Ono Another Chess Podcast

Ono (⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠) talks to Fionn O'Donovan who was his first chess coach and inspired Ono to start coaching Adult Improvers as well. Fionn is the founder of the #chesspunks tactics group, has a PhD in Philosophy and works as a professional tutor.

On this episode:

(01:53) What does Fionn love most about chess?

(05:07) How Ono met Fionn

(07:32) The #chesspunks tactics group

(11:53) Fionn's chess in 2023

(19:37)  Fionn’s experience switching to e4

(31:09) Improvement separate to rating gain

(34:42) Why hire a non-titled chess coach?

(40:59) Is Fionn surprised Ono became a coach?

(42:54) Ono's 2024 chess study plan

(47:33) Analysing chess games

(49:03) Getting quality post-mortems

(52:08) Why Ono wants to play more

(57:19) The value of pattern recognition

(58:51) Diversity in a chess study plan

(01:00:30) Is coaching good for your own chess?

(01:03:38) A second opinion on your chess

(01:08:00) Fionn’s Lichess 4545 League experience

(01:10:54) The value of training partners

(01:13:36) Join the #chesspunks tactics group

Come talk with Fionn O'Donovan + Ono in the Zoom Hangout on Friday, January 5th @19:00 UTC! Sign up for the free 7-day trial on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get the Zoom link.

On www.TheOnoZone.com, you can download Ono's free ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Study Plan Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to plan + track your 2024 chess training. You can also find out more about Ono's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Episode links:

Fionn O'Donovan on Chess Journeys Podcast

Noel Studer’s Chess Training Planner (use code Ono10 to get 10% off)

Dawn Lawson’s Blog

Alex Crompton’s Pattern Recognition Blog

Your (2024) Chess Skill-Based Study Plan (TheOnoZone Blog)

What the Fork is a Blunder Check (TheOnoZone Blog)

ChessDojo Endgame Sensei

Lichess 4545 League

Follow Fionn O'Donovan:

Twitter/X @FODonovan | Lichess @FODonovan

If you'd like to join the #chesspunks tactics group, just send a message to Fionn on Twitter/X or Lichess!

Follow TheOnoZone:

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ who supported this episode: Benjamin Portheault | Rick Chlopan | Tim Everett | MatthewKCanada | Brett | Nate Glissmeyer | Laura Holmes | Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

Thanks to Fionn O'Donovan for coming on the podcast, my wife Yara for being the other half of TheOnoZone, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening to season 1!

Ono (⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠) talks to NM Ben Johnson about the Adult Improver endeavour of perpetual chess improvement against the backdrop of a busy adult life. Ben is the host of the legendary Perpetual Chess Podcast, creator of the weekly Perpetual Chess Linkfest + the author of the recently published book Perpetual Chess Improvement, among other things.

On this episode:

(01:56) The chess communities Ben belongs to

(05:00) The state of Ben’s chess in 2023

(05:58) The importance of playing OTB

(07:40) The writing of Ben’s new book

(09:17) Ben as a writer

(11:13) Success of Ben’s guests outside of chess

(13:13) What drives Adult Improvers to improve

(17:10) Unecessary vs Necessary Fallibility

(21:40) Knowledge vs Decision Making resources

(25:15) Can you acquire all the chess knowledge?

(27:15) Ben’s frustration with memory

(28:31) Ben’s last year of chess improvement

(30:11) Ben’s future projects

(31:05) Personality reflected on the chess board

(33:48) Luck in chess

(38:09) Ben’s chess ambitions

(41:57) When is the audio book available?

(43:25) Linkfest: Ben’s Blog

(45:42) Chess news sources

(50:20) Linkfest; adult improvement blogs

(54:58) Where can you get Ben's book?

Come talk with NM Ben Johnson + Ono in the Zoom Hangout on Friday, December 15th @19:00 UTC! Sign up for the free 7-day trial on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get the Zoom link.

Episode links:

NM Todd Bryant’s chess improvement article

NM Todd Bryant on Perpetual Chess ep. 346

⁠⁠Wordy Chess Book List for Adult Improvers (free download TheOnoZone)

David Monokroussos's Blog

Nick Visel's Blog

Dan Bock's Blog

Dr Patzer's Blog

⁠Ben Johnson Came To My (Chess) Birthday Party⁠ (TheOnoZone blog)

How To Chess podcast S3: How I forced myself to love endgames (Ben Johnson interviews TheOnoZone⁠)

Follow NM Ben Johnson:

Twitter/X @Bennyficial1

Perpetual Chess Podcast

Perpetual Chess Linkfest

Perpetual Chess Improvement book

Ben's Patreon

Follow TheOnoZone:

On the ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠, you can download a free ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Study Plan Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wordy Chess Book List⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, as well as find out more about Ono's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ who supported this episode: MatthewKCanada | Brett | Nate Glissmeyer | Laura Holmes | Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

Thanks to Ben Johnson for coming on the podcast, my wife Yara for being the other half of TheOnoZone, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening!

Ono (⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠) talks to Yara about being married to an Adult Improver as a non-chess player. Yara is Ono's wife and they share life, parenthood and a chess business (TheOnoZone) together. Yara + Ono talk about their experiences with chess in their family, as well as general emotion regulation, shame and community in chess.

On this episode:

(02:33) Why Yara doesn't play chess

(03:30) What it's like being married to a chess player

(05:15) When Ono got beaten by Yara

(07:11) Rating goals - good or bad?

(13:01) Should all chess coaches be masters?

(16:56) Striving for excellence vs perfection

(18:35) Self-improvement for chess improvement

(21:32) How to overcome shame in chess

(25:23) Why community kills shame

(28:47) Why does chess make you feel so much

(30:56) Are you super smart when you play chess?

(34:18) Addiction + other coping mechanisms

(38:40) Compassionate chess improvement

(41:15) Does emotion belong at the chessboard?

(45:07) Why you should not repress shame

(46:43) Why your life shows up in your chess

(49:17) Ono's chess journey in 2023

(54:40) Ono's rating goals + rating

(58:03) Ono's birthday request to you

(58:50) Ono does not want his son to play chess

(01:01:56) Yara's wish: happy chess improvement

Come talk with Yara + Ono in the Zoom Hangout on Friday, December 1st @19:30 UTC!

Episode links:

Episode #5 Sara Herman

Episode #3 Ché Martin

Brené Brown (specifically her TED talk on vulnerability)

Eckhart Tolle

chessfeels podcast

Gabor Maté (specifically his book on addiction: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts)

@ChessVonDoom

Russell Brand - Recovery

Kristin Neff - Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself

Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind (Ono’s favourite book)

I Hate Winning (TheOnoZone blog)

Alex Crompton on spaced repetition

Ben Johnson Came To My (Chess) Birthday Party (TheOnoZone blog)

Has Chess Ruined My Life? (TheOnoZone blog)

Contact Yara:

If you're a female entrepreneur wanting to start or grow your online business, you can email Yara at [email protected] (first Zoom call is free).

Follow TheOnoZone:

On the ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠, you can download a free ⁠⁠⁠⁠Study Plan Template⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠Wordy Chess Book List⁠⁠⁠⁠, as well as find out more about Ono's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠⁠⁠⁠ who supported this episode: Laura Holmes | Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

Thanks to my wife Yara for coming on the podcast, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening!

Ono (⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠) talks to Sara Herman (@ZefCatt) about Chess Content Creation, Chess Tournaments + Rating Anxiety, and more. Sara is a chess streamer + YouTuber as well as a chess tournament veteran.

On this episode:

(03:06) Struggles of being a content creator

(06:16) Is chess Sara’s job?

(07:31) Sara’s 500 tournament chess history

(08:56) Sara’s battle with rating + ego

(11:00) Why chess brings out strong emotions

(12:45) How Sara disconnects rating + happiness

(16:37) Why you need to enjoy your training

(19:01) Chess as a conversation

(23:55) Showing emotions at the board

(27:55) When Sara played Nxd5

(29:27) Staying flexible in chess

(33:05) Why you must work on weaknesses

(34:16) Opening study discussion

(37:58) Sara’s chess tournament experience

(43:00) Playing up a section in tournaments

(44:07) Playing higher- vs lower-rated players

(48:44) What inspired Sara to make vlogs

(50:54) Self-deprecating humour + chess

(55:42) General advice for Adult Improvers

Come talk with Sara + Ono in the Zoom Hangout on Friday, November 17th @1800 UTC!

More info:

Sara’s incredible positional sacrifice (Nxd5)

NM ChessDoofus Blunder Compilation (Lichess Study)

Sara's vlog on the Denver Open⁠

Has Chess Ruined My Life (TheOnoZone Blog)

Ono's Adult Improver Chess Coaching

Follow Sara Herman:

Follow TheOnoZone:

On the ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠, you can download a free ⁠⁠⁠Study Plan Template⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠Wordy Chess Book List⁠⁠⁠, as well as find out more about Ono's ⁠⁠⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠⁠⁠ who supported this episode: Laura Holmes | Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

Thanks to Sara Herman for coming on the podcast, my wife Yara for being the other half of TheOnoZone, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening!

Ono (⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠) talks to his friend + student Ché Martin about playing chess when you're blind, blindfold chess, visualisation exercises + overcoming your ego for chess improvement. Ché is an Emmy award winning Visual Effects artist who went blind in adulthood and has a unique perspective on chess improvement.

In this episode:

(01:23) Why Ché thinks chess is similar to music + sex

(02:19) Ché's story of going blind + coming into chess (+ how The Queen's Gambit book ruined audio books for him)

(05:48) How to play chess when you're blind

(09:09) Ché's experiences in the chess scene in his small town

(12:57) Losing - and how Ché + Ono throw chessboards across the room (jk)

(15:35) Why Ché care more about playing humans vs bots online (ego + pain)

(20:24) Chess improvement = confronting yourself with your weaknesses

(23:52) Why Ché tanked his rating on purpose during the Lichess 4545

(25:40) Ché + Ono answer: "Have you changed as a person because of chess?"

(28:45) Why Ché thinks it's better to solve puzzles OTB vs online (+ Ché's outstanding calculation abilities)

(33:52) The difference between reading books to finish them + reading books to actually learn

(37:39) What Blind Chess Superpowers does Ché have?

(40:31) What does Ché see inside his head when he visualises? (visualisation for blind + sighted people)

(44:55) Ono's experience with blindfold chess

(46:15) Ché's Visualisation Tips for Adult Improvers

(48:20) How your random chess skills can become comfort zones + hold you back (rook endgames)

(52:48) Ché's + Ono's views on Chess Improvement (books vs skills)

(56:11) Self-directed learning (for kids + Adult Improvers)

(58:17) What Ono taught Ché about annotating his thought process (+ why that's helpful)

(01:01:02) Why Ché likes to Get. Away. From. The. Board.

Have you done any visualisation exercises?

You're invited to join the conversation on all things chess in the Zoom Hangout with Ono + Ché Martin + other Adult Improvers on Friday, October 20th @1800 UTC!

Sign up to ⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠ (free trial available) and join us every other Friday to talk about all things chess + get other Patron-exclusive perks.

More info:

Random Skills of Adult Improvers (TheOnoZone) ⁠https://lichess.org/@/TheOnoZone/blog/the-random-skills-of-adult-improvers/ncQ7ik5E⁠

Invisible Chess Podcast https://audioboom.com/channels/5087184-invisible-chess

Ono's Chess Coaching for Adult Improvers https://www.theonozone.com/coaching

Download Ono's Wordy Chess Book List for Adult Improvers (and really read them) https://www.theonozone.com/book-list

About Ché Martin:

Dark Squares Online Chess Club for blind chess players: contact Ché at [email protected] | www.blindadrenaline.com

Follow TheOnoZone:

Patreon ⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠ | Twitter ⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠ | Lichess ⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠www.theonozone.com⁠⁠

On the ⁠⁠website⁠⁠, you can download a free ⁠⁠Study Plan Template⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠Wordy Chess Book List⁠⁠, find out more about Ono's ⁠⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠⁠.

Thanks to ⁠⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠⁠ who supported this episode: Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Michael G | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Yara V | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

Thanks to my wife Yara for being the other half of TheOnoZone, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro as well as being a great guest to interview, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening!

Ono (⁠@TheOnoZone⁠) talks to himself about his first experiences with OTB after only playing chess online + encourages other Adult Improvers to join their local chess club.

In this episode:

[2:10] My first experience of OTB with GM Anish Giri + GM Jorden van Foreest

[7:32] How dealing with the 3D pieces affected my play + what I'm doing to improve my OTB board vision

[13:31] My introduction to human emotion at the chessboard

[18:10] Overthinking my opponent's reactions

[20:19] How I subconsciously tried to hide my self-consciousness

[24:34] Real board logistics + how to use this in your favour

[29:32] Why my OTB opponent underestimated me

[31:42] How performance factors like mental resilience are way more important in OTB with long time controls than online

[35:18] Why I love OTB + why I think you will too

Are you a tournament veteran or have you never played OTB?

