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Perpetual Chess Podcast - EP 239- GM Jan Markos

EP 239- GM Jan Markos

08/17/21 • 85 min

Perpetual Chess Podcast

Our guest today is the three-time champion of Slovakia, the highest rated player in his country and an award-winning author! Jan Markos’ 2018 book Under the Surface has been recommended on this show many times and was the winner of the ECF book of the year this year. He is out with another offering, The Secret Ingredient. Jan's new book is co-authored by GM David Navara and is also Quality Chess books. Both of Jan’s works are fantastic books which display an accessible writing style and a breadth of knowledge that extends far beyond the chess board. In our conversation, we discuss many of the ideas presented in these books, as well as a bit about Jan’s own competitive career, his advice for improvers, and his busy life away from the chessboard. Please read on for more details and relevant hyperlinks.

3:00- We discuss a question raised in Under the Surface. “What do Grandmasters see that club players do not?”

Mentioned: Thinking Fast and Slow, JJ Lang, GM Jesse Kraai

9:30- Patreon mailbag question- “How did GM Markos come up with so many metaphors to describe chess thinking in Under the Surface?”

14:30- Listener question- “Why do adults find improvement so challenging?”

Mentioned: GM John Nunn’s Secrets of Practical Chess, Street Smart Chess by GM Axel Smith

18:00- Twitter Question: “Who is the intended audience for Jan’s book?”

20:00- Twitter Question: “Was Jan inspired by Aron Nimzovich’s My System?”

Mentioned: Patzer’s Review Blog Review of Under the Surface

22:00- Twitter Question: “Are there new chapters Jan would add to Under the Surface today?”

24:00- Twitter Question: “Why do we tend to notice mistakes just as we make a move, and not before we make a move?”

Mentioned: Jan’s game where he hung a mate in one is here:

Manage Your Favourite Games (chessbase.com)

26:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com

They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here.

27:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

30:00- We discuss The Secret Ingredient. How can adult chess players learn to translate chess knowledge into skills?

39:00- Why is trying to “get your openings down first” before tackling other aspects of the game often a “Sisyphean task”?

41:30- What advice can Jan offer on managing one’s time during a chess game?

Mentioned: GM Alexander Grischuk, GM Daniel Fridman, GM Vasyl Ivanchuk, Episode 08 with GM Sam Shankland

48:30- What should you do when confronted with an unknown idea in the opening?

50:00- How should chess improvers allocate their chess study time?

Mentioned: Episode 237 with GM Vladimir Kramnik

54:00- Can online games be adapted so that they more resemble tournament chess?

58:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here.

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

...

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Our guest today is the three-time champion of Slovakia, the highest rated player in his country and an award-winning author! Jan Markos’ 2018 book Under the Surface has been recommended on this show many times and was the winner of the ECF book of the year this year. He is out with another offering, The Secret Ingredient. Jan's new book is co-authored by GM David Navara and is also Quality Chess books. Both of Jan’s works are fantastic books which display an accessible writing style and a breadth of knowledge that extends far beyond the chess board. In our conversation, we discuss many of the ideas presented in these books, as well as a bit about Jan’s own competitive career, his advice for improvers, and his busy life away from the chessboard. Please read on for more details and relevant hyperlinks.

3:00- We discuss a question raised in Under the Surface. “What do Grandmasters see that club players do not?”

Mentioned: Thinking Fast and Slow, JJ Lang, GM Jesse Kraai

9:30- Patreon mailbag question- “How did GM Markos come up with so many metaphors to describe chess thinking in Under the Surface?”

14:30- Listener question- “Why do adults find improvement so challenging?”

Mentioned: GM John Nunn’s Secrets of Practical Chess, Street Smart Chess by GM Axel Smith

18:00- Twitter Question: “Who is the intended audience for Jan’s book?”

20:00- Twitter Question: “Was Jan inspired by Aron Nimzovich’s My System?”

Mentioned: Patzer’s Review Blog Review of Under the Surface

22:00- Twitter Question: “Are there new chapters Jan would add to Under the Surface today?”

24:00- Twitter Question: “Why do we tend to notice mistakes just as we make a move, and not before we make a move?”

Mentioned: Jan’s game where he hung a mate in one is here:

Manage Your Favourite Games (chessbase.com)

26:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com

They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here.

27:00- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

30:00- We discuss The Secret Ingredient. How can adult chess players learn to translate chess knowledge into skills?

39:00- Why is trying to “get your openings down first” before tackling other aspects of the game often a “Sisyphean task”?

41:30- What advice can Jan offer on managing one’s time during a chess game?

Mentioned: GM Alexander Grischuk, GM Daniel Fridman, GM Vasyl Ivanchuk, Episode 08 with GM Sam Shankland

48:30- What should you do when confronted with an unknown idea in the opening?

50:00- How should chess improvers allocate their chess study time?

Mentioned: Episode 237 with GM Vladimir Kramnik

54:00- Can online games be adapted so that they more resemble tournament chess?

58:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here.

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

...

