Perpetual Chess Podcast

⁠Michael Duke (better known as Mr. Dodgy, or @chessproblem on X) is a Chessable author, the co-founder of Chessfam, and co-host of the Chicken Chess Club podcast. He has built a large online following through his passion for chess and his sharp sense of humor. But aside from the jokes, Michael has become more serious about improving his own game.

With a FIDE rating just shy of 2100, Michael was frustrated that he consistently performed much better in rapid than in classical chess. In order to change that, he sought out GM Alex Colovic for coaching after trying several instructors. He worked to address the biggest weaknesses in his game, including lazy calculation and overly ambitious opening choices. The work paid off as he defeated a grandmaster for the first time at age 38 and later held GM David Howell to a draw in a rapid game.

In our conversation, Michael shares what he learned about improving as an adult, why his rapid results have always been better than his OTB results, and the practical changes that helped close the gap.

We also discuss Chessfam, the ambitious new platform he co-founded to make finding and entering chess tournaments easier, as well as his observations from the recent European Chess Union Congress and the upcoming FIDE presidential election. (Please note this interview was recorded before Arkady Dvorkovich withdrew from the race.)

As always, timestamps for all topics discussed are below.

00:04 Introduction to Mr. Dodgy

02:51 Chess Improvement Deep Dive and Dodgy’s recent achievements

Mentioned: GM Alex Colovic’s Substack

05:42 Lessons from Grandmaster Alex Colovic

GM Alex Colovic- How to Become a Grandmaster

https://www.quora.com/How-did-you-become-a-grandmaster/answer/Alex-Colovic?share=55b455d3&srid=hY2IT

08:49 Strengths and Weaknesses in Rapid vs Classical Chess

11:52 Opening Strategies and Learning Approaches

GM Alex Colovic’s Suggestions for the Alapin-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6K0YFRN20U

14:38 Daily Practice and Calculation Work

17:49 Patreon Mailbag Question: Can We Expect another Mr. Dodgy Chessable course?

20:33 Recommended Resources for Improvement

Mentioned: Improve Your Chess Calculation by GM RB Ramesh, Think Like a Super GM by GM Michael Adams and Philip Hurtado, Perfect Your Chess by GM Volokitin and IM Grabinsky

25:20 Exploring Diverse Thinking in Chess

26:15 Influential Players and Their Styles

27:21 Dodgy's Grandmaster Victory Story

30:19 Chess Party: A Unique Event Experience

35:45 Introducing Chess Fam: A New Chess Platform

Mentioned: Sligo International, Maia Chess Festival, Sitges International

39:55 The Business Model Behind Chess Fam

43:54 Navigating New Skills in Chess Fam

48:01 Getting Involved with Chess Fam

48:26 The Need for Chess Tournament Reviews

50:43 Creating a Welcoming Environment for New Players

52:39 The Rise of Casual Chess Events

54:07 Insights from the ECU Congress

55:40 Understanding the Role of the ECU

59:00 The Future of European Chess

Mentioned: GM Peter Arnaudov from ModernChess.com, Business Meets Chess & Kids & GM Pontuss Carlsson

01:05:07 FIDE Elections and the Importance of Term Limits

Thanks to Mr. Dodgy for joining! Here are links to his stuff:

X: https://x.com/ChessProblem

Chessable-

https://www.chessable.com/courses/s/dodgy/

Chessfam-

https://chessfam.com/

Photo in thumbnail by David Llada

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By all accounts, the Naroditsky Memorial was a touching tribute to the legendary streamer, educator and grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky. This week I welcome three guests to share their stories from the memorable event in Charlotte.

Popular Chessable author and coach FM Dalton Perrine reflects on the lessons and memorable experiences of the tournament. Dalton also shares chess improvement insights from his excellent Chess Chatter newsletter and discusses Chessalyz, the AI-powered chess improvement platform he co-founded.

Following Dalton, GM Eugene Perelshteyn and NM Mike Mahoney return to the podcast for an update on the "Chess Rocky" story. They discuss Mike's results after months of training for the event, along with unforgettable stories from the tournament, including their encounter with legendary GM Vasyl Ivanchuk.

