This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Solomon, aka The Chess Giant). We covered a lot of topics such as his childhood chess journey, his pursuit of 2200, making chess content/courses, and his advice for adult improvers. Solomon reflected on the role of ratings, studying, and teaching. It was great to hear Solomon’s perspective as a child rapidl…

This week's flashback episode comes from episode 31. Stacia Pugh has a great story quickly rising from 1000-1700 USCF before falling back to her floor of 1500. But after changing everything about her game, she returned to 1700 once more. In this clip Stacia talks about her rapid rise from 1000-1700 USCF, dealing with setbacks and plateaus, getting …

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Daniel. He shared his story and approach to chess improvement. I’ve never heard such a healthy relationship. Daniel’s goal is to improve regardless of rating. He talked about his emphasis on video learning, puzzle battle, and game analysis. Be sure to check this one out, especially, if you are struggling wi…

In this flashback episode from episode 73, Kamryn Heidi shares some of her secrets to chess improvement, including tactics training and tips for your first tournament. She also discusses engaging her local chess community. To hear the rest, be sure to check out episode 73. My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbo…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Lara. We had a fascinating conversation about chess improvement without direct chess studying. Lara discussed her improvement system which involves proxy learning from a wide range of areas such as speaking Latin, strategy video games, and books on war strategy. She made great points about how limiting ches…

In this flashback episode of I present IM Andras Toth. He appeared on episode 13 and helped launch this fledgling podcast. Coach Andras always bring the honest advice and his work isn't to be missed. Enjoy! My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/ Chessnut Link/Code: …

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with IM John Bartholomew. We had a great discussion about his chess journeys, tips for adult improvers, and his time with Chessable and Chessiverse. John talked fondly about his time with Chessable and the best ways to use it. He discussed his Youtube channel. We discussed how different people might battle the b…

In this extra short bonus episode, I provide some thoughts on chess parents both from a parent and player perspective. I provide some tips on how to be a chess parent and how to handle chess parents as a player. My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/ Chessnut Link/C…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Jay. We talked about our tournament summers. We both played more tournaments than usual over the last few months. We discussed the purpose, our goals, and our results. My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/ Chessnut Link/Cod…

This week on Chess Journeys, I cut together a recap of episode 104 with GM Jacob Aagaard. In this snippet, Jacob covers calculation, can adults make master, and how to train intentionally. If you enjoy this recap, be sure to check out the episode in its entirety. My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Luca about his chess journey. Luca has a healthy relationship with chess improvement and ratings. He seems most interested in enjoying the game and the experience of putting away devices and fully immersing himself in tournament games. We talked about resources that have helped his journey such as Chess Tac…

Last weekend I played in the Pacific Coast Open. It was my last tournament of the summer. Overall, I played well and gained 8 whole rating points! This episode contains a preview, round by round recap, and some final thoughts. Hope you enjoy it. My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-sk…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Alex about his chess journey. Alex is a teacher that picked up chess while running a chess club. His goal is 2000 Lichess and the arena grand master title. He uses daily games and tactics as the primary parts of his training. He finds that daily games help him learn openings in a more organic way than memor…

In this bonus episode, I have edited episode 10 with Omar (ChessVonDoom) into a short 20 minute piece. If you like it be sure to check out the full episodes with Omar (10, 38, 75, 76, 150) In this snippet, Omar talks about getting into chess, the challenges of his first tournament, nearly getting chess, and his desire to help other chess players. L…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Alexander. We had a great chat about his massive rating improvement, 800 points in 8 months. Alexander talked about his organic approach to learning. He has taken in a lot of content on Youtube, played online chess, and played many training games. Alexander attributes some of his success to his “chess team”…

