How To Chess

Ben Johnson (solo pod): Synthesizing the Key Lessons About Chess Role Models from Season 3's Guests

Ben Johnson — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 13:43:00 -0500

The final episode of Season 3 of How to Chess is a rare solo pod, where Ben

succinctly summarizes the key lessons about chess role models that were

imparted by the How to Chess guests. As Ben notes, the guests have

highlighted role models ranging from elite players to local players to

renowned endgame specialists, and luckily we don't need to choose just

one person to learn from in our chess studies. In closing, Ben

highlights a few of his own chess role models and the lessons that he

learned from them. Thanks to all of the brilliant How to Chess Season 3

guests, be sure to check out their courses, and thanks to you all for

listening!

WIM Luciana Morales on Learning from Queens of the Chess Board

Ben Johnson — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 14:39:00 -0500

Luciana Morales is a Peruvian Woman International Master with a resume full of impressive accomplishements!

She has won the Pan-American Youth Championship no less than 3 times. She also won the Zonal Tournament 2.4 in São Paulo. The win qualified her for the 2004 Women's World Championship, making her the first Peruvian player to do so.

And when she studied at the University of Texas - Brownsville, she helped the team outperform their seeding, and break into the final four of the 2008 Pan-American Team Championship.

But, what does she have to say about role models in chess?

Queens of the Chess Board:

https://www.chessable.com/queens-of-the-chess-board/course/102010/

Luciana's author page: https://www.chessable.com/author/LucianaM/

Luciana's socials:

X: https://twitter.com/LucianaMorales

Ben's X: https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

IM Alex Astaneh on How His Coach Accidentally Taught him Board Visualization Skills

Ben Johnson — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 11:00:00 -0500

Alex Astaneh is an Irish International Master, chess coach, and author.

Astaneh's chess journey began at a young age, and he quickly found success on the Irish chess circuit. At the age of 11, he represented Ireland at the World Youth Championships, which got him hooked on the game.

His successes continued, having won the Irish Championship on three separate occasions (2010, 2017, 2018) and has represented the Irish National Team four times at the Chess Olympiads (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018).

In addition to a lauded chess playing career, Astaneh stands out as a world-class coach, including a stint as the official coach of the Irish junior team in the World Youth Championships 2010.

As Alex explains, he learned from studying the typical legends like Fischer and Tal, but his Spanish coach, IM Roberto Paramos Dominguez taught him a ton about attacking and visualization. In our conversation Alex shares tons of helpful tips for improving calculation.

My First Grünfeld Opening Repertoire:

https://www.chessable.com/my-first-grunfeld-opening-repertoire/course/134696/

Alex's author page: https://www.chessable.com/author/Astaneh/

Alex's socials:

X: https://twitter.com/astanehchess

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alexastaneh/

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/astaneh/

Ben's X: https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

GM Jorden van Foreest on What Kasparov's Books Taught him about Attacking...and the Tarrasch Defense

Ben Johnson — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 14:26:00 -0500

Jorden van Foreest is a well accomplished Grandmaster from the Netherlands. Some of the highlights of his career includes winning the Dutch Championship in 2016, winning the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Tournament in 2021, and serving as Magnus Carlsen's second in the 2021 World Championship.

But what does he have to say about role models in chess?

Lifetime Repertoires: Tarrasch Defense:

https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-tarrasch-defense/course/128906/

Jorden's author page: https://www.chessable.com/author/jordenvforeest/

Jorden's X: https://twitter.com/jordenvforeest

Ben's X: https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

NM Laura Smith on Her Chess Role Models

Ben Johnson — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 01:00:00 -0500

Laura Smith is an American chess teacher and educator. She began learning the game at

the fairly young age of 5, taught by her father. By the time she was 6, she was

already enrolled in chess classes. Her accomplishments include

becoming the highest-rated 13-year-old, male or female, in the US in 2002. She

competed in the US Women's Chess Championship in 2006, earned a silver medal in

the Girls Under 14 category in the Pan-American Championship, and earned a spot

on the US Youth Chess Team for 8 consecutive years. Laura discusses what she has learned from female role models like Judit Polgar, Irina Krush and Jennifer Shahade.

