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Descubre un mundo infinito de historias

Escucha y lee

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

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

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

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

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

EP 454 — Hanging Pawns (Stjepan Tomić) Shares Chess Book Recs for Every Level & Discusses His Big New Project

As the chess world digests the devastating news of the passing of Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, I found myself thinking back to our first interview in August of 2020 (Episode 191). At the time, as chess boomed during the pandemic, Danya was ascending from promising young American player to chess commentating superstar. In the interview Danya’s eloquence, empathy, and hilarious impersonations were on full display. It is among the most listened-to Perpetual Chess episodes in the podcast's 9 year history. Danya's loss is immense and I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and many fans. - Ben

00:00 – 03:15

Ben’s tribute and introduction following Danya’s passing (2025) 

03:16 – 04:00

2020 Interview with Danya begins- Introduction to Danya’s chess background and early achievements

04:00 – 06:00

Danya on listening to Perpetual Chess and favorite episodes

06:00 – 10:00

Discussion of the Hikaru–Magnus finale and Armageddon tiebreaks

10:12 – 13:10

Early fascination with blitz and bullet chess; childhood training habits

13:10 – 16:00

Blitz addiction story and lessons from IM John Donaldson

16:00 – 21:40

Practical tips on blitz improvement — tactics, intuition, and time management

21:40 – 26:30

Deep dive into time management and “15-second rule” from Hikaru analysis

26:30 – 33:00

Stories of playing Magnus and Alireza online; Rebecca Harris account origin

33:00 – 36:15

Etiquette and psychology of elite bullet matches

36:15 – 38:10

What Danya works on to improve; paradox of bullet skill vs. classical weakness

38:10 – 40:10

Balancing streaming, teaching, and training during COVID

40:10 – 43:00

Untapped potential and thoughts on improvement as a 2600+ GM

43:00 – 45:30

The continuing value of classical chess in a fast-paced world

45:30 – 49:10

Teaching and streaming as dual passions; insights on Twitch culture

49:10 – 54:30

Streaming schedule, viewer expectations, and sustainability

54:30 – 56:30

The pressures and pitfalls of Twitch streaming; handling trolls

56:30 – 1:00:00

Patreon questions: notebooks, writing process, and early books

1:00:00 – 1:03:00

How Mastering Positional Chess came to be; influence of Russian literature

1:03:00 – 1:06:00

Formative chess books and lessons from Kasparov and Soviet literature

1:06:00 – 1:09:30

Advice for adult improvers: training priorities and tactical habits

1:09:30 – End

Reflections on commentary, pedagogy, and love of teaching

Photo in thumbnail via Charlotte Chess Center:

https://www.charlottechesscenter.org/staff/gm-daniel-naroditsky

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

[Replay] GM Daniel Naroditsky's 2020 Perpetual Chess Interview

The Adult Improver Series returns with a fascinating story that highlights the broad appeal of chess. Marcos Patricio Macedo is a Brasília-based forensic detective, dad, and chess enthusiast who rediscovered the game in 2018 and hasn’t stopped since. Chess has become a welcome escape from the pressures of his homicide-investigation work, and he’s helped build community both locally and among fellow officers.

Marcos believes in the game’s value so deeply that he helped restore chess as an event in the World Police & Fire Games, an international gathering for first responders. In our conversation, he shares:

 
What it took to bring chess back to the games

 
How it was received and what might come next

 
His mixed feelings about balancing chess with family, work, and improvement

 
Lessons from coaches, online study, and his first major OTB tournament

Marcos’ relatable story reveals both the rewards and the potential pitfalls of dedicating a lot of time to chess as a hobby. 

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/

Try Chess.com (try for free):

http://go.chess.com/Perpetual

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. 

0:00- You can join the Perpetual Chess Patreon community here:

⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess⁠

02:00- What got Marcos back into chess in 2018? 

07:00- Similarities and differences between chess analysis and forensic analysis

10:00- Marcos’ approach to improving at chess

Mentioned: GM Rafael Leitão, Hanging Pawns YouTube Channel, GM Daniel Naroditsky 

15:00- Chess as a stress reliever for a first responder 

20:00- Marcos tells the story of his successful advocacy to get chess included in the recent World Police & Fire Games 

30:00- Why does Marcos think his interest in chess waned when he returned from the World Police & Fire Games ?

