Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Chess Angle
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep. 124: Are Amateur Players Qualified to Coach Chess? | 08 Sep 2024 | 00:40:18 | |
This week's offering is a dedicated Listener Mailbag episode. We cover the following and more:
📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 123: The Most Confusing Chess Concepts for Developing Players | 01 Sep 2024 | 00:35:06 | |
This week's episode is a response to the Reddit post What are some of the most advanced and incomprehensible concepts in chess? At the time of this recording, there were over 150 responses. The following concepts, among others, were frequently cited as being difficult to understand:
📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 114: How to Avoid Time-Trouble at Club-Level Chess Tournaments | 16 Jun 2024 | 00:38:42 | |
Like it or not, the clock is just as much a part of tournament chess as the board and pieces. Poor clock management is a consistent problem for many players. We cover:
Referenced:
📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: The Amazon links above are affiliate links. Qualifying purchases help support this podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||
| Ep. 24: Higher & Lower-Rated Opponents (Game Analysis #1) | 10 Apr 2022 | 00:38:24 | |
This is the first episode for our new Game Analysis Series. I will thematically break down one or more of my OTB games, covering a variety of chess concepts and ideas for the amateur and club player. Some of the themes from this episode include:
Our links: | |||
| Ep. 23: The Chess Cheating Epidemic & More: Talking with FM Alex King | 03 Apr 2022 | 00:51:17 | |
**Note: Alex King earned the FM title after this was recorded. The episode title has been updated but the original show notes are below.
Alex's links & info:
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| Ep. 22: Playing vs. Studying feat. Candidate Master Brian Karen | 27 Mar 2022 | 00:48:37 | |
I spoke with Candidate Master and renowned chess educator Brian Karen. He is one of the most active teachers in the country. Some of our talking points include:
Links referenced in this episode:
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| Ep. 21 (S2 Premiere) : Amateur Chess Myths | 13 Mar 2022 | 00:32:37 | |
Arguably, certain "theoretical advantages" often have less significance at the amateur level. For example, material imbalances such as "having the two bishops" or "being up the Exchange" are often overrated when non-titled players face off. | |||
| Ep. 20 (S1 Finale): Talking with National Master Tim Mirabile | 20 Feb 2022 | 00:58:44 | |
For the podcast's first interview format, I spoke with National Master Tim Mirabile. This is our uncut, unedited conversation. Below, Tim shared a list of some favorite books and a link to an article about the growth mindset:
Our links: | |||
| Ep. 19: Do Chess Puzzles Really Help? | 06 Feb 2022 | 00:29:05 | |
For many players, chess study is a grey area. It's not just WHAT to study but HOW. We believe Practical Chess Exercises is one of the best puzzle books for amateur players. For online instructional content, we recommend chess.com. These are affiliate links which support the podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||
| Ep. 18: Thematic Amateur Chess Mistakes | 23 Jan 2022 | 00:24:33 | |
| Ep. 17: Sneaky Chess Tricks, Swindles, & Head Games | 09 Jan 2022 | 00:25:21 | |
| Ep. 16: "Chess for Tigers" by Simon Webb (the best chess psychology primer) | 26 Dec 2021 | 00:22:47 | |
In this episode, I discuss the modern classic "Chess for Tigers" by Simon Webb, which I believe is the best primer on chess psychology for amateur players. It is linked below along with the chess clock I mentioned. These are affiliate links which help support this podcast at no additional cost to you. LEAP Chess Clock
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| Ep. 15: When It's Your Turn to Move | 12 Dec 2021 | 00:30:00 | |
| Ep. 113: Stop Dropping Pawns! (Game Analysis #8) | 09 Jun 2024 | 00:36:14 | |
You hang one pawn, then eight moves later you hang another, and then your opponent easily wins the game while you're still processing where you went wrong. This is all too common at the club level. In addition, Neal dives into the Listener Mailbag. Game Referenced: Neal vs. 1490 (G/90;d10) 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Bf5 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Bg3 Nf6 6. Bxf5 exf5 7. Qf3 Qd7 8. 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 14: Boosting Your Chess Rating in the Modern Era | 28 Nov 2021 | 00:23:37 | |
Is the amateur chess scene more competitive than ever before? We take a look at that, and poker somehow makes its way into the discussion. Below are links to the books mentioned in this episode. These are Amazon affiliate links which help support this podcast at no additional cost to you. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com (affiliate link). Our links:
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| Ep. 13: Your Opponent's Rating & "Pushy" Chess Parent Anecdotes | 15 Nov 2021 | 00:22:18 | |
| Ep. 12: Chess Improvement Hacks for Busy People | 31 Oct 2021 | 00:13:55 | |
Note: There is an updated version of this episode: Ep. 109: Chess Improvement Shortcuts for the Busy Adult Improver. I share some time-saving tips & tricks for busy individuals with limited study time. Check out ChessBase for their fantastic online chess suite as mentioned in this episode. 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com.
