The Chess Cognition Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

00:00 Intro12:03 Pressure14:37 Alan Watts' Fantasy17:53 Meditation21:04 Playing the Position in Front of You27:01 Toxic Self-Talk 30:24 Rating Anxiety 33:42 Confidence and Self-Efficacy41:23 Handling Losses45:21 Pain = Suffering x Resistance52:35 Time Trouble55:07 Giving up Control58:00 Self-Adopted Identities1:00:28 Beauty in Complexity1:03:46 Preserving the Love for the Game1:15:31 Pre-Game RitualsBenji Portheault, a seasoned performance coach with experience working with chess players of all levels, including super grandmasters, joined the podcast to discuss the mental aspects of chess. Throughout the conversation, he explored topics such as meditation, dealing with tilt, tournament preparation, and the psychology of chess success. Benji gave insights into how identity, confidence, and mindset play crucial roles in a player's performance. His approach combines modern psychology with meditation techniques to help players build resilience and manage the stress of competition effectively.A major focus of the discussion was on managing emotions during games, particularly in high-pressure situations. Benji explained the importance of developing self-awareness, identifying negative thought patterns, and learning how to reset mentally after mistakes. He introduced techniques such as open monitoring meditation and mental reframing to help players regain focus and prevent one mistake from snowballing into further blunders. He also emphasized the need for practical routines before and during games, including recognizing the feeling of playing well and recalling past successful experiences to build confidence.The conversation also touched on broader topics like rating anxiety, tournament nerves, and the importance of maintaining a love for the game. Benji encouraged players to cultivate a healthy relationship with chess, understanding that improvement requires embracing both wins and losses as learning experiences. He highlighted how professionals and amateurs alike struggle with the psychological challenges of competition, making mental training just as crucial as tactical and strategic preparation.

Season 2 of the Chess Cognition Podcast comes to a close with this wrap-up episode. From cognitive science and chess psychology to positional mastery and historic match insights, we covered a wide range of powerful conversations with nine brilliant guests.

As we prepare for Season 3 launching in August, I’d love to hear your feedback—what was your favorite episode, what topics do you want more of, and who should I invite next?

Thank you for being part of your exciting journey.

In this special year-end episode, I had the pleasure of hosting Kamryn Helman, an extraordinary adult improver who achieved a chesscom rapid rating of 2000 in just two years, starting from absolute zero. Kamryn shared her inspirational journey, which began in 2021 after watching The Queen’s Gambit. Despite balancing her undergraduate studies and later a full-time job, she devoted around 20 hours per week to chess and made remarkable progress. Kamryn's disciplined approach combined playing, tactical exercises, and joining a chess club, where she set goals to compete with stronger players. Her story is a testament to how dedication and a structured approach can yield extraordinary results in a short time.During our conversation, Kamryn offered valuable insights into her improvement methods. She talked about her "Why I Am Losing" document, a weekly habit of analyzing losses to identify patterns and guide her studies. We also discussed her thought process, including a mental checklist to avoid blunders, and the critical role of breaks in consolidating knowledge. Kamryn's ability to stay intentional and disciplined about her chess journey is both inspiring and instructional for players at all levels.Toward the end, we explored her educational contributions to the chess community, including her Chessable course, 50 Essential Chess Concepts: An Improver's Blueprint. She shared the challenges of designing clean, instructive puzzles that minimize cognitive overload and maximize learning. Kamryn's passion for chess and commitment to improvement was evident throughout our discussion, leaving me—and hopefully you—with fresh ideas and inspiration to tackle our own chess journeys. I’m thrilled to see what Kamryn accomplishes next and I look forward to another conversation as her chess story unfolds.

01:54 The Chess Bug and the Very Short Summary of the Journey to 2000 ELO08:57 The Thought Process10:47 Blunder-Check15:16 'Why Am I Losing?' Document23:07 How Blitz Helped 26:00 Study Advice for 0-1500 ELO29:16 Study Advice for 1500 - 2000 ELO37:18 Her Chessable Course41:40 Her New Openings44:47 Final Advice for Beginners45:40 Final Advice for Intermediate Players46:34 The Weekly Training Schedule

In this episode, I sit down with Candidate Master and Chessable author Azel Chua to dive deep into the intricacies of chess calculation and thought processes.

