C-Squared Podcast

Fabi and Cristian break down Total Chess in Budapest, Magnus Carlsen's training camp with Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and the odds for Gukesh vs Sindarov in Geneva, plus more from the week in chess.

Who's your pick: Gukesh or Sindarov?

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The boys get back together in St. Louis to recap the 2026 U.S. Chess Championship in St. Louis, breaking down how Fabi went from giving himself a 0% chance before Round 11 to forcing a tiebreak playoff against Wesley So after Wesley's final-round loss to Sam Sevian. We also discuss Hans Niemann's comments about shifting focus toward other chess formats, whether classical chess is still king, who belongs in the current Top 5 in the world (and where Hikaru Nakamura stands), the new "Total World Chess Championship" format, the Magnus Carlsen and Bobby Fischer world champion paradox, and behind-the-scenes stories from the Chess Olympiad.

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#chess #fabianocaruana #wesleyso

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Episode was posted on September 11th

After a busy summer full of competition, the boys are finally back with a new episode! Fabiano and Cristian discuss the Global Chess League, the recent debate about young players changing federations, and the upcoming Olympiad in Uzbekistan. Enjoy, and don't forget to subscribe for more!

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00:00 Intro 00:34 Recap of the last 2 months 03:47 Global Chess League 22:58 Chess Olympiad 2026 29:52 Prodigies & change in federation 50:45 Olympiad team reviews #chess #fabianocaruana #globalchessleague

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Cristian sits down with one of the most underrated chess legends of all time. Grandmaster Peter Leko was a prodigy who sacrificed everything to become a professional. He left home at 9, dethroned Judit Polgar to become the youngest Grandmaster in history, climbed to World #4, and came within ONE GAME of becoming Classical World Champion against Vladimir Kramnik in 2004. Today he's the coach behind Vincent Keymer, one of the most exciting talents in modern chess, and in this conversation he holds nothing back. Peter takes us through his entire journey: the early Hungarian prodigy battles with Polgar, his coaches and his switch from football to chess, his legendary Linares 2003 performance, the preparation behind a World Championship match, what really happened in his unforgettable match against Kramnik, his work seconding the world's best players, and lastly, what makes Vincent Keymer one of the most special talents in chess. Subscribe for more conversations with the biggest names in chess.

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Fabi and Cristian break down a wild stretch in chess. Hans Niemann wins his first ever super tournament in Warsaw to kick off the Grand Chess Tour, but admits he felt like the rabbit being caught by the turtle as Fabi closed the gap in the final rounds. We dig into the American trio's standout performances, Alireza's secret conflict between the GCT and the Esports World Cup, and Magnus winning Tepe Sigeman in Malmo, ahead of Erigaisi and Erdogmus. Plus, 12-year-old Faustino Oro officially becomes a Grandmaster, the second youngest in chess history!

Episode sponsored by our friends at https://www.chessreps.com/.

The fastest way to learn openings and actually remember them. Train smarter, play sharper.

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Fabi and Cristian are live from Warsaw ahead of the Grand Chess Tour’s first leg, breaking down the biggest stories in chess. Magnus Carlsen returns to classical at TePe Sigeman in Malmo and faces 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus for the first time ever. Webster University shuts down the legendary SPICE program, ending one of the most decorated collegiate chess dynasties in U.S. history — and Susan Polgar isn’t taking it quietly. Plus the red or blue button debate splitting chess Twitter, and Fabi’s POV heading into GCT Warsaw.

Episode sponsored by our friends at https://www.chessreps.com/

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Fabi and Cristian break down the biggest stories in chess right now. Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus becomes the youngest player ever to cross 2700, smashing Wei Yi's record by nearly a year after a dominant 5-1 demolition of Topalov in Monte Carlo. Hans Niemann is back in the Grand Chess Tour with a wildcard slot in Warsaw. And Take Take Take's new Lichess partnership puts Magnus's app on a collision course with Chess.com.

Episode sponsored by our friends at https://www.chessreps.com/ — the fastest way to learn openings and actually remember them. Train smarter, play sharper.

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The 2026 Candidates is over, and Javokhir Sindarov is heading to the World Championship match against Gukesh. Fabi breaks down Sindarov's magical run and insane opening prep, reflects on his own Candidates dream, and weighs in on Hikaru's opening disaster, the state of Titled Tuesday, and who takes the title in Gukesh vs Sindarov. Episode sponsored by our friends at https://www.chessreps.com/

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00:00 Intro 00:28 Sindarov's Magic 05:28 Fabi vs Sindarov 07:28 Sindarov Stays Consistent Until The End 10:48 Fabi's Candidates Dream 23:28 Sindarov's Insane Prep 27:38 Hikaru Blames His Seconds For Opening Disaster 32:08 Titled Tuesday Is Dead 32:42 Gukesh Vs Sindarov Predictions

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Fabi gets real about Gukesh's controversial cheating comments, reveals how his Candidates camp is shaping up, and we dive into the E-Sports World Cup threatening to clash with the Grand Chess Tour. Plus: Why are Super GMs suddenly playing in open tournaments? And our full Prague Masters preview.

📌 The 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament starts March 29 in Cyprus. Fabi plays White against Hikaru Nakamura in Round 1, an All American Clash!

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes as we count down to the Candidates!

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Episode sponsored by our friends at https://www.chessreps.com/

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The boys connect to talk about the biggest news of the week. The chaotic Speed Chess Championship is over, and we unpack everything that happed in London, and much more. Episode sponsored by our friends at https://www.chessreps.com/ ♟️Play With Us: https://www.chess.com/join/csqpod?ref_id=207174611 👕MERCH: https://c-squared.shop/ 🌐 Website: https://c2pod.com/ ☕Buy Us A Coffee : buymeacoffee.com/c2pod 🐦Twitter/X : https://x.com/CSQpod 📸Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/csqpod/ 💬Discord : https://discord.gg/XeP3tENMTr 00:00 Intro 00:35 Overview of last week 03:15 Tata Steel Recap 15:02 Tata Steel B Group 22:50 Polgar Netflix Documentary 24:20 Speed Chess Championship Review 46:00 Grand Chess Tour VS Esports World Cup Clash #magnuscarlsen #fabianocaruana #speedchess

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