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| Ep. 11: What Chess Players Do When Losing a Game | 18 Oct 2021 | 00:15:54 | |
I discuss how players react when losing a game or facing a worse position. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com. The Chess.com links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||
| Ep. 10: When "Internet Players" Join In-Person Tournaments | 26 Sep 2021 | 00:14:14 | |
A discussion of what happens when "internet players" join live events. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com . The Chess.com links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||
| Ep. 9: Podcast Update Announcement 9-12-21 | 12 Sep 2021 | 00:03:02 | |
A brief update of the podcast. Thank you for listening! | |||
| Ep. 8: Why I Now Like 5-minute Online Chess Games | 22 Aug 2021 | 00:11:36 | |
Here, I sort of reverse course from Episode 3 and talk about why I suddenly like 5-minute online games after criticizing them for some time. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com. The Chess.com links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||
| Ep. 7: Draw Offers, Slumps, & Ego | 08 Aug 2021 | 00:24:07 | |
A discussion of the psychological aspect of the game. The Amazon links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||
| Ep. 6: Why "The Amateur's Mind" is the Best Chess Book... | 25 Jul 2021 | 00:13:26 | |
This episode is a review of the book The Amateur's Mind (Amazon) by IM Jeremy Silman. Below is a direct link to the book. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com. If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. ♟The Amazon and chess.com links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||
| Ep. 5: Local Chess Clubs vs. Major Tournaments | 11 Jul 2021 | 00:16:02 | |
Here, we weigh the pros and cons of playing at local chess clubs versus major tournaments. | |||
| Ep. 112: Chess Tournament Savvy, Playing Amid Distractions, Prepping for OTB Play & More feat. NM Nick Panico (Chess Coffee Talk #4) | 02 Jun 2024 | 00:44:20 | |
National Master Nick Panico returns to the pod for some "chess coffee talk" and shares his insights from the tournament scene. We cover:
📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 4: The Flaws of the Swiss System Pairing Method | 27 Jun 2021 | 00:11:51 | |
A criticism of the standard Swiss System in favor of the random pairings variation. | |||
| Ep. 3: Thoughts on Internet Chess & the Pandemic | 13 Jun 2021 | 00:15:29 | |
The pandemic has created a chess boom which is discussed in this episode. For the best online chess experience, we recommend chess.com (affiliate link). 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. ♟The chess.com links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||
| Ep. 2: Catching a Chess Cheater | 30 May 2021 | 00:14:41 | |
This episode details a cheating incident at the Long Island Chess Club... 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. | |||
| Ep. 1: Chess Openings and the Club Player | 16 May 2021 | 00:29:06 | |
Welcome to The Chess Angle! This episode is a condensed, rapid-fire discussion of chess openings for club players and adult improvers. Talking points include:
Referenced:
🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. ♟The Amazon links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||
| Ep. 0: Introduction to The Chess Angle | 14 May 2021 | 00:00:40 | |
This is a brief trailer/intro for The Chess Angle podcast. | |||
| Ep. 111: How to Boost Your Chess Rating Using Draw Offers | 26 May 2024 | 00:45:33 | |
This week we take a deep dive into the psychology of draw offers for the club-level player. Strategically offering or accepting a draw can add quite a number of points to your rating. We break this down in detail. Referenced:
📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: The Amazon links above are affiliate links. Qualifying purchases help support this podcast at no additional cost to you.