Mentioned: Silman’s The Amateur’s Mind, Coach FM Juan Cruz Arias 

40:00- Marcos’ previous OTB experiences

43:00- The chess scene in Brazil

44:00- Marcos’ next move 

49:00- Closing thoughts

Mentioned: EP 429 with Omar Mills

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2025/4/8/ep-429-omar-mills-chess-and-life-lessons-learned-from-not-improving-as-much-as-he-expected

Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EP 455- Marcos Patricio Macedo: A Forensic Detective’s Reflections on Chess, Balance, and Burnout

NM Max Farberov is a 27-year-old chess instructor, Chessable author, and online speed-chess specialist with a Chess.com blitz rating north of 2600. He joined me after a busy chess summer that included his first European open and one of his best OTB results to date: winning clear first in the Under-2300 section of the Washington International. As Max explains, this breakthrough came only after months of frustration and feeling that he had reached a plateau, making the success all the sweeter.

In our conversation, Max and I discussed:

 
Why he stays motivated to pursue tournament chess at an age when many slow down

 
How he built an opening repertoire around the offbeat 1…d6

 
What he gains from following lesser-known professional tournaments

 
Why speed chess is underrated as a tool for improvement

Max’s passion for chess is infectious, and our conversation is full of helpful chess improvement advice. Timestamps 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/

Check out special offers for free trials and/or discounts from our partner websites including Chessmood, ChessDojo, and Chess.com, via the link below:

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/partners

0:02- What led to Max’s recent tournament outcome, where he attained the best result of his life? 

10:00- What keeps Max going when many players in their 20s stop playing tournaments? 

12:00- The College Chess League

13:00- Congrats to IM-elect Tatev Abrahamyan 

14:00- Was Max tempted to quit after earning the NM title? 

20:00- What was it like for Max to play in his first international tournament? 

Mentioned: More on the Vila de Sitges here:

https://open.penyaescacscp.com/

22:00- The dangers of overpreparing for an opponent 

24:00- Max’s approach to openings 

26:00- GMs and top engines don’t like openings like the Philidor and the Pirc due to the concession of space. Has this been an issue for Max in his games?

28:00- Does Max consider himself a speed chess specialist? How can one get better at speed chess?

33:00- How to combat the London

35:00- Back to speed chess advice- Max’s advice for clock management 

38:00 Opening prep war stories 

40:00- The benefits of following and playing through the games from professional (non-elite) circuit tournaments. 

43:00- Max’s friendship with GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez 

Mentioned: EP 409 with GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2024/11/19/ep-409-gm-fidel-corrales-jimenez-a-tireless-tournament-circuit-grinder-on-overcoming-setbacks-managing-energy-the-risks-of-otb-cheating-amp-his-love-for-the-scotch-openingnbsp

46:00- How Max became a chess teacher and advice for getting into chess teaching 

49:00- Max’s next chess goals

50:00- Is Max a regimented chess-studier?

52:00- Max’s chess improvement hot takes and book recs 

Mentioned: 

Practical Chess Exercises

Evaluate like a Grandmaster 

Attack with Mikhail Tal 

56:00- Thanks to Max for joining me! 

Here is how to reach him:

X:

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

Chess.com:

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

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 448- NM Max Farberov on Beating Plateaus, Springing Opening Surprises, and Why Speed Chess Matters

The FIDE Grand Swiss always seems to deliver drama, and this year’s edition was no exception. To help break it all down, I am joined by popular commentator, Chessable author, and host of the Power Play Chess YouTube channel, GM Daniel King.

In our conversation, Daniel shares his takeaways on: • The common thread that fueled the successes of GMs Anish Giri and Matthias Blübaum • Standout performances from young stars like GMs Erdogmus, Mishra, and Woodward • Why the Women’s Grand Swiss produced fewer surprise qualifiers • A look ahead to the FIDE World Cup and the fight for the remaining Candidates spots

We also touch on tournament formats, opening preparation, and Daniel’s current projects. This was a fascinating event to follow and an equally fun one to recap with GM King.

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

chessacademy.com/online 

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

0:00- Intro

0:03- Whose play impressed Daniel?

Mentioned:

Pragganandhaa-Mishra 2025

https://www.chess.com/events/2025-fide-grand-swiss-open/04/Praggnanandhaa_R-Mishra_Abhimanyu

Keymer-Bluebahm 2025

https://www.chess.com/events/2025-fide-grand-swiss-open/10/Keymer_Vincent-Bluebaum_Matthias

IM Greg Shahade’s tweet-

https://x.com/GregShahade/status/1967742931122724924

 10:00- How will Bluebahm fare in the Candidates?

