chessfeels: conversations about chess, psychology & mental health

By JJ Lang, Julia RiosHealth & Fitness Mental Health Leisure Games

chessfeels: conversations about chess, psychology & mental health episodes

December 23, 2025 45. what's underneath the floorboards
JJ talks about their year in chess that was and wasn't, which turns into a conversation with Julia about grief, loss, and self-knowledge. JJ references their essay on substack, which begins here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-180266870
Buy our really good merch
Tell us you love us by following us on twitter
Show us you love us by giving us some money
1 hr
December 15, 2025 44. listening
do you hear that? the board is trying to talk to you.
Buy our really good merch
Tell us you love us by following us on twitter
Show us you love us by giving us some money
53 min
December 03, 2025 43. collective unhappiness
The gang gets a phone call.
58 min
November 28, 2025 42. sit down, b3 humble
We're back! JJ and Julia have made several recordings in the past year, and are finally ready to start rolling them out. Here's the first one, it's about humility.
Buy our really good merch
Tell us you love us by following us on twitter
Show us you love us by giving us some money
1 hr 6 min
September 11, 2024 41: getting down and dirty (a very brief interview with Vjeko Nemec AKA Chessentials)
The teacher (JJ) becomes the student when their coach (CM Vjekoslav Nemec, aka @Chessentials_) joins JJ and Julia to talk about the emotional highs and lows of playing competitively, particularly when one's identity is wrapped up with being a chess player. Then the coach (Vjeko) becomes the patient when their (unofficial) therapist (Julia) gets to the bottom of why their lows feel so low.
Check out the Chessentials blog
See if Vjeko has blocked you on Twitter
Buy our really good merch
Tell us you love us by following us on twitter
Show us you love us by giving us some money
1 hr 45 min
August 21, 2024 40: state of the union (we're sorry)
It's been a while! JJ and Julia check in to tell everyone where they've been and where we (you! and us!) are going next.
Buy our really good merch
Tell us you love us by following us on twitter
Show us you love us by giving us some money
39 min
May 14, 2024 39: the adhd episode part 2
JJ and Julia return to a fan favorite topic: adhd. This time, instead of hyperfocusing on their personal experiences with adhd, they hyperfocus on adhd testing, diagnosing, and, of course, what your opening choices say about your neurodiversity.
Listen to our original adhd episode
Buy our really good merch
Tell us you love us by following us on twitter
Show us you love us by giving us some money
1 hr 4 min
May 14, 2024 38: a minisode about nothing
{∅}
39 min
April 05, 2024 37: a conversation with Maya Marlette, chess thief
JJ and Julia interview Maya Marlette, a student of JJ's with a really cool chess backstory and an even cooler day job.
Buy our really good merch
Tell us you love us by following us on twitter
Show us you love us by giving us some money
Listen to Maya's podcast, Twilight Phase
56 min
March 21, 2024 36: chess therapy (no, not like that)
Julia and JJ switch hats now that JJ is cured. They discuss how to find and keep motivation for chess studying when time and energy are in short supply.
Buy our really good merch
Tell us you love us by following us on twitter
Show us you love us by giving us some money
1 hr

About chessfeels: conversations about chess, psychology & mental health

From the publisher's feed

chessfeels is a podcast about chess culture, improvement, and psychology from chess teacher JJ Lang and therapist Julia Rios. Tune in for irreverent conversations about this game we're all obsessed…