Perpetual Chess Podcast

GM Melik Khachiyan is a California-based, award-winning chess trainer and the 2023 U.S. Senior Champion. Melik is also the captain of the U.S. Women's Olympiad team, so it was the perfect time to catch up with him following the team's fourth-place finish at the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan. We discussed:

Plus, for video viewers, Melik gives a quick tour of hsi new chess academy in Glendale, California. And, of course, Melik shares chess improvement advice for players of different ages and levels.

🎙️ Timestamps:

00:00 Intro and sponsor: Claude AI

Check them out at Claude.ai/chess

01:53 GM Melik Khachiyan joins the show

02:38 Reflections on the U.S. Women's Olympiad performance

05:32 Helping players bounce back from tough losses

08:32 Why the U.S. women are now serious medal contenders

11:39 Patreon mailbag question: How does Melik decide who plays and who sits?

17:48 Catching up with chess legends at the Olympiad

19:08 Illness at the Olympiad and the challenges of tournament scheduling

23:49 Alice Lee and Carissa Yip's GM ambitions

25:04 Playing in the Olympiad vs. captaining a team

29:16 Melik's new chess academy in Glendale

35:42 Fitness, competitive chess, and hopes of returning to the U.S. Senior Championship

39:50 Memories of playing Hikaru Nakamura, Michael Adams, and Gata Kamsky

Check out Melik’s games vs. Nakamura,  Adams and Kamsky here:

https://lichess.org/study/DbVY7xXk/ZbZ9GiTw

45:28 Learning from the world's best players

48:05 Chess improvement advice for kids and adults

50:00- Thanks to Melik for joining me again! You can reach him via his website:

https://www.gmmelik.com/

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John Hartmann is the award-winning editor of Chess Life magazine, a longtime book reviewer, and an expert on ChessBase, engines, and chess technology. He joined me shortly after a visit to St. Louis to discuss the ongoing U.S. Chess Championships, the renovations to the St. Louis Chess Club, the latest in chess technology, and his new AI-assisted chess newsletter, First Look Chess. We touched on:

As we always do when John visits the pod, we also discussed noteworthy chess books, including GM Alex Fishbein's Fighting Father Time, and the challenges of finding time to work on our own chess games. 

Thanks to our sponsors, Claude.ai. 

Check them out at Claude.ai/chess

0:00 Intro and welcome back to John Hartmann

1:30 John's visit to the U.S. Chess Championships

Read John’s article here:

https://new.uschess.org/news/club-notes-st-louis

4:30 The new prize encouraging fighting chess

6:00 Inside the renovated St. Louis Chess Club

12:00 What it's like to watch the world's best players up close

16:30 The Women's Championship, Alice Lee and Rachael Li

19:30 The explosion of new chess apps

25:00 Is ChessBase still essential?

28:30 What's new with Stockfish?

32:00 John's new project, First Look Chess

37:30 How US Chess does and does not use AI in its chess coverage

43:30 Covering chess news beyond the biggest headlines

47:30 Finding time for tournament chess as a busy adult

50:00 Chess books, Fighting Father Time, and new training tools

54:30 Why John loves older chess books

58:00 Boris Gelfand, chess literature, and how young players learn

1:00:00- Thanks as always to John for sharing his expertise, you can check out and sub to First Look Chess here:

https://firstlookchess.com/

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GM Nikita Vitiugov is a former Russian champion who reached a peak ranking of #15 in the world. He has represented both his native Russia and England at the Chess Olympiad and worked on the World Championship team of his boyhood rival, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. In his excellent new book, Chess Metamorphosis, he candidly reflects on his varied chess experiences.

In our conversation, we discuss:

We also discuss the candid, behind-the-scenes photos featured in Nikita's book, his passion for cooking and football, and much more. I loved reading Nikita's book, and it was an honor to hear more about it.

0:00 Intro

Thanks to our sponsor Claude AI. Check it out at Claude.ai/chess

2:00 GM Nikita Vitiugov joins the show 

3:00 Why Nikita wrote Chess Metamorphosis 

6:30 Why Nikita suspects that his best competitive years are behind him

10:00 How professional chess has changed 

14:00 Growing up alongside Ian Nepomniachtchi 

18:30 Training with the legendary Viktor Korchnoi

 23:30 Working with GM Peter Svidler 

Mentioned: Svidler on being a practical player-

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gi9KryNqkNEPZzN3obeU6?si=a7e7505918ed441e

27:00 What makes Nepomniachtchi and Svidler so talented?

29:00 Behind the scenes of Team Nepo, including a funny story about a thermos

35:30 Working with GM Peter Leko 

38:30 Moving to England and adjusting to a new life

41:00 Nikita's passions for cooking and football

45:30 His transition to coaching and advice for aspiring professionals

Thanks to GM VItiugov for joining me! You can order his book and find a free preview via the links below: 

https://www.newinchess.com/chess-metamorphosis

https://forwardchess.com/product/chess-metamorphosis?section=Products

Photo in thumbnail by Etery Kublashvili  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Nikita Vitiugov is a former Russian champion who reached a peak ranking of #15 in the world. He has represented both his native Russia and England at the Chess Olympiad and worked on the World Championship team of his boyhood rival, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. In his excellent new book, Chess Metamorphosis, he candidly reflects on his varied chess experiences.

In our conversation, we discuss:

We also discuss the candid, behind-the-scenes photos featured in Nikita's book, his passion for cooking and football, and much more. I loved reading Nikita's book, and it was an honor to hear more about it.

0:00 Intro

Thanks to our sponsor Claude AI. Check it out at Claude.ai/chess

2:00 GM Nikita Vitiugov joins the show 

3:00 Why Nikita wrote Chess Metamorphosis 

6:30 Why Nikita suspects that his best competitive years are behind him

10:00 How professional chess has changed 

14:00 Growing up alongside Ian Nepomniachtchi 

18:30 Training with the legendary Viktor Korchnoi

 23:30 Working with GM Peter Svidler 

Mentioned: Svidler on being a practical player-

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gi9KryNqkNEPZzN3obeU6?si=a7e7505918ed441e

27:00 What makes Nepomniachtchi and Svidler so talented?

29:00 Behind the scenes of Team Nepo, including a funny story about a thermos

35:30 Working with GM Peter Leko 

38:30 Moving to England and adjusting to a new life

41:00 Nikita's passions for cooking and football

45:30 His transition to coaching and advice for aspiring professionals

Thanks to GM VItiugov for joining me! You can order his book and find a free preview via the links below: 

https://www.newinchess.com/chess-metamorphosis

https://forwardchess.com/product/chess-metamorphosis?section=Products

Photo in thumbnail by Etery Kublashvili  

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a three-time Chess Olympian representing Chile, GM Mauricio Flores Rios, renowned author of Chess Structures, has fond memories of this timeless, biennial tournament. But these days, he is more interested in the instructive quality of the games than in the races for medals.

In our conversation, Mauricio discusses some of the most instructive Olympiad games that he reviewed on his YouTube channel before we pivot to a broader conversation about the Olympiad, chess improvement, the challenges of interviewing chess prodigies, and the evolution of his chess startup, ChessMind AI.

Before we say goodbye, Mauricio shares some improvement advice based on his interactions with countless amateur chess players. It’s always fun chatting with Mauricio!

0:00 IntroThanks to our sponsors, Claude.ai/chessCheck out Claude-coded Chris Wainscott’s chess site: guessthemove.net3:30 Mauricio joins and reflects on playing in three Chess OlympiadsCheck out Mauricio’s confusing Olimpbase page here:https://www.olimpbase.org/players/l9dxlxdl.html9:00 How Mauricio finds the most instructive Olympiad games12:30 Favorite games and lessons from the eventCheck out Mauricio’s bullet win over GM Vincent Keymer here:https://lichess.org/sVl59MdM?pov=ChessMindAIThe most interesting game:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3SxghzYRB0&list=PLfOXGLq2wea8&index=13Mauricio’s annotations of Abdusattorov-Caruana:https://chessmind.ai/events/chess-olympiad-2026/game-of-the-day/round-9/Mauricio’s Erdogmus-Oro annotations:https://chessmind.ai/events/chess-olympiad-2026/game-of-the-day/round-10/16:00 What stands out about today’s chess prodigies?18:00 What Mauricio has learned from interviewing top young players22:30 Patreon mailbag question: How does Mauricio differentiate his YouTube channelin a crowded field? 

25:30 The evolution of ChessMind AI and what users want most32:30 The challenges of building a chess startup in the AI era47:30 Mauricio’s chess improvement advice and YouTube plans

Thanks to Mauricio for joining me! Here is how to keep up with him:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCafpDJknMf7fr1Wlw6jAEMQChessMind AI: https://chessmind.ai Email: mauricio.a.flores.math at gmail.com

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The Adult Improver series returns to spotlight another guest who has benefited from chess and improved significantly at the game. Chess was recommended to Leah Brown as a healthier outlet for a mind that, in Leah’s words, tends to “torture itself.” Leah began playing tournaments less than two years ago and already has a peak rating of over 1600 USCF. In our conversation, Leah shares the training approach that has helped propel these gains, including:

Leah also highlights the importance of finding a friendly chess community in Massachusetts and shares the story of beating a GM in a simul. Tune in to hear the rest of this inspiring story.

0:00- Intro

Links Mentioned: 

Perpetual Chess Patreon

Spotify Adult Improver Playlist

Website

Form to be considered as an adult improver guest

1:45 Meet Leah Brown

2:39 How chess became a healthy outlet

Mentioned: BIllerica Chess Club

https://billericachess.42web.io/?i=3

FM Sandro Safar

https://lichess.org/coach/Sandro970

The Real Paul Morphy by FM Charles Hertan

5:08 Finding a welcoming OTB chess community

7:11 Getting serious about improvement

10:28 Jeremy Silman and learning through chess books

15:28 What fueled Leah’s rapid rating gains?

20:42 Lessons learned the hard way and switching to 1. e4

31:38 Rating goals and the ambition to earn a title

35:34 Advice for adult improvers

37:09 The role chess plays in Leah’s life

40:31 Beating a GM in a six-hour simul game 

Mentioned: GM Nadia Kosintseva

45:25 Closing Advice for Navigating the Chess Community

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Jan Henric Buettner is a German entrepreneur, co-founder of Freestyle Chess alongside Magnus Carlsen, and a candidate for FIDE President. In his business career he has worked in technology, venture capital and hospitality. 

In our interview, we discuss:

We also touch on lessons Jan has learned from his varied business career, the potential threats posed by AI, and why he believes chess is a great game to introduce to the next generation.

🕒 Timestamps

0:00 Intro and Episode 500 housekeeping

This podcast is brought to you in part by Claude AI. You can try it out via the link below:

 claude.ai/chess3:53 Jan Henric Buettner joins the show4:40 Early logistical problems at the Chess Olympiad9:00 Jan’s business background and what drew him to chess13:40 Building Freestyle Chess and attracting sponsors16:34 Is Freestyle Chess accessible to traditional chess fans?20:25 Jan’s own chess experience22:01 FIDE elections, corruption allegations, and Jan’s chances24:06 Jan’s platform and plans for making FIDE financially independent28:55 Women in chess, cheating, and rating reform34:00 Chess.com’s dominance and the possibility of new competitors35:30 Turning chess players into chess spectators38:00 Why Jan believes the FIDE brand is undervalued39:47 Wadim Rosenstein, Timur Turlov, and the possibility of a split vote40:41 What Jan would do if he loses the election42:09 Could FIDE postpone the election?43:53 Jan’s concerns about AI, venture capital, and the future49:42 Why chess offers an antidote to technology overload

Thanks to Jan for joining me! You can learn more about his campaign here:

https://janhenricbuettner.com/

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IM Thomas Willemze is a popular author, Chessable creator, and trainer who has worked with the Dutch National Youth Team, among countless other students. A data analyst by day, Thomas brings an analytical approach to thinking about the core components of chess improvement.

In our conversation, we draw on Thomas's experiences as both a player and coach to tease out practical lessons for improving players. We discuss everything from game review and opening preparation to how to improve your focus while studying and playing. Thomas also shares some book recommendations, reflects on learning chess from the creators of the Steps Method while they were still developing it, and recounts what happened when, at age 40, he gave himself a year to seriously pursue his GM ambitions.

Timestamps of topics discussed can be found below.

Free perpetual Chess Discord:

https://discord.gg/UpRTQfjQB

Free Newsletter:

https://benjohnson.substack.com/

00:00 Introduction to the Interview with Thomas Willems

Thanks to our sponsors, Claude AI, check them out at:

Claude.AI/chess

02:01 Introduction to IM Thomas Willemze

04:07 The Intersection of Data Science and Chess

07:09 Thomas’ Training and Coaching Philosophy

09:55 The Chess Steps Method and Early Chess Education

mentioned : Rob Brunia and IM Cor van Wijgerden

15:36 Addressing Weaknesses and Improving Skills

Mentioned: Fundamental Chess Endings, Dvoretsky’s books, GM Yury Averbakh’s books

18:08 Common Pitfalls for Adult Players

20:51 Patreon mailbag question:

How can we improve our focus when playing games and studying? 

