Dojo Talks: A Chess Podcast

https://feed.podbean.com/ChessDojoTalks/feed.xml

The official podcast of ChessDojo (IM Kostya Kavutskiy, IM David Pruess, & GM Jesse Kraai). Most episodes are streamed live to twitch.tv/chessdojo. Interested in improving your chess? Welcome to the Dojo! A structured plan to hold yourself accountable to and a group to do it with. - https://chessdojo.club Follow ChessDojo here: Website: https://chessdojo.club Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojolive Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw Twitter: https://twitter.com/chess_dojo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chess_dojo/ Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com/

Episodes

2 hours ago

EP 194 | Should I Play Up?

2 hours ago

Should you play up in chess tournaments? The sensi discuss tournament rating sections, strategy, and best methods for improvement.

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0:00 Should You Play Up?
0:55 Play Your Own Section
2:23 The Ego Trap
5:29 What About Juniors?
9:32 If Everyone Plays Up
17:15 Tournament Problems
22:27 Playing Stronger Opponents
29:09 Don't Play for a Draw
38:04 Confidence Matters
44:08 Enjoy the Challenge

Wednesday May 20, 2026

EP 193 | The Opening Revolution

Wednesday May 20, 2026

Jesse, David, and Kostya discuss the opening revolution caused by powerful cloud engines and modern analysis and it's impacts on the state of current chess at all levels.

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0:00 The Opening Revolution
1:18 New Engine Evaluations
4:15 How Computers Think About Chess
7:12 Why This Is a Big Deal
11:16 More Openings Are Playable
14:12 The Blumenfeld Debate
20:23 Expanding Opening Theory
29:42 The Return of the Dragon
36:39 Weird Moves That Work
48:34 Humans vs Engine Evaluations
56:30 The Future of Opening Prep

Friday May 15, 2026

EP 192 | The Next Generation

Friday May 15, 2026

The sensei discuss the rise of young players Yagiz Erdogmus and Faustino Oro and the next generation of players and training.

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0:00 Intro
1:23 Erdogmas Breaks 2700 at 14
5:20 Proving Himself Against Elite Competition
10:42 Is This a New Era of Chess Talent?
16:17 Engines, Neural Networks, and Human Limits
22:57 How AI Changed Modern Chess Training
32:55 Fearless Juniors and the New Generation
46:11 Fino Oro Becomes GM at 12
56:29 Blitz Monsters and the Future of Chess

Wednesday Apr 29, 2026

EP 191 | The New ChessDojo Rating Converter

Wednesday Apr 29, 2026

GM Kraai is joined by Dojoer Vlad Ghita to discuss the new ChessDojo Rating Converter. They break down the differences between Chess.com, Lichess, USCF, and FIDE ratings.

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00:00 Why a Rating Converter
05:11 New Table Overview
09:39 FIDE Compression
15:50 Online vs OTB
20:28 Lichess vs Chess.com
29:21 Global Rating Issues
38:53 Update Frequency
58:21 Future Predictions

Sunday Apr 19, 2026

EP 190 | Who Won The War? Magnus, Hans, & Chess.com

Sunday Apr 19, 2026

Jesse, David, and Kostya discuss the recent Netflix documentary on the story behind Magnus, Hans, and Chess.com.

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00:00 The Magnus–Hans Story Revisited
02:36 Take Take’s Shock Move vs Chess.com
03:28 Netflix Doc: First Impressions
09:38 Who Looks Worst in the Documentary?
12:32 The Hans Ban Timeline Explained
17:33 Why the Doc Feels Formulaic
22:51 Magnus vs Chess.com – What Really Happened
45:56 Take Take, Lichess & the Future of Chess Platforms

Sunday Apr 19, 2026

EP 189 | Is Sindarov The Real Deal? 2026 FIDE Candidates Recap

Sunday Apr 19, 2026

The Dojo (GM Jesse Kraai, IM David Pruess, IM Kostya Kavutskiy) recap the 2026 FIDE Candidates, including the historic run the young Javokhir Sindarov. They look back at their original predictions to see who came closest, who surprised, and who disappointed.

