Perpetual Chess Podcast

Grandmaster Surya Ganguly is a six-time champion of India, a popular Chessable author, and a former member of Viswanathan Anand’s World Championship preparation team. He is also a co-founder and coach at ProChessTraining.com, where he works with students ranging from adult amateurs to elite grandmasters. Surya joined me shortly after returning from the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships, where his own results fell short of expectations. This experience led to a thoughtful and honest discussion about perspective, gratitude, and what truly constitutes a challenge in life. We also talk about the impact of Indian government support for chess, Surya’s love of 1. E4 and (non-chess) board games, and how recent health scares in his family have helped keep chess in its proper place. I always find Surya to be wise and introspective, and it was an honor to speak with him again. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com, you can sign up for Chessable Pro here: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Check out their new courses here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 0:01- Surya Ganguly joins me! He discusses the importance of understanding rather than memorizing, both in chess and in life.  03:30- Observations and lessons learned from competing the 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz You can see Surya’s bishop ending game, as well as Magnus’ in games 33 and 34 of this Lichess study: https://lichess.org/study/PbwMAIXZ/y7DRWHu1 14:00- What is it like to teach Pragganandhaa, Aravindh and other top GMs in ProChessTraining.com classes? 16:45- Surya’s favorite (non-chess) board games  18:00- Why Surya never shows openings in his classes 23:00- Surya’s approach to teaching lower rated players  26:00- The importance of Surya’s government-supported job at Indian Oil.  32:00- How should students utilize Surya’s course if they don’t have time to consume the 36 hours of video content it offers? Mentioned: The idea in the Keres attack is #35 in this study (And can be found in full detail in Surya’s Chessable course!)  https://lichess.org/study/PbwMAIXZ/rRDeHWmk 41:00- Surya’s FIDE Candidates thoughts and plans  42:30- What was it like having an Indian movie made about Surya’s life? Learn more about Daburu here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6eprCvDPDc 49:00- Can chess be a means of upward mobilization for underprivileged kids in India?  51:00- What Surya learned from spending days with a fishbone stuck in his throat.  Mentioned: Surya’s interview with Chessbase: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0PQmDTtMsI&t=1041s Must watch interview with Surya about his daughter here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PKWPZJVMyQ 1:01:00- How working with Anand taught Surya to develop an "eternal student” mindset.  GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly's childhood friends share with us the secrets of what makes Surya great Photo in thumbnail- By Diptansusengupta - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89961412 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Twelve years ago, the Hammersmith Chess Club in London was down to fewer than 20 members and facing an uncertain future. Today, thanks to committed volunteers, a welcoming culture, and the broader boom in chess, it’s the largest chess club in London, and was recently named ECF Chess Club of the Year. I’m joined by Hammersmith Club Captain Gaston Franco to discuss the club’s remarkable turnaround and what other communities can learn from it. We cover topics like financial sustainability, league play, and gender dynamics, as well as the importance of creating an inclusive, welcoming environment. We also explore Gaston’s own chess journey, which highlights one of the game’s great strengths: its ability to provide instant community, especially when moving alone to a new country. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com, you can sign up for Chessable Pro here: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro Check out their new courses here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/ 0:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! Check out GM Ganguly’s new course here: https://www.chessable.com/lifetime-repertoires-suryas-1e4-part-1/course/353840/ 2:00- Gaston Franco, the club captain of the Hammersmith Chess Club, joins me Mentioned: Watch Charlyze van Zyl’s tour of the Hammersmith Chess Club here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxR6mFl9d4E&t=1s John White, club chairman 6:00 The Transformation of Hammersmith Chess Club 12:00- Common Club Activities and Structure, How they Appeal to Women and Junior Players  17:00- League Participation and Competitive Play 20:44 Membership Fees and Financial Sustainability 29:47 Sponsorship and Community Support 31:00- How the Club Fielded a team in the FIDE World Team Championship 33:13 Role of Grandmasters in the Club Mentioned: GM Daniel King  34:28 League Matches and Club Activities 36:55 Chess Outreach and Community Engagement 39:10 Post-Pandemic Chess Boom 41:04 Challenges and Sustainability of Chess Clubs 43:18 Advice for Fledgling Chess Clubs 45:55 Guest Visits and Club Membership 47:24 Gaston’s Chess Journey from Buenos Aires to London  49:29 Comparing Chess Scenes: Argentina vs. London 51:52 The Future of Chess in Argentina 52:43 Community Events and Upcoming Tournaments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Japanese-Australian chess player, trainer, and content creator Junta Ikeda is the 2013 Japanese National Chess Champion and a runner-up in the 2020 Australian Championship. These days, with a full-time job outside of chess, Junta devotes most of his chess energy to helping others improve. He has shared countless insights on his excellent blog, Infinite Chess, which I’ve been reading religiously since its launch. There, Junta offers thoughtful advice on topics such as improving your tactics, managing the clock, and budgeting your study time. For this interview, I compiled questions based on some of his most insightful observations as we explored chess improvement from a wide range of angles. Toward the end of the conversation, we also touched on Junta’s background, chess in Japan, and even picked up a few non-chess book recommendations.   Check out Chessiverse and take out of their end of year sale here: http://chessiverse.com/ Check out IM John Bartholomew’s Comprehensive Scandinavian Course here:  https://chessiverse.com/courses/scandi Find out more about Chessdojo’s classes here: https://www.chessdojo.club/blog/live-classes Use Code NY26 to get a free month of the tier program Use Code Ben to save 10% off anything  0:04- Junta joins me! Does Junta’s fellow Canberra, Australia resident, IM Andras Toth exist in real life? 0:06- How does Junta respond to FM Nate Solon’s inflammatory tweet about chess books? https://x.com/natesolon/status/1988955760965963898?s=20 0:11- Junta’s coaching and content creation background  0:12- What are the most common mistakes Junta sees amateurs make?  0:19- What did Junta learn from the book How to Become a Deadly Chess Tactician? 22:00- Junta shares some advice from his lifelong battles with time trouble  What I needed to cure my time trouble: https://juntaikeda.substack.com/p/how-i-escaped-time-trouble-hell In search of lost time: 20 Time Trouble Tips https://juntaikeda.substack.com/p/1-in-search-of-lost-time-20-time EP 383 with Dan Bock 24:00- How to learn to face your fears Mentioned: The Uncool by Cameron Crowe 39:00- The Impact of Talent in Chess Mentioned: GM Moulthan Ly, GM Max Illingworth  47:00- How did “the worst openings player in Australia” learn to tolerate them? Mentioned: GM David Smerdon’s The Complete Chess Swindler  51:00- Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! Checkout their holiday sale here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/all/offer/ 52:00- What type of challenging exercises does Junta recommend in order to improve calculation? Mentioned: IM Kostya Kavutskiy’s Endgame Studies 101, IM Tatev Abrahamyan’s Endgame Studies: Solve to Evolve, Domination by Kasparyan, Studies for Practical Players  Sign up for Chessable Pro here: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro 1:01:00- Junta’s recommended chess books and resources Mentioned: Lichess, The Mammoth Book of the World’s Greatest Chess Games , My Great Predecessors   My 10 Memorable Chess Books https://juntaikeda.substack.com/p/my-10-memorable-chess-books 1:02:00- Is chess growing in Japan despite Shogi’s popularity? 1:08:00-  Balancing Chess and Content Creation 1:10:00- Why Junta wishes he had committed more to chess than university  1:13:00- Will Junta pursue the GM title? Mentioned: Dojo Talks with IM-elect Gauri Shankar  1:15:00- Non chess book recs! Mentioned: Murakami, Infinite Jest, The Book of Disquiet, Finite & Infinite Games  1:19:00- Thanks to Junta for sharing his advice and perspective!  Here is how to keep up with his work: Infinite Chess Blog: https://juntaikeda.substack.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@juntaikeda Website: https://juntaikeda.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can Bobby Fischer still teach us about chess improvement? In this episode, renowned trainer, author, and historian IM John Donaldson returns to discuss Fischer’s writing, advice, and training methods, as featured in his new book Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer. We explore Fischer’s views on openings, what he said about his own IQ, and what modern players can realistically take from his approach. I was particularly interested to hear John break down how Fischer went from roughly 2100 strength to an elite player in less than two years. After our Fischer deep dive, John shares his memories of a young Daniel Naroditsky and discusses the outlook for the next  U.S. Olympiad team, which he has captained 15 times. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/  Check out special offers from Chessdojo, Chessmood and more here: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/partners Sign up for my free chess newsletter here:  https://benjohnson.substack.com/ 0:02- Why was Bobby Fischer writing a chess column for Boys Life magazine? 0:07- Are world class talents like Fischer good people to give chess improvement advice?  0:14- Bobby Fischer’s 4 Chess Improvement Tips  0:17- Why was Fischer confident about his match vs. Spassky despite a losing record?  0:20- How did Fischer respond when he was asked about reportedly having a genius-level IQ?  0:24- The impact of Fischer growing up in New York City 0:43- Patreon mailbag question- Why, after all these years, is there still such a cult-like obsession with Fischer?  1:02:00- John’s memories of GM Daniel Naroditsky, who John knew since Danya’s childhood,  Mentioned: GM Gregory Kaidanov, GM Lev Psakhis  1:13:00- Status of the US Olympiad team 1:19:00- Will John pursue the GM title at age 67? Thanks, as always, to IM John Donaldson for joining me! Here is where to get Inside the Mind of Bobby Fischer. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Mind-Bobby-Fischer-Annotations/dp/1890085286/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QKKXI2SDOLYS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._2M3HsSJt-U7Bdai-uPvhA.AJtX-b-nDihPzKRJb_BUo7jCkpq_R2sPMhsked9R8GU&dib_tag=se&keywords=inside+the+mind+of+bobby+fischer&qid=1765826270&s=books&sprefix=inside+the+mind+of+bobby+fischer%2Cstripbooks%2C55&sr=1-1 Chess4Less:  https://chess4less.com/products/pre-order-inside-the-mind-of-bobby-fischer-john-donaldson Also available in Europe: https://gazellebookservices.co.uk/products/9781890085285?_pos=1&_sid=e49e3c6fa&_ss=r Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Adult Improver Series returns with the remarkable story of FM Nick Matta, a five-time Louisiana State Champion who made one of the most unusual rating climbs in recent memory. Nick returned to tournament chess as a college freshman and went from roughly 1400 to 2400 USCF over the next decade. In our conversation, he breaks down the habits and mindset shifts that fueled that rise, including: How complete immersion in chess during his college years accelerated his progress Why the mental game became increasingly important as he climbed the rating ladder The books, videos, and tools that helped him at each stage Nick’s improvement in his 20s may be rare, but his insights are applicable to players of a wide range of levels. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link: https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro And you can check out their new offerings here: https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/  00:00 – Intro & AnnouncementsFInd out more about the teaching job opportunity at IS 318 here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/796878173716685/posts/32637324772578611/ Join the Perpetual Chess discord here!              https://discord.gg/27AXnaUr 03:00 – Intro & Announcements Find out more about the teaching job opportunity at IS 318 here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/796878173716685/posts/32637324772578611/ Join the Perpetual Chess discord here!              https://discord.gg/27AXnaUr 06:00 – Who Is FM Nick Matta? Mentioned Nick was also interviewed in episode 450- Hikaru in Louisiana https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2025/9/9/ep-450-hikaru-in-louisiana-stories-from-his-surprise-appearance-in-the-louisiana-state-championshipnbsp  Check out Nick’s USCF Rating History here: https://www.uschess.org/datapage/ratings_graph.php?memid=12845401 His rapid rise from 1480 → 2390 and return to chess after Katrina. Also Mentioned: Pawn Structure Chess by GM Andy Soltis, IM Jeremy Silman’s How to Reassess Your Chess, Pawn Power in Chess  11:30 – How the Improvement Started Immersion, study habits, book recommendations, and developing a love for feedback. Mentioned: Kasparov’s My Story with GM James Plaskett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeEY66T0q80 GM Melih Khachiyan’s Evaluation and Planning Series on Chess.com https://www.chess.com/video/player/evaluation-and-planning---part-1 26:00 – Openings, Training, and Evolution Why he constantly changed openings, how his training shifted as he reached master level, and learning from top coaches. Mentioned: GM Gregory Kaidanov, IM John Bartholomew, GM Jacob Aagaard’s Thinking Inside the Box  35:00 – Time Trouble & Mental Game Breakthroughs Aagaard’s tough feedback, decision-making, cold-plunge training, meditation, and building emotional resilience. Mentioned: Karpov in a cold plunge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAhtMKhvG1A 59:00 – Coaching, Pursuing the IM Title & Final Advice Balancing coaching with personal ambition, whether he’ll chase the IM title, and his distilled guidance for adult improvers. 1:15:00- Thanks to Nick for joining me! Here is how to reach him:  Lichess coaches page: https://lichess.org/coach/nickmatta Chess.com coaches page: https://www.chess.com/member/nickmatta Email-  Nickmatta13 at gmail.com Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices