logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
1h 7m

FM Mike Klein: Building the Next Generat...

Daniel Lona
About this episode

068 You may know him as best as “Fun Master” Mike, the face of ChessKid. For the past decade, Mike has been the Chief Chess Officer of ChessKid, the scholastic version of Chess.com. His mission has been to make the game fun and accessible for an ever-growing audience of young chess players.

While my show primarily focuses on adult improvers, I’m always interested in how we grow this great game of ours, and reaching kids is a big part of that.

And who better to discuss this subject than with Mike Klein!?

Plus, if you’re a parent, Mike offers some great advice on how you can your kids’ school involved in teaching chess.

We also discuss: 

  • Which top youth player he thinks has the best chance to stay in the game and make an impact for many years to come.
  • The highlights of Mike’s journalism career, including which former world champ he would’ve loved to interview.
  • His game and experiences with Josh Waitzkin, of Searching For Bobby Fischer fame.

More From Mike:

How You Can Support the Pod:

Join this show’s Patreon called “Podcast Perks” and get benefits like: 

  • Submitting questions to guests
  • A shout-out of your name on the pod
  • Vote on future topics/guests 
  • Exclusive behind-the-scenes updates about the show
  • DM me any month for a brief chat on chess or episodes

Click here to join the Patreon for The Chess Experience.

Or you can…

>>Support this pod by grabbing a chess.com membership which will help you improve your chess & defeat your enemies. A small portion will fund this pod - and every bit helps! Just click this link.

>> Neither? How about checking out Daniel's chess.com profile? Witness his countless, embarrassing blitz losses. He even accepts some friend requests. (Ad)

Up next
Apr 2025
Pod Update: Brief Break
The podcast is taking a short break for the month of May 2025. It will return in early to mid-June. We'll be back soon! If you want to contact me in the meantime about an episode or anything chess-related, you can do so here. 
41s
Apr 2025
CM Can Kabadayi: How to Prevent Blunders and Why He’s a Top Coach for Club Players
123 He went from beginner to 2150 FIDE in just four years. And that’s without receiving any coaching! Later, he became one of Chessable’s most popular course creators, recently winning Author of the Year in 2024.CM Can Kabadayi is a rare and impressive chess talent: he excels bot ... Show More
1h 7m
Apr 2025
Are There Too Many Drawbacks to OTB Tournaments? A Chat w/ FM Nate Solon
122 You hear the positives of competing in OTB classical events all the time (including from me on this podcast). And their improvement benefits are undeniable. However, they have some serious downsides: money, time, and energy, just to name a few. To the point where I’ve become ... Show More
54m 16s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
How The Team Behind Chess.com Turned A $55,000 Domain Into A $100 Million Annual Revenue Business
Today’s podcast is with Erik Allebest, the co-founder and CEO of Chess.com. We discuss the growth of chess, how much the world’s best players make, the future of chess as a spectator sport, the qualities that set the best chess players apart, chess in virtual reality, building co ... Show More
33m 54s
Nov 2023
EP 99 | GM Hikaru on The Chess Economy
GMHikaru joins GM Jesse Kraai, IM David Pruess, and IM Kostya Kavutskiy in today's episode of DojoTalks where GM Hikaru Nakamura talks about professional chess life and joins the Sensei in a discussion of professional chess economics. Interested in improving? Check out the Dojo T ... Show More
1h 12m
Feb 2024
Memory in Chess
On today’s show, we are joined by our co-host, Becky Hansis-O’Neil. Becky is a Ph.D. student at the University of Missouri, St Louis, where she studies bumblebees and tarantulas to understand their learning and cognitive work.   She joins us to discuss the paper: Perception in Ch ... Show More
48m 39s
Apr 2024
EP 114 | 2024 FIDE Candidates Recap
Join the training program - https://dojoscoreboard.com Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojolive Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop Dive into the drama and surprises of the FIDE 2024 Candidates! Join us for live breakdowns and deep dives into each game. Subscribe for m ... Show More
59m 9s
Feb 2024
Life Lessons from Teaching my 7yr old Chess
In this CarCast I discuss teaching my son how to play chess, the lessons I want him to learn, and what we can all learn.. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/changeinadvance /support 
22m 34s
Feb 2024
Relisten: Shame-Proof Your Parenting Mercedes Samudio [450]
We have all experienced the judgmental looks and unsolicited advice from others about our parenting. Why does our society shame parents, who are simply trying their best to raise children? Today, I talk with Mercedes Samudio, LCSW, a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, and bestsel ... Show More
54m 19s
Dec 2023
Can We Control Our Kids? - Oren Jay Sofer [433]
What happens when a meditation teacher gets frustrated with his toddler? Hunter talks to Oren J. Sofer, meditation teacher and author of the new book, “Your Heart Was Made For This,” about his life with a toddler as well as how we can cultivate qualities like courage, patience, e ... Show More
53m 12s
Feb 2024
425. Negotiating a Raise — and a Better Life | Chris Voss
Dr. Jordan Peterson speaks with author, teacher, and prior hostage negotiator Chris Voss. They discuss the necessity of prioritizing needs and wants, how to navigate the job market to fit your best potential, how and why to go after a raise, the primacy of invitational collaborat ... Show More
1h 32m
Feb 2024
Stacked West, KD & Wemby Interesting Quotes
Brian Windhorst is joined by Andscape’s Marc J. Spears and ESPN's Tim MacMahon to talk the Nuggets locking in after the All-Star break, the log jam of teams in the Western Conference, the Suns’ difficult schedule down the stretch, KD’s interesting postgame interview, Wemby’s curi ... Show More
1h 14m
Feb 2024
204: Optimal Week Planning For Footballers
In episode 204 Andy Hyde, Strength and Conditioning Coach with Aesthetic Athletics, joins us. Specifically Andy will be looking at: The difference between pro, semi-pro and youth players Important physical qualities How to structure a week to optimise performance An example of ho ... Show More
32m 10s