In Episode 283, I have the pleasure of conversing with International Master Malcolm Pein, Chief Executive at Chess in Schools and Communities, Chess Correspondent at The Daily Telegraph, Proprietor of Chess & Bridge Ltd and Executive Editor of CHESS Magazine.

Malcolm is a Former British Junior Champion. As a Qualified FIDE Trainer, he has trained over 20 national and world junior champions.

He has been a Chess Correspondent of The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph for over 30 years and has commentated on chess for the BBC, Sky TV, Canal+, Independent Television News and CNN.

He is the author of many books and Executive Editor of CHESS Magazine. He has consulted on many films, including Chess Masters: The Endgame, EastEnders, Casualty, X-Men: Days of Future.

In 1992, he founded the London Chess Centre, a games shop in central London and the UK’s only dedicated chess shop.

In 2010, I founded Chess in Schools and Coommunities, which teaches chess in 350 schools and 800 classrooms weekly. Over 250,000 children have learned life skills through chess in its' programs.

In 2016, he was appointed Manager of the England Open Team. Notable successes include defeating China (the strongest chess country in the world at that time) at the Chess Olympiad in Baku in 2016. In 2019, England took the silver medals at the World Team Championships at Astana, the team's best result for over 20 years and later that year at Batumi, England took the bronze medals at the European Team Championships.

We speak about parallels between Malcolm and our 109th Podcast Guest National Master Bruce Pandolfini, growing up in Liverpool, his favorite Beatles songs, fundraising and more. 

In Episode 282, I have the merit of speaking with Sami Steigmann, who is a Holacaust survivor, educator and motivational speaker. A few years ago, our 50th Podcast Guest Esther Deutsch, his honorary granddaughter, told me about Sami. I was excited to meet him at a Kosha Dillz Chanukah concert, in which he danced on stage.

Sami was born on December 21, 1939 in Czernovitz, Bukovina, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire belonging to Romania. From 1941 through 1944, he was with his parents at Mogilev-Podolsky, a labor camp in an area called Transnistria. The camp was liberated by the Red Army and his family was deported by the Romanians, not by the Germans.

In 1961, his family emigrated to Israel, where he served in the Air Force. In 1968, he came to the United States. He lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he married, divorced and eventually, in 1983 returned to Israel. However, in 1988, he returned to the United States, choosing New York City as his final home. Since then, he has spoke to thousands of people as an educator and motivational speaker.

We speak about empathy, an overview of the history of the Holocaust since World War 1, knowledge versus action, overcoming obstacles, the global chess community, the benefits of chess, positivity and more.    

In Episode 281, I have the pleasure of conversing with Dani Zoldan, Owner of Stand Up NY. Dani has been a serial entrepreneur since he was 19 years old. While in college, he founded the online music company Eargazmic.com, which was a website where independent bands and musicians promoted and sold their music.

In 2008, he purchased Stand Up NY, the famous comedy club, which recently moved from the Upper West Side to Time Square. Stand Up NY became popular with many of the world’s best comics, including Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Louis CK and Jon Stewart.

We speak about meeting at Aleeza Ben Shalom, the famous Netflix Jewish matchmaker's event, the reasons for comedy, alternatives to showcases, the behind the scenes of running a comedy club, chutzpah, The Chosen Comedy Festival, improvisation in chess and comedy and more. 

In Episode 280, I converse with Peter Doggers, Director of Content at Chess.com. Peter is one of the world’s biggest experts on the world of chess, having written about the game for almost two decades. He recently wrote a book The Chess Revolution: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age, in which he explores chess as a cultural phenomenon from its earliest beginnings in ancient India to its biggest stars and most dramatic moments to the impact of the internet and AI.

We speak about the Chess Museum in Amsterdam, journalism, our 91st Podcast Guest Judit Starzay's tournament at the Annual Chess.com meet up, the Carlsen- Niemann drama, Fischer Random/Freestyle chess, thoughts on the Liren-Gukesh World Championship match, mindset and more. 

In Episode 279, I converse with Neha Sharan, Founder of Girls4Chess. Girls4Chess (501(c)(3) non-profit organization) is dedicated to empowering young girls to excel in chess by providing them with the resources, training, and support they need to grow and succeed. Neha is also a certified tournament director.

We speak about ways to get more women and girls into chess, her mentorship from our 91st Podcast Guest Judit Starzay, Director of Chess Club Relations at Chess.com, the founding of her non-profit, the upcoming Saint Louis Chess Conference, in which I am co-presenting "Chess in the Business World" with our 154th Podcast Guest Jim Egerton, Author of Business on the Board, and our 233nd Podcast Guest Vishnu Warrier, Sr. Technology Consultant at EY & Author of The Chess Bible, and more. 

In Episode 278, I converse with Jenny Ingber Ph.D, CEO of Chess in the Schools, one of our favorite charity partners. Jenny Inberg started as CEO at Chess in the Schools in June 2023, after her predecessor Debbie Eastburn, our 117th Podcast Guest, stepped down.

Jenny Ingber has a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Chemistry and Secondary Education from University of Miami, MA in Teaching Chemistry from New York University and a PhD in Science Eduacation from Teachers College, Columbia University. Before working at Chess in the Schools.

We speak about the benefits of chess, inspiration from children, the Annual Chess in the Chess Park Rapid Open, Title 1 schools, employee retention, hands-on leadership, tips for fundraising, successful alumni, the upcoming Saint Louis Chess Conference, which we are both speaking at, and more. 

In Podcast Episode 277, I converse with Gunnar Bjornsson, President of the Icelandic Chess Federation. In addition to serving as the President of the Icelandic Chess Federation, Gunnar hosts the annual Reykjavik Open, which is coming up again, April 9-15, 2025. Furthermore, he is a Vice President of the European Chess Union. Our 131st Podcast Guest International Master Yaacov Norowitz earned one of his norms there in 2013. Gunnar also worked many years in financial services at Landsbanki.

We speak about his thoughts on the ongoing Olympiad, the World Corporate Chess Championships, where we met, the Icelandic Chess Culture, the legacy of the 1972 Fischer-Spassky World Championship Match, Queen's Gambit, streamers and more.



 

In Episode 276, I have the pleasure of conversing with Joel Dick, who is a Data Engineer at Tempered AI and adult improver. He hails from Toronto, home of our 14th Podcast Guest Mike Ivanov, who recently became an International Master. As a frum (observant) Jew, Joel has 8 kids.

Joel studied in Israel with two our former podcast guests, International Master Yaacov Norowitz and Rabbi Mendy Brukirer.

Joel has 13+ years of experience in both technology and finance.

We speak about the relationship of chess and Judaism, tips for improvement, our Long Island Instructor Candidate Master Brian Karen's Chess Book Collectors Facebook group, community, the importance of tournaments, the influence of Sammy Reshevsky, his experience participating in the Chess Dojo and more.

 

In Premier Chess Podcast Episode 275, I converse with National Master Mikhail Sher, PhD., Associate Professor of Management at Monmouth University. Dr. Sher’s main research interests lie in the areas of inventory control and supply chain management. He has a Bachelors of Science from Carnegie Mellon University, Masters of Science from Columbia University and Ph.D. from Drexel University.

He is a national master and the son of the late Grandmaster Miron Sher, and WGM Alla Grinfeld, who both taught me as a child.

We speak about Miron's legacy, Miron's book Dream Moves, which was posthumously published, the 20% rule, various chess careers, the late National Master Bruce Alberston, confidence, artificial barriers, parallels between chess, leadership and poker and more. 

In Episode 274, I have the honor of conversing with Captain Zoe Marks, Director of Overseas Operations at Yatar Israel. Zoe Is A Former IDF Officer (2018-2021) And Active Reservist Who Served With Distinction, In The Etzion Region. Zoe Joined YATAR In September 2023 After Working For Nearly Two Years For El Al Airline Security In JFK And Dubai. She Is committed to ensure that Yatar can carry out its mission of protecting Israel and Its people from terrorist threats.

We speak about saving lives, conversations, unity, fundraising, her experience learning chess a kid and more. 

In Episode 273, I have the pleasure of conversing with Davorin Kuljasevic, Grandmaster and FIDE trainer, rated 2539 FIDE. Davorin was born in Zagreb, Croatia and currently lives with his wife International Master Iva Videnova and daugther in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Davorin's career highlights include winning 4th place in World Youth U16 in 2002 and winning first place in the SPICE Spring 2011, Zupanja 2011, Mediteran 2011, Split 2013 and Castelfranco 2014.

He has a a Bachelor of Arts in Finance and Operations Management from University of Texas at Dallas and a Masters in Finance from Texas Tech University.

We speak about Chessable, teaching chess in Dubai, chess couples, the full stack approach to chesss improvement,  the rise and comeback of World Champion Ding Liren, tournament pressure, his thoughts on the upcoming Liren- Gukesh World Championship match, his books How to Study Chess on Your Own: Creating a Plan that Works… and Sticking to it! and Ding Liren's Best Games: A Chess Biography of the World Champion and more. 

In Episode 272, I converse with Mark Herschberg, Author of The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You and Fractional CTO/CPO. He has a lot of experience in cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, healthcare, adtech, and marketplaces.

He has a Bachelor of Science and Masters Degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

As a seasoned executive and cybersecurity expert, he often bridges the divide between business and technology. He has started, grown, and fixed startup companies spanning over a dozen different verticals as well as helped two Fortune 500 companies with their internal startup initiatives, and helped create educational programs at MIT and Harvard Business School. He is an experienced board member.

In addition to working as a Fractional CTO/CPO, he is often a professional speaker on careers, leadership, negotiations, networking, and media.

We speak about his childhood lessons from our 131st Podcast Guest Fide Master Sunil Weeramantary, foresight, the Amateur Team East, common career mistakes, learning from co-workers, networking, negotiation, rules versus guidelines, thought process, our Summer 2024 Quad Series and more.   

In Episode 271, I converse with Candidate Dane Zagar, who won first place in the 2024 Chicago Open U-2100 section, despite dealing with the distractions of his 4th round opponent Stan Halstead being thrown out of the tournament for cheating and escorting his friend to the hospital.

Dane is a chess and math tutor and serves as the President of The Chess Castle of Minnesota, one of the most active clubs in the Midwest.

Dane has a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science and previously served as the Minnesota State Chess Association Treasurer.

We speak about identifiying cheaters, what to do when there is a problem at a tournament, suggested policies to prevent cheating, time management, mindset under pressure, playing one's own section, the Chess Scene in Minnesota, consistency, improving tips, book recommendations and more.   

In Episode 270, I have the pleasure of conversing with Joshua Pearlman, Personal Injury Attorney in New York. Joshua Pearlman is the Founder of Joshua Perlman & Associates. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from The University of Rhode Island and JD from New York Law School.

We speak about the founding of a firm, the litigation process, statuatory timelines, Joshua's thoughts on The Queen's Gambit, the gamification of chess and law, and more. 

In Episode 269,  I have the pleasure of conversing with Mandy Ficara, Founder of Every Last One Rescue. After a 16-year creative career, Mandy decided this year to drop everything and start a dog rescue non-profit. Mandy has an Associate Degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications from Fashion Institute of Technology and Bachelor Degree  in Apparel Merchandising and Product Development from Bowling  Green State University.

Every Last One Rescue is a foster-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization, committed to making a difference in the lives of animals in our community. Founded with the belief that every animal deserves a second chance at life, it works tirelessly to rescue dogs from the unnecessary risk of euthanasia at overcrowded shelters, provide them with the love and care they need, and match them with loving foster homes while they wait for their adoption day.

I first found about Every Last One Rescue a week after it launched at March 2024, when I was walking official Premier Chess mascot Max and met volunteer Sara Heilbronner, who was walking Milton, who was the first dog adopted through Everyone Last One Rescue!

In the episode, we speak about non-profit management, fundraising, volunteering, the upcoming Rescue Puppy Yoga event on May 19, the adoption event at Boris and Horton on May 18 and more. 

In Episode 268, I have the pleasure of conversing with Alex Bores, New York State Assemblymember, District 73, who I have known most of my life, since we played in a lot of scholastic tournaments. He was a PS 6 teammate of Stefan Botarelli, the younger brother of my Churchill teammate and 246th Podcast Guest Fabio Botarelli, Founder & President of Chessability NYC.

As the Assemblymember for the 73rd District of New York, Alex serves the Upper East Side, Midtown East, Turtle Bay, Murray Hill, and Sutton Place. He is a fifth-generation New Yorker who was born, raised, and lived his whole life in Manhattan. After PS 6, he attended Wagner and Hunter High School. He then graduated with honors from Cornell University and received a master’s in Computer Science from Georgia Tech.

As an engineer, he has helped the Department of Justice solve violent crimes in New York City, working with three Manhattan District Attorneys, and building software for local governments’ COVID relief programs that helped 50,000 families keep their homes warm and their water running.

A community advocate, Alex has organized campaigns that have secured severance pay for fired workers, passed commonsense rent regulation, and reformed government procurement. Alex also worked to get the last form of mass transit in New York City to appear on Google Maps (the aerial tram which connects the East Side to Roosevelt Island).

We speak about extracurriclulars, community outreach, The Queen's Gambit Netflix series, artificial intelligence, the protests at Columbia University, strategic thinking in chess and politics, affordable housing, and more. 

In Episode 267, I have the pleasure of conversing with Ranae Bartlett, who became US Chess Executive Director last month. She started at US Chess in September 2023 as Director of Operations. Before joining US Chess, Ranae was an Assistant General Counsel for a Fortune 5 company. She served as a local school board member in Madison, Alabama for ten years and advocated for chess education and funding chess initiatives in her school system. Ranae founded Madison City Chess League, a non-profit chess organization where she served as Executive Director for ten years and conducted over eighty chess tournaments. In 2020, she became the first Education Director at ChessKid.com, and in 2022 she co-chaired the Chess In Education Committee for US Chess.

We speak about her current plans for US Chess, The Nationals, the disparity of gender in chess, fundraising, ratings, Tournament Director certifications, the upcoming Saint Louis Chess Conference, the alabama chess scene, title 1 funds, our 2024 Summer Chess and Table Tennis Camp, pickleball, unrated events, the upcoming Chess in Education webinar How Philanthrophy Supports Chess in Education with our 47th Podcast Guest Dewain Barber, "the Dean of Scholastic Chess", John D. Rockefeller V, US Chess Director of Development Geoff Isaak, and Mark Indermaur, moderator, and more.     
 

In Episode 266, I converse with Rabbi Elie Feder PhD and Rabbi Aaron Zimmer, Hosts of Physics to God.

Rabbi Elie Feder earned a PhD in mathematics from the CUNY Graduate Center and received Rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Yisrael Chait. Since 2004, Elie has been a mathematics professor at Kingsborough Community College. He has published many papers and delivered numerous talks in graph theory, which is his field of mathematical research. As a teacher, Elie has a passion for simplifying complex topics for his students. Recently, he authored a book "Gematria Refigured," which presents a rational, nonmystical approach to gematria as a tool of uncovering the significance of quantity and fine tuning in Torah, life, and the universe. Elie resides in Far Rockaway, New York, with his wife and their four children.

After earning a physics degree and receiving rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Yisrael Chait, Rabbi Aaron Zimmer considered furthering his education through graduate school. However, his intellectual curiosity extended far beyond the realm of physics, encompassing a diverse array of fields, including philosophy, mathematics, and psychology. Capitalizing on his blend of analytical and philosophical skills, Aaron utilized his personal resources to venture into commodity futures trading. This endeavor involved commodities such as oil, natural gas, cotton, sugar, and coffee. His strategic approach was deeply rooted in the conceptual frameworks of physics and the Brisker Method for Talmudic analysis. After an eleven-year career marked by success in commodity trading, Aaron decided to retire. In his retirement, Aaron channels his intellectual energy into studying various branches of knowledge, including the Talmud and physics. He resides in Lawrence, New York, along with his wife and their five children.

We speak about analysis in chess, commodities trading and physics, Talmud,some insights from our 162nd Podcast Guest Rabbi Mark Wildes, Founder of Manhattan Jewish Experience, depth of knowledge, the torah way of life, the interesection of god and science, Richard Feyman's analogy of chess and the laws of physics, chess history, Plunder Chess, the universe and more.

Thank you to our 45th Podcast Guest Zev Gotkin, Founder of Zev Media, for recently introducing me to Rabbi Feder and Rabbi Zimmer and allowing this episode to happen. 

In Episode 265, I converse with real estate prodigy Deven Wohlwhend, COO of Clear Sky Realty, Inc. From the time he was born, Deven has been going to investment meetings. He began investing he was only 5 years old. By the time he was 7, he started a company and started purchasing real estate. By the time he was 10 years old, he attained his Ohio Professional Housing Provider Certification (O.P.H.P.) Within 3 years, he had bought 20% of a 60-unit complex. He is constantly growing his real estate team and acquiring more assets. At 11 years old, he published his first book about his successes and setbacks: If I Can Do It, So Can You! How I Started Buying Real Estate at Age 7! By the time he was 12 he started taking classes at Kent State University. Recently he published his second book, The Garage with Mark Victor Hansen. He achieved the #1 best-selling author on Amazon in Children’s Money Books the 2nd day it was available. He has since been interviewed on Larry Goins Podcast.  He has been on expert panels from Florida to Ohio, including at the National Real Estate Summit. At the age of 16, he currently owns over 40 units.

We speak about our apperances on Reena Friedman Watts' podcast Better Call Daddy, investing as a child, artificial barriers, real estate strategy, action, fun and more. 

In Episode 264, I have the pleasure of interviewing Carol Ann Caronia, Author of Strategic Moves: Mind-Building Chess Exercises For Kids.

Carol Ann Caronia was born and raised in Brooklyn. A graduate of St. John’s University, she has pursued a vigorous independent course of study in physics, anthropology, archaeology, and history.

Carol's career began in business writing, transitioned to business research, then to financial and management roles in nonprofits, and finally to chess, where she spent most of her adult life teaching chess to young children privately and in afterschool enrichment programs, community education centers, and in the classroom.

We speak about our mutual friendship with our 109th Podcast Guest National Master Bruce Pandolfini, the founding of Chess in The Schools, market driven teaching, expectations, critical thinking skills and more. 

In Episode 264, I converse with Gary Morgenstein, who is the critically acclaimed author of The Dark Depths series (A Mound Over Hell, A Fastball for Freedom, A Dugout to Peace).

As an award-winning playwright, his work includes A Black and White Cookie, A Tomato Can’t Grow in the Bronx,  Dancing on Glass, and Walking Charlie.

Morgenstein’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Parade Magazine, the New York Post, Sports Illustrated, Fox News Radio, and NPR. 

He enjoys sports, yoga, and taking care of his beloved pug. Gary lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife.

We speak about writing novels versus plays, unity, Jewish pride, community , push vs. pull, parallels between chess, theater and writing, resiliency, fundraisers, and more.   

Thank you to our 228th Podcast Guest Rachel Kovacs, Author, and Presenter at City University of New York for recently introducing me to Gary and allowing this episode to happen. 

In Episode 262, I converse with Rabbi Yisroel Bernath, the spiritual director at Chabad of NDG and the Jewish Chaplain at Concordia University. He received his BA and Rabbinical Ordination from the Central Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Brooklyn, NY, and his MA in Hebrew Letters from the Yeshiva Gedolah Rabbinical College of Greater Miami. He has extensive experience working in Adult Education and Special Education as well as coaching hundreds of young adults and couples.

In 2010, he was Canada's only finalist for the Jewish Community Hero Award. Known as “The Love Rabbi,” he exudes warmth and has an air of non-judgmental approachability. It’s no wonder he’s one of Canada's most popular under-40 rabbis! Rabbi Bernath lives in Montreal's trendy Monkland Village with his beloved wife Sara and adorable children Chaya, Zalmy, Leiba, Hena, and Yair.

We speak about the Montreal Jewish community, dating, settling down versus up, inspiration from the Lubavticher Rebbe, strategy, parallels of chess and judaism, co-officiating my wife Stacey and I's wedding with our two-time podcast guest Rabbi Levi Welton, and more. 

In Episode 261, I converse with Phil Copulsky CFA, Director - Private Capital at Westmount Realty Capital, LLC. The private capital team is responsible for raising equity capital for Westmount's commercial real estate investments across industrial, multifamily, and office. Investors include institutional equity partners, RIAs, fee only financial planners, family offices, and high net worth individuals.

Phil has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an MBA from University of Texas at Austin.

In addition to a successful career in real estate, Phil has played college basketball and countless chess tournaments, since we were Churchill School chess teammates.

We speak about traveling to the Nationals, parallels between chess and basketball, real estate investments, discipline, notation, constructive criticism, time management, the art of sacrifice, business plans and more.  

In Episode 260, I have the pleasure of conversing with Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder & CEO at Mavens & Moguls. Paige loves building great brands! She was the first VP Marketing/CMO at Zipcar (now Avis), VP of Marketing at Inc.com (sold to Bertelsmann) and the first SVP of Marketing at Launch Media (went public & later sold to Yahoo).  She is a popular keynote speaker and panelist at venues including  Harvard Business School and  MIT Enterprise Forum.

Maven & Monguls is a Marketing, Branding, PR, Market Research & Communications firm based in Cambridge, MA, with clients globally. They help organizations who want to increase their visibility, profile and awareness. Their clients range from early stage startups to Fortune 500 firms like Virgin and Microsoft.

We speak about marketing versus sales, the art of post-mortems, strategic planning, extracurriculars, commodities versus brands, website audits and more.   

In Episode 259, I converse with Scott Lask, Founder of Scott Lask Wealth Management Group LLC. Scott began working in financial services as a financial consultant in 1983 at Shearson American Express. Prior to starting the Scott Lask Wealth Management Group in 2004, Scott was a financial advisor for several different companies. Scott is a member of The Hudson Valley Estate Planning Council.

He holds certification from the Dorsey Wright & Associates Broker Institute and Advanced Broker Institute for successful completion of training in advanced point and figure methodology. Scott’s specialties are Risk Management, Retirement Income Solutions, Portfolio Construction, Family Wealth Advisory services, setting client goals.  He is a frequent speaker for groups and organizations and continuing education seminars.

We speak about In This Together Roundtable, the weekly networking group where we met, financial setbacks, classic rock, jamming with our 9th Podcast Guest Mike Papapavlou, CEO of Guitar Guide Guru, mitigating risk in chess and finance, his new book Let Wall Street Work for You, personal finance tips for milennials and more. 

In Episode 258, I converse with Life Master Eugene Salomon, Author of "Sweet Memories: Family, Friends, Chess, and Sugar”. Eugene is a 95 years-young, successful businessman, who has been playing chess for 80 years! He was born in Spain in 1928 and has been married to Bea, his Brooklyn angel, for sixty-two years. He was among the best chess players in Spain and Cuba in the late 1940s and early 1950s. After many years away from chess, he earned the U.S Chess Federation rating as a Life Master at age 70. He also received a Silver Life Master Certificate from the American Contract Bridge League at age 93. Gene earned degrees in Sugar Technology and Agricultural Engineering at Havana University. He is known as one of the foremost experts in the world on the subject of edible molasses and has traveled extensively in his work. Gene's resumé includes significant contributions to the sugar industry, and he has been nominated for the Dyer Award, the "Sugar Man of the Year." He is still working as a consultant in new business development in the food industry.

We speak about his 50-year-long friendship with Dr. Richard Lewis, our Westchester Instructor and 180th podcast guest, encounters with former World Champions Alexander Alekhine and Garry Kasparov, wins against Grandmasters Arthur Bisguier and Robert Byrne, José Raúl Capablanca's legacy, the Annual US Amateur Team East Championship, parallels with our 200th Podcast Guest FIDE Master Asa Hoffmann and more. 

In Episode 257, I have the pleasure and honor of conversing with Grandmaster Jesse Kraai, Co-Founder of ChessDojo. GM Kraai has been playing and teaching chess since before you were born. Playing in seven US championships helped him elevate his game to GM in 2007. He won the Denker tournament of High School Champions in 1989 and 1990 and the Irwin tournament of Senior Champions in 2023. He is currently using the Dojo Training Program with the dream of winning the US Senior Closed in 2024.

We speak about his recent win at the 2023 Irwin tournament, the return on investment of playing in tournaments, rating deflation, chess hunger, enjoyment, The Chess House, community, online vs. over-the-board play, general tips for adult improvers, deep thinking, his fiction book Lisa: a Chess Novel, training and more.  
 

In Episode 256, I converse with my long-term friend National Master Todd Bryant, Software Engineer at Chess.com, who I first met at the 2006 Eastern Open in Washington, DC.

In addition to programming at Chess.com, Todd enjoys playing lots of speed chess, studying openings, continuously improving, staying in shape through CrossFit and spending time with Lisa Cunningham, his wife, who happens to be our 26th Podcast Guest, and their three kids- Jack, Chloe and Max.

We speak about Chess.com's corporate culture, the art of opening preparation, the juggling of responsibilities, the importance of exercise for chess players, tips for improvement, ways to attract more woman to play in chess, his role as a chess dad and more.  

In Episode 255, I have the pleasure of conversing with Women Candidate Master Alexandra Prado, who has been playing chess since she was a little girl in Bolivia, and competed on their National Team. She now lives in France and travels around the world, making chess content while she goes!

We speak about the chess scene in Bolivia, her move to France, home of our 230th Podcast Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, World Blitz Champion and Seventh-Highest Rated Player in History, inspiration from Queen's Gambit,  streaming, meeting Magnus Carlsen, Tiktok videos, chess PR, her representation by Dulcedo and more. 

In Episode 254, I have the pleasure of conversing with my cousin Dr. Jake Rabinowitz, Founder of Smart Eats. Dr. Jake Rabinowitz has PhD in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University (2020). He is the founder of Smart Eats, which offers solutions built upon decades of developing and delivering nutrition-based therapies. It's team of doctors brings expertise in nutrition, food science, engineering, and microbiology.

We speak about the importance of diet, the shortage of baby formula, iron deficiency, critical thinking, upcoming events, runners, entrepreneurship and more. 

In Podcast Episode 253, I have the pleasure of conversing with National Expert Steve Hrop, Executive Coach. Steve has his Ph.D. in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from The University of Akron. For many years, he has trained executives at Fortune 500 companies, including Prudential Financial, ADP and Asbury Automative Group, and smaller companies.

He wrote the book Defending Under Pressure: Managing Emotions at the Chess Board, in which he uses critical moments from his own tournament games (most of them against players rated above 2200) to describe the difficulties of thinking straight when the enemy is at the gates, and then outlines methods and techniques to clear your head, evaluate the position, and find your way to the best move.

We speak about the influence of the 1972 Fischer- Spassky match, discipline, the reasons he has never played an online game, the danger of addiction in chess, teambuilding, emotional self management, prophylactic thinking, consistency against lower rated players, peak performance and more. 

In Episode 252, I have the pleaure of conversing with National Expert Pranav Shankar and his father Shankar Iyer, Client Partner at Citigroup. I met Pranav last month when he spoke on an Autism Awareness Month panel at the Marshall Chess Club.  I was inspired by his perserverance, becoming a strong expert and likely future master, despite his challenges growing up with autism.

We speak about book recommendations, philosophy of ratings, positional understanding, logic vs. emotion, confidence, chess therapy for autism, over the board chess, lessons from our 75th Podcast Guest Grandmaster Alex Lenderman and more. 

In Podcast Episode 251 , I have the pleasure of convsersing with Aiden Rayner, Founder of Don't Move Until You See it, who hails from Melbourne, Australia. 

Don't Move Until You See It is a revolutionary new way to train chess, used by players from beginner up to master level! The core of Don't Move is "Training visualization FIRST makes everything else in Chess 100x easier to learn." Learn more about the tool in this blog post.  Get a complimentary 5-day visualization course here.

We speak about the art of learning, PogChamps, The Queen's Gambit, blindfold chess, whys, teamwork, his love for our 230th Podcast Episode with Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, World Blitz Champion and Seventh-Highest Rated Player in History, seconds and more. 
 

In our milestone 250th Episode, I have the pleasure of conversing with GM Vinay Bhat, VP, Data at Fuzzy Pet Health. Before completing a Graduate Certificate in Data Mining and Applications, Statistics at Stanford University and starting a career in data science, he was a prodigy. At 10 years and 176 days old, Bhat became the youngest national master at the time. At the age of 15 years and 10 months, Bhat became an International Master, at the time the youngest ever in U.S. history. In 2008, the same year he became a Samford Fellow, he made grandmaster.

We speak about chess growth vs. career, confidence, imrpovement tips, gambits, opening repertoire, draw offers, philosophy of ratings, problem solving in chess and data science, coaching Grandmaster Sam Shankland,  advice from Grandmaster Bill Lombardy, his new book How I Became a Grandmaster and more. Check out book on Foward Chess here. 

In Episode 249, I have the pleasure of conversing with Gary Ryan, who teaches chess, does copywriting, acts as a chaplain, etc. He has a Masters of Divinity in Pratical Theology from Wesley Biblical Seminary, a Masters of Arts in Philosophy and Religious Studies from University of Mississippi and a Master of Theology from Harvard Divinity School.

We speak about insights on Passover and Easter, The Holy Grail, masters at the Chess Forum, guidance from the late Grandmaster Bill Lombardy, working with Fabiano Caruana as a kindergartener, book recommendations, game analysis, the full stack approach to chess improvement, the lack of PR for the upcoming Nepomniachtchi- Ding World Championship match and more.
 

In Episode 248, I have the pleasure of conversing with Jon Edwards, the 32nd World Correspondence Chess Champion. Jon started playing correspondence chess via the International Correspondence Chess Federation in 1995, and became an ICCF Grandmaster in 2022. In over-the-board play, he is a National Expert.

Outside of the chess board, Jon has an exentsive background in academia and Information Technology.  He has an AB in History from Princeton University and a PhD in African Economic History from Michigan State University. He worked for many years, assisting in the management of a $25M budget and a staff of 260 as the Coordinator of Institutional Communication and Outreach at Princeton University. He also served as the Mayor of Hopewell Township, NJ in 2002.

We speak about a comparison of correspondence chess and over-the board play, inspiration for more women to play chess, the Niemann-Carlsen drama, solving chess, opening preparation, reverse engineering and more. 

In Episode 247, I have the pleasure of conversing with Sarathi Ray, President of the Marshall Chess Club and Counsel at Lewis & Munday, P.C. Sarathi has a BA in Sociology from the University of Connecticut and a JD from University of Miami School of Law.

By day, Sarathi serves as bond counsel and underwriters' counsel in a variety of public finance transactions.

He also serves as the President of the world famous Marshall Chess Club, which Frank Marshall founded in 1915. The club on West 10th street in Greenwich Village hosts lots of competitive tournaments for players of all skill levels, lectures, social events and more.

We speak about tax exempt bonds, the intersection of chess and litigation, the UCONN Chess club,  kids versus adults in chess, chess therapy for autism, inspiration for women to play chess, improvement tips and more.  

In Episode 246, I converse with Fabio Botarelli, Founder & President Of Chessability NYC. I have known Fabio most of my life as we were both members of Woman International Master Shernaz Kennedy's Churchill School chess team. He has always been a great friend, teammate and amiable competitor.

Chessability NYC specialises in special education schools, including The Parkside School, the Windward School and Aaron School.

We speak about chess versus checkers, overcoming learning disabilities, impulse control, handling defeat, teamwork, the art of learning, improvement tips, puzzles, opening repertoire, confidence, influence of the Queen's Gambit, encouragement to go out and play and more.

In Episode 245, I have the pleasure of conversing with Amanda Rae Hambrick Ashcraft, Founder of Raising Imagination, which examines cultural, political, and social issues through the lenses of imagination to generate ideas, conversations, and actions that span ideological differences to inspire activism, empathy, and progressive change in our children, communities, and the world at large. She also serves as the Consulting Community Minister at Middle Church in the East Village.

We speak about  Women's History Month, rallies, the value of chess, gender norms, racial questions, inspiration from the Queen's Gambit, Women's empowerment, and more.  

In Episode 244, I have the pleasure of conversing with National Expert Amir Moazami, Founder of Rookly, a platform for online lessons. Amir started playing chess with Gregory Cesar at the Horace Mann School in Kindergarten. He has a BA from Cornell University.

We speak about competitive chess, tips for improvement, school programs, national championships and more. 

In Episode 243, I have the honor of conversing with Grandmaster John Emms, World Senior Team Champion and Prolific Author. In addition to tying for first in the English Championship in 1997, John was the captain of 2002 English Oympiad team. He has written over 40 chess books.

We speak about my book recommendations for his Attacking with 1.E4 and Survival Guide to Rook Endings, the explosion of opening theory, top tips for chess improvement, the English win at the 2022 World Senior Team Championship, the importance of repetiton, nuances, the philosophy of draws and more. 

In Episode 242, I converse with Lorraine Novack, the Regional Director of our partner DOROT Westchester.  DOROT has been a leading provider of social services to older adults for 45 years. To achieve its mission of alleviating social isolation among older adults, DOROT’s staff and trained volunteers ensure that 6,200+ older adults throughout Manhattan and Westchester are socially connected, engaged and aging well in their own homes.

We facilitate an Intergenerational After School Chess program, which is all about strengthening skills, while making a friend across the chessboard, building mutually beneficial relationships in the process. Once a week during the academic year, seniors and students in grades 9-12 teach and learn chess from one another in person. The program enables all participants to play chess, share stories and create meaningful connections.

We speak about non-profit management, benefits of chess for seniors, chess connections, ways to get involved and more. 

In Episode 241, I converse with International Master Yaacov Norowitz, who has taught chess for 20+ years. He learned chess from our Westchester Instructor and 180th Podcast Guest Dr. Richard Lewis and Grandmaster Roman Dzindzichashvili. He won first place in the 2003 Jerusalem Championship. In 2013, Yaacov achieved norms in the Philadelphia World Open, Bahamas Open and Reykjavik Open, thus securing the title of International Master (IM).

We speak about the nonsense of ratings, blitz, last-round situations, Jewish education, Nittle Nacht, dacha, his Chessable courses, endgames, opening preparation or lack thereof, book recommendations, confidence and more.

In Episode 240, I have the pleasure of conversing with Greg Giusti, President, Chessable & Train @ Chess.com. 

I met Greg through Meetup CEO David Siegel, who I met at a JICNY networking event, hosted by our 79th Podcast Guest Jodi Samuels. 

We speak about his experience playing on the Saint Francis Prep Chess Team, Meetup's partnership with Play Magnus Group, the benefits of chess in career, teamwork, data and analytics, communities based on passion and more. 

In Episode 239, I converse with John Hartmann, Chess Life/Chess Life Online Editor.
John became editor of Chess Life in February 2019 and has been writing for the magazine as a freelancer since 2013. Before working for US Chess, he brewed coffee for fun and profit, and taught philosophy at two universities as a PHD candidate.

We speak about the My Best Move article I wrote for the January 2023 issue of Chess Life,  Nebraska chess history, consistency, book recommendations, world champions, time management, Bill Wall Chess, the philosophy of chess, the Niemann-Carlsen cheating scandal and PR, Queen's Gambit mania, Chess Life contributors and more. 

In Podcast Episode 238 with International Master Rusudan Goletiani, 2005 US Women's Champion and  Foreign Exchange Trader at BlackRock. Rusudan Goletiani is a Georgian-American chess player with the FIDE titles of International Master and Woman Grandmaster. She is the 2005 U.S. Women's Champion. She is the Co-Founder of the Westchester Chess Academy.

We speak about the Georgian chess culture and cuisine, coaches, preparation, fun, exercise, consistency, motivation for more women to play chess, confidence, applications of chess in finance, game analysis and more. 
 