Forcing Moves for Beginners:

https://www.chessable.com/forcing-moves-for-beginners-/course/123996/

Laura's author page:

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

Laura's socials:

https://twitter.com/lauraloveschess

Instagram:

instagram.com/lauraloveschess

Twitch:

twitch.com/shaunandlaura

Email:

lauraloveschess@gmail.com

Ben's X:

https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

TheOnoZone on His Endgame Role Models

Ben Johnson — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 11:45:00 -0500

Ono is an Adult Improver, chess blogger, chess podcaster and chess coach.

Some say he is obsessed with chess. But, what does he have to say about role models in chess?

Mastering Endgame Strategy: https://www.chessable.com/mastering-e...

Arkell's Endings: https://www.chessable.com/arkells-end...

Ono's socials:

https://www.theonozone.com/

Youtube: h / @theonozone

X: t / theonozone

Ono Another Chess Podcast - Episode 7 (Guest: Ben Johnson): https://www.theonozone.com/7

IM Alex Banzea on What he Learned from One of Romania's All-Time Greats

Ben Johnson — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 01:30:00 -0500

Alex Banzea is a Romanian International Master, growing Twitch streamer, YouTuber, chess coach, and acclaimed Chessable author.

Since early age, Alex has received coaching of the highest level: Grandmaster Constantin Lupulescu, one of the most accomplished Romanian players ever. What does Alex has to say about role models in chess?

The Caro-Kann: Simplified: https://www.chessable.com/the-caro-kann-simplified/course/171080/

Alex Banzea's London System: https://www.chessable.com/alex-banzeas-london-system/course/118788/

Alex's author page: https://www.chessable.com/author/alexbanzea/

Alex's socials:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexBanzea

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexBanzea

Ben's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

IM Yuriy Krykun on the Importance of FInding Local Chess Role Models

Ben Johnson — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 12:00:00 -0500

International Master Yuriy Krykun is a chess player, coach, and author. This rising star of the chess world has shined so bright that he’s gotten attention from beginners and grandmasters alike. But, what does he has to say about role models in chess?

IM Yuriy Krykun's author page:

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

Black is Back: Old Benoni:

https://www.chessable.com/black-is-ba...

Yuriy Krykun's socials:

X: https://twitter.com/KrykunYuriy

Ben's Socials:

X: https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

GM Ivan Sokolov on Coaching and Mentoring and What he Learned from Other Chess Legends

Ben Johnson — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 10:45:00 -0500

Ben Johnson talks role models in chess with gold-winning player/trainer/coach, GM Ivan Sokolov.

Ivan Sokolov is a Grandmaster, author, coach, and formerly one of the top-ranked chess players in the world. Sokolov was the coach and captain of the gold-winning Uzbek team in the 2022 Olympiad.

GM Ivan Sokolov's author page:

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

Endgame Expertise: Rook Endgames

https://www.chessable.com/endgame-exp...

Ivan Sokolov's socials:

X: https://twitter.com/GMSokolovIvan

Ben's Socials:

X: https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

Teaser- How to Chess Season 3 Starts Friday!

Ben Johnson — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 10:07:00 -0500

Just a quick announcement that Season 3 is finally here! The topic of this season is chess role models.

CM Vjekoslav Nemec- How to Improve Your Speed Chess Game

Ben Johnson — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 11:30:00 -0500

CM Vjekoslav "Vjeko" Nemec is a Chessable Author, a chess blogger and journalist, and a fierce blitz player with ratings over 2600 on both Lichess and Chess.com. In our conversation, Vjeko shares some tips for improving your blitz game, but also discusses the dark side of a love for blitz, as it can be addicting and sometimes causes him to wonder if he is using his chess time optimally. In our conversation we get some good reflections on improving your blitz game, putting it in its proper place in your life, and even on how to reorient in order to work on classical chess instead.

