Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Deven. We talked about his journey into chess as an adult. He quickly rose to 1200, but got stuck there for a while. We discussed the challenges of finding a coach that works for you, and his approach to chess improvement. Deven credits much of his rise from 1200 - 1600 to his coach, analyzing games, tactics, and working on endgames. It was a fun discussio...

This week on Chess Journeys, friend of the show Jay Garrison hosted my recap of 2024. We examined the highs and lows of the year, including massive rating loss and winning the club championship (U1700). We discussed goals, study plans, and results. We also brainstormed new ideas for an adult chess tournament scene like the scholastic one. In short, we covered the entire year with all the ups and d...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Dave. He’s 69 and recently gained 200 points in 2 months. We talked a lot about his journey in chess tournaments spanning 20 years. We discussed the role videos and playing games have in his improvement. Dave’s story is certainly an inspiring one, chess improvement can happen at any age! Chessnut Link/Code: Code - KEVINSCULL https://www.chessnutech.com?sca...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Dennis. He talked about his rise from 1000-1700 Lichess. An important part of this process was cataloging the mistakes in games and doing puzzles to address them. Dennis primarily learns from videos and provided some videos series recommendations. We also dove into the challenges of staying present during chess tournaments. Chessnut Link/Code: Code - KEVIN...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Dan/James. He’s made a lot of progress in a short amount of time going from 700-1200. We talked about his focus on openings, tactics, and his time with a coach LionChess. We talked a lot about the joys and challenges of OTB chess.  Use this link to purchase Next Level Chess: https://courses.nextlevelchess.blog/courses/next-level-training?ref=04f5d8 My Road...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Joe. He’s a voice actor with a newborn that is tackling chess improvement. We talked about his rise the last few years from 1500- 2000 chesscom rapid. We discussed sources such as Silman’s endgame book and Reassess Your Chess. Joe also talked about his anxiety regarding OTB chess.  Use this link to purchase Next Level Chess: https://courses.nextlevelchess....

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Jim. He was the first guest on Chess Journeys, 3.5 years ago. Today he returns to give us an update on his journey. He recounted the five year period where he was going hard, 3-4 hours a day. But we spent a lot of time talking about the last year and half, where chess played a smaller part in his life. We also discussed his plans to fully return to chess a...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Tripp. He’s a dedicated chess improver and distance runner. We talked about his rapid ascent from 1150 to 1622. Tripp talked about his improvement process which included videos, opening prep, and some tactics. Now he is working on cementing the different tactical patterns in his mind. We talked about a lot of aspects of chess improvement such as tournament...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with IM Yuriy Krykun. Yuriy shared endless wisdom about improvement and setting expectations. We discussed how to address various issues, which sources are best, how long you should spend analyzing games, and many other questions. It was an enlightening conversation with a world class trainer that I highly recommend. Yuriy’s website - https://yuriykrykun.com/?v...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Ty. He’s a senior sustainer, looking to hold onto his chess abilities. We talked about his long journey in chess, which involved a lot of real life forcing him to take breaks from chess. We discussed his program of tactics, working with the Chess Dojo, and how he handles openings. Our conversation was an interesting one that covered a lot of ground. Use th...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Solveig the Rookie Redhead. We talked about her improvement strategy, streaming, creating a Chessable Course, and chess commentating. It was a wide ranging interview with a lot of great advice. If you want to hear Solveig’s first appearance, check out episode 91. Solveig’s Chessable Course: https://www.chessable.com/breaking-1000/course/237622/ Use this li...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with National Master Jeremy Kane. We covered a variety of topics such as chess study without focusing on improvement, defensive courses, and how to study and learn openings. My favorite part of the episode was picking his brain as a Chess.com employee. He talked about some of his favorite resources on the site. Jeremy’s Courses and Books: https://www.chessable....

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Elliot. He’s a chess improver, coach, and Youtuber trying to reach 2000 rapid. He’s had an impressive rise already going from 1100 to 1800. We talked about the resources and methods that he’s used to improve. These include puzzles, games, and videos. We also discussed dedication to improvement, teaching chess, and running a Youtube Channel.  Be sure to che...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with GM Noel Studer. He provided a ton of great advice. It was rooted in an analysis of my recent terrible tournament. But his advice is applicable to all. Noel’s primary advice was a reminder to keep training simple and effective. This is a can’t miss episode, especially if your process is getting too convoluted. Check out Noel’s podcast: https://open.spotify....

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Zack. He’s an adult improver living in Hawaii. We talked about his OTB experiences, including a challenging first tournament. We dove into his study process of playing games, doing puzzles, and working on openings. Zack credits much of his improvement to Youtube videos, playing, and visualization. Be sure to check out his chess content. Youtube: https://ww...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Glenn. He’s an adult improver using data analysis to augment his improvement. We discussed his journey starting at 750 USCF with the goal of making 1200. Glenn has worked on the London, tactics, and visualization. Recently, he’s built an Excel spreadsheet to drill himself on errors in his games. It’s a fun chat about perseverance through ratings loss and h...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Ben Johnson, host of the Perpetual Chess Podcast. We talked about his recent chess journey, his thoughts on consistent play, and his new Chessable Course, Identifying Critical Moments. I also provide a brief tournament report from the Southern California Open, where I went 1-5. We briefly discussed the games and discussed the challenges of dealing with poo...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Jan. He’s an adult improver with a career and horses to care for. He makes time for chess on his own time. We discussed his improvement approach which includes spending however much time he feels like spending with chess, studying with the Chess Dojo, and getting coaching through his Youtube channel: Chess Under Fire. Talking with Jan about chess improveme...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Evan. He’s a returning guest that is pursuing master. Evan shared how his own improvement process has changed in the last 2 years, and provided a lot of advice for chess improvers. He outlined a system for examining critical position, extolled the virtues of Johnathan Rowson’s books, praised endgame studies, highlighted the value of tactics training, and s...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Nicholas. He’s a busy family man who gained 500 rating points in the last two years. We talked a lot about his main strategy of cycling tactics. He tried the 7 circles / woodpecker method many times during his life. But in the last 2 years, he has finished it twice. Both times resulted in large rating gains. He also talked about changing his openings to al...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Marc. He’s an adult improver trying to juggle life and chess. We had a great conversation about chess improvement. This included his suggestion of emulating a player, less opening theory, and listening to how better players process chess. Marc also explained his theory that our ratings are not a measure of our knowledge and overall skill. Rather ratings ar...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Paul. He’s a lawyer with a family trying to juggle his life and chess improvement. We talked about his approach to improvement which has included opening work, tactics, Silman’s endgame course, and rapid games. Lately, Paul has started a new project, examining classic games. He uses a new approach that he calls Common Law chess. Hiis approach starts by qui...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Julio. He’s a middle school math teacher, adult improver, and newly minted senior. We talked about his massive ratings gains over the last 2 years, nearly 700 points. In fact, Julio gained 400 points in the last month!! We discussed his training regime, success at the senior open, and the chess program that he runs at his school.  Use this link to purchase...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Hooman. He’s a medical student that got into chess as a stress reliever. Hooman has seen massive rating gains in a short period. We talked about his improvement journey which is mostly instructional videos, playing a lot of rapid games, and some Chessable work. He talked about playing for the university team, chess in schools charity work, and his improvem...

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Joe. We talked a lot about his years long struggle to break through the beginner levels of chess. He felt frustrated by his lack of progress. We talked about his 5 step plan for improvement that has resulted in a lot of ratings success. His process focused on filing holes, learning basic chess strategy, basic endgames, and improving his tactics. Zen mode o...