13:00- 

Mentioned: Colin McGourty’s great tournament recap is here:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/2025-fide-grand-swiss-13-conclusions#giri-1

15:00- Does the FIDE Grand Swiss format make it too likely that non-elite players will qualify for the Candidates? 

Mentioned: Peter Heine Nielsen’s Tweet

https://x.com/PHChess/status/1967494651566588023

Leonard Barden’s column for The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/sep/12/chess-erdogmus-14-wins-immortal-game-on-silk-road-as-grand-swiss-nears-climax

17:00- Daniel’’s thoughts on the new FIDE Women’s Candidates

20:00- Who would Daniel like to see earn one of the last Candidate spots? 

Mentioned: 

Chess Reddit post on players not yet in the Candidates:

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/1nig9bx/10_strong_players_but_only_3_available_slots/

Giri-Niemann 2025

https://www.chess.com/events/2025-fide-grand-swiss-open/11/Giri_Anish-Niemann_Hans_Moke

25:00- Should there be a tiebreak playoff at the Grand Swiss? 

Browne-Petrosian 1982

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1035512

29:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Should FIDE use a different pairing algorithm in order to limit color imbalances?”

The two papers (via Dr. Benjamin Portheault) that describe the pairing system are here:

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2112.10522

 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2410.19333

32:00- Patreon mailbag question: “At what stage are players leaving their opening prep at the professional level?”

37:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Where can a player find good model games in the Kalashnikov Sicilian?” 

Mentioned: Cuenca, Moisenko, SL Narayanyan, Maghsoodloo, Bulmaga 

39:00- What is Daniel’s process for following tournaments and picking games to show on his channel?

Mentioned: Mittai-Erdogmus 2025

https://www.chess.com/events/2025-fide-grand-swiss-open/04/Aditya_Mittal-Erdogmus_Yagiz_Kaan

42:00- Daniel’s current projects:

Join his Patreon here:

https://www.patreon.com/c/powerplaychess/posts

50:00- Check out Daniel’s book reviews on his channel:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhyM8toCZs_oHwQr_PTveXDkbnbq2Z4HO

53:00- Before we go, we make incorrect predictions of who will win the FIDE World Cup!! 

56:00- Thanks as always to Daniel for joining me. Here is how to keep up with him:

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMBATpFb--uLNAODOVWvCTA

His Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/c/powerplaychess/

His Chessable Courses:

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

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

EP 452: GM Daniel King — The Grand Swiss, Candidates Spots, and What It Takes to Win High-Stakes Swiss Tournaments

Despite an impressive chess résumé as one of the U.S.’s top women players, Tatev Abrahamyan has had moments when she questioned whether it was all worth it. After a prolonged slump, she not only considered giving up on ever earning the International Master title, but she nearly quit competitive chess altogether. Fortunately, Tatev persevered. Earlier this year, she unexpectedly finished second in the Woman’s American Cup, and then in August, she delivered a standout result that earned her the International Master title at age 37 — more than 10 years after achieving her final required norm! Remarkably, Tatev’s performance was so strong that she also secured her first GM norm.

In our conversation, Tatev reflects on:

 
Why a timely vote of confidence from a mentor propelled her toward a $30,000 prize

 
Opening advice and the enduring value of endgame studies

 
What she has learned from this roller-coaster journey — and what she advises others facing slumps

Tatev’s story is both candid and inspiring, and I look forward to following her next chapter at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Championship and beyond.

0:00- Thanks to our sponsors Chessable.com:

Check out Tatev’s courses here- and if you sign up for Chessable Pro, be sure to use this link:

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

0:02- Late last year, after a slump, Tatev was “despondent” with her chess? Did she seriously consider quitting? 

0:05- Once she didn’t quit, how did she prepare for the American Cup? 

0:08- Tatev’s tournament routine and mindset

Mentioned: IM Kostya Kavutskiy, GM Josh Friedel, Endgame Labaratory by GM Jacob Aagaard

0:11- Why does Tatev think her results turned around at the American Cup?

Mentioned: GM Yasser Quesada Perez

0:15- Tatev’s next tournaments in Spain and Budapest 

0:18- Tatev’s approach to openings

0:20- When did Tatev start to think that earning the IM title was becoming realistic? 

0:24- Patreon mailbag question: Was there any change to Tatev’s mindset leading up to this breakthrough?

