Chess improvement as an adult is harder than it should be. Plus, the journey can sometimes feel too stressful and serious. This show aims to fix that by 1) inte...
Nigerian Star Uses Chess to Improve Others’ Lives & Her Own w/ WFM Perpetual Ogbiyoyo
115 She learned the game at 19. The next year she became a titled player with an 1800+ FIDE rating. Then, several years later, WFM Perpetual Ogbiyoyo founds an organization to spread chess to girls and women throughout Nigeria. Now, she’s expanded her connection to the chess world by moving to New York City. In this episode, we talk about her incredible journey, including: How she rose from complete beginner to Woman FIDE Master in one year.A window into the culture and community of chess in Nigeria.Why she created the organization Promoting Queens and its mission to empower girls everywhere through chess.Her aspiration to become the first Nigerian woman Grandmaster.How You Can Support the Pod:You can greatly help this pod with a “pizza slice” donation. Much time and expense goes into creating this show. And, I’d be very grateful if you could support this endeavor which aims to give you the best in chess interviews. Leave a brief note with your donation and I’ll respond personally to you. Donate here.Or you can…>>Support this pod by grabbing a chess.com membership which will help you improve your chess & defeat your enemies. A small portion will fund this pod - and every bit helps! Just click this link.>> Neither? How about checking out Daniel's chess.com profile? Witness his countless, embarrassing blitz losses. He even accepts some friend requests. (Ad)More From WFM Perpetual OgbiyoyoPromoting Queens websiteTwitter
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Adult Improver Pod: Nicholas Sloan - A 400+ Rating Rise in 2 Years (& Chasing the NM Title)
114 Leaping 400 rating points in classical, rated chess as an adult in just two years? That requires a huge effort and rare dedication. Two qualities that describe well this week’s guest, fellow adult club player, Nicholas Sloan. Specifically, in a relatively brief period, Nick went from 1400 USCF to 1849 USCF.And it’s all part of his plan to earn the National Master title - something that he wants to prove is possible for us adults.But exciting progress doesn’t come easy. Nick advocates consistency, discipline, and a willingness to face your chess weakness.In this episode, we discuss:The top 3 reasons Nick was able to make such massive and fast progress in his USCF rating.Why he doesn’t believe “one size fits all” training programs are that effective.Why he has preferred self-guided learning to studying under a coach.More From Nick:YouTube ChannelSubstack NewsletterBlueskyTwitterInstagramHow You Can Support this Podcast:Support this pod by signing up for my Patreon called, “Podcast Perks.” Get exclusive voting on guests, a shout-out of your name on the pod, a DM convo w/ me each month about chess or episodes, and more!Or you can…>>Support this pod by grabbing a chess.com membership which will help you improve your chess & defeat your enemies. A small portion will fund this pod - and every bit helps! Just click this link.>> Neither? How about checking out Daniel's chess.com profile? Witness his countless, embarrassing blitz losses. He even accepts some friend requests. (Ad)
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1:02:48
GM Josh Friedel - Common Middlegame Mistakes & Coaching Insights
113 Rarely do grandmasters focus on helping club players and beginners. But when they do it’s rare and exciting. Their extra skill and understanding of the game deliver insights that even other titled players may not possess. That’s what GM Josh Friedel offers as a course creator and coach. And it can be heard throughout this interview.Of course, Josh has had an impressive chess career. Competitively, he tied for 6th place at the US Chess Championship in 2009 and competed at the World Cup.He has passed along this hard-earned chess knowledge for decades by coaching club players.And for nearly as long, he’s been creating courses, most recently for Chessable on common mistakes in the opening and middlegame.In this episode, we chat:Common middle-game mistakes and how to avoid them.Josh’s unique qualities as a coach that separate him from the pack.Why is it so difficult to convert a won position - and how to get better at it.GIVEAWAY: To win Josh’s Chessable course on avoiding middlegame mistakes, follow Daniel Lona on Twitter for details and updates (for the week of 1/21/25 only.)More From Josh:Chessable coursesTwitterYouTubeHow You Can Support the Pod:Patreon: Support this pod by signing up for my Patreon called, “Podcast Perks.” Get exclusive voting on guests, a shout-out of your name on the pod, a DM convo w/ me each month about chess or episodes, and more!Or you can…>>Support this pod by grabbing a chess.com membership which will help you improve your chess & defeat your enemies. A small portion will fund this pod - and every bit helps! Just click this link.>> Neither? How about checking out Daniel's chess.com profile? Witness his countless, embarrassing blitz losses. He even accepts some friend requests. (Ad)
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Adult Improver Pod: Sydney Strauss - Moving to NYC to Chase Her Chess Dreams
112 Would you move to a new city for chess? Few have that level of commitment to the game. But our guest this week did exactly that. Adult improver Sydney Strauss moved to New York City this past year to pursue her relatively new passion for chess.After learning the game just two years ago, she fell in love with it and began studying and playing every day. The following year, Sydney knew she wanted to take her pursuit to the next level and be fully immersed in chess through clubs, tournaments, and friends.New York City, with its venerated Marshall Chess Club and thriving chess scene, provided her with that experience.In a brief time, Sydney has now reached an inspiring FIDE rating of 1581.This episode explores her story, why chess has impacted her life so greatly, and what her future ambitions may be within the game.Plus: will she get a chess tattoo? Connect with Sydney Strauss:TwitterInstagramTwitchBushwick Chess Club IG----NEW! I've launched a Patreon for the show called, "Podcast Perks." Get the following:A monthly DM with me about anything chess-related or the podcastA shout-out of your name thanking you on a future episodeExclusive voting on future guests, topics, and direction of the showMore!Click here to join the Patreon for The Chess Experience!---->>Support this pod, improve your chess, & defeat your enemies by getting a chess.com membership. A small portion will fund this pod - and every bit helps! Just click this link.>> Check out Daniel's chess.com profile. Witness his countless, embarrassing blitz losses. He even accepts some friend requests.
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1:00:52
WIM Svitlana Demchenko - Insights on Imbalances and Her Dynamic Chess Life
111 She does it all. WIM Svitlana Demchenko is a course creator, coach, streamer, and high-level chess competitor. Born in Ukraine and a long-time Canadian citizen, Svitlana proved herself early in chess, becoming a five-time Canadian girls champion. In more recent years, she’s competed in the Chess Olympiad three times as part of the Canadian women’s team.She’s also published several fantastic opening and strategy courses for ChessBase. And, each week, she streams chess on Twitch.Finally, rounding out her chess activities, is a regular video show called Smart Moves, where Svitlana coaches an amateur player. In the process, she focuses on key topics that’ll help any club player improve their chess.In this episode, we discuss: The undervalued topic of imbalances in chess and why club players should probably spend more time on this concept.How Svitlana juggles her pursuit of a medical career and a robust chess life.Her chase for the WGM title. Her thoughts on the World Championship event and Gukesh as the new champ.More From Svitlana:Courses on ChessbaseSmartMoves YouTube PlaylistTwitchTwitterInstagram------NEW! I've just launched a Patreon membership for the show called, "Podcast Perks." Get the following:A monthly DM with me about anything chess-related or the podcastExclusive voting on future guests, topics, and direction of the showA shout-out of your name thanking you on a future episodeExclusive behind-the-scenes updates about the showMore!Click here to join the Podcast Perks Patreon for The Chess Experience!----->>Support this pod, improve your chess, & defeat your enemies by getting a chess.com membership. A small portion will fund this pod - and every bit helps! Just click this link. >> Check out Daniel's chess.com profile. Witness his countless, embarrassing blitz losses. He even accepts some friend requests.RuVKqeoKMltQecDwSegK
Chess improvement as an adult is harder than it should be. Plus, the journey can sometimes feel too stressful and serious. This show aims to fix that by 1) interviewing experts who can offer clarity on the best ways to improve; and 2) giving you a heap of fun with “chess entertainment” shows that discuss chess culture, events, movies, etc. Most episodes feature a guest, but sometimes I'll do a solo show on a topic. This is all brought to you by me, Daniel Lona. I’m a dedicated chess amateur and the owner of Adult Chess Academy. After listening to this podcast, I want you to have a clearer idea of how to improve, and have a more fun, dynamic chess experience. Please follow the show so you don’t miss an episode!
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