Check out Vjeko's course, The Uncompromising Modern Defense, here:

https://www.chessable.com/the-uncompromising-modern-defense/course/87112/

GM Johan Hellsten- How to Analyze Your Own Chess Games

Ben Johnson — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 11:30:00 -0500

This week's guest on How to Chess is Chessable author and renowned trainer GM Johan Hellsten. He joins the podcast this week to share some tips about how to analyze one's one chess games. Johan touches on how to utilize engines, and the different types of mistakes he sees in his students games. Johan's landmark Mastering Chess books/ Chessable series is packed with instructive positions and is revered by other chess trainers and students alike. It is a particularly good choice for those rated in the 1400 to 2200 range.

You can check out Johan's Chessable Courses (including links to free lessons) here:

https://www.chessable.com/author/jhellsten2/

NM Bryan Tillis- How to Remember Opening Sequences

Ben Johnson — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 11:30:00 -0500

NM Bryan Tillis is a popular Chessable Author, an accredited FIDE trainer, and the founder of the Florida based chess academy, Palm Beach Chess. In our conversation, Bryan shares some practical tips to help adult chess players remember their openings. Bryan discusses the concept of "memory markers" and shares a few other tips that can help us make the most of our limited opening study time.

You can find links to Chessable courses referenced below:

Bryan's Chessable Courses:

https://www.chessable.com/author/Bryan_Tillis/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pmax_17331070731&utm_content=&gclid=CjwKCAjw6fyXBhBgEiwAhhiZspYMi_MyeUl6WHKZN3RpRgIpGJ1URpTn28w3dgxzqCTGnR-oR7oxgxoCqJQQAvD_BwE

FM Kamil Plichta's Anti-Anti Sicilians:

https://www.chessable.com/anti-anti-sicilians/course/42393/

Memory markers

GM Sahaj Grover- How to Approach Studying the Endgame

Ben Johnson — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 11:30:00 -0500

GM Sahaj Grover is an Indian born, South Africa based chess trainer and Chessable Author. He amassed many youth titles, and was the 2017 and 2018 South African Open Champion. Sahaj is also the co-author (with FM Daniel Barrish) of Timeless Technique: Strategic Endgames, a great practical guide to endgames for intermediate and advanced players. In our conversation, Sahaj shares some tips for blending the study of "practical" endgames and "technical" endgames and discusses his own endgame education. He also tells the story of what he learned from a memorable Pro Chess League game against GM Magnus Carlsen!

You can check out Sahaj's Chessable Courses here:

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

Check out 100 Endgames You Must Know (another course we discussed) Here:

100 Endgames You Must Know - MoveTrainer® Course - Chessable

Omar Mills- Lessons Learned from My First OTB Chess Tournament

Ben Johnson — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 11:30:00 -0500

Omar Mills is a Florida based Product Manager at Disney parks by day, and a recently converted chess die-hard by night. As a follow up to Neal Bruce’s suggestions before one’s first chess tournament (in Episode 4), I thought it would be fun to hear from a player after he had played his first tournament. Omar has quickly built a loyal Twitter following due to his evident passion for chess, so he was the perfect person to share some lessons that he learned. When it comes to tournament chess, there is no substitute for experience! Please tune in for all the lessons that Omar has learned in the early days of a chess obsession.

Be sure to follow Omar on Twitter and Instagram:

https://twitter.com/ChessVonDoom?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.instagram.com/ChessVonDoom/

Recommended Chessable Courses for Your 2nd Tournament:

Everyone’s First Chess Workbook by FM Peter Giannatos

Chess Principles Reloaded by IM Andras Toth

Learn Chess the Right Way, Find Winning Moves by GM Susan Polgar

Cognitive Scientist and USCF Master Dr. Christopher Chabris on the Importance of Having "Chess Culture"

Ben Johnson — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 11:30:00 -0500

Dr. Christopher Chabris is a renowned cognitive scientist and the best-selling co-author of the book The Invisible Gorilla. In this conversation, Chris discusses what it means to have "chess culture" and how one can go about acquiring it.

Check out Dr. Chabris' website here:

http://www.chabris.com/

In addition to the books we discussed, here are a few Chessable courses I would recommend to help you learn more chess culture:

1) Kasparov's Great Predecessor Series

2) Yasser's Chess Duels

3) The Best Chess Moves of All Time by Alex Belsley and GM Simon Williams

Adult Improver Andrew Webb on the Key Lessons he Learned from his Chess Coaches

Ben Johnson — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 11:30:00 -0500

Andrew Webb works in Product Management for a software company and is also a "chess dad" and a dedicated chess amateur who has managed to gain about 250 FIDE points in his 40s. Andrew credits a lot of his success to lessons he learned from working with his coaches, NM Dan Heisman and GM Nigel Davies, and in this conversation he shares a few of those lessons.

Relevant links below:

Andrews's Educational Chess Website-

https://acornchess.com/

Chessable courses mentioned:

Chess Structures by Mauricio Flores Rios

NM Han Schut on Getting to the Root Cause of Your Chess Mistakes

Ben Johnson — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 11:30:00 -0500

USCF National Master, Chess Steps trainer, and Chessable Author Han Schut on how to learn from your chess mistakes.

Links:

Han Schut's Chessable Courses:

https://www.chessable.com/author/HanSchut/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pmax_17331070731&utm_content=&gclid=CjwKCAjwoMSWBhAdEiwAVJ2ndl04_FPMT5YzkK45f63EsAkp4ppCSFKDMrBi1_CBjthMlkYd_5ZBwxoCr88QAvD_BwE

Han's Twitter:

https://twitter.com/HanSchutChess

How to Chess Season 2 is coming soon!

Ben Johnson — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 13:07:00 -0500

I briefly discuss the pending return of How to Chess !! :)

HowToChess 21- FM Dalton Perrine on Common Calculation Mistakes and How to Improve Your Defensive Skills

Ben Johnson — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:45:00 -0500

Chessable author and Founder of Next Level Coaching, FM Dalton Perrine joins the pod to discuss an oft-neglected aspect of chess thinking- how to defend against tactics.

Check out his Chessable course in the link below:

https://www.chessable.com/survive-thrive-how-to-blunder-less-and-defend-better/course/80629/

Follow Dalton on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/MattyDPerrine

HowToChess 20- IM Kostya Kavutskiy on How to Learn from Endgame Compositions

Ben Johnson — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 16:00:00 -0500

Popular Author, Trainer, and Founding Member of the ChessDojo, Kostya Kavutskiy stops by to discuss his excellent new Chessable course, Endgame Studies 101.

Check out ChessDojo's YouTube here

Follow IM Kostya Kavutskiy's Twitter here

Bonus Vignette- GM Vladimir Kramnik on his first win against a GM

Ben Johnson — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 13:45:00 -0500

In his own words, GM Vladimir Kramnik answers the trivia question from How to Chess Episode 19 about the first time he beat a GM in a simul.

HowToChess 19 - GM Vladimir Kramnik on Questions to Ask Yourself When Its Your Move

Ben Johnson — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 16:45:00 -0500

Legendary former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik stops by to discuss 3 things to think about when its your move in a chess game. As GM Kramnik details in his Chessable course, Thinking in Chess, A How to Guide, it can be useful to use the following framework when its your move...

Look for tactics (can i win material?)
Is there a threat? (are pieces hanging?)
What is the plan of your opponent? (What is she hoping to do next?)

ONLY then, you can ask yourself questions like, "what is my plan?" and "How can I improve my position?, etc.

Both of Vladmir Kramnik's courses are on sale through October 27. And both offer free chapters! Links below:

Thinking in Chess, A How to Guide

Thinking in Chess: Free Excerpt

Understanding 1. e4

Vladimir Kramnik: Free Opening Lesson #1

THE TRIVIA CONTEST ALREADY HAS A WINNER! Thanks for listening, and please subscribe for bonus content coming soon featuring Vladimir telling the story of the answer to the trivia question.

How to Chess 18- FM Peter Giannatos on How to Adapt Your Game when Playing Against Kids

Ben Johnson — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 16:00:00 -0500

FM Peter Giannatos is the Founder and Executive Director of the Charlotte Chess Center and Scholastic Academy (CCCSA), and an accomplished chess teacher and improver.

Follow the CCCSA on Twitter here

Twitch here

Info on the Corporate Chess League here.

