Chess by the Numbers

Aaron Thompson is the Director of Outreach for Chess in Slums, a volunteer-driven non-profit started by Tunde Onakoya to enrich the lives of children in Nigeria who face economic adversity. He spent several years as a tournament director in the United States, but is working with Chess in Slums to promote their initiatives and to attract their sponsors. I was introduced to their work a few months ago on Twitter and hope I can do my part in sharing their stories and goals as they continue to grow as an initiative. I am delighted to share this episode with you today!Episode highlights:The role of chess in enriching the lives of children, generallyThe importance of Chess in Slums being an initiative for Nigerians, by NigeriansTransitioning from tournament director to an outreach directorCurrent and future goals of Chess in SlumsThe story of Ferdinand the chess prodigy (must listen)Changing perceptions of poverty with Chess in SlumsHow to help Chess in Slums as a listenerFuture expansions (Palestine, Burkina Faso, more)The impact of COVID-19 on the Chess in Slums missionA minor earthquake joins the show??Aaron's philosophy as a chess player and finding his role in the international chess communityI talk a bit about why I love podcasting about chess :-)64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.Thanks to Aaron Thompson for coming onto the show. You can follow him on Twitter: @aar_thomPlease follow @Tunde_OD and @chessinslums on Twitter! Follow the podcast on Twitter: @64PodcastFollow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

13 Jul 202158min

In May 2021, WIM Jesse February won the Women's African Individual Championship, just the second South African player to win the tournament ever. Taking first place in this tournament means that Jesse will be awarded the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title if she reaches 2100 rating. In just a few days, Jesse will compete for the World Cup in Sochi, Russia. She also streams with WCM Rebecca Selkirk on their Twitch channel, HashtagChess, which has grown very quickly over the last year. I am very grateful that Jesse joined me this week on 64: A Chess Podcast to talk about her chess career.Episode highlights:Her success at the African Championship -- previous attempts at winning the tournament and the moment she realized that first place was in reachBeing selected as a wildcard for the World Cup in Sochi, Russia, and World Cup preparationRepresenting South Africa in strong tournaments (Women's World Championship, the Olympiad, etc.)Growing chess as a streamer in South Africa and beyondThe process of becoming a partner with Chess.com and Twitch & crushing online tournamentsThe chess scene in South Africa -- lack of tournaments, lots of travel, and future opportunities to grow the gameWine farms!!!Working towards the WGM title -- Jesse talks about her plans to play in lots of tournaments and describes some of her improvement goals as she continues her climb to 2100.Jesse "sells" the French Defense (my least favorite opening)64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.Thanks to WIM Jesse February for coming onto the show. You can follow her on Twitter: @Jesse_FebFor a great chess stream, subscribe to @HashtagChess on Twitch and YouTubeFollow the podcast on Twitter: @64PodcastFollow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

6 Jul 202143min

Based in Boston, MA, GM Eugene Perelshteyn has done it all in the American chess world. He has competed in virtually every major tournament in the United States (World Open, U.S. Open, etc.), even finishing in 4th place at the 2008 US Championship. He has coached many students, from relatively new players to titled players. He is a published chess author, writing a complete repertoire for White and Black with Lev Alburt and Roman Dzindzichashvili. He also has created content online for chess improvement. With so many stories and with so many thoughts on chess, I was delighted to invite Eugene to the podcast for this week's episode.Some topics we talked about:The Las Vegas Open, which was ongoing at the time of recording. Who are we rooting for? How do players who have been away from OTB chess for so long get acclimated to tournament play?Chess improvement: why does Eugene recommend that all adult improvers study chess from books? What are some great chess books for improving players?How do players identify their own weaknesses in their game? This is very difficult for people to do! So what role does coaching/outside help play in chess improvement?Playing against Magnus Carlsen and other strong grandmasters recently in Europe. What's it like playing against the best of the best over the board? David also tells a fun story about playing Maxime Vachier-Lagrave online in a simul!Eugene's early life experiences: studying chess in the USSR, emigrating to America in the 90s, working his way to GM in the USA as a college student. Eugene shares his thoughts and memories of many years ago.The Samford Fellowship, which gave Eugene the financial support he needed to acquire the Grandmaster title.Playing against Hikaru Nakamura back when both he and Eugene were strong International Masters (IMs). Also, chess culture in America vs. the USSR.The work and mentality needed to become a grandmaster. Also, setting goals for chess improvement vs. fostering a natural love for the game."Chess openings are like fashion"64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.Thanks to GM Eugene Perelshteyn for coming onto the show. You can follow him on Twitter: @EugenePerelFollow the podcast on Twitter: @64PodcastFollow David Vizgan (the host) on Twitter: @davidvizgan