23:55 Defensive Awareness and Identifying Threats

27:00 Patreon mailbag question: Does Thomas see parallels between chess and football/soccer strategy?

28:48 The Balance of Attack and Defense in Chess

30:28 Effective Study Strategies for Ambitious Players

32:07 Reviewing Games: Learning from Mistakes

33:34 The Competitive Landscape of Modern Chess

38:26 Preparing for Upcoming Tournaments

40:05 Choosing an Opening Repertoire

42:01 Current Projects and Future Endeavors

44:08 Chess Content Recommendations and Personal Interests

Mentioned: 100 Endgames You Must Know 

50:00- Thanks to IM Willemze for joining me. You can reach him via his Chessable author’s page:

https://www.chessable.com/author/Willemze/

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IM David Vigorito is a three-time state champion, renowned opening theoretician and trainer, and the author of many highly regarded books and Chessable courses. His latest course, 1. e4: The Gold Standard, offers an ambitious, principled repertoire against all of Black’s major responses.

In our conversation, we discuss:

David also shares a funny story about the unexpected chain of events that followed our first interview in 2019, explains some of the ambitious choices in his new 1. e4 repertoire, and shares his strong opinions on Chess960 and some recent trends in professional chess.

It’s always fun to catch up with David, and there is lots of practical chess advice in this one.

0:00 Intro

Thanks to our sponsor Claude.ai

Check them out at Claude.ai/chess

2:30 David’s new 1. e4 course and how engine-era opening research has changed

6:55 Why David recommends ambitious, principled opening lines

15:15 How much opening theory do amateur players actually need?

20:40 Adult improvement: what helped David make huge rating gains

26:00 The New England chess scene and David’s tournament schedule

31:55 A funny story stemming from David’s first Perpetual Chess interview

38:20 Improving by working on your weaknesses

44:00 Following professional chess and David’s dislike of alternative scoring formats

45:40 Why David has no interest in Chess960

Vigorito-Aagaard 2025

https://www.chesshere.com/master-games/1822045?fen=r1bqk2r%2Fpppp1ppp%2F2n2n2%2F1B2p3%2F1b2P3%2F2N2N2%2FPPPP1PPP%2FR1BQK2R+w+KQkq+-+6+5

50:30 What’s next for David

https://www.chessable.com/author/dvigorito/ 

52:00- Thanks to David for joining me! Be sure to check out his courses on Chessable:

https://www.chessable.com/author/dvigorito/

If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:

https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess

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GM Valentin Dragnev is a two-time Austrian national champion and former chess Olympian who has had memorable OTB encounters with GM Magnus Carlsen, Vasyl Ivanchuk, and many other top players. After achieving so much over the board, he has increasingly focused his attention on chess training and a community-focused website he co-founded, Chessivity.com. We discuss:

This was a very insightful conversation with lots of good stories and practical chess advice.

0:00- Ready to have an AI that can tackle real work? Try Claude Cowork today — Claude.ai/CHESS. 

03:05 GM Dragnev’s rise up the ranks

Mentioned:

The Art of Planning in Chess by GM Neal McDonald

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Planning-Chess-Move/dp/071349025X

12:14 Transitioning to Chess as a Career

15:31 Advice for Parents and Young Players

18:29 Coaching Adults vs. Kids

21:52 The Importance of Thought Process in Chess

26:53 The Birth of Chessivity

30:32 Integrating Chessivity with User Accounts

Follow Ben here:

https://chessivity.com/profile/bennyficial1

31:05 Future Features and User Feedback

33:11 Valentin's Chess Career Highlights

35:05 Playing Against Magnus Carlsen

Check out the Sicilian game here:

https://lichess.org/broadcast/european-team-championship-open/round-2/kLFgyBxS/QCqXtaGu

38:39 Training and Preparation Strategies

42:10 Working with Top Players

44:46 Balancing Coaching and Competitive Play

47:07 Misconceptions in Chess Improvement

52:22 Valentin tells the story of cycling from Austria to Budapest before competing in the Olympiad

56:03 Thanks to Valentin for joining!

Find him on Chessivity:

https://chessivity.com/profile/valentin

Lichess coaches:

https://lichess.org/coach/DrAgnevstein

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