Perpetual Chess Podcast Episode 241 with FM Peter Giannatos here

Follow Ben Johnson on Twitter here https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

If you want to build your repertoire visit:

www.chessable.com/free

for hundreds of free starter repertoires

How To Chess 17- IM Lawrence Trent Shares the Best Chess Advice He Has Gotten

Ben Johnson — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 12:00:00 -0500

IM Lawrence Trent shares some memorable advice that has been imparted to him from his GM friends, plus gives an update on his GM title chase and his rivalry with IM Greg Shahade.

Ben Johnson https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

Lawrence Trent https://twitter.com/LawrenceTrentIM

Greg Shahade https://twitter.com/GregShahade/status/1430546789065658377

If you want to build your repertoire visit:

www.chessable.com/free

for hundreds of free starter repertoires

How To Chess 16- How to Prep During a Tournament with WIM Jesse February

Ben Johnson — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 15:00:00 -0500

WIM Jesse February shares some great advice on how to analyze games, prepare and manage your energy during a tournament.

Make sure to drop Jesse a follow on Twitch and keep in touch via her socials:

Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/jesse_feb

Twitter - https://twitter.com/jesse_feb?lang=en

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jesse_feb/?hl=en

How To Chess 15- How to Choose a Chess Coach with IM Yuriy Krykun

Ben Johnson — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 17:00:00 -0500

IM Yuriy Krykun shares some tips for choosing and working with a chess coach.

Check out Yuriy's Chessable courses here:

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

How To Chess 14- GM Peter Svidler on How to be a Good "Practical Player"

Ben Johnson — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 17:15:00 -0500

The 8 time Russian Champion, commentator and Chessable Author, GM Peter Svidler joins the show!

Check out Peter's Chessable Course here-

https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-peter-svidlers-grunfeld-part-1/course/63116/

Follow Peter on Twitter here-

https://twitter.com/polborta?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Follow Ben on Twitter here-

https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

Peter's US Chess School Lecture is Here-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QumdJShD1QI

How To Chess 13- How to Make an Award Winning Chessable Course

Ben Johnson — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 12:00:00 -0500

This week's guest, Alex Belsky (chessforlife on Chessable) is a Quantum Physics Ph.D. student, 2100 FIDE player, and prize winning Chessable course creator!

Check out Alex Belsky's course of the year, The Best Chess Moves of All Time here:

https://www.chessable.com/the-best-chess-moves-of-all-time/course/80952/

Free preview of the course here:

https://www.chessable.com/some-of-the-best-chess-moves-of-all-time/course/86225/

UPDATE- SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11- NOTE THAT THE FREE COURSE TRIVIA CONTEST ALREADY HAS A WINNER.

How To Chess 12- How to Improve Your Chess Away from the Board with Dr. Benjamin Portheault

Ben Johnson — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 16:15:00 -0500

This week's guest is Dr. Benjamin Portheault . Benji is a data scientist and performance coach who has worked with Super GMs to help them improve their performances. Benji shares some tips for ways we can improve our own games through better lifestyle and preparation habits.

Follow Benji on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/benjiportheault?lang=en

How to Chess 11- Lessons from a 2000 Day(!) Chessable Streak. Featuring Chessable Legend Christophe Thiéry

Ben Johnson — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Christophe Thiéry is a programmer by day, and a chess loving Chessable Legend by night! Tune in to find out what he has learned from achieving a 2000 day Chessable streak!

You can see Christoph's stalemate trick on move 53 of this game.

Here is the link to the variation where he learned the pattern: https://www.chessable.com/variation/353838/ it is from a famous Smyslov-Bernstein game.

How to Chess 10- How to use Data to Help Your Chess Game with FM Nate Solon

Ben Johnson — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 21:15:00 -0500

Episode 10 - FM Nate Solon on How analytics and analysis can help your chess

How to use analytics in your chess? What’s the difference between analytics and analysis? How can club players benefit from them? What chess tools help to collect data and analyze it?

FIDE Master Nate Solon joins Ben to share some ideas on the subject. Nate is the Massachusetts State Champion, a data scientist, and a consultant for Chessable.com who’s always looking for ways to improve his own game. He is also the author of the excellent Zwischenzug newsletter.

https://zwischenzug.substack.com/

Three ideas on how to use analytics in chess:

1. Filter by level (study what you’re likely to face and study your peers)

2. Look at your own data (find trends and weaknesses in your play to fix them)

3. Consider going off the beaten path (sound but unpopular openings have surprise value)

Visit aimchess.com for a free report on your latest games.