3 Jul 20211h 28min

Max Farberov is an USCF expert-level chess player from New Jersey. He has been coaching chess for several years and is trying to grind towards the National Master title. On this episode of 64, I spoke to Max about his recent tournament success at the Cherry Blossom Classic. We talked broadly about chess improvement and about OTB chess, including things that any player can do to start making gains in rating. Max is currently taking students and has a YouTube channel (ChessGainz) where he provides educational content about chess.64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.

22 Jun 202147min

John Hartmann is the CIO and Editor of Chess Life Magazine, and has spent nearly a decade reviewing chess books and writing articles for the magazine. He even does a podcast for the US Chess Federation with the subject of Chess Life's cover each month! John was gracious enough to share an hour of his time with me in what has been my favorite interview to date on this week's episode of "64".We talk about John's editorial philosophy, as he tries to craft a magazine for all kinds of chess players from beginners to grandmasters. We talk about good chess journalism and the state of tournament play today. As someone with a massive chess library, John explains the importance of reading chess books and actively engaging with material. We also talk about the return of OTB chess across America, as I share my recent experience at the Marshall Chess Club.John has been inviting listeners to come check out the U.S. Open Tournament later this summer in Cherry Hill, NJ. Until then, with a USCF membership you get Chess Life for free, which is one of the most widely read chess magazines in the world.64: A Chess Podcast is sponsored by Aimchess. Use code "DAVID30" to get 30% off of your first month with Aimchess.

16 Jun 20211h 9min

David Llada is one of the most prolific chess photographers in history, who has documented the highest levels of chess across the planet over the last two decades. As a former journalist and deeply devoted chess fan, he has poured his soul into forging friendships with chess players and into promoting the sport. On this week's episode of 64, I spoke to David about a wide range of topics, such as the essence of chess photography, his current job with FIDE as its Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, the chess boom in 2020, female representation in chess, and Anatoly Karpov anecdotes. David's book "The Thinkers" can be purchased on Amazon and he is currently working on a sequel. Until then, you can follow him on Twitter, @davidllada.

1 Jun 202140min

We start off the month of May by interviewing Chicago's very own NM Gopal Menon. Gopal is a jack-of-all-trades in the chess world, serving as a second for a grandmaster, coaching students, and will soon be a published chess author! Gopal is currently writing a chess book, and we discuss the process of compiling chess positions and composing chess literature. We talk about the differences between studying chess with books and with online tools. Gopal discusses ICC nostalgia as a former 3100+ player on that server, and I discuss the future of chess servers (Kasparovchess?). We recap the Candidates Tournament -- how excited are we for Ian Nepomniachtchi to face Magnus in Dubai this November? Lastly, we talk about competitive chess online. Gopal has a YouTube channel where he provides instructive content, so don't forget to subscribe to him there!

3 Mai 202156min

JJ Lang is the resident philosopher of Chess Twitter. He splits his time finishing his PhD dissertation in philosophy at Stanford University, and teaching chess to students online. On this episode of 64, JJ and I preview the Candidates Tournament in Russia, and make predictions on who will win. JJ talks about his love for philosophy, and its roots in chess. JJ explains how studying in New York improved his game, and discusses his current road to the National Master title. JJ can be found on Twitter (@ChessFeels) and is offering coaching to novice & intermediate players.

19 Apr 20211h 8min