As always, I enjoyed hearing the stories and lessons from Dalton, Eugene and Mike, and I think listeners will find plenty to learn from their experiences.

00:04 Introduction and Background

01:01 The Narodzki Memorial Tournament Experience

04:01 Learning from Danya's Speedruns

Mentioned: Chessbase India- Naroditsky Memorial Coverage

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL2unSfeOdoM

Chessbase India Interview with Danya’s Mother:

Daniel Naroditsky's mother shares heartfelt message to the chess community

06:53 Atmosphere and Community at the Tournament

10:04 Performance and Reflections on Games

13:01 Simplicity in Chess Improvement

16:02 Chessalyze: The AI-Assisted Coaching Platform

22:12 Future of Chessalyze and User Feedback

27:57 Advice for Ambitious Club Players

Mentioned:

Survive and Thrive: How to Blunder Less and Defend Better

https://www.chessable.com/survive-thrive-how-to-blunder-less-and-defend-better/course/80629/

34:00- Upcoming Tournaments and Projects

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

Chess Chatter Blog

Chessalyz.ai

DaltonPerrine.com

38:00 GM Eugene Perelshteyn and NM Mike Mahoney join me

Mentioned: Ivanchuk is here, GM Steven Zierk

Sindarov-Woodward 2026

https://www.chess.com/events/2026-naroditsky-memorial-masters-rapid/03/Sindarov_Javokhir-Woodward_Andy

IM Sagar Shah-Mahoney 2026-

https://lichess.org/study/IgNM0rNc/ZiaxROGi

48:32 The Pressure of Competition: In-Person Challenges

54:37 Reflections and Future Aspirations

55:00- Thanks to Eugene and Mike for joining! You can keep up with Eugene via his Substack,

https://eugeneperel.substack.com/

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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Bruce Pandolfini is an American chess legend who has written many popular books, consulted on The Queen's Gambit and numerous other films and television projects featuring chess, and worked with countless future masters, including GM Fabiano Caruana and IM Josh Waitzkin.

Bruce rejoined me to reflect on what he has learned from an incredibly varied career in chess, from helping cover the 1972 Fischer-Spassky World Championship for PBS to nearly fifty years as one of America's most influential chess teachers.

In our conversation, Bruce discusses the nature of chess talent, what separates students who improve from those who don't, how technology has changed the way chess is taught, and shares memorable stories from his decades as a teacher, author, and film consultant.

00:00 Introduction and Bruce's background

00:23 Bruce's career highlights and teaching philosophy

06:06 Traits of successful chess players

09:10 Adults vs. kids in chess learning

Mentioned:

Dream Moves by GM Miron Sher

19:28 Talent and hard work in chess

Mentioned: Reveal Your Chess Style by GM Andy Soltis ,

Deadline Grandmaster

24:00- Working on the movies Searching For Bobby Fischer, and Fresh

31:58 The health and future of chess

40:15 Chess legends and historical stories

45:00- Patreon mailbag question: Would Bruce consider revising and updating any of his books?

48:28 Bruce's involvement in media and films

56:16 Reflections on chess evolution and technology

Mentioned: Thinking Sideways, Dark Squares, Bobby Fischer’s Chess Queen, Rebel Queen,

The Seventh Seal, From Russia with Love, Casablanca

01:03:14 Advice for chess enthusiasts and closing thoughts

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

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

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17-year-old IM-elect Rose Atwell is one of the brightest young stars in American chess. She recently earned her International Master title, tied for first at the National High School Championship, and qualified for the U.S. Women's Olympiad team for the first time. Rose has also built a loyal following on social media by candidly chronicling her tournament experiences. She shares instructive positions and the lessons she learns from both her successes and setbacks.

In our conversation we discuss:


Her approach to reviewing games and systematically addressing weaknesses


How she uses digital flashcards and "mixed tactics" to accelerate improvement


Why she believes homeschooling has benefited both her chess and her education


The chess advice she would give to her younger self 

Rose is an impressive player and a great ambassador for the game. I appreciate her taking the time to join me during a very busy tournament schedule.

00:00 Introduction to Rose Atwell

03:23 Lessons Learned From a Disappointing Recent Tournament

06:24 Reviewing Games and Learning from Mistakes

09:29 Training Routines and Adjustments

12:33 Coaching Dynamics and Study Habits

Mentioned: 

Rose Atwell interview with GM Mauricio Flores Rios

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w-JQbZUIRs

“Class in Session” with WGM Sabina Foisor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6YiEvust3k

15:24 Digital Tools and Flashcards for Improvement

18:23 Balancing Study and Physical Health

21:23 Family Background and Support

24:31 Competitive Mindset and Gender Dynamics in Chess

Mentioned: Judit Polgar book trilogy 

https://forwardchess.com/product/judit-polgar-how-i-beat-fischers-record

31:32 Upcoming Tournaments and Travel Plans

33:58 Meeting Chess Heroes and Inspirations

36:00 Balancing Chess and Education

39:01 The Future of College and Chess

39:52 Attributing Success and Overcoming Challenges

42:04 Social Media and Sharing Chess Experiences

43:57 Advice to Younger Self and Emotional Resilience

46:05 The Importance of Identity Beyond Chess

49:02 Reading and Maintaining Focus

51:22 Chess Training and Future Goals

57:00 Thanks to Rose for joining me! Here is how to keep up with her:

X:

https://x.com/atwell_rose?lang=en

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/roseatwellchess/?hl=en

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Renowned author and trainer GM R.B. Ramesh is one of the rare coaches who has worked extensively with the world's elite players while still providing practical advice for ambitious amateurs.

Long respected as one of chess's leading trainers and authors, Ramesh has helped guide the development of stars such as GMs Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali, and Aravindh Chithambaram. As his students continue to reach new heights, Ramesh remains committed to sharing lessons that can benefit players at every level. For that reason, it was exciting news when he recently announced the relaunch of his YouTube channel, where he plans to regularly share free instructional content.

In our conversation, we discussed:

• What he has learned from coaching elite players• When to focus on calculation versus pattern recognition• The risks of burnout for top young players

We also discussed Ramesh's plans for future content, whether he has any new chess book recommendations, and how aspiring players can make the most of their limited study time.

There is always so much to learn from GM R.B. Ramesh.

Thanks to this week’s sponsors, Chessiverse.com. Use code “Perpetual30” to save 30% on premium offerings, and IM John Bartholomew’s Complete Scandinavian Course. 

0:00 Introduction

2:10 GM Ramesh joins. Why is he relaunching his YouTube channel?

4:50 What Ramesh has learned from coaching elite players like Praggnanandhaa and Aravindh Chithambaram

7:45 Why young players focus too much on openings

10:00 How strong players think: candidate moves, objectivity, and avoiding analytical bias

13:30 Visualization, calculation, and why club players struggle to analyze deeply

16:15 Common problems even elite players face: time trouble, concentration, and handling losses

Check out Ramesh’s interview with Praggnandhaa here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU0J3ftM8BQ

21:00 How coaches can help players overcome psychological obstacles

27:00 Patreon mailbag question: Might players like Praggnandhaa and Gukesh be dealing with issues like burnout, and a lack of balance in their lives?

Mentioned:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/others/right-now-it-s-a-challenge-to-enjoy-chess-gukesh-101781022470045.html

31:30 The dangers of playing too many tournaments

35:15 Long-term burnout concerns for today's generation of prodigies

37:20 Patreon mailbag question: What does Gukesh need to do to regain his best form?

44:45 Does being World Champion create unique psychological pressure?

48:45 Listener question: Pattern recognition vs. calculation

51:00 Analysis vs. calculation: an important distinction

54:10 How adults with only a few hours per week should spend their chess study time

55:30 Future books, Chessable courses, and long-term projects

57:30 What viewers can expect from Ramesh's YouTube channel

1:00:30 Training camps, teaching philosophy, and adapting to students

1:02:30 Why Ramesh stopped reading most chess books

1:04:00 The psychological side of coaching and improvement

1:06:30 Final advice for amateurs and aspiring professionals

1:07:40 Outro

Thanks to GM Ramesh for joining me again! Be sure to SUB to his YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/@RameshRB

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