top coaches.

Mentioned: GM Gregory Kaidanov, IM John Bartholomew, GM Jacob Aagaard’s Thinking Inside the Box 

35:00 – Time Trouble & Mental Game Breakthroughs Aagaard’s tough feedback, decision-making, cold-plunge training, meditation, and building emotional resilience.

Mentioned: Karpov in a cold plunge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAhtMKhvG1A

59:00 – Coaching, Pursuing the IM Title & Final Advice Balancing coaching with personal ambition, whether he’ll chase the IM title, and his distilled guidance for adult improvers.

1:15:00- Thanks to Nick for joining me! Here is how to reach him:

 Lichess coaches page:

https://lichess.org/coach/nickmatta

Chess.com coaches page:

https://www.chess.com/member/nickmatta

Email- 

Nickmatta13 at gmail.com

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EP 463- FM Nick Matta on Immersion, Mindset, and a Remarkable Decade of Chess Improvement (Adult Improver Series)

IM John Barthomew is a former scholastic national champion turned popular and longtime chess Youtuber and serial entrepreneur. His clear and friendly teaching style has garnered him over 200,000 subs and many devotees of the Scandinavian defense, the opening for which he is best known. In our conversation we discuss: 

 
Five chess improvement conclusions that John drew from playing in (and documenting) The LiChess LoneWolf League 

 
The challenges and rewards of helping to build Chessiverse. Chessiverse offers over 600 “human-like” bots to play against, and is also the site where you can find John’s new, Comprehensive Scandinavian course. 

 
Lastly, John told a few memorable stories about his good friend GM Daniel Naroditsky that reflect Daniel’s unusual talents. 

It is always enjoyable talking chess with John, and there are many nuggets to be gleaned from this conversation. 

0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

And you can check out their new offerings here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/

00:00 Intro and Guest Introduction

03:00 IM John Bartholomew joins. We start with John’s chess improvement lessons learned from the LiChess Lone Wolf League

https://lichess.org/@/Fins/blog/what-i-learned-from-playing-lonewolf-league-season-37/19yaMKfW

Here is John’s Lone Wolf game recap playlist-

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl9uuRYQ-6MCYu9m5ji2tJgIoU7JMHkD9&si=Lg1RvP2PhmX2M68Q

06:00- Self-Talk and Thought Process in Chess

09:00- The Importance of Time Management

John’s Using the Clock as a Weapon Playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl9uuRYQ-6MD7go55KaMPOGKSHxXhWED_&si=e34rgZ05auwzOauQ

12:00 The Importance of Opening Variety

14:30 The Value of Longer Time Controls

17:30 Introduction to John’s new venture- Chessiverse

21:30 Patreon mailbag questions: 

How does Chessiverse compare to other online products? What ratings is it best suited for?

23:30 Comparing Chessiverse to Other Platforms

25:45 Chessiverse's Business Model and Future Plans

29:00 John’s Scandinavian course 

33:00 The Evolution of Scandinavian Theory

Mentioned:

Ponomariov-Papaioannou 2003

https://lichess.org/q55Y75PQ#15

39:00 Navigating Course Design Challenges

45:00- The Vision for Chessiverse and Bot Experience

48:30 John’s memories of GM Daniel Naroditsky

Mentioned: John’s tribute- 

https://youtu.be/kclevjiPK5I?si=7CO6ydPqkyFNKBjy

Fundraiser for Danya- 

https://givebutter.com/naroditsky

52:00- 

Thanks to John for rejoining! Here are links to keep up with him:

Newsletter:

https://johnbartholomewchess.com/the-chess-mindset-newsletter-im-john-bartholomew/

Course- 

https://chessiverse.com/courses/scandi?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=scandi_search_tier1_purchase&utm_term=chess%20courses&utm_content=185814884617_782203235972_c&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=23214933240&utm_term=chess%20courses&utm_content=782203235972&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23214933240&gbraid=0AAAAABc5PsgmfRvqVuvKClF-9oZLSp0mn&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoZDJBhC0ARIsAERP-F_lAVpIoPksVCsZ5LG7GydpV4Wi8KIL4HMSbf_V_ZGei2837lHT57gaAu9fEALw_wcB

Twitter/X:

https://x.com/fins0905?lang=en

55:00- 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

EP 461- IM John Bartholomew on Chess Improvement Lessons, The Scandinavian Defense & His New Business Venture

FM Peter Giannatos, founder of the Charlotte Chess Center, was a close friend of GM Daniel Naroditsky and played a pivotal role in encouraging Daniel to build his post-collegiate life in Charlotte. Peter and the tight-knit Charlotte community spent significant time with Danya, including in the days leading up to his tragic passing. In this conversation, Peter reflects on their friendship, shares what he feels is appropriate about Danya’s final days, and highlights a new fundraiser created to honor Daniel’s legacy. I’m grateful for the clarity and courage Peter brought to this deeply emotional discussion as the chess world begins to process and heal from this immense loss.

0:00- Intro- 

Support the fundraiser here:

https://givebutter.com/naroditsky

0:02- FM PeterGiannatos joins the podcast and begins with the story of how he met Danya. 

Read Peter’s Eulogy here:

https://x.com/PeterGiannatos/status/1981875015030079553?s=20

IM John Bartholomew’s tribute to Danya:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kclevjiPK5I&t=2s

0:09- Getting Danya to move to Charlotte

19:00- Clarifying the timeline around Daniel’s death 

32:00- The weight of the allegations on Daniel

Mentioned: Daniel explains a Bc8 move that some found suspicious

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1g7la27/daniel_narodistky_full_analysis_of_the_move_bc8/

43:00- How to honor Daniel’s legacy

57:00- One last Danya story -

check out the games from "The Meatball Match" here:

https://www.chess.com/c/2PprrfhA6

1:02:00- Thanks to Peter for sharing so many personal stories during a difficult time. Here is how to support Danya's legacy if you are so inclined: 

⁠https://givebutter.com/naroditsky⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EP 460- FM Peter Giannatos on GM Daniel Naroditsky’s Life, His Last Days & How We Can Honor Danya’s Legacy

The 2025 FIDE World Cup has been as dramatic as ever. Top seeds like GM Gukesh D, Ian Nepomniatchtchi, and Anish Giri have been eliminated, but we still have some top 10 stalwarts remaining, as well as many surprise advancers to the Round of 32.

Joining from Goa, FIDE Press Officer IM Michael Rahal helps break it all down. We discuss:

 
Should we be surprised by the number of upsets?

 
The performances of veterans like GM Peter Leko (still in) and GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (eliminated)

 
Whether the reports of poor playing conditions in Goa are well-founded

 
Key matchups to watch when play resumes tomorrow, and who might clinch a FIDE Candidates spot

Timestamps for topics discussed are below.

00:00 Introduction and Overview of the World Cup

04:00- IM Michael Rahal joins 

06:32 Patreon mailbag question- Does the number of upsets suggest that the top players are protected? 

Mentioned: Chessnumbers-data

https://x.com/ChessNumbers/status/1986634183415111831?s=20

Peter Leko interview with Chessbase India-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Fh1lQBmGI&t=3s

09:00 Notable Matches

11:30 The Impact of Player Preparation and Conditions

15:30 Match Predictions and Player Insights

18:00 Reflections on Chess Legends and Their Influence

23:00 Reflections on Ivanchuk’s Press Conference 

25:00 Reflections on Daniel Naroditsky

28:00 Tournament Conditions and Player Experiences

Tweet from GM Neiksans:

https://x.com/GMNeiksans/status/1986117054911684978?s=20

37:00 Upcoming FIDE Candidates in Cyprus

39:00- Breaking down the brackets

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1osncpq/world_cup_2025_pairings_for_final_32/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

46:00 Rest Day Activities and Team Spirit

48:00- Thanks to IM Michael Rahal for joining me! 

