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!

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#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.

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#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.

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#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.

The sensei are joined by GM Jacok Aagaard to discuss who decides the world championship.

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#chess #chesstraining

Chapters

[00:00] - Introduction [01:06] - Historical Tradition [02:19] - 1990s Split Era [04:54] - Kasparov vs. FIDE [07:49] - Counting World Champions [15:37] - Importance of Qualification [28:46] - Reunification Match (2006) [36:28] - Critique of Recent Cycles [45:22] - Who is a World Champion? [56:01] - Modern Challenges in Defining Champions [1:08:22] - Expiration of Lineage [1:37:07] - Ding Liren and Nepomniachtchi Match Issues [1:55:26] - Freestyle Chess World Championship [2:00:05] - Conclusion

The sensei debate whether FIDE should introduce an official Super-GM title, discussing its potential requirements, the impact of rating inflation, and how chess titles should evolve to reflect modern competitive standards.

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

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#chess #chesstraining

GM Jesse Kraai, IM David Pruess, and IM Kostya Kavutskiy rank the top five greatest chess authors of all time 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

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#chess #chesstraining

CHAPTERS 0:00 Ranking The 5 Greatest Chess Authors of All Time 3:45 Categories of Chess Authors 6:08 Jesse's No. 5 Pick 7:05 David's No. 5 Pick 11:24 Kostya's No. 5 Pick 12:47 Kostya's No. 4 Pick 13:50 David's No. 4 Pick 15:39 Jesse's No. 4 Pick 17:17 Jesse's No. 3 Pick 18:07 David's No. 3 Pick 20:55 Kostya's No. 3 Pick 23:43 Greatest Course Makers Episode? 25:55 Kostya's No. 2 Pick 28:04 David's No. 2 Pick 29:34 Jesse's No. 2 Pick 31:19 Jesse's No. 1 Pick 34:03 David's No. 1 Pick 38:04 Kostya's No. 1 Pick 41:01 ChessDojo's Greatest 5 Chess Authors of All Time 43:15 Magnus Carlsen's Output 47:21 Follow ChessDojo

GM Jon Ludvig Hammer joins the sensei on this Dojo Talks to discuss whether beginners should study openings, and if so, how much?

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

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

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#chess #chesstraining

00:01 – Introduction and welcome to GM Hammer; discussion about his new Chessable course. 01:33 – Overview of the debate: Should beginners study openings? 02:21 – Hammer’s argument for teaching openings to beginners for motivation and familiarity. 03:35 – Defining "beginner" and the target audience for Hammer's course (800–1300 Chess.com rapid rating). 05:00 – Differences in chess ratings across platforms (Chess.com vs. Lichess) and their relevance to the debate. 07:28 – Hammer explains the importance of enjoying chess and using openings as a "cheat code" for improvement. 09:05 – When Hammer believes opening study is most beneficial (during stagnation or motivation slumps). 14:15 – Jesse’s perspective: Most mistakes at lower levels occur in the middle or endgame, not in the opening. 15:55 – Importance of board vision and avoiding hanging pieces for beginners. 18:31 – Risks of opening study: Memorization without understanding and neglecting principles. 21:42 – Hammer’s course design: Emphasis on plans, common moves, and practical advice tailored for lower-rated players. 28:17 – Clarifying misconceptions about opening study in the Chess Dojo training system. 34:49 – Motivation and its role in chess improvement at all levels. 45:16 – Hammer on the purpose of his course: Surviving the opening to focus on other aspects of chess. 50:44 – Discussion on Chessable’s business decisions, including paywalling "Short and Sweet" courses. 1:02:37 – Closing thoughts: Balancing opening study with broader chess skills and finding what motivates individual players.

The sensei are joined by GM Jon Ludvig Hammer to discuss the 2024 World Rapid Blitz Championship and Magnus Carlsen's controversial decision to split the championship title with Ian Nepomniachtchi, drawing significant criticism for bending competition rules and setting a troubling precedent.

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

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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

00:00 Introduction of GM Jon Ludvig Hammer and his Chessable course. 00:37 Overview of the Blitz Championship and Magnus Carlsen. 01:16 Discussion on Abdusattorov’s rise and breakout performances. 02:32 Controversy over Magnus and Nepomniachtchi sharing the title. 03:15 Social media and fan perspectives on the shared title. 04:08 Hammer’s stance on sportsmanship and breaking rules. 08:21 Comparison to past events and "Grandmaster draws." 12:20 Speculation on Magnus’s motivations for sharing the title. 29:03 Hammer’s view on Magnus’s current career and form. 34:15 FIDE’s role in allowing the title to be shared. 41:04 Freestyle Chess and its rivalry with FIDE. 48:22 Final thoughts on Magnus and the Blitz Championship.