Previous Episode

undefined - EP 238- Jerald Times

EP 238- Jerald Times

Jerald Times is a USCF Chess Master, and the 2 time Chess champion of Harlem. Jerald is also a chess commentator, and is probably best known as a chess teacher who recently received the 2021 Chess Educator of the Year award from the University of Texas at Dallas. Jerald has been predominantly based in his native New York City, where he twice was the chess champion of Harlem, and where he has served in different capacities at successful chess programs such as The Dalton School, The Harlem Children’s Zone, and The Success Academy. Jerald also spent a few years as a chess trainer in South Africa, and coached the South African National team. These days, Jerald is launching a new organization, called Chess Across Borders, which aims to use digital tools to enable chess players from all backgrounds to compete in national and international chess championships. Jerald shared insightful comments as he on his own chess journey to a peak FIDE rating of 2400, as well as his reflections on how chess, and chess education has changed. Jerald also highlighted some important instances of racial discrimination that he has seen in his career both in the chess world, and as a teacher. All in all, there is lots to learn from this discussion with Jerald, please read on for more details and timestamps.

0:00- How did Jerald get into chess in his native New York City in the 1980s and 1990s?

Mentioned: Think like a Grandmaster, My System, Alexander Alekhine, GM Vassily Smyslov, GM Jose Raoul Capablanca, IM Levy Rozman, WGM Alexandra Botez, GM Miron Sher, GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Robert Hess

13:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here.

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

14:00- Jerald discusses his plans to launch a new organization, called Chess Across Borders

20:00- How have chess teaching tools changed in recent decades?

Mentioned: Google Classroom, FM Mike Klein, Chesskid.com

25:00- Jerald’s most recent position was heading the chess program at a New York- based network of charter schools called Success Academy. Jerald discusses both the positive and the negative of his experiences with Success Academy.

Mentioned: Jessica Hyatt

41:45- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

42:30- Patreon mailbag question: How does chess in South Africa (where Jerald lived, and worked as a chess trainer) compare to chess in the United States?

Mentioned: GM Kenny Solomon, Nick Vandernot, IM Henry Steele, IM Watu Kobese , GM Maurice Ashley, IM Kassa Korley, Tani Adewumi, James Black, IM Justus Williams, FM Joshua Colas

52:00- Where is Chess Across Borders in its launch process?

53:30- Jerald shares stories about his encounters with GM Garry Kasparov and GM Maurice Ashley.

Mentioned: Rochelle Ballantyne, Maurice Ashley to host recaps of the Upcoming World Championship on NBC Sports:

https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1417258790169321472?s=20

1:01:00- Thanks to Jerald for joining the show!

Find out more about Chess Across Borders here:

https://chessacrossborders.site123.me/

Email Jerald at:

jtimes at gmail.com

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

Next Episode

undefined - Book Recap #18- Discussing Aron Nimzowitsch's My System with IM Christof Sielecki (aka ChessExplained)

Book Recap #18- Discussing Aron Nimzowitsch's My System with IM Christof Sielecki (aka ChessExplained)

This month on Chess Books Recaptured I am joined by renowned Chessable author, IM Christof Sielecki, to discuss what may be the best known chess book of all time. Aron Nimzowitsch’s My System. There was a time when My System seemed to be universally recommended as an indispensable manual for newer chess players, but in recent years, with so many excellent learning resources, it has often been criticized as well. Christof and I try to contextualize the good and the bad of My System. We discuss everything in the book from Nimzo’s famous quotes to his “dad jokes”, to what does, and does not hold up to the scrutiny of modern chess analysis. Whether you love or hate this book, we hope that this podcast can help you decide if this book is worth (re)visiting. Please read on for timestamps and relevant links.

0:00- Why is My System so famous? Why are there so many versions of it?

Mentioned: Episode 6 with IM Christof Sielecki, Episode 153 with IM Christof Sielecki, Quality Chess’ Edition of My System, also available on Forward Chess, Chess Metrics, Chess24’s Top 50 Player of All Time Series with GM Jan Gustafsson and GM Peter Heine Nielsen

8:30- For what rating range or audience would this book be most helpful?

Mentioned: GM Yasser Seirawan, Episode 239 with GM Jan Markos

16:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com! Check out their latest offerings here.

New Chess Courses Online - For All Levels in all - Chessable.com

Also be sure to subscribe to the How to Chess podcast, more info here:

https://howtochess.com/

16:30- Perpetual Chess is also brought to you in part by AImchess.com. Check out their site, and if you decide to subscribe use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

17:00- How is the book structured?

Mentioned: GM Jacob Aagaard, GM John Shaw, IM John Watson’s Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy , Johner vs. Nimzowitsch 1926

36:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessmood.com

They offer a huge library of instructive videos. You can hear GM Avetik Grigoryan on Episode 192 of Perpetual Chess. Be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel here.

37:00- How would we describe Nimzowitsch’s writing style?

Mentioned: John Watson’s Review of My System, Lou Hays’ Edition of My System, Siegbert Tarrasch, Rubinstein-Duras (1908), Winning Pawn Structures by GM Alexander Baburin,

54:00- What books might we recommend as instructional substitutes for My System?

Mentioned: THe Neal Bruce Pawn Book Championship is coming August 24!, Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios, Simple Chess by GM Michael Stean, IM Jeremy Silman’s Books,

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