089 It’s rare to see an adult club player make a career in chess. This week’s guest, Ono, has done just that. He started like many of us: inspired to dive into the game after watching the Queen’s Gambit. Which progressed into working studiously on his chess.

Then, he embarked upon a chess blog, called The Ono Zono. Not long after the blog gained traction, Ono started coaching beginners.

Since then, he’s developed a roster of students, appeared on several chess podcasts, and continues to create content for the adult improver community.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 3 strategies for managing limited study time as an adult so you can still make progress.
• Why tackling difficult puzzles too early in your chess journey can be a mistake.
• The top trait Ono observed in his most successful chess students.

More From Ono:

• Ono’s Website
• Ono’s Free Coaching Lesson
• Ono’s Blog
• Ono’s Twitter

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088 Like many chess subjects, knowing what to study for strategy is a bit murky. Especially if you’re a semi-confused club player like myself. So, who better to chat with about this topic than an author who has written three books on the subject? Welcome today’s guest: IM Thomas Willemze.

Over the past six years, Thomas has published three popular books and several courses on the subject of strategy, all specifically aimed at the club player.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why it’s helpful to study both master and amateur games to improve your strategy knowledge.
• Why Thomas chose less common strategy ideas for his foundational book on the subject (like exchanging pieces and utilizing your rooks.)
• The benefits of studying the games of the most recent world champions.

More From Thomas:

• Thomas’ Chessable Courses
• Thomas’ Books (Amazon Link)

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087 Rarely have I publicly reflected on my experiences from running this podcast. Or what I’ve learned from talking to so many titled players, coaches, and commentators. But it’s been a little over two years since the show’s launch. And it has recently crossed 250K downloads (woohoo!)

To top it off, we’ve delivered eighty guest interviews and counting.

So, I figured a little reflection was due.

In this episode, I share insights on the improvement, insights on the chess community, and a few “behind-the-scenes” thoughts from years of being a chess podcast host.

I also dive into:

• My five most personally meaningful episodes.
• Why I believe the chess community is better than most other skill/hobby communities.
• Why this podcast has only just begun.

My membership relaunch is just weeks away! Sign up for the waitlist here to be notified.

Links to Other Episodes Cited:

• NM Bruce Pandolfini
• Rochelle Ballantine
• GM Irina Krush
• IM Eric Rosen
• WGM Jennifer Shahade

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