Check out hundreds of free Chessable opening courses at https://www.chessable.com/free/

Or, create an account for free at https://www.chessable.com/register/

➡️ Check out Ben on Twitter

➡️ Check out Nate on Twitter

Subscribe for more educational chess content.

Visit https://www.howtochess.com/ and follow https://twitter.com/HowtoChessPod to stay in touch with the show.

How to Chess 09- How To Review Grandmaster Games with GM Davorin Kuljasevic

Ben Johnson — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 14:00:00 -0500

Visit howtochess.com and stay in touch with the show. Episodes every Thursday.

Ben Johnson https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

Davorin https://www.chessable.com/beyond-material/course/71438/

If you want to build your repertoire visit:

www.chessable.com/free

for hundreds of free starter repertoires

How to Chess 08- How to Return From a Chess Hiatus

Ben Johnson — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 10:30:00 -0500

Chess Twitch Streamer and Former British Girls Youth Champion, Cleomina, has returned to chess after a 14 year hiatus. She shares tips for how to retrain your chess brain and re-acclimate oneself to the chess world.

Ben Johnson https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

Cleomina https://twitter.com/cleominattv?lang=en

Cleomina's Twitch Channel- https://t.co/BQQiRbqHtm?amp=1

If you want to build your repertoire visit:

www.chessable.com/free

for hundreds of free starter repertoires

How to Chess 07- How to Choose Your Opening Repertoire with IM Christof Sielecki

Ben Johnson — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 16:00:00 -0500

Episode 7 - IM Christof Sielecki on How to Choose your repertoire

How to choose your opening repertoire? International Master and opening specialist Christof Sielecki races the clock to answer as many of Ben’s questions as possible in under 15 minutes. Christof is the mastermind behind the popular Chessexplained Twitch and YouTube channels, and a Chessable bestselling author, with rave reviews in all of his titles.

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/chessxplained

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Chessexplained

Courses: https://www.chessable.com/author/Chessexplained/

A lot of facts weigh in choosing the right repertoire for you: time available for preparation, the format you play on, the kind of positions you feel comfortable with... But most of all, know yourself and be clear about your expectations of the opening.

Here you’ve got Christof’s three pearls of wisdom:

1. Know your goals (what do you want to achieve? Use openings that maximize your chances)

2. Don’t fear preparation (it doesn’t happen that much; just know your stuff and follow chess principles)

3. Adapt your repertoire to the situation (switching openings is a good idea from time to time)

Check out hundreds of free Chessable opening courses at https://www.chessable.com/free/

Or, create an account for free at https://www.chessable.com/register/

➡️ Check out Ben on Twitter https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

➡️ Check out Christof on Twitter https://twitter.com/ChessExplained

Subscribe for more educative chess content.

Visit https://www.howtochess.com/ and follow https://twitter.com/HowtoChessPod to stay in touch with the show.

How to Chess 06-How to Know When to Attack with the Ginger GM, Simon Williams

Ben Johnson — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:30:00 -0500

How to attack in chess? GM Simon Williams joins NM Ben Johnson to share his expert advice for a 15-minute masterclass. Simon is well-known in the chess world for his attacking style, and he’s the author of the hit Chessable course The art of attack in chess. https://www.chessable.com/the-art-of-attack-in-chess/course/24575/

When to attack and when not to? How to develop an attacking instinct? Simon looks at great attackers like Paul Morphy, Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Tal, and Garry Kasparov to provide the best answers for beginners, intermediate and advanced players.

Simon’s top 3 advice to improve your attacking chess:

1. Position yourself before the attack (develop actively, target a weakness)

2. Bring your pieces into the attack against the king (outnumber the defenders)

3. Learn from great attacking players (study their games)

Reply to Ben’s question at the end of the episode for a chance to win a copy of Simon’s The art of attack in chess for free.

Check out hundreds of free Chessable courses at https://www.chessable.com/free/

Or, create an account for free at https://www.chessable.com/register/

➡️ Check out Ben on Twitter https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

➡️ Check out Simon on Twitter https://twitter.com/ginger_gm

Subscribe for more educative chess content.

Visit https://www.howtochess.com/ and follow https://twitter.com/HowtoChessPod to stay in touch with the show.

How to Chess 05- The Right Way to Read Chess Books with IM Andras Toth

Ben Johnson — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 14:15:00 -0500

For this week's How to Chess we bring in a popular Chessable author to answer a crowdsourced question- IM Andras Toth shares tips for the proper way to read a chess book (or course!). He touches on what types of books are best for chess improvement, whether one should review the material, and even offers a few specific book recommendations. For more from Andras, be sure to check out his awesome Chessable courses!

Ben Johnson https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

Andras Toth https://twitter.com/chesscoachandra

If you want to build your repertoire visit:

www.chessable.com/free

for hundreds of free starter repertoires

How to Chess 04- What to Expect when Attending a Chess Tournament- with Adult Improver Neal Bruce

Ben Johnson — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 02:30:00 -0500

This week on How to Chess, we are joined by software startup executive and Adult Improver Extraordinaire, Neal Bruce. With so many chess enthusiasts trying out or returning to competitive tournament chess, it is great to get some advice from about things to keep in mind when competing in a chess tournament. Chess tournaments are a unique world, with their own set of written and unwritten rules, so it was great to get the insights of someone who played his first chess tournament at age 40!

Visit howtochess.com and stay in touch with the show. Episodes every Thursday.

Ben Johnson https://twitter.com/Bennyficial1

Neal Bruce https://twitter.com/NealBruceBC

If you want to build your repertoire visit:

www.chessable.com/free

for hundreds of free starter repertoires

How to Chess 03- How To Get Past a Rating Plateau- with Adult Improver Braden Laughlin

Ben Johnson — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 11:35:00 -0500

Braden Laughlin brought his rating from 0 to 2200 in online blitz in less than 2 years - how did he do it? Ben sits down with Braden in this week’s episode of How To Chess to find out, and impart some advice on any player looking to increase their rating.

Particular topics include breaking through plateaus, finding weak spots in your game to fix, and maintaining good mental health.

Of course, one of the keys is to study your chess! Chessable offers hundreds of courses, covering all aspects of the game - many of them free! Be sure to check it out after the episode. https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/all/free/

Check in every Thursday for more great chess advice in the How To Chess podcast, and connect with us at howtochess.com.

How to Chess 02- How To Choose An Opening with YouTuber Hanging Pawns

Ben Johnson — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:45:00 -0500

There are so many good chess openings out there, but how do you know which one is right for you? Ben asks opening expert and host of the HangingPawns channel Stjepan Tomic how to choose the right opening.

Stjepan explains how to find an opening you like, how to go about studying openings, what openings you should avoid, and plenty of other useful advice.

Hanging Pawns on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkJdvwRC-oGPhRHW_XPNokg

After the episode, check out the multitude of opening courses on Chessable to pick up your opening studies. There are tons of free courses where you can learn a new opening in a matter of hours. https://www.chessable.com/chess-openings/

Stay tuned for more episodes of How To Chess every Thursday and keep in touch at howtochess.com

How to Chess 01- GM Eugene Perelshteyn on How to Limit Blunders in Chess

Ben Johnson — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 20:00:00 -0500

Episode 1 - How Not to Blunder in Chess In the inaugural episode, Ben sits down with renowned chess coach and author Eugene Perelshteyn to ask him the big question on every budding chess player’s mind: “How can I stop blundering?” Grandmaster Perelshteyn explains what causes players to blunder and offers practical advice on what you can do both during the game and in your preparation to prevent blunders. One critical piece of advice: study your tactics! After the episode, be sure to check out Chessable’s variety of tactics-focused courses so you can reduce blunders in your own games: https://www.chessable.com/chess-tactics/.

To see more of GM Eugene Perelshteyn's content , go to ChessOpeningsExplained.com

Stay tuned for more episodes every Thursday and stay in touch with the show at howtochess.com.