Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Dr. Nick Vasquez - Visualization, Productive Failure and Chess Improvement
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Dr. Nick Vasquez - Visualization, Productive Failure and Chess Improvement
In this episode, I talked to Nick Vasquez, a medical doctor, adult chess improver, and author of the insightful blog Chess in Small Doses.
Nick has been featured on the Perpetual Chess Podcast and brings a unique perspective to chess learning through cognitive science. We'll be diving deep into topics such as working memory, visualization, and how these concepts can help adult chess players unlock their potential.
Nick shares his personal journey in chess, including how he started taking the game seriously in 2020, progressing from a 1650 chess.com rating to an impressive 1913 in classical games on lichess.
Along the way, Nick overcame plateaus by embracing visualization exercises that significantly boosted his performance. In our discussion, he explains how targeted visualization training can be a game-changer, especially for adult players who often struggle with seeing ahead on the board, and why this approach is key to building stronger chess habits.
We also explore evidence-based learning methods, discussing the balance between direct instruction and productive failure. Nick’s experience highlights the importance of making chess learning personal and relevant, emphasizing that true growth often comes from hands-on experimentation and learning from mistakes.
Whether you're an adult chess improver or a coach, this episode offers valuable insights into the science of learning and practical strategies for breaking through barriers in your chess journey.
00:00 Intro
02:58 Visualization Training/Step 2 Thinking Ahead
11:14 Information Overload and Finding Relevancy
14:24 Direct Instruction vs. Productive Failure
21:48 Craft Learning vs. Academic Learning
24:14 Science Behind Chess Improvement
31:38 Visualization Drills
41:01 Positional Chunks and Patterns
47:22 Evidence-Based Learning Approaches
55:31 Testing Nick: Position 1
01:01:51 Testing Nick: Position 2
View all episodes
By Can Kabadayi
5
44 ratings
In this episode, I talked to Nick Vasquez, a medical doctor, adult chess improver, and author of the insightful blog Chess in Small Doses.
Nick has been featured on the Perpetual Chess Podcast and brings a unique perspective to chess learning through cognitive science. We'll be diving deep into topics such as working memory, visualization, and how these concepts can help adult chess players unlock their potential.
Nick shares his personal journey in chess, including how he started taking the game seriously in 2020, progressing from a 1650 chess.com rating to an impressive 1913 in classical games on lichess.
Along the way, Nick overcame plateaus by embracing visualization exercises that significantly boosted his performance. In our discussion, he explains how targeted visualization training can be a game-changer, especially for adult players who often struggle with seeing ahead on the board, and why this approach is key to building stronger chess habits.
We also explore evidence-based learning methods, discussing the balance between direct instruction and productive failure. Nick’s experience highlights the importance of making chess learning personal and relevant, emphasizing that true growth often comes from hands-on experimentation and learning from mistakes.
Whether you're an adult chess improver or a coach, this episode offers valuable insights into the science of learning and practical strategies for breaking through barriers in your chess journey.
00:00 Intro
02:58 Visualization Training/Step 2 Thinking Ahead
11:14 Information Overload and Finding Relevancy
14:24 Direct Instruction vs. Productive Failure
21:48 Craft Learning vs. Academic Learning
24:14 Science Behind Chess Improvement
31:38 Visualization Drills
41:01 Positional Chunks and Patterns
47:22 Evidence-Based Learning Approaches
55:31 Testing Nick: Position 1
01:01:51 Testing Nick: Position 2
More shows like The Chess Cognition Podcast
View all
Perpetual Chess Podcast
609 Listeners
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
9,095 Listeners
The Rest Is History
12,854 Listeners
Dojo Talks: A Chess Podcast
59 Listeners
How To Chess
111 Listeners
Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement
125 Listeners
The Chess Angle
76 Listeners
The Chess Experience
63 Listeners
Ukraine: The Latest
1,825 Listeners
chessfeels: conversations about chess, psychology & mental health
51 Listeners
Chess Visualization with Don't Move
15 Listeners
C-Squared Podcast
168 Listeners
New In Chess Podcast
18 Listeners
Chess with Mustreader
4 Listeners
NextLevelChess
28 Listeners