The Chess Underground

The inaugural season of Chess Underground, Americana comes to a close. The examination of chess in the US began with flash mobs and beer and concluded with a trip back to civil rights era America, with plenty of fascinating stops in between. Join us this month for a brief intermezzo of sorts -  a first look at the 2020 Candidates Tournament, to be held in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Host Pete Karagianis takes an in depth look at the matchups that may ultimately determine the next World Champion. A special thank you to all our season one guests! Stay tuned for updates on season two release.  

Ladies and gentlemen, the life of Garrett Scott.

This month’s Chess Underground features Colorado’s LM and NM Brian Wall, a true legend of American chess. Wall is well known for his adventurous opening repertoire and his prolific, “not for the faint of heart” email list.  

The November Chess Underground catches up with FIDE Master, electronic musician dabbler and treasure hunter Carl Boor. Carl discusses the merits of Bronstein vs. Fischer, defeating a GM over the board vs. finding eBay treasure, and the value of a wasp’s nest, all while unveiling his fiendish plan to “Make Chess Great Again.”  

Dr. Henry Getz discusses his pet line in the Budapest, discovered after lining his living room with Ebay-purchased computer towers. The Underground goes in depth on brute force AI, the future of chess and technology, and finding the inspiration to return to chess as an adult player. For the first time, The Underground is presented with interactive games that introduce some of the “chess” ideas presented within the show.

The September Chess Underground welcomes the first titled chess player to the show: NM William “Will the Thrill” Aramil. Will, a staple in the Chicago chess scene and an accomplished coach, is also the co-founder of Dynamic Chess. Described by some as a jack-of-all-trades, Will considers himself a “master of games.” Tune in while we discuss facing off against a former World Champion in 9-ball, gut feelings about the Toronto Raptors, and #ChessCoachTrauma. Please note: unfortunately, Daniel X Jones, the guest listed for the September episode in Chess Life was rescheduled due to a conflict. We hope to have Daniel on the Underground soon!  

Cornhole professional and chess instructor/tournament director Stacia Pugh joins the Chess Underground in August to discuss the similarities between the two sports. We will attempt to answer the question: What does GM-level cornhole preparation look like? Wine, travel, blockers, shuckers, and dirty roll-ups… yup. It’s beanbag time.

Rook polynomials, mathematicians in burning hotel rooms, chess problem formulas, and the age old question: are chess and math related? If so, how? Chess Underground attempts to answer that and more in the July installment, featuring Dr. Jason Juett, professor of Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin. Oh yeah… and a bit about a blindfold match with Topalov, too!  

Episode 3 of the Chess Underground features chess set collector extraordinaire Ronald Suarez. For some, equipment is an afterthought. For others, a formality. For Ron, it’s a lifelong passion. Chess Underground explores the trade secrets of one of the most notorious chess equipment collectors around, while also receiving a history lesson on the origins of some of the most famous and popular sets in circulation today. “Woodpushing” redefined: meet Ron Suarez.