In Episode 237, I converse with Michelle Nedelec, Founder of Awareness Strategies. She helps entrepreneurs fufill their dreams by strategizing and systemizing revenue growth through sales and marketing. She is also the Host of Business Ownership Podcast.

We speak about top tips for new entrepreneurs, common mistakes, marketing technology, stages of business development, value, strategy versus tactics, offer for complimentary website audit and more.

In Episode 236, I converse with Robert Kern, Counsel at Masur. Robert Kern focuses his practice on corporate and commercial transactions. His practice includes:

• Startups, joint ventures, venture capital and private equity financing
• Mergers and acquisitions
• The formation, structuring and governance of business entities
• Outside general counsel services and commercial and contract matters

Robert’s corporate experience includes providing legal services to businesses and individuals in the fashion, lifestyle, hospitality, consumer products and entertainment industries.

We speak about relationship building, advice for new entrepreneurs, applications of chess in law, improvisation, happiness and more.  

In Episode 235, I converse with Richard C. Schoenstein, Partner, Vice-Chair of Litigation and Co-Chair of Securities and Financial Services Litigation Group at Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP.

Drawing on 30 years’ experience navigating corporate and employment disputes, Rich has represented a wide range of clients — including sole proprietors, emerging companies, public corporations, and financial institutions. 

He has a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio State University and a Juris Doctor from Hofstra University.

We speak about his practice handling disputes, center control, his acquaintance with our 51st Podcast Guest Gary Ireland, civil litigation as a chess match, the Niemann-Carlsen drama, defamation cases, life skills through chess, recommendations for new chess parents and more. 

For a Thanksgiving special, in Episode 234, I have the pleasure of conversing with my dear friend, mentor and marriage officiant Rabbi Levi Welton. Loyal listeners may remember his first apperance on Podcast in Episode 66 with Reverend Gregory Livingston. 

Rabbi Welton is passionate about sharing the values of Torah with a global audience. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he holds degrees in medicine, education, and film. He was ordained by Chief Rabbi of Haifa, Rav She'ar Yashuv Cohen Z"L, Rabbi Weinberg of Machon LeHoraah, and Rabbi Warhaftig of Machon Ariel in Jerusalem.

He stays busy as the rabbi of Lincoln Park Jewish Center, Chaplain at Mahattanville College, Captain in the United States Air Force, physician assistant, writer and more.

He recently published Be Like the Moon: A Chassidic Memoir, a transformative book, with insights on every page and an inspiring message of optimism, hope, and yes, heroism—minus the superpowers!

We speak about his experience marrying Stacey Ehrlick and I in Montreal, the open Jewish home inspired by Abraham and Sarah, ambition, time management, the sanctity of Shabbat, promotion, Nittle Nacht, hidden heroes, Ufarazta, divine providence, confidence, faith and more. 

In Podcast Episode 233, I converse with Vishnu Warrier, Sr. Technology Consultant at EY & Author of The Chess Bible – Most Instructive Tips, Axioms, One-Liners & Mantras. He is a National Expert, who tied for first place in the 2022 Chicago Open U-2300 section with a score of 6/7.

With five years of experience in Fintech, Banking and SaaS environments, Vishnu applies analytics, technology, and process optimization to deliver products that perform. He loves to utilize logical reasoning, agile planning, and tactical prowess to solve problems and proactively ask the right questions.

We speak about overcoming artificial barriers, adult improvers, discipline, financial planning, corporate chess, pandemic rooks, organization in chess and consulting, tournament prep and more. 

In Episode 232, I converse with Scott Eisenberg, Real Estate Attorney, Broker and Founder of Swap the Biz, live from Kosherfest. Swap The Biz is a high-end business networking community, hyper-focused on connecting its members socially. They develop trust so it is easy for members to exchange business referrals on a long-term ongoing basis. Scott Eisenberg & Associates, P.C. specializes in residential real estate transactions focusing on the luxury market.

We speak about organizational management, reacting in chess, law and real estate, value in networking and more. 

In Episode 231, I converse with Bill Haase, Radio Show/Podcast/TV Host and Retirement Strategist . On his show Innovative Strategies, he discusses how to build a business from concept to hiring that 500th employee, and conversations with a CEO. He develops financial literacy programs for high school and college students, and serves as a retirement strategist at Wela Financial.

We speak about podcaster networking, foresight in chess and financial planning, life skills, rebounding from mistakes, planning and more. 

In Episode 230, I converse with Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Seventh-Highest Rated Player in History. Maxime Vachier- Lagrave, often referred to by his initials, MVL, is the current World Blitz Champion and second highest rated player in France, behind the country's new recruit Alireza Firoujza.

We speak about chess at Jardin de Luxembourg in Paris, the upcoming World Team Championship in Jerusalem, benefits of blogging, the art of a good team, his road to World Champion, his World Blitz Championship victory, his apperance at our 22nd Podcast Guest Dan Pelletier's Bridgeport Open, the magic of 1990, international recruitment, the Effects of The Queen's Gambit, thoughts about the Carlsen- Niemann controversy, the benefits of studying math in college and more. 

In Episode 229 , I converse with Rick J. Lasher, Esq, Partner at Buitrago & Associates, PLLC. Rick J. Lasher was admitted to the New York Bar in 2012 and has handled cases in all of the boroughs of New York City as well as in Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester and Putnam counties.

He was born and raised in Dix Hills, New York, obtained his Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School in 2011 and holds a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Law from Binghamton University.

We speak about the typical process of a personal injury case, the power of networking, attorney advertising, contingency cases and more. 

In Episode 228, I converse with Rachel Kovacs, Professor, Arts Reviewer, Author, and Presenter at City University of New York. She is a feature writer for The Jewish Link.

We speak about her interest in chess, freindship with Grandmaster Boris Gulko, physics' inspiration on Herman Branover's religious journey, sexism, women in chess, the effects of The Queen's Gambit,  critical thinking, and more. 

In Episode 227, I enjoy conversing with Olawa Gibson, Master Teacher at New American Academy Charter School, one of our esteemed clients.  As part of school's educational leadership team, she uses data to drive instruction and create academic interventions based upon the needs of the students. She teaches small guided reading groups and handles behavioral issues that involve more serious infractions. She's facilitated our New American Academy Chess Club since it's inception in February 2020, a few weeks before the world shut down.

She is also the founder of Tier Pod Program, an online New York State standards aligned learning system that provides personalized instruction, diagnostics, progress reports, weekly consultations, and enrichment in the arts to drive you child's learning goals.

We speak about her dedication to chess, a reflection on virtual learning, a simul with Former World Champion Garry Kasparov in Harlem, our experience being recorded for Chinese television at one of our close partners, The Chess Forum, chess' effects on academics and social learning , the importance of supplemental learning, the universal language of music, her appreciation of Prince and Esperanza Spalding and more.

In Episode 226, I have the privilege of interviewing Grandmaster Michael Adams, 7-Time British Champion.  At his peak, at an ELO of 2761, Michael Adams was rated 4th in the world. He is a several-time World Championship Candidate.

We speak about the origin of his nickname "Mickey", his thoughts on Queen's Gambit, Michael Adam's impact on my chess style thanks to the late Grandmaster Bill Lombardy, his new book Think Like a Super Grandmaster, the British Team's win at the 2022 World Senior Team Championship, chess cheating, opening repetoire and more.  

In Episode 225, I converse with Kevin Fite, Founder & Executive Director at Detroit City Chess Club. For the last 18 years, his organization has provided the Metro Detroit youth with quality programs and experiences, which enable them to excel academically in a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment. Kevin is also a Assistant Director of STEM Enrichment Programs at Detroit City Public Schools.   

We speak about the Detroit Chess Scene, overcoming roadblocks, benefits of learning chess, self esteem, the Detroit Institute of Arts Chess Program, inspiration from Rockstar Charisse Woods, attracting top talent, his mission to make chess mainstream, collaboration among chess coaches and more.  

In Podcast Episode 224, I converse with FIDE Master Nate Solon, Data Scientist. Nate is a Data Scientist Consultant at Chessable and is a former poker player. He has his Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University.

Nate provides weekly chess improvement insight tips in his newsletter Zwischenzug.

We speak about Michigan football, over-the-board tournaments, blitz as a vehicle for chess improvement, evaluation, simplicity, mathematical decision making, data for opening preparation, Nakamura's recent successes, in streaming and playing and more. 

In Episode 223, I converse with Roy Strauss, President of Strauss Consulting Group, LLC.  Roy Strauss has a Bachelor of Arts in Management from The City College of New York and an Executive MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Strauss Consulting Group assists clients (start-up to fortune 500) in multiple industries to increase both their competitive edge and profitability by improving customer service and reducing costs.

They speak about cost savings, operations versus sales, growth, strategy in chess and business, preemptive actions and more. 

In Podcast Episode 222, I have the pleasure of speaking with Grandmaster Magesh Chandran Panchanathan, Founder of Kings and Queens Chess Academy.  He was born in Madurai, India and moved to the the United States to get a Bachelors and Masters degrees from the Univiersity of Texas at Dallas. His playing highlights include winning the Asian Junior Chess Championship in Sri Lanka in 2003, sharing first place with Kamil Mitoń in the 33rd World Open, winning the 2012 Philadelphia Open and tying for first place with Sergei Azarov at the 2015 New Jersey Open tournament.