You're invited to join the conversation on online v OTB in the Zoom Hangout with Ono + other Adult Improvers on Friday, October 6th!

Sign up to ⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠ (free trial available) and join us every other Friday to talk about all things chess + get other Patron-exclusive perks.

TheOnoZone blog articles related to this podcast episode:

Look Both Ways When You Cross The Road https://www.theonozone.com/look-both-ways-when-you-cross-the-road

What the Fork is a Blunder Check https://lichess.org/@/TheOnoZone/blog/what-the-fork-is-a-blunder-check/NATnH2B5

How To Be A Man In Chess https://www.theonozone.com/how-to-be-a-man-in-chess

Follow TheOnoZone:

Patreon ⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠ | Twitter ⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠ | Lichess ⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠ | Email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ | Website ⁠www.theonozone.com⁠

On the ⁠website⁠, you can download a free ⁠Study Plan Template⁠ + ⁠Wordy Chess Book List⁠, find out more about Ono's ⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠ + ⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠.

Thanks to ⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠ who supported this episode: Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Michael G | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Yara V | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

Thanks to my wife Yara for being the other half of TheOnoZone, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening!

In this first-ever episode of Ono Another Chess Podcast, Ono (@TheOnoZone) interviews Lichess community manager: Chris Callahan.

In this episode:

[1:21] What Chris loves about the game of chess + what drew him to chess

[5:48] How to speak up about women being abused in chess if you're not a woman

[12:33] Why it's bad for the chess world if women leave chess

[16:19] The issue of women feeling unwelcome at chess clubs

[18:48] Why Women's Chess Events are important

[20:35] Where Chris finds his chess journalism sources + the chess 'village'

[24:26] Why chess federations + organisations should coordinate way more

[26:43] Why Chris thinks an independent chess news media channel is fertile ground

[30:43] Ono + Chris discuss if top-level chess is harder to follow than other sports

[35:02] Chris shares whether Lichess will start commentating on chess events more often

[36:06] Chris explains the behind-the-scenes organisational structure of Lichess

[38:51] Questions for Chris submitted by Patrons of TheOnoZone

[39:13] How is it going with Lichess getting the 501(c)(3) US charity designation?

[41:21] Are there any plans to offer extras to Lichess Patrons? And what are Chris' thoughts on AI tools like ChatGPT to provide more detailed analyses of games on Lichess?

[48:17] Chris' plans for his chess coaching

Join the conversation in the informal Zoom Hangout with Ono + other Adult Improvers like you! Sign up to www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone (free trial available) and join us every other Friday + get other Patron-exclusive perks.

TheOnoZone blog article related to this podcast episode:

How To Be A Man In Chess https://lichess.org/@/TheOnoZone/blog/how-to-be-a-man-in-chess/uxZNeaDO

Jennifer Shahade's post about resignation:

I Am Leaving US Chess https://jenshahade.substack.com/p/i-am-leaving-us-chess

Chris' articles mentioned in this episode:

Breaking the Silence https://lichess.org/blog/ZNTniBEAACEAJZTn/breaking-the-silence⁠

5 Centimeters of Hair: Iranian Chess in 2023 https://lichess.org/blog/Y73kBhAAAHxja3WN/5-centimeters-of-hair-iranian-chess-in-2023

Recommended viewing for every adult chess player:

The Experiences of Women in Chess (Roundtable) ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFpC17WFNOU⁠

Follow Lichess:

Website www.lichess.org | Twitter @Lichess | Discord discord.com/invite/lichess | YouTube @LichessDotOrg | Twitch @LichessDotOrg

Follow Chris Callahan:

Lichess @NoJoke | Twitter @NoJokeChris

Follow TheOnoZone:

Patreon ⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠ | Twitter ⁠@TheOnoZone⁠ | Lichess ⁠@TheOnoZone⁠ | Email ⁠[email protected] | Website www.theonozone.com

On the website, you can download a free Study Plan Template + Wordy Chess Book List, find out more about Ono's Adult Improver chess coaching + book a free trial lesson with Ono.

Thanks to TheOnoZone Patrons who supported this episode: Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | NoSir100 | Michael Shpizner | Michael G | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Yara V | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

Thanks also to Chris Callahan for being the first-ever repeat podcast guest before the podcast even launched, my wife Yara for being the other half of TheOnoZone, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening!