097 Playing against 1.d4 can be awkward. Many club players say they’re less sure of what to do positionally and have more difficulty finding tactical possibilities. Even the most popular, and arguably best, opening responses like the Slav or the Queen’s Gambit Declined can leave club players unsatisfied. Why is that? And are there any openings that can at le ... Show More
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
Aug 2025
EP 163 | Blitz Specialists
This Dojo Talks explores what makes some players stronger at blitz than others, contrasting calculation-based vs. intuitive styles, online vs. over-the-board skills, and the role of premoves, time management, and tricky opening repertoires. The sensei also discuss the rise of a “ ... Show More
1h 7m
Feb 2024
EP 107 | The Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge
Join the training program - https://dojoscoreboard.com Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojolive Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop IM David Pruess, IM Kostya Kavutskiy, and GM Jesse Kraai talk about Magnus Carlsen's tournament, the Freestyle Chess GOAT Challenge, the ... Show More
1h 2m
Jul 2024
EP 119 | What Does it Take to Succeed in Senior Chess
Join the training program - https://chessdojo.club Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojolive Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop GM Jesse Kraai, IM Kostya Kavutskiy, and IM David Pruess talk about the world of senior chess, the 2024 U.S. Senior Chess Championship, and w ... Show More
1h 6m
Nov 2024
EP 125 | The 2024 Junior Draft
IM Kostya Kavutskiy, IM David Pruess, and GM Jesse Kraai have their 2024 Junior Draft on today's episode of Dojo Talks, the ChessDojo podcast. Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Join the Training Program - https://chessdojo.club Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo M ... Show More
42m 8s
Jan 2025
EP 137 | Should Beginners Study Openings w/ GM Hammer
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 Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Join the Training Progra ... Show More
1h 12m