Azel's Calculation course broke records on Chessable. He shared concrete positions and concepts to clarify his "Burger Technique"—a systematic approach that breaks down calculation into three essential steps. We explored why traditional approaches like "checks, captures, and threats" (CCT) can often fail, and how context-driven techniques provide a more robust, scalable method for players of all levels. Throughout the discussion, Azel showcased several illustrative positions that demonstrated the power of identifying loose pieces, critical squares, and exposed lines of attack. We learned how chess targets—whether pieces, squares, or alignments—can continually expand in complexity as players improve. Azel concluded with insightful exercises on visualization, introducing the concept of "visualization decay" and how to overcome it. He demonstrated that improving calculation involves spotting patterns and expanding one’s ability to recall and connect conceptual similarities across seemingly different positions.

02:01 Why His Calculation Course Was a Huge Success 05:13 Checks, Captures, and Threats: Why It Falls Short 11:03 The Burger Technique 12:10 Position 1 21:00 Position 2 26:24 Position 3 Enters Magnus the Superhuman 29:26 Position 4 38:26 Position 5 42:39 Position 6 50:06 Position 7 54:25 Position 8 58:35 Transfer of Patterns to Different Contexts 1:04:40 Conceptual Patterns - Position 9 1:06:48 Position 10 1:11:30 Visualization 1:31:48 How Best to Learn Patterns 1:33:34 The Endgame Riddle

In this episode, I sit down with FM Midas Ratsma from the Netherlands, a renowned Chessable author with eight successful courses. Midas is known for his practical and engaging approach to teaching openings, making his courses favorites among club players and beginners. We dive into his opening philosophy and the strategies behind his course design. We also explore Midas’s chess coaching philosophy, where he emphasizes interactivity, consistent plans, and repetition for effective learning. Midas shares how his experience as a coach has shaped his courses, ensuring they address real-world struggles of students while offering actionable solutions. Along the way, we tackle topics like how to link opening preparation to middlegame strategies, the importance of chunking and pattern recognition, and the critical role of tactics in chess improvement. In addition, Midas tests us with some of the toughest puzzles from his Beginner's Guide to Chess Tactics, offering a glimpse into the depth and creativity of his course content. We also chat about the collaborative process of creating courses, and his upcoming Jobava London repertoire.

In this very special episode, I had an insightful conversation with the legendary chess coach NM Dan Heisman. With an illustrious career spanning decades, Dan has authored 14 books, developed a Chessable course, and helped thousands of students improve since he began coaching in 1996.

His expertise shines through as we delve into the nuances of chess improvement, from bridging the knowledge-skill gap to the importance of thought process and time management. Dan shares valuable insights into his journey, including his work with renowned players and groundbreaking contributions to chess coaching, such as coining terms like "hope chess", "handwaving", "ABC Error", "counting" and "wise adult syndrome."A major focus of our discussion revolves around the critical skills needed for chess improvement, such as blunder-check and criticality assessment. Dan emphasizes the importance of improving both knowledge (patterns and principles) and skills (analysis, time management, and perseverance).

Drawing on his decades of coaching, Dan recounts fascinating anecdotes, like the curious case of a student with perfect visualization but flawed analysis. We also discuss practical strategies for players, such as balancing blitz and classical games, and how to train effectively by focusing on process-oriented methods.This episode is packed with actionable advice for players of all levels, particularly adult improvers navigating the challenges of chess growth.

Dan's dedication to helping players reach their potential shines throughout the conversation, offering viewers a wealth of strategies and motivation to refine their approach to the game. Whether you're struggling with transitioning from knowledge to skill, managing time effectively, or avoiding blunders, this discussion provides a masterclass in practical chess improvement.

00:00 Dan Heisman: A Brief Introduction04:25 Common Misconceptions About Chess Improvement09:37 The Role of Knowledge vs. Skills in Chess16:22 How Blitz Chess Can Help (or Hurt!) Improvement21:23 Time Management27:12 Is There Luck in Chess?29:42 Ideal Thought Process37:11 Checklists44:00 Diagnosing Thought Process Mistakes with De Groot Exercises56:33 The Evolution of Chess Content for Beginners1:03:43 Dan's Career Highlights and Coaching Philosophy1:23:12 Visualization/Board Vision/Tactical Vision1:36:46 The Woodpecker Method1:46:50 Learning Chess Notation1:54:43 Creating a Chess Legacy

In this episode, we’re joined by Aiden Rayner, a chess coach and visualization expert, from Australia. Aiden discusses the critical role of visualization in chess, explaining how most resources overlook direct training in this skill and why he decided to design targeted exercises to fill this gap. Aiden’s innovative approach, blending structured cognitive training with practical exercises, has helped players of all levels, even influencing grandmasters to incorporate his techniques.We delve into the nuances of working memory and its limitations in chess, shedding light on how cognitive bottlenecks lead to blunders. He offers actionable advice on creating personalized checklists and forming habits that interrupt automatic, often flawed, intuitive responses during games. The discussion also explores how visualization doesn’t have to mean visualizing in the literal sense, emphasizing that players should lean into how their brain naturally processes chess information—be it through verbal narratives, spatial awareness, or other personal methods.The conversation takes a deeper dive into training methodologies, focusing on isolating and intensifying specific skills to enhance overall performance. Aiden shares practical exercises, including a blindfold chess drill designed to stretch cognitive capacity, and discusses the importance of prioritizing key patterns for improvement.

The synergy between cognitive science and chess improvement is highlighted throughout the episode, providing listeners with a treasure trove of insights and tools to elevate their game, whether they’re beginners or seasoned players.

00:00 Who Is Aiden Rayner?07:11 Visualization Training/Chess Improvement10:58 Conceptualization/Visualization12:18 Aphantasia20:53 Working Memory24:03 Freezing/Forgetting/Freewheeling29:10 Intuition33:24 Ghost Pieces37:38 Building Habits41:24 How to Best Learn Chess Patterns and Chunks49:05 Checklists53:08 Who is Your Daddy and What Does He Do?1:02:26 First and Second-Order Effects1:09:12 Ideal Training Intensity1:20:33 Blindfold Exercise

In this podcast episode, I talked to FM Dalton Perrine, an accomplished chess player, Chessable author, and coach from the United States. Dalton has five Chessable courses, with a sixth on the way. A former student of GM Sam Shankland, Dalton reflects on the process of creating high-quality instructional content. GM Shankland collaborates with Dalton on his courses by providing video coverage. We also discussed Dalton's latest Chessable project, Seal the Deal: How to Gain and Convert Middlegame Advantages, which is about gaining and converting long-term strategic advantages. Dalton emphasizes the importance of breaking down complex games into trainable segments to help learners practice and understand key concepts in manageable steps. He also shares a sneak peek of positions from the course.

Beyond chess courses, Dalton provides insights into his current pursuit of the Woodpecker Method to sharpen tactical skills and shares anecdotal evidence of its potential benefits, including a recent 200-point blitz rating surge.

00:00 Introduction 03:27 Survive & Thrive: How to Blunder Less and Defend Better 08:17 Blunder Check 13:56 4-Step Thinking Process 19:51 Seal the Deal: How to Gain and Convert Middlegame Advantages 25:11 How He Structured the Course 30:44 Sneak Peek into the Course: Space Advantage 47:15 Collaborating with GM Sam Shankland 50:16 The Woodpecker Method

In this fascinating discussion, we delve deep into the cognitive science behind chess blunders with Professor Benjamin Balas from North Dakota State University. As an expert in visual cognition, Ben sheds light on how our visual system, with all its strengths and limitations, plays a crucial role in our chess performance.

We discuss how visual crowding and peripheral vision contribute to common mistakes, especially for newer players. Ben also explains practical strategies for enhancing blunder-checking skills and shares insights on his ongoing research, offering invaluable tips that all players can apply.

One of the key takeaways is understanding why certain blunders, like missing "sniper bishops," often occur due to our visual system's natural constraints. Ben dives into the concept of "visual crowding," where surrounding pieces make it harder to detect distant threats, and reveals how experts overcome this by developing rich chunks and patterns in memory.

Together, we explore how checklist processes and deliberate board scanning can help mitigate these blind spots, making blunders less likely and visual processing more effective. Throughout our conversation, Ben also highlights groundbreaking research studies on chess expertise and visual cognition, detailing how experts use eye-tracking and attentional techniques to manage complex positions efficiently.

From practical advice on blunder-check processes to a discussion of the psychological and visual nuances that define expert play, this conversation is packed with insights that every chess player will find enlightening.

01:38 Prof. Benjamin Balas' Chess History 04:23 The Limits of Our Visual System 06:45 Visual Crowding 09:23 Expert Eyes vs. Novice Eyes 13:35 Grouping the Familiar Chunks 17:16 Practical Tips for Better Blunder Checks 19:49 2D vs. 3D 24:13 Visual Span and Visual Attention 31:54 Research Project Ideas Involving Chess 34:11 Visual Imagery and Calculation 38:34 Group vs. Individual Problem-Solving (Chessable Grant) 40:01 Avoid the Blunder #1 43:01 Reshevsky's Blunder and Why He Committed It 47:29 Avoid the Blunder #2 50:50 Checklists to Reduce Blunders 58:48 Loose Piece + Alignment 1:02:30 Inhibition of Return 1:05:33 Brief Summary and Lessons

In this episode, I’m excited to host Dan Bock, also known as Bold Move by Dan on X. Dan’s journey is truly inspiring—he achieved a 400-point rating increase as an adult improver, documenting every step of his path to success in his popular blog, Chess Improvement Lab. In our conversation, we dig deep into his unique approach to learning, his use of flashcards for improving his game, and how structured thinking, deliberate practice, and checklist routines shaped his path to improvement. Dan shares invaluable advice for chess enthusiasts, highlighting how he leverages detailed self-analysis and carefully constructed personalized checklists to eliminate blunders and refine his thought process. We discuss the importance of targeted improvement, how repetition and review play a role in learning, and why he believes in prioritizing one’s own mistakes as the best path to growth. With over 2,000 custom flashcards, Dan takes a practical and organized approach to chess that keeps him motivated and consistently improving. We also dive into some of Dan’s most effective strategies, including his innovative “Move Highlighter” tool and how he learns from his blitz games. This episode covers crucial improvement techniques and is packed with actionable tips on everything from blunder checking to cognitive habits that any adult improver can apply.

00:00 Introduction 02:02 Dan's Brief Chess History 04:42 11 Things I Did to Gain 400 Points 05:47 The Role of Blitz 09:22 Flashcards 11:20 Engine Feedback 12:16 Move Highlighter 15:09 Anki 19:25 Learning From Own Mistakes 23:12 Checklists 25:58 Checks Captures Threats 30:05 Dan's 3 Checklist Questions 31:42 What Does Their Move Unblock? 38:08 What Does My Move Unprotect? 40:07 The Importance of Playing Games 42:53 If I Make This Move, Am I Allowing a Check? 48:32 What is Becoming Loose If I Make This Move? 50:50 Did I Carefully Check For Alignments Before Making My Move? 53:53 Wishful Thinking 54:20 Loose Piece + Alignment 56:28 If I Make That Move Am I Allowing a Knight Fork? 59:31 If I Make That Move Am I Allowing a Pawn Fork? 01:01:19 Can They TRAP One of My Pieces If I Make That Move? 01:02:42 If I Make That Move Am I Allowing an Unstoppable Passed Pawn? 01:04:41 Simplifying & Focusing on Fundamentals