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00:00 Sindarov wins the Candidates
02:05 Is this a new generation of chess?
07:02 The turning point vs Fabi
12:33 Who disappointed (Fabi, Naka, Prague)
17:19 Biggest winners (Sindarov, Giri, others)
28:23 Predictions, future outlook, and world title implications

Monday Apr 06, 2026

EP 188 | Will Sindarov Win the 2026 FIDE Candidates?

Monday Apr 06, 2026

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At the halfway mark of the 2026 Candidates, one storyline has taken over: Sindarov is dominating the field. But is this a historic breakthrough—or just a heater that the rest of the players will adjust to?

We break down his incredible run, from elite opening prep to relentless time pressure and confident decision-making. Is anyone capable of catching him? Or is it already over?

We also dive into Fabi’s quietly strong performance, the psychology of players falling out of contention, and what to expect in the second half of the tournament.

Drama, collapse potential, and one big question: is this inevitability… or just the beginning?

00:00 Candidates Midway Overview
00:21 The Sindarov Story
01:44 How He’s Winning (Openings & Clock Pressure)
04:09 Best Games So Far
06:39 Opponents Start Adjusting?
10:32 Risky Style & Confidence Boost
12:49 Can Anyone Catch Him?
13:57 Fabi’s Chances
23:14 Motivation & Tournament Psychology
27:50 Problems with Candidates Format

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Tuesday Mar 31, 2026

EP 187 | Blitz Quests w/ NM Jeremy Kane

Tuesday Mar 31, 2026

In this Dojo Talks episode, we explore blitz chess with NM Jeremy Kane—what it takes to improve, how time management and openings matter, and whether blitz actually helps your classical game.

Featuring insights from his work at Chess.com, plus real lessons from blitz rating climbs and practical training advice.

If you want to get better at blitz (and understand its limits), this one’s for you.

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00:00 What Makes Someone Good at Blitz
00:40 Jeremy Kane’s Blitz Journey
03:00 Climbing from 2400 to 2800+
06:00 Blitz Quests & Rating Volatility
09:15 Using the Clock as a Weapon
13:30 Openings and Simplifying for Blitz
18:00 Does Blitz Improve Classical Chess?

Sunday Mar 22, 2026

EP 186 | 2026 Candidates Predictions

Sunday Mar 22, 2026

The 2026 Candidates Tournament is right around the corner, and this field might be one of the most competitive we’ve ever seen. In this episode of Dojo Talks, we break down every player’s chances, compare our picks to the betting odds, and debate who’s truly a contender.

From rising young stars to established elite players, we dig into form, consistency, and what it actually takes to win a Candidates.

Who do you think will come out on top?

We’re running a 2026 Candidates Fantasy Contest—and this is your chance to prove you actually know what you’re talking about.

Pick your players, lock in your rankings, and compete against the Dojo community to see who can best predict how the tournament unfolds. With such a wide-open field, this might be the hardest (and most fun) Candidates to call in years.

🏆 Prizes:

1st Place: Free Dojo membership + exclusive coaching session
2nd Place: Free Dojo membership
3rd Place: Dojo merch bundle

Make your picks here: https://tinyurl.com/2026Candidates

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Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo
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Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you.

0:00 Intro & Candidates overview
1:30 Why this field is so competitive
3:00 Early picks & lowest seeds
10:30 Breaking down the bottom contenders
19:45 Giri & Wei Yi chances
32:10 Nakamura discussion
38:15 Prague’s form & upside
46:15 Young players & Sindarov
53:30 Top contenders debate
1:01:25 Final thoughts & betting vs reality

Thursday Mar 19, 2026

EP 185 | Do Kids Ruin Your Chess?

Thursday Mar 19, 2026

In this episode of Dojo Talks, we explore how having children impacts chess performance, from real examples of world champions to personal experiences as chess dads. With Hikaru Nakamura entering the Candidates as a new father, the question is more relevant than ever.

We break down the short-term dip (sleep, focus, hormones) vs long-term recovery—and what it could mean for top players like Magnus Carlsen.

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Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you.

00:00 Do Kids Hurt Your Chess?
00:25 Why Hikaru’s new baby matters
02:35 World champions and parenthood
06:13 Naka, Magnus, and motivation
10:26 How kids changed their own chess
17:51 The science: sleep, hormones, and focus
28:54 Can top players avoid the dip?
33:02 Long-term benefits of parenting?
42:50 The dip is real, but varies
51:22 Final verdict on kids and chess