L2C-07: Top Ten Things That Helped Me - The Final Four

I wrap up my top ten list of things that helped me get to 1,000 Elo. On this episode, I discuss one of the more hotly contested topics of openings with a somewhat unique take on what worked best for me. Then i cover tournament, rated games, and playing over the board live chess. I then discuss the importance and benefits of gradually finding chess friends and training partners, I then cover the benefits and selection process that I think should be used to find a chess coach. And since I can't add very well, i provided a eleventh topic for relatively new chess players of playing against electronic opponents. Many players can stifle their growth by not wanting to play chess against a real person, even online, and I had a few thoughts and options that may help with this transition.

Welcome to the board.

We hope you enjoy the show!

For a link to the podcast, please use: https://tinyurl.com/Late2Chess04

Also, if you'd like any topics, guests, or have any questions, please let me know at [email protected]

L2C-06: Top Ten Things That Helped Me - Game Annotations, Books, and Long Games

On this episode, I cover three more related areas that have helped me to progress up to around 1,000 Elo. The first topic we cover is annotating your game and also reading annotated games by other players and masters. I have found this to be very helpful in improving my understanding and thinking during a game and also has helped reduce my error frequency. This then transitioned into annotated game books and other chess books, including a precaution for your book purchasing and reading. Finally, I went into the effect that longer time control games have had on my games and thinking process.

Welcome to the board.

We hope you enjoy the show!

For a link to the podcast, please use: https://tinyurl.com/Late2Chess06

Also, if you'd like any topics, guests, or have any questions, please let me know at [email protected]

L2C-05: Top Ten Things That Helped Me - YouTube and Podcasts

On this episode, we go through two more things that have helped me most to this point in getting better at chess, YouTube and Podcasts. I recommend the YouTube channels that I have found to be most helpful to me on my journey to 1000 Elo, as well as several podcasts that I subscribe. One important thing to know is that listening to a podcast or watching a YouTube video may not be the most highly impactful thing to your learning and growing as a chess player. I often look at these resources as a soft learning time. However, there are a few that I have found to be what i would term as opportunities for hard learning that will directly affect your game and help you to improve, if you pay full attention and likely take notes. Chess improvement was never promised to be easy and some of the greatest gains can be made by doing the "hard" work.

Also, I cannot say that I have found/watched/listened to all the YouTube channels and podcasts that are out. Did i miss any? Please let me know at [email protected].

Welcome to the board.

We hope you enjoy the show!

For a link to the podcast, please use: https://tinyurl.com/Late2Chess05

Also, if you'd like any topics, guests, or have any questions, please let me know at [email protected]

L2C-04: Top Ten Things That Helped Me - The ChessDojo

Vicki rejoins the podcast to bring everyone up to speed with my chess history prior to 2025. It isn't much, but helps us to establish the starting point for my current chess journey.

Welcome to the board.

We hope you enjoy the show!

For a link to the podcast, please use: https://tinyurl.com/Late2Chess04

Also, if you'd like any topics, guests, or have any questions, please let me know at [email protected]

L2C-03: Rediscovering Chess

Sorry for the delay, we had some technical difficulties getting the podcast feed setup, but we should be good to go now.

On this episode, I go into the trials and tribulations that I went through as I began my chess journey. What went well, what went poorly, and some of the challenges of learning this game on my own.

Welcome to the board.

We hope you enjoy the show!

For a link to the podcast, please use: https://tinyurl.com/Late2Chess03

Also, if you'd like any topics, guests, or have any questions, please let me know at [email protected]

L2C-02: Bill's Chess History - Pre-2025

Vicki rejoins the podcast to bring everyone up to speed with my chess history prior to 2025. It isn't much, but helps us to establish the starting point for my current chess journey.

Welcome to the board.

We hope you enjoy the show!

For a link to the podcast, please use: https://tinyurl.com/Late2Chess02

Also, if you'd like any topics, guests, or have any questions, please let me know at [email protected]

L2C-01: Why Does This Podcast Exist

Welcome to the Late 2 Chess Podcast. On this first episode, we go into why this podcast exists and what the goals are going forward.

One of the frustrations that I see is the near constant r=refrain that if you did not start playing chess at "X years old" you can never be good at the game. While it is true that is you start "late", you may never be a Grand Master or the World Champion. I do not believe that with the modern chess training resources available that this is the case. What is the limit? I don't know. But what i do know is that there is no better time to start playing chess than today and until there is a time machine invented, that will always be true. Also, the game can be great fun and getting better is a blast all by itself. So lets see where we can go and how best to improve.

Many of these episodes will be summaries of my own chess progress, what i find to work and what didn't work quite as well (yet). I hope to be able to also have guests of all skill levels to discuss their journey and their experiences in learning the game of chess.

Welcome to the board.

We hope you enjoy the show!

For a link to the podcast, please use: https://tinyurl.com/Late2Chess01

Also, if you'd like any topics, guests, or have any questions, please let me know at [email protected]