Here is how to keep up with him:

X:

https://x.com/Rahal_Michael

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/michaelanthony.rahal/

FIDE YouTube: 

https://www.youtube.com/@FIDE_chess

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bonus Pod- After Plenty of Upsets- 32 Players Remain in the FIDE World Cup (with IM Michael Rahal from Goa)

Polish programmer and chess enthusiast Pawel Kacprzak joins me to share the story behind Chessvision.ai. Chessvision.ai is a helpful app and browser extension that can scan chess diagrams and connect them to related YouTube videos and chess books, and allows you to easily turn these positions into digital flashcards. We talk about how Pawel’s side project grew into a full-time business, what it takes to build tech tools for chess players, and what Pawel has planned next for his growing platform.Pawel also discusses his enthusiasm for following professional chess, and his own approach to chess improvement. I have become a big fan of Pawel’s product, and I enjoyed chatting with him. 

Thanks to our sponsor ⁠Chessable.com⁠, check out their Black Friday sale here:

⁠https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/all/offer/?utm_source=chessable&utm_medium=shop_hero_banner&utm_campaign=enblackfriday2_2025⁠

0:02- Pawel Kacprzak joins me!

Mentioned: NM Han Schut’s video overviews of Chessvision.ai

⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqwK8Q1NEjg⁠

03:00 The Impact of Daniel Naroditsky

06:00 Pawel's Journey into Chess and Programming

10:30 Evolution of Chessvision.ai

17:00 ⁠Patreon mailbag question⁠: Can one use Chessvision.ai to scan diagrams from physical chess boards? 

19:00 ⁠Patreon mailbag question⁠: What features will Pawel work on developing next?

23:00 Subscription Models and Accessibility

28:00 Community Engagement and Support

29:30- ⁠Patreon mailbag question⁠: Does Pawel consider himself an adult improver?

33:30 Chess Resources and Learning

35:30 Closing Thoughts and Advice

Thanks to Pawel for joining me! Here is how to reach him, as well as how to find out more about Chessvision.ai:

Email- Pawel at ⁠Chessvision.ai⁠

Twitter/X- 

⁠https://twitter.com/ChessvisionAI⁠

Discord- 

⁠https://discord.gg/zkcBPhWhme⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EP 458: Pawel Kacprzak: The Founder of Chessvision.ai on Scanning Chess Diagrams, Digital Flashcards, and Building a Chess Business

Fresh off her third consecutive (and fourth overall) U.S. Women’s Championship title, I was honored to catch up with 22-year-old IM Carissa Yip. Carissa has taken a gap year from Stanford University and is immersed in a demanding schedule of training and competition. She’s had some excellent results this year and is now ranked #21 among women in the world.

Despite her success, Carissa has also experienced the emotional ups and downs that every serious chess player can relate to. In our conversation, she discusses:

 
Her personal recollections of GM Daniel Naroditsky, including how he once went out of his way to help her prepare during a major tournament. 

 
The helpful opening advice recently shared with her by her friend and coach, GM Awonder Liang.

 
How she overcame sluggish starts to win both the 2025 U.S. Women’s Championship and the Cairns Cup.

Carissa shared a mix of funny stories and thoughtful reflections on her training regimen, the gender gap in chess, and her advice for improvement. She even recommended a novel to read and touched on her passion for writing. I really enjoyed catching up with Carissa and am excited to see her bright future continue to unfold. 

0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

And you can check out their new offerings here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/

0:02- Carissa joins the pod. She begins by sharing her recollections of GM Daniel Naroditsky 

Mentioned: Zatonskih-Yip 2020

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2011266

0:05- Carissa had slow starts at both Cairns Cup and this US Champs- Why? 

0:07- Carissa’s training regimen

Mentioned: Killer Chess Training

0:09- Carissa’s Opening Approach

Mentioned: GM Awonder Liang

Check out Carissa’s US Championship Games here:

https://lichess.org/study/etqoyX0E/QRi8cCdw

17:00- How to approach a new opening

19:00- Carissa’s approach to training games

22:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Would Carissa prefer a corporate career or to pursue chess professionally?” 

