It has been over two years since FIDE implemented major changes to its rating system aimed at combating rating deflation. But are those changes actually working?

My guest, Vlad Ghita, joins me to dig into the data. Vlad is a Romanian arbiter, instructor, and chess enthusiast with a master’s degree in physics. In his new e-book, The Rating Revolution, he takes a rigorous, data-driven look at how the global rating system is functioning—and where it may still be falling short.

We discuss:

• What Vlad calls the “participation paradox”

• Which countries may be the most underrated

• How age impacts rating expectations

• Why some players feel stuck despite improving

• Is the US rating system functioning more effectively than FIDE?

As discussed in the episode, many of these issues stem from structural imbalances in the rating pool—something Vlad illustrates through extensive analysis of nearly one million games .

In our conversation (and in his book), Vlad not only identifies problems but also proposes thoughtful solutions. As a dedicated coach and adult improver himself, he also shares practical advice for chess improvement.

;

0:00- Intro

Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. Check out their FIDE Candidates Sale here:

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

Sign up for Chessable Pro here:

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

0:02- Vlad’s joins the show, we being by diving into his chess  background

Mentioned: Michael Franco/NoseKnowsAll’s free Lichess materials-

https://lichess.org/study/by/NoseKnowsAll

0:10- How Vlad’s curiosity about ratings was piqued around the pandemic, what he learned about ratings

0:11- What is the cause of FIDE rating deflation?

Mentioned: Jeff Sonas, Dr. Mark Glickman

0:16-What is “the participation paradox?” 

0:21- Is the US rating system working better than FIDE’s?

29:00- Should FIDE institute adjustable rating floors? 

31:00- What solutions does Vlad propose to improve the rating system? 

42:00- Chess improvement lessons from Vlad’s playing and training experience 

Mentioned: Chess Structures, How to Study Chess on Your Own, Chessbook

50:00- The pros and cons of working full time in chess

52:00- Thanks to Vlad for coming on the pod and writing an insightful book. Vlad has offered a discount to Perpetual Chess Listeners if you use the code “perpetual” at checkout.

https://vladchess.com/rating-revolution

If you are interested in getting coaching from Vlad, you can reach him via his website:

https://vladchess.com/

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The Perpetual Chess book discussion series Chess Books Recaptured returns with a personal, funny, and heartfelt episode.

Gaurav Datta, a longtime student and close friend of IM Jeremy Silman, joins me to discuss Silman’s Chess Odyssey: Cracked Grandmaster Tales, Legendary Players, & Instructions and Musings. This memoir and collection of writing was Silman’s final work, and it beautifully captures his deep and enduring love for chess.

As Gaurav shares, he was an ordinary club player who repeatedly emailed Silman until Jeremy reluctantly agreed to take him on as a student in the late 1990s. What began as lessons soon turned into a decades-long friendship. Jeremy did not care much about Gaurav’s rating, but he appreciated his sense of humor and his ability to tell interesting stories.

Throughout the conversation, Gaurav interweaves touching and often hilarious personal memories with insights from the book, offering a glimpse  into Silman’s life and teaching philosophy. 

I greatly enjoyed reading Silman’s Chess Odyssey, and hearing Gaurav’s stories added a whole new dimension to understanding one of chess’s most beloved teachers.

0:00 Intro + overview of Silman’s Chess Odyssey

Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com. Check out IM Jeremy SIlman’s vast catalog of courses here:

https://www.chessable.com/author/Jeremy_Silman/5:48 Guest intro: Gaurav Datta (long-time student & friend of Jeremy Silman)

7:00 How Gaurav discovered Silman, early struggles, and first meeting12:30 What lessons with Silman were really like (stories, life, chess)

18:20 Chess as art: Silman’s core philosophy22:40 Training methods: studying master games & subtle ideas

Mentioned: IM Erik Kislik, NM Steve Brandwein

28:00 Gambling struggles, life setbacks, and returning to chess

33:00 Silman’s personality: stories, Japan, boxing & unique interests

38:40 Final years, illness, and completing his last book

Mentioned: Autobiography of a Goat 

51:30 Key lessons: play for beauty, not rating + lasting impact

1:15:00- Thanks so much to Gaurav for sharing his amazing stories! Here is how you can reach him:

Email- gdatta at gmail.com

Chess.com- 

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

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The 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament is almost here, and GM Jan Gustafsson joins the podcast to break down the entire field. As a leading opening theoretician who has worked on GM Magnus Carlsen’s World Championship team, Jan brings unique insight into this high-stakes event. Jan will be on site in Cyprus providing commentary alongside his longtime friend GM Peter Svidler. In this episode we go player by player discussing the contenders’ chances, from rising stars like Praggnanandhaa and Javokhir Sindarov to established veterans like Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura. Jan shares insights on preparation, momentum, and who is most likely to win the Candidates and earn the right to challenge for the World Championship. We also discuss the Women’s Candidates Tournament, pop culture, and Jan’s latest projects.

Episode Recorded on March 11, 2016

0:00 Intro – Candidates preview with GM Jan Gustafsson

You can buy tickets to the Chess in the Schools Poker/Chess Fundraiser here:

https://secure.givelively.org/event/chess-in-the-schools-inc/chess-in-the-schools-3rd-annual-charity-poker-tournament

Check out Jan’s Chessable courses here:

Be sure to check out Chessiverse.com, and use code “Perpetual30” for a discount on premium features and IM John Bartholomew’s course. 

5:16 Jan Gustafsson joins the show

6:36 Patreon mailbag question: Strategy for the Candidates tournament

12:55 Matthias Bluebaum preview

Mentioned: Kalshi FIDE Candidate’s Odds:

https://kalshi.com/markets/kxchesscandidates/chess-candidates-champion/kxchesscandidates-26

17:18 Andrey Esipenko preview

22:39 Praggnanandhaa preview

26:35 Javokhir Sindarov preview

31:20 Anish Giri preview

33:52 Wei Yi preview

39:00 Fabiano Caruana preview

44:42 Hikaru Nakamura preview

49:57 Predictions for the winner

52:40 Women’s Candidates preview

57:00- Patreon mailbag question: What would Jan like to keep as is in the chess world, and what would he like to see changed?

1:00:05 Closing thoughts, tv shows, nonsense. 

Mentioned: Jeselnik book club:

https://anthonyjeselnik.com/the-jeselnik-book-club

1:06:00- Thanks to Jan for joining! Be sure to tune in to the FIDE YouTube channel for his Candidates coverage, sub to Janistan TV on Twitch, and check out his Chessable courses here. 

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

This week’s guest on the Adult Improver Series is Matt Biancuzzo. Matt is a 31-year-old New York City consultant who is very active in both the local chess scene and on social media. He has taken full advantage of New York’s many chess opportunities, regularly attending chess gatherings and pub nights while also competing in tournaments locally. Over the past few years he has improved from below 1400 USCF to a peak of over 1800! Matt has worked with multiple coaches, grinded tactics, and consumed countless chess videos, but he credits the majority of his improvement to building a social network that made chess fun for him.

Speaking of fun, Matt has also built a large online following thanks to his hilarious short-form videos. Posting as “byredofantome” on Instagram and “fantomechess” on TikTok, Matt creates impressions and humorous shorts that lightly satirize chess culture. In the second half of our interview, we shift our focus from chess improvement to the story behind Matt’s videos. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out the bonus video breaking down some of Matt’s best clips here.

• Join the Perpetual Chess Patreon community here:

Ben Johnson | creating Perpetual Chess Podcast | Patreon

• Join the Perpetual Chess Discord here:

 https://discord.gg/gUPSsHMK

• Check out Chessable’s Women’s Day sale here:

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

• Check out Chessiverse.com, use code “Perpetual30” to save 30% on premium offerings. 

  
  

  
  

00:00 Introduction to Chess Improvement and Content Creation

04:45- Matt Biancuzzo joins the show! We begin by discussing how he got into chess in college. 

13:29 The Role of Community in Chess Improvement

Mentioned: GM Robert Hungaski, IM Denys Shmelov, Alex Pickett,  IM Jan van der Mortaal, Jonathan Williams, Pobo Efikoro

18:03 Coaching and Learning Strategies

23:04 The Impact of Online Chess and Content Creation

Mentioned: MaddiePlaysChess, GambitMan

25:00- Getting a chess coach

Mentioned: IM Sam Khanin, IM VIktor Matviishen

28:00 Personal Growth Through Chess

33:14 Final Thoughts on Chess and Community

40:16 The language and habits of chess players 

48:55 Content Creation in Chess

Mentioned: Matt’s article about Where to Play Chess in NYC

https://www.chess.com/blog/byredofantome/where-to-play-chess-in-nyc-and-how-to-gauge-a-good-club

POV When you are Prepping for the 2002 World Under 12 Championship:

https://www.instagram.com/byredofantome/reel/DT6A_OHDqTi/

What I learned Playing 130 Chess Tournaments in 2 Years

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ-fgbeDmHY/

POV You are Spassky in 1971

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTOntmlDlEM/

49:54 The Art of Subversive Commentary

52:06 Impressions and Mannerisms in Chess

Matt’s Yasser/magnus video is here:

https://www.tiktok.com/@byredofantome/video/7240979768525573418?_r=1&_t=ZP-94OfoAItpk7

53:50 Translating Chess for the Average Person

55:15 Inspiration from Online Trends

Mentioned: POV Chess Players Training at the Gym

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRqJ2x_jvKs/

01:03:19 Monetization and Content Creation Challenges

01:05:26 Entrepreneurial Ventures in Chess

01:09:05 Colliding Worlds: Chess and Consulting

01:12:26 The Nature of Content Creation and Recognition

Matt’s linktree is here:

https://linktr.ee/byredofantome?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnKZHTvXc3y6vDxPUApYvPDxbUFpbNtVLXr58nVATFdTyrdu7mR6xgzob8An4_aem_SjGs6svkY3aTt1lbEPnWOg

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This week’s returning guest is NM Han Schut. Han is a former corporate executive turned Chessable author and trainer, known for his expertise in the Chess Steps Method and chess technology. Han joins me to reflect on the legacy of his fellow Dutchman, GM Jan Timman, who recently passed away. He shares personal anecdotes and discusses Timman’s impact as a world-class competitor, prolific author, and cultural icon in the Netherlands.

We also explore a fascinating recent project: Han built a custom chess database with the help of the LLM Claude, which handled all of the coding. He explains how players can use LLMs effectively for chess study and recommends other powerful digital tools.

Finally, Han offers evergreen advice on rest, mindset, and accurately assessing your own chess performance. As always, I came away inspired by Han’s wide-ranging knowledge and practical approach to chess.

Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com! Check out Han Schut's courses here:

⁠https://www.chessable.com/author/HanSchut/⁠

00:00 Remembering Grandmaster Jan Timman

Mentioned: Read Peter Doggers’ obituary here:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/jan-timman-obituary

Timman-Ribli 1978-

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1142478

12:03 Exploring LLMs in Chess Coding

Check out Han’s video about coding with Claude here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSj69yLmwMg&t=3s

Download the Lichess Puzzle Database Here:

https://database.lichess.org/#puzzles

Link to download Han and Claude’s creation within this article:

https://lichess.org/@/HanSchut/blog/the-lichess-opening-puzzles-with-games-makes-them-searchable-from-any-position/BUHE9eQ3

Matt Shumer article “Something Big is Happening”-

https://x.com/mattshumer_/status/2021256989876109403

21:45 Creating Chess Tools with AI

27:56 The Rise of AI and Its Implications

34: 00 Han’s Chess Study Tool Recommendations:

Mentioned: 

Forward Chess

https://forwardchess.com/

Chessvision AI

https://chessvision.ai/

36:55 Patreon mailbag question: What is Han’s advice for how to approach chess puzzles? 

Mentioned: 

CT Art Puzzles- (Chessking App)

https://chesskingtraining.com/ct-art/

Chessbase Puzzles

https://tactics.chessbase.com/nl/Solve

45:40 Mindset and Mental Strength in Chess

Mentioned: Think Like a Super GM by Michael Adams

How to Chess Podcast with Han Schut:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPN60QMA2oA

53:12 Managing Anxiety and Performance Pressure

58:46 Patreon mailbag question: What does Han think of Chessalyz AI and other AI Chess Tutors? 

Mentioned: 

Chessalyz AI:

https://chessalyz.ai/

FM Dalton Perrine’s blog:

https://chesschatter.substack.com/

Novachess AI

https://www.chessagine.com/

1:05:00- Thanks to Han for joining me! Here is how to keep up with him:

YouTube (including Saturday morning streams): 

https://www.youtube.com/c/hanschut

Lichess coaches:

https://lichess.org/coach/HanSchut

Chessable courses: 

https://www.chessable.com/author/HanSchut/

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GM Aman Hambleton has been busy lately. In addition to his usual role as a popular Twitch streamer and Youtuber for the Chessbrah channel, he recently returned from London, where he was one of the lead commentators for Chess.com’s Speed Chess Championship. He also has recently released his highly anticipated Chessable course, Aman Hambleton’s London System. In our conversation we discuss: 

• What made the latest Speed Chess Championship “special” according to Magnus Carlsen, and Aman’s thoughts on rapid, classical and freestyle chess. 

• What Aman says to haters of the London Opening. 

• Aman’s thoughts on the FIDE Candidates. 

We also discuss whether Aman is an adult improver at blitz chess (having recently crossed 3000 on Chess.com , Aman’s thoughts on The Queen of Chess, and the all important question of what Aman thinks of Magnus Carlsen’s new mustache. Its always fun chatting with Aman! 

0:01- Aman’s reflections on Chess.com’s Speed Chess Championship in London 

0:14- Looking ahead to the Esports World Cup 

0:19- Aman’s thoughts on the FIDE Candidates 

0:23- Highlights of Aman’s London course. 

More on Aman’s chessboxing match with IM Lawrence Trent here:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/mogul-chessboxing-championship-hambleton-trent

35:00- Patreon mailbag question: Does Aman have plans of doing a formal course on the Taimanov? 

Mentioned: Aman’s Taimanov Speedrun:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUjxDD7HNNTjZAD99gBAKVm_ZipXTtNYn

Mentioned: The Taimanov Bibl

41:00- Patreon mailbag question: What is Aman’s advice for how to improve your middlegame play? 

46:00- Where did Aman come up with the term “snorkel”? 

49:00- Aman recently went over a 3000 blitz rating. Is he an adult improver?

52:00- Does Aman have any new impersonations? 

53:00- Aman’s thoughts on The Queen of Chess 

54:00- Did the Chessbrahs go out in London?

55:00- Favorite chessbrah videos 

56:00- Does Aman approve of Magnus’ new mustache?

59:00- Thanks to Aman for joining me again! Here is how to keep up with he and the Chessbrahs:

Chessable course:

https://www.chessable.com/aman-hambletons-london-system/course/353577/

Twitch:

https://www.twitch.tv/chessbrah

Kick:

https://kick.com/chessbrah/videos

YouTube:

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

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

What role does chess play in our lives? That’s a recurring question on Perpetual Chess, and one that author Katie Kormanik explores in her new, personal memoir, Adventures of a Chess Girl. A former top scholastic player, Katie looks back at the competitive years of her early 20s and reflects on how chess became a refuge during a stressful and uncertain time. The game allowed her to travel widely and immerse herself in an eclectic social circle of strong players from around the world. Although Katie ultimately stepped away from competition, she still loves chess, and now fondly revisits those formative memories. We also discuss her experience self-publishing the book, as well as our thoughts on the new Queen of Chess documentary on Netflix. 

Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com. Check out GM Simon Williams' new course here:

https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-stonewall-dutch/course/378958/

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:49 Exploring the Memoir: Adventures of a Chess Girl

Mentioned: All the Wrong Moves by Sasha Chapin

03:28 Chess as a Refuge and a place to build identity

08:14 The Role of Peer Influence in Chess

12:00- Does Katie have a love-hate relationship with chess?

16:09 Romantic Relationships and Chess Improvement

19:00- Gender dynamics in the chess world 

22:05 Advice for Young Women in Chess

23:15 Introducing Chess to Children

25:59 The Journey of Self-Publishing a Book

You can find Katie’s self-publishing checklist within this article:

https://booksbywomen.org/the-case-for-self-publishing-and-why-its-easier-now-than-ever-before/

34:13 Reflections on Life Lessons and Risks

39:47 Our thoughts on the new Netflix Queen of Chess documentary 

43:32 Parenting Styles and Nurturing Passions

45:00- Thanks so much to Katie for joining me! You can find out more about her and her book at:

https://www.chessgirlbook.com/

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Is it possible to continue to get better at chess once you hit your 50s?  The Adult Improver Series returns, and that’s one of the central questions I explore with today’s guest, long-time friend of the pod and fellow chess podcaster Dr. Kevin Scull.

Kevin is the host of the popular Chess Journeys podcast, where he interviews adult chess improvers on a weekly basis. In our conversation, he shares insights drawn from hundreds of interviews, as well as from his own dedicated pursuit of tournament chess.

We discuss:

• How Kevin managed to reach a new all-time rating high of over 1800 USCF in his early 50s
  

• The social and competitive benefits of adult-only tournaments
  

• Whether struggling to remember your games afterward means you’re hopeless at chess
  

As you’d expect, Kevin also shares a wealth of chess resource recommendations and practical improvement tips, and reflects on nearly five years of producing Chess Journeys.

Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series Website:

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/adultimprover

Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series Spotify Playlist: 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=ab7ba68225fb43dc

0:00- Thanks to Chessable, check out Kevin’s course here:

https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/

0:01- Kevin joins the pod. How did he achieve a new rating high of 1800+ USCF in his early 50s? 

0:08- Why Kevin particularly enjoys adult and senior-only tournaments 

18:00- Kevin’s recent chess improvement realizations 

Mentioned: Karpov’s Strategic Wins by IM Tibor Karolyi 

23:00- The benefits of having a coach

Mentioned: NM Gopal Menon

https://lichess.org/streamer/vitamixbrand

28:00- More chess improvement secrets!

Mentioned: 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know

The Carlsbad Pawn Structure Revisited 

Chess Structures 

32:00- Is Kevin hopeless at chess because he can’t remember his games?

Post-

Am I bad at chess or our brains really that different?

https://drscull.substack.com/p/am-i-bad-at-chess-or-are-brains-really

Playing a Chess Tournament without Calculating

https://substack.com/@drscull/p-185151203

43:00- What is new with the Chess Journeys Podcast and Kevin’s Streaming?

Check at Chess Inception at Chesspuzzle.net 

https://chesspuzzle.net/Inception

47:00- Patterns that Kevin sees in successful improvers

50:00- What has Kevin learned from watching his daughter pursue chess? 

53:00- Kevin’s review of IM Danny Rensch’s Dark Squares

54:00- How to recalibrate expectations as you get older 

56:00- The value of studying random positions 

Thanks to Kevin for joining me!

Blog/substack here:

https://substack.com/@drscull/posts

Chess Journeys Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1kNbZLQE6JvbAyfOlv7ZNY?si=4b82e81608c24743&nd=1&dlsi=1afd66a98e904dc7

Chessable course:

https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/

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

In the  9 years of  Perpetual Chess’ existence, GM Yasser Seirawan is the most requested guest by listeners. It took some time to make it happen, but today the renowned commentator, author, and 4-time US Champion delivers. We chat about: 

• Yasser is renowned as a storyteller- what does he think the origins are of this skill? 

• Stories about Bobby Fischer, Bent Larsen, GM Miguel Najdorf, and many others. 

• The role that IM Jeremy Silman played in helping Yasser craft his popular Winning Chess Series. 

• Current exhibits at the World Chess Hall of Fame (including “Seirawan Chess”) and exciting renovations at the St. Louis Chess Club 

This episode features plenty of laughter and a number of entertaining stories that I hadn’t heard Yasser tell before.

0:00- Here is the link to join the Perpetual Chess Discord: 

https://discord.gg/aVWPk6P3

0:00- Thanks to our sponsors,  Chessiverse.com. Be sure to check out the Bots and courses, and use the code “Perpetual30” to receive a 30% discount on courses and premium offerings. 

0:00- And you can check out Yasser’s Chessable courses here:

https://www.chessable.com/author/Yasser_Seirawan/

0:02- Yasser joins me! He begins by discussing his storytelling roots, and some of the best raconteur GMs- Bent Larsen and Miguel Najdorf. 

29:00- Yasser on his love for books and how he managed to write his Play Winning Chess series in such an accessible style. 

47:00- Where do the point values for the pieces come from? 

Mentioned: NFL player John Urschel, GM Fabiano Caruana

48- ADD BOARD GRAPHICS LATER IF YOU UP FOR IT

56:00- Yasser’s friendship with IM Jeremy Silman, and his favorite authors

Mentioned: Mikhail Tal, Larry Christiansen, John Nunn, Fred Reinfeld

1:12:00- Yasser describes the renovations at the St. Louis Chess Club and the displays at the World Chess Hall of Fame, including one on chess variants. 

https://worldchesshof.org/exhibits-programs/current-exhibitions/

Play “S Chess” or Seirawan Chess here:

https://www.chess.com/variants/seirawan-chess

1:23:00- Playing blitz hustlers in NYC

Mentioned: Vincent Livermore, FM Asa Hoffman

1:35:00- The St. Louis Chess Club’s community outreach and work with first responders

Watch Anita Aronian singing here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUEsLaf3R9w

World Chess Hall of Fame Music Performances:

https://www.youtube.com/worldchesshof

1:41:00- One last Botvinnik story! 

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

Best-selling author Brad Stulberg has devoted a large part of his professional life to studying what it means to be excellent. He has interviewed peak performers in fields ranging from athletics and music to, of course, chess. His new book, The Way of Excellence distills all he learned.  In our conversation, Brad shares tons of helpful advice for anyone looking to improve at something. We tackle topics such as:

– What “pursuing excellence” means for an amateur chess player hoping to get a little bit better – Why Brad admires chess, and what he learned from interviewing GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave for his new book, – Brad’s advice for striking a balance between digital and analog life and learning

As a long-time fan of Brad’s writing and podcast, I was honored to speak with him about improving at chess and other domains.

0:00- Be sure to check out the bots and courses at  Chessiverse.com. Use the code “Perpetual30” to receive a 30% discount on courses and premium offerings. 

2:00- Brad joins the show. What is “arrival fallacy” and is it the same thing as what hikers call "summit fever?” 

08:00- Why did Brad want to include chess in a book about excellence?

12:00- How would Brad define excellence for someone engaged in a hobby, such as a chess player who just wants to go up in rating class? 

15:00- Brad’s advice for people working hard on chess who are not seeing any rating gains

Mentioned: The Myth of Sisyphus by Camus 

Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com, you can sign up for Chessable Pro here:

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

Check out their new courses here:

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

22:00- What did Brad learn from an exchange with Kasparov about the value of early-life specialization? 

Mentioned: Kasparov’s reply here:

https://x.com/Kasparov63/status/2002428459688341793

25:00- Brad’s experiences as a chess player and parent 

28:00- Digital vs. Analog life and the biophilia hypothesis 

37:00- The value of consistency over intensity 

40:00- What Brad learned from interviewing 70+ elite performers across domains 

45:00- Brad’s parting advice 

Thanks to Brad for joining me, here is how to keep up with him:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/bradstulberg/

Substack:

https://bradstulberg.substack.com/

Webpage:

https://www.bradstulberg.com/

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

Prolific author and book reviewer FM Carsten Hansen returns to Perpetual Chess to talk chess improvement, chess publishing, and to provide a rundown of standout recent chess books. We start with a listener question about plateauing in tactics training. How do we know if we’re just hitting a speed bump, or if we’ve reached our ceiling? From there, we dive deep into chess books, sharing recommendations with both a biographical and improvement focus. Lastly, we discuss Chess Openings for Dummies and Carsten’s many other book projects. I still don’t know how Carsten puts out so much chess material, but it’s always fun to hear about it.

EP 468- FM Carsten Hansen on Tactics Plateaus & The Best Recent Chess Books 

Prolific author and book reviewer FM Carsten Hansen returns to Perpetual Chess to talk chess improvement, chess publishing, and to provide a rundown of standout recent chess books. We start with a listener question about plateauing in tactics training. How do we know if we’re just hitting a speed bump, or if we’ve reached our ceiling? From there, we dive deep into chess books, sharing recommendations with both a biographical and improvement focus. Lastly, we discuss Chess Openings for Dummies and Carsten’s many other book projects. I still don’t know how Carsten puts out so much chess material, but it’s always fun to hear about it.

Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com, you can sign up for Chessable Pro here:

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

Check out their new courses here:

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

2:00 – Welcome 

Prior FM Carsten Hansen interviews: Episodes 84, 206, Book Recap #30

4:00 –Carsten joins:  Patreon mailbag question: tactics plateaus and adult improvement

Mentioned:  The Chess Wizardy of Wotowa 

Invisible Chess moves

Forcing Chess Moves 

12:00 – Carsten’s own chess goals and IM aspirations

19:00 – Carsten’s favorite chess books of the past few years

Mentioned: 

Tiger’s Chaos Theory

The Stories, Games and Intrigue of Capablanca and Alekhine 

Gideon Stahlberg: An Epoch in Swedish Chess

Korchnoi Year by Year

Hubner Year by Year

Alexander Alekhine: The Russian Sphinx

IM Cyrus Lakdawala: Becoming an IM

Converting an Extra Pawn in Chess

Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual: 6th Edition

Endgame study books by GM Jan Timman and IM Yochanan Afek

29:00 – Carsten discusses his newest project with FM James Eade, Chess Openings for Dummies

Download the Chess for Dummies bonus content here:

https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Chess+Openings+For+Dummies%2C+2nd+Edition-p-9781394345014#downloadstab-section

41:00- Carsten’s other projects:

Mentioned:

Mazukevich’s Madness

Carsten’s Newly Edited Capablanca books:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=carsten+hansen+capablanca&crid=E42JM4JTS3CX&sprefix=carsten+hansen+capablanc%2Caps%2C114&ref=nb_sb_noss

Coming soon: The Canal and Prins Gambits

Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer 

53:00 – Closing thoughts and wrap-up

 Thanks to Carsten for rejoining me! Here is how to keep up with him:

Website: 

https://www.winningquicklyatchess.com/

Email- carstenchess at gmail dot com 

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