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| Ep. 110: IM Michael Rahal on the Challenges of Adult Chess Improvement & More | 19 May 2024 | 00:58:19 | |
This podcast recently crossed the half-a-million download mark! Thank you all for your support of The Chess Angle. This week's guest is International Master Michael Rahal. Michael is a professional trilingual chess coach, content creator, and FIDE Press Officer. In this jam-packed episode, he provides thoughtful insight on the challenges of improving at chess as an adult and why there's not always a positive correlation between chess study and tournament results. Michael also details his experiences interviewing some of the world's most elite players including Magnus Carlsen. He then shares his thoughts on the chess content creation space and previews his upcoming Chessable and YouTube projects. Links for IM Michael Rahal: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 109: Chess Improvement Shortcuts for the Busy Adult Improver | 12 May 2024 | 00:31:09 | |
This week's pod is an updated and revised version of Episode 12: Chess Improvement Hacks for Busy People. Neal offers some practical time-saving hacks for busy adults with limited study time and argues that social media overload may harm your chess progress. If you're enjoying the pod, please consider telling your chess playing friends about us and giving us a 5-star review on your podcast app of choice. We appreciate your support! Referenced:
📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 108: Checkmate Confessions: The Harsh Realities I Learned from Chess Tournaments | 05 May 2024 | 00:32:01 | |
This week, Neal shares some tips, tricks, and harsh realities he learned from playing in chess tournaments over the years. 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 107: Check, Mate, Cheat: Unveiling the Dark Side of Chess Tournament Shenanigans | 28 Apr 2024 | 00:54:34 | |
This week, Neal puts on his tournament director hat to discuss rule violation scenarios using real examples from amateur chess tournaments. We also include common mishaps and misunderstandings at the club level regarding rules and procedures. Amateur players of all levels should find this episode both informative and entertaining! Special thanks to Pat Barron, friend of the pod and fellow TD from Pennsylvania whose correspondence was the basis of this episode. 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 106: GM Max Illingworth on Adult Chess Improvement, Why YouTube Videos May Not Help, "Potholes & Detours" on the road to 1600, "Unlearning" Chess, & More | 21 Apr 2024 | 00:57:50 | |
This week's guest is Australian Grandmaster Max Illingworth. Max is a coach, author, and blogger who has lots of experience working with adult chess improvers and a sincere interest in helping them get better. His chess.com blog is instruction rich and formed the basis of our conversation. Max shared his thoughts on why many adult players have trouble improving, including the erroneous thought processes and approaches that hinder progress. As a reminder, you can become a Patreon member of The Chess Angle. For just $2 a month, you can support the show while receiving a few perks including access to a members-only blog, Neal's personal episode notes/outlines, priority consideration for questions/topic suggestions, and early access to select episodes. If you're interested in a single donation, we also have a Buy Me a Coffee page, where you can buy us a "virtual" coffee as a one-off contribution. We appreciate your support of the pod! Links for GM Max Illingworth:
📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 105 (S7 Premiere): Declutter Your Chess Study Plan | 14 Apr 2024 | 00:35:10 | |
Welcome to Season 7! As a reminder, you can become a Patreon member of The Chess Angle. For just $2 a month, you can support the show while receiving a few perks including access to a members-only blog, Neal's personal episode notes/outlines, priority consideration for questions/topic suggestions, and early access to select episodes. If you're interested in a single donation, we also have a Buy Me a Coffee page, where you can buy us a "virtual" coffee as a one-off contribution. We appreciate your support of the pod! This week, we discuss how to "Marie Kondo" your chess study plan if you're rated about 800-1200 and you're looking to break the 1400 barrier. You don't need to buy 100 chess books, 25 courses, and join seven different online training programs. A streamlined collection of chess study materials covering each phase and theme of the game combined with lots of OTB experience is probably all you need for quite some time. In this episode, we cover:
Referenced:
📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: ♟Some of the links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.♟
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| Ep. 122: Online Blitz Chess and Adult Improvement | 25 Aug 2024 | 00:35:51 | |
Most players agree that slower time controls are beneficial for chess growth, but what about blitz chess? Can online blitz chess help you improve? Are certain blitz time controls better than others? Should you always play with an increment? What about bullet chess? In this episode, Neal shares the results of an informal online chess experiment where he played several blitz games at various time controls. Referenced: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: The Amazon links above are affiliate links. Qualifying purchases help support the podcast at no additional cost to you.