24:30- Carissa retells the story of a funny bet between GM Awonder Liang and GM Sam Shankland

Mentioned: February 2025 Chess Life Magazine

https://new.uschess.org/magazine/feb-25-chess-life

28:00- Patreon mailbag question: “How can I overcome a slow start, as Carissa has done repeatedly?” 

36:00- Carissa’s fiction recommendation:

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

38:00- Carissa’ passion for writing 

40:00- How does Carissa describe the e-sports experience of the recent USA vs. India match? l 

48:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Why does Carissa think no female player subsequent to Judit has reached her level of dominance?” 

54:00- Patreon mailbag question: “If Carissa could ask men in chess to do one thing differently, what would it be?” 

57:00- Carissa discusses her friendship with rising American star, IM Alice Lee

59:00- Carissa’s upcoming tournaments

1:01- Carissa’ chess improvement advice!

Thanks to Carissa for joining me again! Be sure to follow her on X and Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/carissayip/

https://x.com/carissayipchess?lang=en

Image in thumbnail by Lennart Ootes for the St. Louis Chess Club

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stlchessclub/54876804247/in/album-72177720329882462

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EP 457- IM Carissa Yip: Her Memories of Danya, Pursuing Chess Professionally and Reflecting on her 4th US Women’s Championship

GM Andy Soltis is a U.S. Chess Hall of Famer, prolific author, and longtime Chess Life columnist who has left a lasting mark on American chess while balancing a decades-long career as an editor at the New York Post. His recent memoir, Deadline Grandmaster, retraces those parallel paths and shares remarkable stories such as playing a 16-year-old Vishy Anand, meeting Mikhail Tal, corresponding with Irving Chernev, and unknowingly crossing paths with Bobby Fischer. In our conversation, Andy revisits several of these moments and reflects on the challenges of chess improvement. We explore why players plateau, how to identify their own chess styles, and what today’s players can learn from history’s greats. Toward the end, Andy mulls his next project and discusses how chess publishing has evolved through the decades. It’s always a privilege to hear Andy’s stories, and I highly recommend Deadline Grandmaster for many more of them. 

This episode was recorded on October 16, 2025 and thus does not discuss the tragic news of GM Daniel Naroditsky’s passing. 

0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link:

https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro

And you can check out their new offerings here:

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/

0:00- 

Perpetual Chess Improvement is finally available on Audible!

https://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Chess-Improvement-Practical-World-Class/dp/B0FHWWC2ZX/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0

0:02- GM Andy Soltis joins! He begins by sharing his thought on rating plateaus. 

Mentioned:

Note on FM Nate Solon’s unusual rating gains:

https://substack.com/@zwischenzug/note/c-166416052?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=1juy4

11:00- We discuss Andy’s excellent memoir Deadline Grandmaster- did Andy ever seriously consider becoming a chess professional?

Mentioned: 

14:00- How did Andy earn the Grandmaster title? 

Mentioned: IM Norman Weinstein, IM Sal Matera, IM Jack Peters

16:00- Vishy Anand stories 

Mentioned: More on Andy’s early encounter with Vishy in Calcutta here:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/vishy-anand-a-passionate-portrait-part-three

20:00- Mikhail Tal stories

22:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is a good first book about Soviet Chess history? 

Mentioned: 

Soviet Chess: 1917-1991 by GM Andy Soltis 

24:00- Andy’s recollections of the famed Lone Pine tournament

30:00- GM Walter Browne stories

35:00- Patreon mailbag questions: a) Why didn’t Alekhine play a rematch with Capablanca? b) Can Andy recommend an Alekhine biography?

Mentioned: Alexander Alekhine- THe Russian Sphinx: Volume 1

The Real Paul Morphy 

38:00- Patreon mailbag question: Are there any plans to do an updated edition on Andy’s US Championship? 

https://www.amazon.com/United-States-Chess-Championship-1845-1996/dp/0786402482/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2DC5Q7FF5MKY6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.IYZoPqWvJ0bdS3_2d3Qewg.tinoi7uw9EjPATAcLC1Pqdxp0hjkvFqcFvkoPdUzENc&dib_tag=se&keywords=soltis+us+championship&qid=1760732231&s=books&sprefix=soltis+us+championship%2Cstripbooks%2C87&sr=1-1

40:00- Bobby Fischer stories 

Mentioned: GM Peter Biayasis, IM Anthony Saidy 

42:00- Andy’s interactions with legendary author Irving Chernev, also mentioned Fred Reinfeld 

50:00- What can we learn from figuring out our chess styles?

