GM Jesse Kraai, IM David Pruess, and IM Kostya Kavutskiy discuss who will qualify for the 2026 FIDE Candidates cycle in today's episode of Dojo Talks, the ChessDojo podcast!

Get ChessDojo's first book, How to Analyze Your Games, here: https://amzn.to/3Ds5r78

Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Join the Training Program - https://chessdojo.club Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop

Want to support the channel? Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip

Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo

Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you.

Website: https://chessdojo.club Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Discord: https://discord.gg/sUUh8HD Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips

#chess #chesstraining

Chapters: 0:00 Who Will Qualify for the 2026 FIDE Candidates Cycle? 1:12 FIDE Candidate Cycle Rating Spot Changes 8:50 FIDE Cycle Results 14:37 Points and Tie-Breaks 18:11 Jesse's List 19:20 Top 6 from the 2024 FIDE Circuit 31:44 This Coming Year in Chess

The sensei debate Kostya’s controversial claim that all major chess tournaments should switch to rapid, exploring its potential impact on classical chess, player improvement, tournament structure, and fan engagement, ultimately leaving Jesse and David unconvinced.

Get ChessDojo's first book, How to Analyze Your Games, here: https://amzn.to/3Ds5r78

Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Join the Training Program - https://chessdojo.club Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop

Want to support the channel? Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip

Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo

Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you.

Website: https://chessdojo.club Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Discord: https://discord.gg/sUUh8HD Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips

#chess #chesstraining

Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction – Discussion on Kostya’s controversial quote about switching major tournaments to rapid. 01:16 – Context of the Quote – Explanation that it was a short Q&A answer, not a detailed proposal. 03:18 – Future of Classical Chess – Kostya argues that classical chess may become obsolete over time. 04:06 – Online Growth vs. OTB Decline – Discussion on why rapid and Blitz are growing online but not in classical tournaments. 06:06 – Opening Preparation Issues – Classical chess demands extensive opening prep, making it less enjoyable for some players. 10:25 – Classical for Beginners, Rapid for Pros? – Kostya suggests longer time controls are useful for improvement but not ideal for elite events. 12:07 – Rapid Chess Popularity – Historical attempts to promote rapid chess and why it hasn’t taken over. 22:49 – World Championship & Classical Chess – Arguments for why classical chess remains the gold standard for top-level competition. 30:55 – Quality of Games in Different Formats – Whether faster time controls lead to better or worse chess quality. 41:23 – Closing Thoughts – Debate recap with Jesse and David still unconvinced by Kostya’s stance on rapid chess.

Dr. Joel Sneed, a psychologist and dedicated adult chess improver, discusses the challenges of learning chess later in life, his struggles with perfectionism and obsession over openings, and how psychological techniques like ACT and CBT can help manage chess-related anxiety.

Get ChessDojo's first book, How to Analyze Your Games, here: https://amzn.to/3Ds5r78

Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Join the Training Program - https://chessdojo.club Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop

Want to support the channel? Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip

Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo

Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you.

Website: https://chessdojo.club Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Discord: https://discord.gg/sUUh8HD Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips

#chess #chesstraining

Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to Dojo Talks; guest Dr. Joel Sneed's background in psychology and chess. 00:38 – Discussion on Sneed’s chess journey, starting late and reaching a 2000+ rating. 01:54 – Sneed’s transition from Freudian psychoanalysis to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and ACT therapy. 03:49 – Adapting to new technology as an older adult and learning struggles. 05:57 – Comparison between changes in psychology and changes in chess over time. 13:54 – Sneed’s crisis moment: forgetting opening prep in a Blitz game and quitting chess. 17:11 – The frustration of learning but failing to apply knowledge in real games. 33:15 – Dealing with an "action crisis"—considering quitting chess and reevaluating goals. 53:16 – Focusing on process-oriented goals instead of rating-based goals. 1:16:35 – Sneed’s new goal: playing more tournament games and prioritizing enjoyment over rating.