In this bonus episode I preview, round by round journal, and recap my experiences at the Senior Open in Chicago, July 2025. I hope you enjoy this bonus episode! My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/ Chessnut Link/Code: Code - KEVINSCULL https://www.chessnutech.com?…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Clay. We discussed his journey starting at about 400 Chesscom. We spoke about coaching, goals, and his improvement. Mostly, Clay plays rapid chess (over 15K games since 2022!!) and tournament chess. Clay enjoys playing OTB and has played in 93 tournaments since 2024. My Chessable Course! https://www.chessab…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Benner. He’s a Chessable author, coach, and adult improver. He’s gone from 750 to 2000 FIDE and 2600 Lichess Bullet. Benner talked about his improvement journey starting with a focus on tactics and playing. He also discussed his approach to creating Chessable courses, and how got started making them. We als…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Chris. He’s a UK based chess player looking to improve his game. We discussed playing in UK chess leagues, getting into chess, and lessons with John Bartholemew. We also discussed his improvement strategies such as reading chess books, using Ankey flashcards, and reviewing his games with stronger players. W…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Phil. We had a great chat about the ups and downs of ratings. Phil began his journey with a quick rating jump to 1790 but then crashed back down to his floor over many months. But like a phoenix he has risen from the ashes and recently achieved a 2500 performance rating in a tournament. We talked about using …

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to David. David is turning 70 soon, but he’s still working hard on improving his chess. We talked about his training program which focuses on following Noel Studer’s courses and advice. David’s a big fan of Chessmood as well. We spent time discussing chess in schools, girls in chess, and value of ratings. My Che…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Matthew. He’s a 21 year old college student that has seen massive ratings success in the last 1.5 years, gaining 700 points. Matthew credits much of his success to playing a lot of chess and opening study. He’s spent a lot of time with Chessable both memorizing and understanding his openings. Matthew is now f…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Marcus. He has made a lot of progress the last few years, gaining 400 rating points. Marcus spent a lot of the time talking about how he uses chess to improve his life. Marcus focused on emotional regulation issues, and how chess is a vehicle for improving this skill. We also talked at length about tournament…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Kyle. He’s a newer chess player that is enjoying the journey. He began as a social chess player, but he has moved into more serious tournament chess. We talked about his improvement strategy, which focuses on puzzle rush survival and playing 3 rapid games per day. We also recapped our experiences at the Natio…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Alex. He’s an NM striving for even greater heights. We talked about his childhood run from 693-2300! Alex discussed his current goals (GM), and how he plans to reach them. Alex also discussed his suggestions and resources for adult improvement. I hope you enjoy episode 200! My Chessable Course! https://www.ch…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Stjepan, the creator of the Hanging Pawns Youtube channel. We talked about his journey and joy of prepping for opponents. We discussed the origin, goals, and success of his Youtube channel. We also talked about his study plan and his advice for improving players, which is annotating games. This was a fun inte…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Justin. His story is an interesting one full of quitting due to lofty expectations and a recent rebirth based on more process based goals. We talked about the Chess Dojo and using their heat map to motivate study. We discussed Justin’s tournament disappointments. We spent quite a bit of time talking about his…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Brad. He has made tremendous improvement rising from 1550 to 1964 in 3 years! We talked about a variety of topics such as coaching, tournaments, and handling bad tournaments. We talked about the value of tactics training and playing regularly. Brad also suggested changing openings occasionally to learn new po…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Brian. We talked about his rapid rise from 700-1100 USCF in 4 months. He has been playing the role of the underrated kid at age 52! Brian is a big fan of the Chess Dojo, so, in many ways, this was an unpaid advertisement for their wonderful program. Brian talked a lot about the value of playing long OTB board…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Xander. He’s gained 700 points over the last year and a half. We talked about getting into tournaments, what he’s studied, and how math has helped his chess. Lately, Xander has made a big jump by memorizing games with attacking motifs. He has also been working on 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know. My Chessa…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke to Derek. He’s a 50’s chess player who has recently returned to the game after a 22 year hiatus. We talked a lot about what he is getting out of chess, and what his expectations are. We also chatted about his international travels with chess taking him to Scotland and the Reykjavik Open. Derek has won several to…

This week on Chess Journeys, it’s just me. I talked about a variety of topics such as why I came back to chess, what keeps me going, and am I happy with my decision to come back. I also discussed what I would change about my last 2 years in chess, resources that I’ve discovered in the last year, and some of my favorite chess resources. My Chessable…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Trenton. He’s a college student looking to juggle life and chess improvement. Even though Trenton hasn’t been playing for long (2 years) he dropped quite a few gems in this episode. He talked about the challenge of losing to kids in tournaments, avoiding burnout, learning openings, and the value of a chess …

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke once again with friend of the show GM Noel Studer. We discussed my recent Senior tournament performance, tournament conditions, and Noel’s experience with youth tournaments. We also dove into Noel’s new/updated course The Simplified Chess Improvement System. As always Noel gave loads of advice for chess improver…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Kevin. He’s a new dad, film-maker, and writer trying to improve at chess. We had a great chat about using time wisely, how to analyze rapid games, the value of OTB chess, and the importance of identifying your goals in chess. We also discussed resources Kevin used to quickly rise to 1600 such as John Bartho…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Jay and Nicole Garrison about tactics. We went long discussing issues such as the importance of tactics, how to do them, and our favorite resources. We also included mini reviews of two recent resources: 100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know and my Chessable course The Chess Journeys Tactics Workbook. I think…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with National Master Craig Clawitter. The majority of the episode was spent taking lessons from kid chess players and applying them to adults. The biggest piece of advice from Craig is to stop putting pressure on ourselves to reach rating goals or other types of pressure. Most kids just play knowing that eventua…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Aidan from Don’t Move Until You See It. We talked about visualization, memory work, narrative vs. visual memories, aphantasia, and other related issues. Aidan took me through a sample blindfold exercise to demonstrate how different brains worked. We ended with an examination of my recent slump and focus on …

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Emily Plays Chess. Emily hasn’t been playing chess long, but she is all in! We talked about her improvement journey from discovering chess, streaming, tournaments, and resources. Emily discussed the challenges of balancing the learning opportunities with the stress of big tournaments. She also highlighted t…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with David. We talked a lot about his journey into chess and having fun with the game. We also discussed his first tournament and his recent success in tournaments. David talked about his transition into a more serious chess player and resources such as Silman, Naroditsky, and The Butcher. David also laid out th…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with NM Gopal Menon. He’s a coach, player, author, and openings guru. We discussed his journey playing chess as a child and beyond. He provided suggestions for improving one’s chess, which focuses on learning that you can apply. We wrapped up the episode with an examination of my game. Gopal provided insights ac…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Rob. He’s trying to juggle career, family, and chess improvement. We discussed his recent rapid success, reaching 1600, and where to go next. Rob has decided to focus on studying for a few months to outline a process that will help him improve more. He’s been focused on Polgar’s mate in 2 puzzles, Calculati…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Shaun. He’s an ICU nurse trying to juggle a demanding career with chess improvement. We discussed a wide range of topics such as his study plan, chess bootcamps, living in St. Louis and Charlotte, and chess anxiety. Most notable is Shaun’s emphasis on the positive aspects of chess. He told many stories abou…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Mike. He’s a newer chess improver that has made quite a bit of progress in a short time. He talked about the importance of tactics. Mike emphasized doing them despite not enjoying them. To him they are simply essential building blocks for a successful chess player. Mike also discussed the positive impact of…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Tony. He’s a busy family man and co-founder of the Chess Sharkz. In addition to constant streaming, Tony squeezes in tactics whenever possible. We discussed the claim that everyone under 2200 should be focusing on tactics, Tony’s career in chess, his move to Charlotte, and why he plays so many Chess tournam…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Deven. We talked about his journey into chess as an adult. He quickly rose to 1200, but got stuck there for a while. We discussed the challenges of finding a coach that works for you, and his approach to chess improvement. Deven credits much of his rise from 1200 - 1600 to his coach, analyzing games, tactic…

This week on Chess Journeys, friend of the show Jay Garrison hosted my recap of 2024. We examined the highs and lows of the year, including massive rating loss and winning the club championship (U1700). We discussed goals, study plans, and results. We also brainstormed new ideas for an adult chess tournament scene like the scholastic one. In short,…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Dave. He’s 69 and recently gained 200 points in 2 months. We talked a lot about his journey in chess tournaments spanning 20 years. We discussed the role videos and playing games have in his improvement. Dave’s story is certainly an inspiring one, chess improvement can happen at any age! Chessnut Link/Code:…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Dennis. He talked about his rise from 1000-1700 Lichess. An important part of this process was cataloging the mistakes in games and doing puzzles to address them. Dennis primarily learns from videos and provided some videos series recommendations. We also dove into the challenges of staying present during c…

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Dan/James. He’s made a lot of progress in a short amount of time going from 700-1200. We talked about his focus on openings, tactics, and his time with a coach LionChess. We talked a lot about the joys and challenges of OTB chess. Use this link to purchase Next Level Chess: https://courses.nextlevelchess.bl…