Mentioned: Reveal Your Chess Style

Reveal Your Chess Style: Soltis, Andrew: 9781849949965: Amazon.com: Books

57:00- The state of chess book publishing

Mentioned: GM James Tarjan

If you are interested in joining the Perpetual Chess Patreon community, you can find out more information here:

Ben Johnson | creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon

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EP 456- GM Andy Soltis on Plateaus, Dual Careers, and his Many Brushes with Chess Legends

Stjepan Tomić has built a sizable following through his beloved Hanging Pawns YouTube Channel, but good old-fashioned chess books remain his true passion. That passion has led to his ambitious new project, ChessReads.com, a free platform designed to help players of all levels find the right book for their needs through crowdsourced reviews. The project already features its own YouTube channel, Discord server, and a growing website filled with helpful writeups.

To celebrate the site’s launch, Stjepan joined me for a wide-ranging conversation about the enduring value of chess literature. We answered listener questions about whether books are still as vital as ever, how Stjepan chooses what to read next, and we shared recommendations across nearly every rating band. Stjepan also updated us on his own chess improvement goals and upcoming tournaments.

As a fellow chess bibliophile, I’m excited about the ChessReads project and enjoyed catching up with Stjepan. Timestamps for all topics and rating ranges are below, along with Amazon affiliate links to the books mentioned.

If you know a scholastic player who could use high quality online group lessons, be sure to check out Silver Knights Chess Academy.. 

chessacademy.com/online 

Use coupon code- "pod" to save 50% on the first month. 

Below are shortened show notes, for more complete show notes with links for all of the book recs, click here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19Io2RMjGWDpncNDRcUMOlNmYHKMvdxUP1TGmGJFtdB4/edit?tab=t.0

0:03- Stjepan joins the pod! What is the chessreads.com origin story? 

Mentioned:

Chessreads Discord-

https://discord.gg/gbFZGDw4

0:07- Patreon mailbag question: 1) Are chessbooks useful/optimal as chess improvement tools in the modern digital era? 2) Are modern books and older classics equally useful?

19:00- Patreon mailbag question:

Could Stjepan recommend a few books that can be read without a chessboard? 

Mentioned: Perpetual Chess Improvement, Thinking Inside the Box 

23:00- Patreon mailbag question: How does Stjepan select which chess book to read next? 

25:00- Patreon mailbag question: What recommendations does Stjepan have for books about thinking processes?

30:00- Book Recommendations by rating range, starting with under 1000

36:00- Recommendations for the 1000-1200 level

37:00- - Recommendations for the 1200-1400 level

41:00- Recommendations for the 1400-1600 level

45:00- Recommendations for the 1600-1800 level

49:00- Recommendations for the 1800-2000 level

52:00- Recommendations for the above 2000 level

1:01:00-

Chess improvement update from Stjepan

1:06:00- Impromptu discussion- what makes some countries better at chess (and other competitive endeavors) than others? 

1:11:00- 

Check out Stjepan’s interview with me about my book on the Chessreads channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plMpTaO3Z2Y

Perpetual Chess Improvement is finally available on Audible!

https://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Chess-Improvement-Practical-World-Class/dp/B0FHWWC2ZX/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0

1:17:00- Thanks to Stjepan for joining me again, here is how to keep up with him and the ChessReads project. 

Hanging Pawns YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@HangingPawns

Chessreads YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@ChessReadsCom

Chessreads Discord-

https://discord.gg/gbFZGDw4

Chessreads

chessreads.com

X

x.com/chessreads

Instagram

instagram.com/chessreads

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EP 460- FM Peter Giannatos on GM Daniel Naroditsky’s Life, His Last Days & How We Can Honor Danya’s Legacy

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst

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