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| Ep. 104 (S6 Finale): Ten Ways to Lose a Chess Game | 24 Mar 2024 | 00:35:21 | |
This episode is our Season 6 finale. We'll be taking a short break and will return with Season 7 on April 14, 2024. This week, we discuss ten common reasons why players at the club level lose games: 1 - Non-processing 2 - Rushing against odd opening moves 3 - Neglecting development/premature attacks 4 - Misplaying castling 5 - Rook posing 6 - Too much French pastry 7 - Trading down to a losing King and pawn ending 8 - Trying too hard to win 9 - Being cavalier against lower-rated opponents 10 - Poor clock management 🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com.
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| Ep. 103: Wild Chess Tournament Stories: Cheating, Collusion, Pushy Parents & Other Tall Tales from the Amateur Chess Scene feat. Tim Just, National TD and US Chess Rulebook Editor | 17 Mar 2024 | 00:48:58 | |
This week's guest, Tim Just, is a major figure in tournament directing and chess administration. He is a National TD, editor of the 5th-7th editions of the US Chess Rulebook, author, and columnist. When it comes to directing amateur chess tournaments, he's done it all and seen it all. In this episode, Tim shares a number of wild and entertaining anecdotes from the amateur chess scene. You can't make this stuff up! Links for Tim Just:
🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. ♟The Amazon links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you.♟ | |||
| Ep. 102: Chess Improvement & Tournament Skills Roundtable feat. Nick Visel | 10 Mar 2024 | 01:05:56 | |
Nick Visel is a dedicated club player with a long term goal of achieving the title of National Master. He is well known in the adult improver community and is very popular on Twitter/X. You may be interested in subscribing to Nick's Substack where he shares book reviews, analysis of his OTB tournament games, and more. This week, Nick joined Neal for a candid conversation about chess improvement, the ups and downs of playing at the club level, and how the amateur chess scene has changed over the years. We cover:
Links for Nick Visel: 🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. | |||
| Ep. 101: Candidates Tournament Preview 2024 feat. GM Daniel Gormally | 03 Mar 2024 | 01:02:45 | |
In this jam-packed episode, return guest Grandmaster Daniel Gormally discusses the upcoming 2024 Candidates Chess Tournament: the players, controversies, history, and more. The winner of this event will challenge Ding Liren for the title of World Chess Champion. The Candidates begins on 4/3/24 in Toronto, Canada. Links for the Candidates Tournament: Links for GM Daniel Gormally:
🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com.
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| Ep. 100: The Hippopotamus Defense and Other Chess Opening Systems for Black | 25 Feb 2024 | 00:42:34 | |
Welcome to our 100th episode! Be sure to check out our new and improved website. Same address, updated look. This week, we explore five universal responses for Black. These can be played against any first move by White. In this episode:
Referenced:
🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. | |||
| Ep. 99: How to Approach Chess Study as a Beginner or Advanced Beginner (Tips and Suggested Resources) | 18 Feb 2024 | 00:37:22 | |
Chess improvement can be overwhelming and daunting for beginners looking to reach the intermediate level and beyond. This is especially true for busy adults with limited study time. In the episode, we provide a general overview of what we believe beginners and advanced beginners should focus on and provide a number of suggested resources to get you started. Suggested Books:
Suggested Online Lessons from Chess.com:
🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. | |||
| Ep. 98: The Worst Chess Mindsets for Tournament Players | 11 Feb 2024 | 00:51:20 | |
The week, Neal dives into the listener mailbag to discuss the parallels between music and chess, handling losses, and dealing with frustration at the chessboard. This is followed by an open and candid discussion about mindset and attitude at the chessboard during OTB tournaments. There's definitely an emphasis on chess psychology for this episode. Chapters: (00:00) - Intro (00:48) - Chess and Music (07:38) - Dealing with Losses (17:00) - Frustration at the Chessboard (22:49) - The Chess Mindset (what to avoid) (49:42) - Outro 🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. | |||
| Ep. 97: Chess Ratings, Improvement, the 3...Qd8 Scandinavian & More feat. NM Daniel Lowinger | 04 Feb 2024 | 00:59:27 | |
This week's guest is National Master Daniel Lowinger, a high school Chinese teacher who cut his teeth playing chess on the New York scene. Dan offers some thoughtful and philosophical ideas about amateur chess improvement, titles, being honest with oneself, and much more. Chapters: (00:00) - Intro (03:48) - Dan's Beginnings (06:24) - Thoughts on Chess Titles (23:44) - Honesty with Oneself (29:43) - Adult Improvement (44:18) - 3...Qd8 Scandinavian Defense (55:29) - Opening Originals: Strong Sidelines for Club Cats (58:37) - Outro Links for NM Daniel Lowinger:
🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. | |||
| Ep. 96: GM Daniel Gormally on Adult Chess Improvement, the Cheating Epidemic, & More | 28 Jan 2024 | 00:59:39 | |
Our guest this week is English Grandmaster Daniel Gormally. Daniel is a professional chess player and coach who has written several books on the game. He is also the author of a 3-part Chessable series entitled Sharp Middlegames. In addition, Daniel has represented England in the European Team Championship and is a two-time winner of the English Rapid Play Championship. He earned his final GM norm in 2005 in a tournament where he scored a 2693 performance rating.
🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. | |||
| Ep. 95: How to Use a Chess Engine as a Developing Player | 21 Jan 2024 | 01:03:56 | |
This week we discuss how to analyze your chess games with an engine to increase learning, avoid mistakes, and explore your thought process. Neal addresses some listener mail and then reviews one of his OTB games where he was having an off night. There were miscues from both players throughout which is typical at the club level.
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d6 3. e3 Nbd7 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Be7 6. h3 b6 7. c4 Bb7 8. Nc3 d5 Chapters: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. | |||
| Ep. 121: Avoiding "Panic Moves" in Chess (Game Analysis #11) | 18 Aug 2024 | 00:25:30 | |
Your opponent has a better position or plays a move that catches you by surprise. Rather than keep your composure while patiently analyzing, you become frustrated, despondent, and convince yourself your position and/or your opponent's apparent threat is worse than it is. As a result, you bang out an unnecessary (and weakening) defensive move. Sound familiar? You just played a "panic move." This week we take a look at this common chess ailment. Game Referenced: 1900 vs. Neal (G/90;d10) 1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2 Nxc3 9. Qxc3 Be4 10. b3 d6 11. Bb2 f5 12. Rad1 Bf6 13. Ne5 Bxg2 14. Kxg2 Qe8 15. Qf3 c6 16. Nd3 Na6 17. Nf4 g6 18. h4 e5 19. Nh3 e4 20. Qe3 Rd8 21. Rh1 c5 22. h5 cxd4 23. Bxd4 Bxd4 24. Rxd4 Rf6 25. hxg6 Qxg6 26. Nf4 Qf7 27. Rh5 Kh8 28. Qc3 Qg7 29. Rd5 Rdf8 30. Qd4 Nc5 31. Rxd6 Rxd6 32. Qxd6 Rf6 33. Qd8+ Rf8 34. Ng6+ Qxg6 35. Qxf8+ 1-0 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. 🎯 Our Links: | |||
| Ep. 94: Sicilian vs. Caro-Kann, Neal's 2024 Chess Study Plan, & More | 14 Jan 2024 | 00:49:09 | |
Happy New Year! For our first episode of 2024, Neal answers some questions from our listener mailbag and shares his chess study plan for 2024. 🎯 Support the Show: 📧 If you have a question or topic idea for a future episode, e-mail us at info@thechessangle.com. ♟The Amazon links above are affiliate links which earn us a small commission on qualifying purchases. This helps support the podcast at no additional cost to you. | |||