Mentioned: You can check out Tatev’s games from the tournament here:

https://www.chess.com/events/budapest-one-week-budapest-one-week-gm

FM Mike Klein’s article about Tatev’s title:

https://www.chess.com/news/view/abrahamyan-plays-best-tournament-of-career-earns-im-title-gm-norm

26:00- Meeting up with Judit after the tournament! 

34:00- More reflections on Tatev’s tournament

Mentioned: IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s blog post about analyzing with Ivanchuk

https://hellokostya.substack.com/p/2025-spring-eurotrip

40:00- The US Women’s Championship 

41:00- Tatev discusses her Chessable course and her fondness for endgame studies.

Mentioned:

Chess Studies: Solve to Evolve 

https://www.chessable.com/chess-studies-solve-to-evolve/course/300770/

49:00 Tatev’s next projects

51:00- Will Tatev pursue the GM title?

Mentioned: Jeanne Sinquefeld prize for a woman earning the GM title 

https://www.chess.com/news/view/jeanne-cairns-sinquefield-award-us-female-grandmasters

Also mentioned: GM Felix Blohberger

https://www.chess.com/news/view/being-a-chess-professional-in-europe-sucks-blohberger

55:00- Thanks to Tatev for joining us! 

You can reach her via the Lichess coaches page:

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EP 453- IM-elect Tatev Abrahamyan on the Long Road to her New Title.

North Carolina–based trainer and author Elshan Moradiabadi has won over 25 tournaments and was the 2001 National Champion of his native Iran. Despite his many accomplishments, Elshan is deeply reflective about the proper role chess should play in one’s life. While he has no regrets about the sacrifices he made, his experiences have given him valuable lessons to share, including:

 
Why you should keep chess enjoyment as your North Star

 
The importance of intuition, and the nine cues for evaluating a position 

 
The tradeoffs that come with pursuing excellence

 
How chess parenting has changed since his own youth

We also touch on the professional chess landscape, and make a few predictions about the FIDE Grand Swiss (a tournament which is now over, but hadn’t started when we recorded on September 1). Whether you’re a chess hobbyist, parent, or coach, you’ll find plenty of wisdom and inspiration in this wide-ranging conversation. 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/

0:02- Welcome Elshan to the pod- we begin by discussing a poignant post Elshan wrote about what chess has given him, and what is has taken away:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EExhz3qbC/

Prior interview with Elshan, Episode 58- 

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2018/2/6/episode-58-gm-elshan-moradiabadi

0:09- Why Elshan has grown to love the English language as a non-native speaker 

Mentioned: Cover Stories with Chess Life Episodes #44 and #48

https://new.uschess.org/news/cover-stories-chess-life-44-gm-elshan-moradiabadi

https://new.uschess.org/news/cover-stories-chess-life-48-gm-elshan-moradiabadi

0:11- Elshan’s typical day of coaching

0:13- The challenge of improving chess intuition 

Read more about Elshan’s 9 cues for evaluating a position here:

https://gmelshan.com/how-to-master-chess-the-9-imbalances/

19:00- Elshan’s approach to helping new students

27:00- Elshan’s reflections on his OTB chess game 

30:00- Reflections on a poor performance in the 2022 US Championship 

Mentioned: So-Moradiabadi 2022

https://www.chess.com/events/2022-us-chess-championship/11/So_Wesley-Moradiabadi_Elshan

33:00- Does Elshan follow top chess tournaments?

Mentioned: Quantbox Chennai Invitational

https://www.chess.com/events/info/2025-quantbox-chennai-grand-masters

37:00- Patreon mailbag question: What did Elshan like about the Chicken Chess Club Podcast (may it rest in peace) 

Mentioned: GM Jan Gustafsson

39:00- Elshan’s plans for the rest of 2025

Mentioned: USA vs. India match in Dallas, Texas, October 2025

https://www.texaschesscenter.com/usa-vs-india?srsltid=AfmBOooUe_kOJfuugQMW1JtCezBWX7DPRYRK05I6w2LQ4Bzb6H9Pc9Lq

41:00- Elshan’s favorite players

Mentioned: GM Mikhail Tal, Capablanca, Fischer, Positional Decision Making in Chess by GM Boris Gelfand 

45:00- Elshan’s big picture chess advice

Mentioned: Searching for Bobby Fischer 

51:00- Last minute FIDE Grand Swiss predictions (this was recorded before it started) 

55:00- Thanks so much to Elshan for joining me again! You can reach him via his website:

https://gmelshan.com/contact/

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EP 451: GM Elshan Moradiabadi on Intuition, Coaching, and Why Fun Is Vital for Chess Improvement

As you may have heard, ⁠GM Hikaru Nakamura made a surprise appearance ⁠at the Louisiana State Championship, as part of fulfilling FIDE’s World Championship qualification criteria. In return, the players he encountered gained memories and stories they’ll never forget. In this multi-guest special episode, I speak with several of Hikaru’s opponents, as well as the tournament’s organizer, to hear their firsthand accounts:

 
Senior Tournament Director Richard Campbell (13:00) – on why he and his team initially thought Hikaru’s registration was a prank, and how they realized it was real.

 
20-year-old college student Harry James (32:00) – on how being paired with Hikaru in Round 1 unexpectedly cured his hangover.

 
Tulane graduate student Nahum Villamil Garces (47:30) – on the lifetime memories he made after facing Hikaru in Round 3.

 
Five-time Louisiana State Champion FM Nick Matta (1:06:00) – on how he forced himself to play Hikaru with no fear, and how the opportunity to play him re-energized his passion for chess. 

 
Baton Rouge-based NM Charles Campbell (1:34:00) – on the mixed feelings he had before his last-round showdown with Hikaru, as he vied for the state champion title. 

It was so much fun hearing the stories of our guests, and I was touched by the galvanizing effect Hikaru’s visit had on the Louisiana chess community

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-Introduction

8:00- If you know a scholastic player looking for high-level interactive online instruction, check out the Silver Knights Chess Academy: 

chessacademy.com/online

Use code “pod” to save 50% on the first month 

13:00- The first guest is Richard Campbell, the tournament organizer. How did he find out Hikaru was registered, did he think it was real? What did they do about security and cheat detection?

Mentioned: NM Jude Acers 

32:00- Harry James joins me, he is a 20 year old Tulane University student who was Hikaru’s first round opponent. It is not often a 1563 USCF player gets to play a super GM! 

Mentioned: Watch Hikaru’s recaps of his games vs. Harry and Nahum here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJCsHU4NVh8

47:30- Nahum Villamil Garces, Hikaru’s 3rd round opponent, joins me. Nahum is graduate student at Tulane University who was playing his first tournament in the U.S.

Mentioned: Gelfand-Nakamura 2010

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1567841

1:06:00- 5-time Louisiana State Champion FM Nick Matta joined me to reflect on an instructive loss, and to compare the experience of playing Hikaru to his clashes against IM Levy Rozman and GM Hans Niemann. 

Mentioned:

You can see Hikaru’s recaps of his games against FM Nick Matta and NM Charles Campbell here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLWuOczem3I&list=PL4KCWZ5Ti2H48YIUpaiTp6jTlwflBLFjI&index=4

You can see Nick’s game with Hikaru in this chess.com article 

https://www.chess.com/news/view/nakamura-wins-louisiana-state-championship-candidates

Also Mentioned:Thinking Inside the Box by GM Jacob Aagaard 

You can reach FM Nick Matta via his Lichess coaches page:

https://lichess.org/@/Candychessmaster

1:34:00- NM Charles Campbell joins the podcast to discuss lessons from his 7th round showdown with Hikaru, and the chess scenes in Nigeria (his native country) and Baton Rouge, Louisiana (where he lives). 

You can also see his game in the chess.com recap, or on Hikaru’s YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLWuOczem3I&list=PL4KCWZ5Ti2H48YIUpaiTp6jTlwflBLFjI&index=4

You can reach Charles Campbell via Chess.com or Lichess

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

https://lichess.org/@/Candychessmaster

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EP 450 – Hikaru in Louisiana: Stories from His Surprise Appearance in the Louisiana State Championship

Mark Crowther is the founder, editor, and writer behind the indispensable online periodical The Week In Chess (TWIC). In our conversation, we talked about Mark’s origins, TWIC’s humble beginnings, and how he manages the workflow of writing about and publishing a relentless torrent of chess games played by top players. Mark and I also talked about the chess world more broadly. He shared a rumor he recently heard about the next FIDE election and discussed his own chess playing, plus shared book recommendations. Thanks to Mark for joining me in a great conversation. You can follow him on twitter here, or read and support The Week in Chesshere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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EP.59 - Mark Crowther, founder of The Week in Chess

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