Premier Chess: Conquer the Game; Master Your Life

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In Episode 273, I have the pleasure of conversing with Davorin Kuljasevic, Grandmaster and FIDE trainer, rated 2539 FIDE. Davorin was born in Zagreb, Croatia and currently lives with his wife International Master Iva Videnova and daugther in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Davorin's career highlights include winning 4th place in World Youth U16 in 2002 and winning first place in the SPICE Spring 2011, Zupanja 2011, Mediteran 2011, Split 2013 and Castelfranco 2014.

He has a a Bachelor of Arts in Finance and Operations Management from University of Texas at Dallas and a Masters in Finance from Texas Tech University.

We speak about Chessable, teaching chess in Dubai, chess couples, the full stack approach to chesss improvement,  the rise and comeback of World Champion Ding Liren, tournament pressure, his thoughts on the upcoming Liren- Gukesh World Championship match, his books How to Study Chess on Your Own: Creating a Plan that Works… and Sticking to it! and Ding Liren's Best Games: A Chess Biography of the World Champion and more. 

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In Episode 272, I converse with Mark Herschberg, Author of The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You and Fractional CTO/CPO. He has a lot of experience in cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, healthcare, adtech, and marketplaces.

He has a Bachelor of Science and Masters Degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

As a seasoned executive and cybersecurity expert, he often bridges the divide between business and technology. He has started, grown, and fixed startup companies spanning over a dozen different verticals as well as helped two Fortune 500 companies with their internal startup initiatives, and helped create educational programs at MIT and Harvard Business School. He is an experienced board member.

In addition to working as a Fractional CTO/CPO, he is often a professional speaker on careers, leadership, negotiations, networking, and media.

We speak about his childhood lessons from our 131st Podcast Guest Fide Master Sunil Weeramantary, foresight, the Amateur Team East, common career mistakes, learning from co-workers, networking, negotiation, rules versus guidelines, thought process, our Summer 2024 Quad Series and more.   

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In Episode 271, I converse with Candidate Dane Zagar, who won first place in the 2024 Chicago Open U-2100 section, despite dealing with the distractions of his 4th round opponent Stan Halstead being thrown out of the tournament for cheating and escorting his friend to the hospital.

Dane is a chess and math tutor and serves as the President of The Chess Castle of Minnesota, one of the most active clubs in the Midwest.

Dane has a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science and previously served as the Minnesota State Chess Association Treasurer.

We speak about identifiying cheaters, what to do when there is a problem at a tournament, suggested policies to prevent cheating, time management, mindset under pressure, playing one's own section, the Chess Scene in Minnesota, consistency, improving tips, book recommendations and more.   

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In Episode 270, I have the pleasure of conversing with Joshua Pearlman, Personal Injury Attorney in New York. Joshua Pearlman is the Founder of Joshua Perlman & Associates. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from The University of Rhode Island and JD from New York Law School.

We speak about the founding of a firm, the litigation process, statuatory timelines, Joshua's thoughts on The Queen's Gambit, the gamification of chess and law, and more. 

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In Episode 269,  I have the pleasure of conversing with Mandy Ficara, Founder of Every Last One Rescue. After a 16-year creative career, Mandy decided this year to drop everything and start a dog rescue non-profit. Mandy has an Associate Degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications from Fashion Institute of Technology and Bachelor Degree  in Apparel Merchandising and Product Development from Bowling  Green State University.

Every Last One Rescue is a foster-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization, committed to making a difference in the lives of animals in our community. Founded with the belief that every animal deserves a second chance at life, it works tirelessly to rescue dogs from the unnecessary risk of euthanasia at overcrowded shelters, provide them with the love and care they need, and match them with loving foster homes while they wait for their adoption day.

I first found about Every Last One Rescue a week after it launched at March 2024, when I was walking official Premier Chess mascot Max and met volunteer Sara Heilbronner, who was walking Milton, who was the first dog adopted through Everyone Last One Rescue!

In the episode, we speak about non-profit management, fundraising, volunteering, the upcoming Rescue Puppy Yoga event on May 19, the adoption event at Boris and Horton on May 18 and more. 

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In Episode 268, I have the pleasure of conversing with Alex Bores, New York State Assemblymember, District 73, who I have known most of my life, since we played in a lot of scholastic tournaments. He was a PS 6 teammate of Stefan Botarelli, the younger brother of my Churchill teammate and 246th Podcast Guest Fabio Botarelli, Founder & President of Chessability NYC.

As the Assemblymember for the 73rd District of New York, Alex serves the Upper East Side, Midtown East, Turtle Bay, Murray Hill, and Sutton Place. He is a fifth-generation New Yorker who was born, raised, and lived his whole life in Manhattan. After PS 6, he attended Wagner and Hunter High School. He then graduated with honors from Cornell University and received a master’s in Computer Science from Georgia Tech.

As an engineer, he has helped the Department of Justice solve violent crimes in New York City, working with three Manhattan District Attorneys, and building software for local governments’ COVID relief programs that helped 50,000 families keep their homes warm and their water running.

A community advocate, Alex has organized campaigns that have secured severance pay for fired workers, passed commonsense rent regulation, and reformed government procurement. Alex also worked to get the last form of mass transit in New York City to appear on Google Maps (the aerial tram which connects the East Side to Roosevelt Island).

We speak about extracurriclulars, community outreach, The Queen's Gambit Netflix series, artificial intelligence, the protests at Columbia University, strategic thinking in chess and politics, affordable housing, and more. 

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In Episode 267, I have the pleasure of conversing with Ranae Bartlett, who became US Chess Executive Director last month. She started at US Chess in September 2023 as Director of Operations. Before joining US Chess, Ranae was an Assistant General Counsel for a Fortune 5 company. She served as a local school board member in Madison, Alabama for ten years and advocated for chess education and funding chess initiatives in her school system. Ranae founded Madison City Chess League, a non-profit chess organization where she served as Executive Director for ten years and conducted over eighty chess tournaments. In 2020, she became the first Education Director at ChessKid.com, and in 2022 she co-chaired the Chess In Education Committee for US Chess.

We speak about her current plans for US Chess, The Nationals, the disparity of gender in chess, fundraising, ratings, Tournament Director certifications, the upcoming Saint Louis Chess Conference, the alabama chess scene, title 1 funds, our 2024 Summer Chess and Table Tennis Camp, pickleball, unrated events, the upcoming Chess in Education webinar How Philanthrophy Supports Chess in Education with our 47th Podcast Guest Dewain Barber, "the Dean of Scholastic Chess", John D. Rockefeller V, US Chess Director of Development Geoff Isaak, and Mark Indermaur, moderator, and more.     
 

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In Episode 266, I converse with Rabbi Elie Feder PhD and Rabbi Aaron Zimmer, Hosts of Physics to God.

Rabbi Elie Feder earned a PhD in mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and received Rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Yisrael Chait. Since 2004, Elie has been a mathematics professor at Kingsborough Community College. He has published many papers and delivered numerous talks in graph theory, which is his field of mathematical research. As a teacher, Elie has a passion for simplifying complex topics for his students. Recently, he authored a book "Gematria Refigured," which presents a rational, nonmystical approach to gematria as a tool of uncovering the significance of quantity and fine tuning in Torah, life, and the universe. Elie resides in Far Rockaway, New York, with his wife and their four children.

After earning a physics degree and receiving rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Yisrael Chait, Rabbi Aaron Zimmer considered furthering his education through graduate school. However, his intellectual curiosity extended far beyond the realm of physics, encompassing a diverse array of fields, including philosophy, mathematics, and psychology. Capitalizing on his blend of analytical and philosophical skills, Aaron utilized his personal resources to venture into commodity futures trading. This endeavor involved commodities such as oil, natural gas, cotton, sugar, and coffee. His strategic approach was deeply rooted in the conceptual frameworks of physics and the Brisker Method for Talmudic analysis. After an eleven-year career marked by success in commodity trading, Aaron decided to retire. In his retirement, Aaron channels his intellectual energy into studying various branches of knowledge, including the Talmud and physics. He resides in Lawrence, New York, along with his wife and their five children.

We speak about analysis in chess, commodities trading and physics, Talmud,some insights from our 162nd Podcast Guest Rabbi Mark Wildes, Founder of Manhattan Jewish Experience, depth of knowledge, the torah way of life, the interesection of god and science, Richard Feyman's analogy of chess and the laws of physics, chess history, Plunder Chess, the universe and more.

Thank you to our 45th Podcast Guest Zev Gotkin, Founder of Zev Media, for recently introducing me to Rabbi Feder and Rabbi Zimmer and allowing this episode to happen. 

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In Episode 265, I converse with real estate prodigy Deven Wohlwhend, COO of Clear Sky Realty, Inc. From the time he was born, Deven has been going to investment meetings. He began investing he was only 5 years old. By the time he was 7, he started a company and started purchasing real estate. By the time he was 10 years old, he attained his Ohio Professional Housing Provider Certification (O.P.H.P.) Within 3 years, he had bought 20% of a 60-unit complex. He is constantly growing his real estate team and acquiring more assets. At 11 years old, he published his first book about his successes and setbacks: If I Can Do It, So Can You! How I Started Buying Real Estate at Age 7! By the time he was 12 he started taking classes at Kent State University. Recently he published his second book, The Garage with Mark Victor Hansen. He achieved the #1 best-selling author on Amazon in Children’s Money Books the 2nd day it was available. He has since been interviewed on Larry Goins Podcast.  He has been on expert panels from Florida to Ohio, including at the National Real Estate Summit. At the age of 16, he currently owns over 40 units.

We speak about our apperances on Reena Friedman Watts' podcast Better Call Daddy, investing as a child, artificial barriers, real estate strategy, action, fun and more. 

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In Episode 264, I have the pleasure of interviewing Carol Ann Caronia, Author of Strategic Moves: Mind-Building Chess Exercises For Kids.

Carol Ann Caronia was born and raised in Brooklyn. A graduate of St. John’s University, she has pursued a vigorous independent course of study in physics, anthropology, archaeology, and history.

Carol's career began in business writing, transitioned to business research, then to financial and management roles in nonprofits, and finally to chess, where she spent most of her adult life teaching chess to young children privately and in afterschool enrichment programs, community education centers, and in the classroom.

We speak about our mutual friendship with our 109th Podcast Guest National Master Bruce Pandolfini, the founding of Chess in The Schools, market driven teaching, expectations, critical thinking skills and more.