Perpetual Chess Podcast

GM Jan Gustafsson Previews Gukesh vs. Sindarov: Is the World Champion Being Underrated?

2.1K views · 19h ago · 1:02:03

The 2026 FIDE World Championship is almost here! GM Jan Gustafsson, renowned opening theoretician, Chessable author, and former member of Magnus Carlsen's World Championship prep teams, joins me to preview Gukesh vs. Sindarov. Jan shares his somewhat surprising assessment of Gukesh's chances, discusses how World Championship preparation has evolved, and weighs in on betting markets and Elo-based predictions.

Topics: Is Gukesh being underrated? · Betting markets, Elo models, and match predictions · Sindarov's strengths and Gukesh's weaknesses · Germany's Olympiad bronze medal · Life as an Olympiad captain · Jan's new Chessable course: The Keymer System

The Untold History of Smyslov and Zurich 1953 with FM Andrey Terekhov

2.5K views · 1w ago · 1:08:19

FM Andrey Terekhov is an award-winning chess author who has spent much of the past decade researching the life of World Champion Vasily Smyslov. He joins me to discuss The Life and Games of Vasily Smyslov, Volume 2: The Challenger, the follow-up to his 2020 FIDE Book of the Year award winner.

Topics: Meet FM Andrey Terekhov · Why is Zurich 1953 so legendary? · Soviet chess politics and Zurich 1953 controversies · Discoveries from Bronstein's famous tournament book · Stalin's final years and Soviet chess · What made Smyslov's playing style special?

GM Melik Khachiyan on What It Takes to Build a Winning Chess Team

1.2K views · 2w ago · 53:06

GM Melik Khachiyan is an award-winning chess coach, the 2023 U.S. Senior Champion, and captain of the U.S. Women's Olympiad team. Following the team's fourth-place finish at the 2026 Olympiad, Melik joins me to discuss the challenges of leading a national team, managing players' confidence, and why he's optimistic about the future of U.S. women's chess.

Topics: GM Melik Khachiyan joins the show · Reflections on the U.S. Women's Olympiad performance · Helping players bounce back from tough losses · Why the U.S. women are now serious medal contenders · Why Melik barely had time to socialize at the Olympiad · Illness at the Olympiad and tournament scheduling challenges

Chess Life Editor John Hartmann on AI, ChessBase, and the Future of Chess Tech

1.6K views · 3w ago · 1:02:06

Chess Life editor John Hartmann returns to discuss his visit to the U.S. Chess Championships, the renovations to the St. Louis Chess Club, and the explosion of new chess apps, including ChessEver, ChessMonitor, and ChessCEO.

Topics: John's visit to the U.S. Chess Championships · The new prize encouraging fighting chess · Inside the renovated St. Louis Chess Club · Watching the world's best players up close · Alice Lee, Rachael Li, and the Women's Championship · The explosion of new chess apps

GM Nikita Vitiugov on Chess Legends, Career Crossroads, and Life at the Top

2.9K views · 4w ago · 1:02:27

GM Nikita Vitiugov is a former Russian champion who reached #15 in the world and worked on the World Championship team of his childhood rival, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. In this conversation, we discuss his excellent new book, Chess Metamorphosis, including stories from Team Nepo, career-changing training sessions with Viktor Korchnoi, and lessons learned from Peter Svidler and Peter Leko.

Topics: GM Nikita Vitiugov joins the show · Why Nikita wrote Chess Metamorphosis · Reflecting on his competitive peak · How professional chess has changed · Growing up alongside Ian Nepomniachtchi · Training with Viktor Korchnoi

How a Grandmaster Finds the Most Instructive Chess Lessons | GM Mauricio Flores Rios

3.6K views · 1mo ago · 50:26

Guest: GM Mauricio Flores Rios

As a three-time Chess Olympian representing Chile, the renowned author of Chess Structures, and the founder of Chessmind AI, GM Mauricio Flores Rios knows a thing or two about finding instructive chess. Mauricio joins me to discuss lessons from the 2026 Chess Olympiad, what he has learned from interviewing chess prodigies, the evolution of ChessMind AI, and his approach to chess improvement.

Topics: Mauricio joins and reflects on playing in three Chess Olympiads · How Mauricio finds the most instructive Olympiad games · Favorite games and lessons from the event · What stands out about today’s chess prodigies? · What Mauricio has learned from interviewing top young players · The evolution of ChessMind AI and what users want most

▶️ Mentioned videos: Video on youtube.com

📰 Mentioned news: Article on en.wikipedia.org

How Books, OTB Chess & Hard Work Fueled Rapid Improvement | Adult Improver Leah Brown

4.2K views · 1mo ago · 45:47

Guest: Adult Improver Leah Brown

The Adult Improver series returns with Leah Brown, who went from beginner to over 1600 USCF in less than two years. Leah shares the training approach behind the rapid improvement, including lots of OTB chess and game review, studying Jeremy Silman and other chess books, and the difficult transition to 1. e4. Leah also discusses finding a welcoming chess community, chess as a healthy outlet, and the memorable experience of beating a GM in a six-hour simul game.

Topics: Meet Leah Brown · How chess became a healthy outlet · Finding a welcoming OTB chess community · Getting serious about improvement · Jeremy Silman and learning through chess books · What fueled Leah’s rapid rating gains?

🎵 Mentioned music: Track on open.spotify.com

Can Chess Finally Reach Its Potential? Jan Henric Buettner on FIDE and Freestyle Chess

2.6K views · 1mo ago · 52:00

Jan Henric Buettner is a German entrepreneur, co-founder of Freestyle Chess alongside Magnus Carlsen, and a candidate for FIDE President. In his business career, he has worked in technology, venture capital, and hospitality.

Topics: Early logistical problems at the Chess Olympiad · Jan’s business background and what drew him to chess · Is Freestyle Chess accessible to traditional chess fans? · Jan’s own chess experience · FIDE elections, corruption allegations, and Jan’s chances · Jan’s platform and plans for making FIDE financially independent

How to Study Chess More Effectively | IM Thomas Willemze

5.9K views · 1mo ago · 48:22

Guest: IM Thomas Willemze

IM Thomas Willemze is a popular chess author, Chessable creator, and longtime trainer who has worked with the Dutch National Youth Team. Thomas shares practical chess improvement advice on game review, opening preparation, improving focus, and identifying weaknesses. He also discusses learning from the creators of the Steps Method and what happened when, at age 40, he gave himself a year to seriously pursue his GM ambitions.

Topics: The Intersection of Data Science and Chess · Thomas’ Training and Coaching Philosophy · The Chess Steps Method and Early Chess Education · Addressing Weaknesses and Improving Skills · Common Pitfalls for Adult Players · Defensive Awareness and Identifying Threats

📰 Mentioned news: Article on benjohnson.substack.com

IM David Vigorito on Adult Chess Improvement, Opening Prep & Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

6.2K views · 2mo ago · 51:01

IM David Vigorito is a renowned opening theoretician, trainer, author, and former champion of three different U.S. states. His latest Chessable course, 1. e4: The Gold Standard, offers an ambitious and principled repertoire for White. David shares lessons from his own unusual improvement journey, how engines have changed opening preparation, and why players need to address their weaknesses.

Topics: David’s new 1. e4 course and engine-era opening research · Why David recommends ambitious, principled opening lines · How much opening theory do amateurs need? · What helped David make huge rating gains · The New England chess scene and David’s tournament schedule · A funny story stemming from David’s first Perpetual Chess interview

How to Improve Your Chess Thought Process | GM Valentin Dragnev

7K views · 2mo ago · 56:21

Guest: GM Valentin Dragnev

GM Valentin Dragnev is a two-time Austrian champion and former Chess Olympian who has competed against Magnus Carlsen, Vasyl Ivanchuk, and many other top players. He is also a chess coach and the co-founder of Chessivity. We discuss

Topics: Ready to have an AI that can tackle real work? Try Claude Cowork today · GM Dragnev’s rise up the ranks · Transitioning to chess as a career · Advice for parents and young players · Coaching adults vs. kids · The importance of thought process in chess

📖 Mentioned book: Art Planning Chess Move

How Kyle Boddy Keeps Improving at Chess as a Busy Adult

2.3K views · 2mo ago · 56:19

Kyle Boddy, founder of Driveline Baseball, returns to the Adult Improver Series! When Kyle first joined the podcast in 2022, he was rated below 1000 USCF and had a long-term goal of reaching 2000. Four years later, he has stayed committed and recently reached a new peak of nearly 1550.

Topics: Kyle Boddy joins · What keeps Kyle playing and improving? · Switching to 1.e4 and open games · Why Kyle still loves studying openings · How Kyle actually studies openings · Studying games blindfolded

🎵 Mentioned music: Track on open.spotify.com

The Man Who Changed American Chess: Remembering FM Bill Goichberg

1K views · 2mo ago · 59:04

FM Bill Goichberg left an indelible mark on American chess as the founder of the Continental Chess Association and creator of the U.S. National Scholastic Championships. Chess journalist FM Jon Jacobs, who is working on an independent biography of Bill, joins me to discuss Bill’s remarkable legacy, from his chess and business accomplishments to his family life and the evolution of tournament chess in America.

Topics: Jon’s first memories of Bill · How Bill got started organizing tournaments · Growing chess in the pre-Fischer era · Bill’s proudest contributions to US chess · Continental Chess and its competitors · How big a business did CCA become?

GM Jacob Aagaard: How to Actually Improve Your Chess Calculation

12K views · 3mo ago · 1:21:59

Guest: GM Jacob Aagaard

GM Jacob Aagaard is an award-winning author, renowned trainer, and co-founder of Quality Chess. He returns to discuss how to improve your calculation, including why many club players should spend more time solving simple tactics rather than difficult calculation exercises.

Topics: GM Jacob Aagaard joins · The Upcoming Chess books Jacob is most excited about · Jacob’s Writing Workflow and Challenges · The Role of AI in Chess Writing · Categorizing Mistakes in Chess · Recommended Chess Books for Improvement

GM Vasif Durarbayli: Why Every Serious Chess Player Needs a Coach

3.2K views · 3mo ago · 59:51

Guest: GM Vasif Durarbayli

GM Vasif Durarbayli is a former World Youth Champion and two-time champion of Azerbaijan. Now based in St. Louis, Vasif has shifted much of his focus to ChessEver, an app designed to make following live chess easier.

Topics: Naroditsky Memorial and nearly beating Hikaru Nakamura · Playing Viktor Korchnoi · Aggressive style and chess psychology · Why every serious player needs a coach · Defending lost positions · The biggest mistake of Vasif's career