We speak about his development as a chess player in India and Texas, inspiration and guidance from Former World Champion Viswanathan Anand, openings study, a memory test, his experience visiting the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai, Indian prodigies and more. 

In Episode 221, I converse with Brad Tanenbaum, MBA, Bilingual Copywriter and Branding Strategist, who I have known since we were both in high school. Since graduating from York Prep School, he earned a Bachelors degree in Communications with a specialization in Spanish from University at Albany, SUNY, moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and followed his passion to become a bilingual copywriter.  He got his MBA in Marketing and Finance from the University of Salvador. His specialies include:

➤ Conversion Copywriting
➤ B2B/B2C Marketing
➤ Content Creation
➤ Campaign Strategy
➤ Social Media Optimization
➤ Media Buying

We speak about the value of a good teacher, bilingual marketing, language immersion, global Judaism, resiliency against pushback, fundamentals of email marketing, storytelling, strategy in chess and business, masterminds and more.

In Episode 220, I converse with Grandmaster Keith Arkell, 2014 European Senior Champion.  He won the English Chess Championship in 2008. In 2014 he was European Senior (50+) Champion, and, later in the year, tied for first in the World Senior (50+) Championship, but received the silver medal on tie-break. He is the author of Arkell's Odyssey and Arkell's Endings.

We speak about the humor of time, the lack of prizes in New York tournaments, playing chess in the United States versus abroad, Chess PR around the globe, his road to grandmaster, the importace of ambition rather than artificial barriers, common misconceptions about openings, the art of being well-rounded, the minority attack,  inspiration from Grandmaster Ulf Andersson, the endgame grind, the psychology of draw offers, the combination of theory and practical knowledge, maintaince of skill level as a senior, predictions on the 44th Chess Olympiad 2022 and more.

In Episode 219, I interview National Expert Justin Morrison, Founder of Kid Chess, which teaches 4,000+  students each year in schools throughout Metro Atlanta. He started playing chess in high school and has over four decades of experience. He was the 3-time Georgia High School Champion from 1976 through 1978, High School Champion of Southeastern United States in 1976, and Georgia Junior Champion in 1978.

We speak about parallels between chess and basketball, resilience and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, projections for the 2022-2023 school year and beyond, people skills, collaboration among chess companies, the Atlanta chess scence, professional development for chess coaches, the art of positive feedback, and more. 

In Episode 218, I converse with Michael Fried, Partner at Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein, LLP. Since 1997, Fried has practiced Matrimonial and Family Law. He has engaged in numerous trials and hearings in New York County, Kings County, Nassau and Suffolk County and has had conducted countless depositions. He is a member of the New York State and Nassau County Bar Association Family Law Committee as well as a barrister in the Inns of Court. In March 2018, he was accepted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. See my recent apperance on his show 5 Minutes with Fried here.

We speak about the behnid the scenes of matrimonial law, planning for young couples, the importance of listening, litigation as a chess game, benefits of chess for attorneys, suggestions for aspiring attorneys and more. 

In Episode 217, I converse with the legendary coach Grandmaster Jacob Aagaard, Co-owner of Quality Chess and Killer Chess Training.  He is the 2007 British Chess Champion and Scotland's third-highest rated player as of July 2021, with an Elo rating of 2477. In 2004, he took second place in the Scotish Chess Championship. In 2011, Aagaard was awarded the title of FIDE Senior Trainer. He has coached many strong grandmasters, including Former World Championship Candidate Boris Gelfand and my Brandeis University classmate Sam Shankland.

We speak about the Charlotte Chess Center, the Scotland chess scene, Michael Adams' classical style, grandmasters vs super grandmasters, chess PR , tactical improvement, his new book A Matter of Endgame Technique, and more. 

In Episode 216, I converse with Paul Rubin, Founder and Executive Director at Camp Good Mourning!, a Long Island-based 501c3 nonprofit that provides FREE bereavement camp programs for Long Island children who are coping wit the death of a a parent and/or sibling. Paul Rubin has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from Hofstra University and a Masters in Science and Advanced Certificated in Counseling from LIU Post.

We speak about his thoughts on Searching for Bobby Fischer, impulse control, mindfulness, ways to get involved with Camp Good Mourning!, and more. 

In Episode 215, I converse with Rebecca Solodovnik, Psychotherapist & Certified Management Specialist. She is the owner of mindfree me, which helps clients with anxiety, anger, body image, coping with health issues, depression, eating disorders, grief, self esteem, stress, trauma, PTSD, and workplace trauma. She previously held senior Human Resources positions at Lord & Taylor, INTERMIX, Michael Kors, Valentino, Versace and Chardan.

We speak about professional transitions, the universe, benefits of chess for employees, the inner child, artificial barriers, Queen's Gambit,  mindfulness, stigmas against psychotherapy and more. 

In Episode 214, I converse with Kara Tatelbaum, Dancer, Choreographer, Coach and Author. After graduating from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU as a University Honors Scholar, Kara began her career as a professional dancer and choreographer, eventually starting her own modern dance company, Independentdancemaker at the age of twenty-one where she earned accolades from The New York Times, Dance Insider, The New Yorker, The Village Voice, and The New York Press. As an in-demand instructor, at one point she taught the most Pilates classes of any NYC Crunch instructor. She now does private pilates training and wellness + resilience coaching. She recently wrote Putting My Heels Down: A Memoir of Having a Dream and a Day Job. 

We speak about the founding of her dance company, the writing cycle, private and group pilates classes, mat vs. reformer, training vs. improvisation, dreams and more. 

In Podcast Episode 2013, I converse with Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson, a former Alabama state trooper, Air Force veteran and chess coach. He is the author of the  #1 Amazon best seller, One Move at a Time, How to Win at Chess and Life. He is a captivating speaker/facilitator and founder of Be Someone, a Georgia-based nonprofit which teaches  leadership and life skills through chess. His formula – using the chess board – teaches that for every move that is made, whether it is playing the game or living as a contributing citizen, there is a corresponding positive or negative consequence.

We speak about our visit the 2022 World Chess Championship in Dubai, thought process in chess and life, landmines, resource management, the rise of chess PR, the Atlanta chess community, executive coaching and more. 

In Episode 212, I converse with my former Oracle colleague June Schaufus, Director, New Business Sales & Business Development at Bluecore. She is a sales leader with previous experience across business intelligence and analytics, back office/front office applications, data integration technology, and engineering software sales. At BlueCore, she helps retailers connect with customers in meaningful ways. She is the author of The Sales Planner, which is intended for all intentional sellers and entrepreneurs, who strive to prepare and execute well.

We speak about her transition from real estate to technology sales, calculated career risks, strategy in sales and chess, time management, competitive analysis, The Filipino chess community, her father's chess match against Former World Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and more. 

In Episode 211, I converse with International Master Cyrus Lakdawala, Author of 52+ Books. Cyrus  is a former American Open Champion who lives in San Diego CA. He has been teaching chess for four decades and is a prolific and widely read author. Much acclaimed books of his are 'How Ulf Beats Black, 'Clinch It!' and 'Winning Ugly in Chess'. He twice won the Best Instructional Book Award of the Chess Journalists of America (CJA), in 2017 for 'Chess for Hawks' and in 2020 for 'In the Zone: The Greatest Winning Streaks in Chess History'.

We speak about Montreal chess friends,  the San Diego chess scene, the Weekly Gambito tournament, private lessons vs. self-practice, brainstorming for boook ideas, doves vs. hawks , confidence vs. honesty, analysis of strengths and weaknesses, overtraining, Caro Kann theory, endgame study, limitations of the engine and more. 

In Episode 210, I have the pleasure of conversing with Devin Miller, Founder and CEO at Miller IP Law. Miller IP Law helps startups and small businesses with patents, trademarks, and copyrights.  He is also the host of The Inventive Journey podcast.

We speak about the IP law process in a nutshell, misconceptions about trademarks and patents, inspiration for podcasting,  entrepreneurship, branding, anticipation in law and chess, and more. 

In Podcast Episode 209, I converse with Reena Friedman Watts, Podcast Host at Better Call Daddy Show,  live from Dubai. She lives for the story, the people behind them and life. Her knack for storytelling has taken her to unexpected places, from the daytime drama of the Jerry Springer Show to the legal drama of the Judge Alex Show. And now, the search for compelling stories is a family affair with her podcast Better Call Daddy!

We speak about avoidal of hestiation, marriage proposals, performing arts, production for Jerry Springer, storytelling on podcasts, rapport in the entertainment industry, motivation, Linkedin optimization,  travel with her father to chess tournaments, running, intergenerational wisdom and more. 

In Episode 208, I converse with M. Quentin Williams, Founder and CEO at Dedication to Community (D2C) , the national nonprofit he established in 2012. D2C delivers skills-building workshops and ongoing forums to improve understanding and build relationships in communities through healing, reconciliation and unity. D2C experts work with government agencies and the private sector on diversity, belonging and equity, and advise on critical issues in public safety and law enforcement. 

An advocate, attorney and author-educator, Quentin is sought as a speaker and thought leader who draws on personal history as a former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, and in senior positions with the National Football League (NFL), Jacksonville Jaguars and National Basketball Association (NBA). Quentin earned his JD from St. John’s University School of Law, where he is an executive committee member of the Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights. He holds a bachelor’s in economics from Boston College, which he attended on football scholarship.  

Known by friends and associates as “Q,” Quentin is of Caribbean and Jewish descent and grew up in New York City and Yonkers, New York. He is the proud father of a son and daughter, and credits his first-born as the inspiration for writing the survival guide, How NOT to get KILLED by the POLICE.

We speak about crime on the Lower East Side, football rivalry in Yonkers, his bar mitzvah with Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz of Chabad of Yonkers at the age of 56 in honor of his grandparents, the American Dream, global justice education, the recipe for  reconciliation, active listening, the art of planning on and off the board, the distinguishment of life and career, and more. 

In Episode 207, I converse with FIDE Master Todd Andrews, Executive Director at The Nashville Chess Center. At the age 16, Todd became a National Master and member of the United States Olympic Youth team. At the age of 18, Todd became a FIDE Master and was invited to participate in the United States Junior Championship. Todd is a 10-time Tennessee State Champion and 10-time Nashville City Champion. He was also Georgia State Champion when residing there in 2004.  He recently co-founded the Metaverse Chess Club.

We speak about the real rules of chess, transferrable skills, the importance of studying at the board, game analysis, adult improvers, the Nashville Chess Scene, the rise of Nashville's population, live music, our mutual love for The Grateful Dead, tournaments abroad, NFTs, a tribute to Susan Kantor, and more. 

In Episode 206,  I converse with Episode 206 with Nicole Hamilton, Dean of Faculty at Wardlaw+ Hartridge, one of our clients. Formerly, she was Associate Head of School at Franklin School, which opened in the fall of 2022 in Jersey City.  Nicole Hamilton has two decades of exceptional teaching, technology, and leadership experience to Franklin. She also served as Head of the Math Department at both Dwight School and Dwight Global Online School. She was my math teacher in 11th grade and helped me study for the SATs. 

Franklin School's mission is to broaden access to a world-class private school education, enabling students to become innovators and socially responsible global leaders.

Through a flexible, innovative curriculum, blending world-class academics with real-world readiness, Franklin students will be prepared to navigate life’s unforeseen challenges and our rapidly changing world.

A Franklin education includes:

• Design and tech classes in a state-of-the-art Maker Space
• Micro-courses, enabling students to explore career interests like law, finance, creative writing, engineering, and much more early  
• AP courses for college-readiness and credit
• Built-in SAT/ACT preparation
• Community-based service programs within and around Jersey City 
• Internships
• Global collaborations with peer schools worldwide

We speak about ways to overcome challenges, life and academics in Kingston, Jamaica, individualized teaching, building confidence,  problem solving in chess mathematics, executive functioning, the upcoming grand opening of Franklin JC, economics, collaborative education, entrepreneurship and more. 

In Episode 205, I converse with Jackie Botelho, Founder of ABCVIP,  a well-known Hospitality and Event Agency, which is the concierge for 6000+ rooms across ten hotels in Manhattan and helps countless travelers and corporate clients have once-in-a-lifetime VIP experiences. 

We speak about dollars vs dreams, productivity during COVID-19, events post COVID-19, interactive activities, benefits of corporate classes, strategy in chess and event planning, nationwide expansion, growth mindset, Waffles, Rilyn, Maxie and more. 

In Episode 204, I converse with Rachel Herman, Executive Director of Paws NY. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for 15 years, and prior to transitioning to PAWS NY full-time in January 2012, she worked in Development at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

During her time at PAWS NY,  Rachel has been named “New Yorker of the Week” by NY1, “Holiday Hero” by The New York Times, “40 Under 40 Rising Stars in the Nonprofit World” by NYN Media, and most recently, “Young Social Impact Hero” by Thrive Global. Rachel received her B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Crime and Justice from the University of Michigan and her Master of Public Administration from NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

She  lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two young daughters, and their cat Milo. Rachel’s five-year old daughter is already excited to work for PAWS when she grows up, and both girls clearly love cats as much as their mom.

We speak about hot spots in Ann Arbor, physical care for pets, resiliency, surrender protection, preemptive moves on and off the board, lessons on non-profit management, the upcoming Spring Benefit on May 23, 2022 and more. 

In Episode 203, I converse with Grandmaster Mackenzie Molner, a long-term friend and colleague and the Founder of Grandmaster Mac.  Molner won the Denker Tournament of High School Champions as a sophomore in 2004. He completed his final grandmaster norm in 2013, tying for first in the U.S. Open Chess Championship, held near Madison, Wisconsin that year. He co-founded the Montclair Sopranos PRO Chess League team. He was taught by our 132nd podcast guest Michael Khodarkovsky. 

We speak about his road to grandmaster, tips for chess improvement, the founding of the Montclair Sopranos,  paralells between chesss and poker, sharp openings like the English Attack, New Jersey prodigies and more. 

In Episode 202, I converse with Grandmaster James Plaskett, Former British Chess Champion, a strong player, author and  Who Wants to be a Millioniare? winner, live from the 2022 National After-School Association Convention in Las Vegas. He recently published a new book Bread and The Circus about his experience playing on the show.

We speak about his development as a chess player with fellow British top players Nigel Short, Michael Adams and Nigel Davies, the Plaskett's Puzzle, coincidences versus divine providence, chess players in game shows, the giant octopus, and more. 

In Episode 201, I converse with Davina Chebin, CEO of Divine Healing by D, Certified Reiki Master, Medical Intuitive & Spiritual Coach, and CMO at Almaz Investments. Davina has her BA in English Literature from Pace University.

We speak about the real estate hustle, time management, the importance of self-care, delegation, an introduction to reiki, mindfulness' effect on critical thinking , the development of peak performance and more.

For some more words of wisdom from Davina, see this guest blog post. 

In our Milestone 200th Episode, I have the honor and privilege of conversing with the "Chess Gladiator" FIDE Master Asa Hoffmann. He is known as "the sparring partner of champions, with a peak regular rating of 2471. He was portrayed in the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer by actor Austin Pendleton.  He recently published his autobiography The Last Gamesman: My Sixty Years of Hustling Games in the Clubs, Parks and Streets of New York.

We speak about playing chess with Marcel Duchamp,  computers' effect on the rising number of prodigies, playing Bobby Fischer for $3/game, Fischer's individualist legacy, his recollection of the 1972- Fischer-Spassky match, his potrayal in Searching for Bobby Fischer, his interview in  Bobby Fischer Against the World, meeting Henry Kissinger, his friendly rivalry with our 112th Podcast Guest "Iron Man" International Master Jay Bonin, questions from our special guest International Master Yaacov Norowitz, Trompowsky Attack theory, ways to deal with intimidation, the ideal opponent, playing an assortment of games at the Fleahouse, poker, and more. 

In Episode 199, I converse with National Expert Chris Johnson, Founder of Project Pawn, Instructor at Success Academy and Real Estate Broker at Coldwell Banker Realty. Project Pawn LLC is an organization that uses chess as a tool to sharpen minds. He has taught chess since 2000 and has taught hundreds of kids. He does sales and rentals in Manhattan and the Bronx.

We speak up the IS 229 chess club, the benefits of learning chess, consequences, a tribute to Charu Robinson, the famous Raging Rooks team, curriclum chess classes, top improvement tips, real estate trends in Harlem and the Bronx, the grind in chess and real estate, resources for prodigies and more. 

In Episode 198, I converse with FIDE Master Carsten Hansen, Columnist at Chess Life Magazine,  Seafreight Route Development Manager, UK & Ireland at Kuehne + Nagel, Columnist/Book Reviewer at American Chess Magazine. Learn more about his 37 books and career here.

We speak about curiosity as a motivation, brainstorming for boooks, a preview of his upcoming Norwegian Rat book with Intermational Master Cyrus Lakdawala,  opening books, misconceptions about Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, the importance of endgame fundamentals, ways to transition from online chess to over-the board chess, chess applications in the business world, searching for low hanging fruit in sales and chess, fun and more. 

In Episode 197, I have the pleasure of conversing with Grandmaster Joel Benjamin and Expert Harold Scott, authors of Winning the World Open.

Joel Benjamin won the US Championship three times and happens to be the player with the most World Open first places: six! He is a very successful author of books on chess. His Liquidation on the Chess Board won the Best Book Award of the Chess Journalists of America (CJA), his Better Thinking, Better Chess is a world-wide bestseller, and World Champion Chess for Juniors was published in 2020 to wide acclaim.

Harold Scott is a FIDE Instructor, a chess columnist and a chess teacher and coach in the New York City area.

We speak about suburban dad life, Joel and Harold's mutual passion for The Mets , their favorite classic rock bands, the Memphis chess scene, top chess improvement tips, The Yale University Chess Team, the importance of tactical training, walking around during tournaments, active dfense in the endgame, cheating at the World Open,  ways to deal with the pressure of last round situations, the art of opening preparation, the importance of preparation, diet at chess tournaments and more. 

In Episode 196, I converse with David Lazarus, Chess Coach at Millburn Short Hills School District, live from the United States Amateur Team East in Parsippany. Prior to teaching chess, David worked as a programmer at Toys R Us, Union County College and elsewhere. 

We speak about annual fun at the Amatuer Team East, his friendship with our 180th podcast guest Dr. Richard Lewis, teaching online, using www.lichess.org, benefits of chess as a programmmer,  success in the French Defense, coaching at the Maccabiah Games in Israel, the importance of networking and social media, directing at the Westfield Chess Club, differences of in-person and remote teaching, the importance of game analysis for chess improvement and more. 

In Episode 195, I converse with National Master Dan Heisman, who is an award-winning chess author and  full-time chess instructor in Wynnewood PA. He is also a FIDE Candidate Master.

We discuss teaching chess to 1000+ students globally, virtually, his tutelage of Howard Stern, transferable skills from chess to engineering, studying with International Master Donald Byrne, chess terminology, chess pedagogy insights, capturing sequences, common areas in each rating class, his lucky analog chess clock, his assortment of 12 chess improvement books, the future of chess and more.  

In Episode 194, I converse with Dmitri Shneider, Chief  Financial Officer at Play Magnus Group , which is a leader in the chess industry  and a publicly traded company.

PMG is the  parent company of Chessable, chess24, New In Chess, iChess, AimChess, Everyman Chess, CoChess, and the Play Magnus suite of apps. It is also the organizer of the widely followed  Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, a series of chess tournaments attracting the world's top players with a $1.6 million prize fund.

He became a National Master at age 12 and International Master at 17. His peak FIDE rating was 2502.

We speak about his decision to  either make grandmaster or go to college, growing up with brother FIDE Master Igor Shneider, lessons learned about founding school programs, applications of chess in wealth management, the arts of planning and objectivity, the early days of Chessable, Play Magnus' acquisition of Chessable, Play Magnus' current initiatives, the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour 2022, the rise of Chess PR and more. 

In Episode 193, I converse with Chloe Godin, Licensed Real Estate Broker with The Agency.
Chloe maintains dual Swiss-U.S. citizenship and has extensive experience living in the UK, Belgium and France. This unique international sensibility combined with a deep knowledge of local real estate makes Chloe a valuable resource for foreign investors in addition to local buyers and sellers.

In addition to real estate, Chloe has an accomplished background in international relations and communications. After earning a dual Master’s in International Relations from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and Sciences Po (Paris), Chloe worked as a consultant on a variety of projects for international organizations such as the UN Security Council and World Bank, in areas ranging from technology and biometrics, to terrorism, law enforcement, and domestic and foreign secret services. She  is also involved in the Jewish Community as a Senior Fellow at Manhattan Jewish Experience.

We speak about a comparison of life in Switzerland and the U.S.A, the requirement to fight in New York, growth in Judaism, her thoughts on The Queen's Gambit,  real estate broker stereotypes, New York real estate trends, creative social media videos, the importance of consistency and more. 

In Episode 192, I converse with National Master Josh Sinanan, President of the Washington Chess Federation.  He is on the board of other chess nonprofits, including Chess Mates Foundation, Northwest Chess Foundation, and Chess Enrichment Association, and  teaches after-school chess classes in about 10 different Seattle-area schools.

We speak about the Seattle chess scene, motivation for high-schoolers to continue playing chess, book recommendations, his talks at Amazon and Microsoft with our 154th Podcast Guest Jim Egerton, Author of Business on the Board, the latest initiatives of the Washington Chess Federation, top tips for chess improvement, a testimonial for Chessable and more. 

In Podcast Episode 191, I have the pleasure and honor of conversing with Grandmaster Pascal Charbonneau, CFA. He is a Senior Portfolio Manager at Vazirani Asset Management, LLC, a hedge fund focused on special situations and event driven trading. He is also the founder of GM Pascal Advisory, which offers separately managed accounts to qualified investors. He is also a Chess Grandmaster, renowned chess commentator and lecturer. He is a twice champion of Canada.

We speak about top players building stamina through sports, his development as a chess player in Montreal, chess informats, sparring with Grandmaster Alex Lesiege, reasons more universities should award chess scholarships, the importance of networking, chess puzzles in finance, his win against Former World Champion Viswanathan Anand, and more.

In Podcast Episode 190, I converse with Candidate Master Brian Karen, who is ranked within the top 3% of tournament chess players by the United States Chess Federation (USCF) and Federation Internationale Des Échecs (FIDE). Brian has had to demonstrate exceptional instincts at motivating, relating to, and teaching children chess in order to succeed as a chess coach. Brian has been the co-director of the acclaimed USDAN Chess program since 1997. He is coach at the three time Long Island Chess Champion Friends Academy. He is the director of chess programs for the Roslyn School District, The Long Island School for the Gifted, and The St. Patrick chess program. He is the administrator and founder of two well known Facebook groups Chess Collectors and FIDE World Championship 2023. He teaches school programs and private lessons in Long Island.

We speak about suggestions for adult improvers,  reasons to get better in chess, time management, tips for new chess coaches, differences between private lessons and school programs, brodcasting the 1995 Anand-Kasparov Match, Facebook group management, the importantance of collaboration among chess teachers and more. 

In Podcast Episode 189,  have the privilege of conversing with Candidate Master Danilo Cuellar, who teaches a lot of our virtual programs and in-person classes in Rockland County and New Jersey.  He has been has been playing chess and teaching in Rockland County, Westchester and New Jersey for 20+ years. Danilo tied for 1st in the 1997 New York State Open Class "B" division. He is also a massage therapist, acupuncturist, and chinese herbalist and writes on a variety of topics, including  Voluntaryism, Agorism, Precious Metals, Anarcho-Capitalism, Austrian Macroeconomics, Statism, The Federal Reserve, and Libertarianism.

We speak about his thoughts on The Queen's Gambit, ways to get more women involved in chess, homeschooling curriculum development, his kids learning chess by osmosis, the art of time management,  online chess versus over-the-board chess, the healing process and more. 

In Episode 188, I converse with Andrej Milic, Esq United States Immigration Attorney at Santana Rodriguez Law P.A. He represents foreign clients in affirmative petitions with U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (“USCIS”), as well as provides direct representation at interviews and in deportation proceedings before the U.S. Immigration Courts. His firm handles Family-based and Marriage-based Residency, Naturalization, Deportation Defense (including Asylum, Cancellation of Removal, and Waivers), and Appeals for previously denied cases. Andrej also serves as the Director of Admissions at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - School of Law.

We speak about dining at Mr. Broadway in Manhattan, restauraunt recommendations in Miami,  his connections to the Jewish community, the massive migration of New Yorkers to Miami, his grandfather's holocaust story, the current news of immigration in a nutshell, the intersection of litigation and chess, and more. 

In Episode 187, I converse with Joe Apfelbaum,  CEO & Founder of Ajax Union A B2B Digital Marketing Agency.  The agency's team of experts help B2B businesses with SEM, SEO, Social Media, Email Marketing, Conversion Optimization, Marketing Automation, Business Blogging, Marketing Funnel Development, Design and Development and more.

We speak about the importance of strategy in chess and marekting, testing, ideal clients, his two favorite books Getting Things Done and Positive Intelligence, the art of competitive advantage, time management as a business owner and Orthodox Jew, judging vs. evaluating, the benefits of breathing, his passion for scuba diving, and more. 

In Episode 186, I converse with Rabbi Mendy Brukirer, Director of Outreach at Olami Manhattan. Olami Manhattan, formerly known as Meor Manhattan, has been building and cultivating a vibrant community of Jewish young professionals that is changing Jewish life in the heart of New York City, and is moving the needle for the future of the Jewish people.

Growing up in the New York area, Mendy is descended from more than 20 generations of rabbis. He studied in the Harvard of the Yeshiva world, Brisk, and received rabbinic ordination as well as a first rabbinic degree from the Jerusalem Kollel. He has previously worked as an editor and is a qualified shochet (ritual slaughterer) as well!

Mendy was head of the Oorah Jerusalem Chillzone, a program dedicated to providing a family experience for American University students spending a gap year in Jerusalem. Mendy was the Director of Aish Essex in Northeast London creating programs for young Jews, preparing young couples for their weddings and the Brukirer home has become legendary as a hub for people in the area and beyond.

We speak about the art of giveaways, the December 2021 issue of Chess Life Magazine, his passion for hospitality, prophets, thought process in Talmud study and chess, circles of happiness, and more.  Rabbi Avi Blachman, Director of Education at OIami Manhattan makes a special guest appearance. 

In Episode 185, I converse with David Shriner-Cahn, Host of Smashing the Plateau and Founder of the Smashing the Plateau Community. He hosts two podcasts to help you build your consulting business following a late career job loss, so that you can do what you love and get paid what you're worth:

• Smashing the Plateau -- growing your consulting business
• Going Solo -- launching your consulting business

Check out my recent appearance on Smashing the Plateau entitled "What Chess Can Teach Us About Being Prepared for the Unexpected Featuring Evan Rabin". 

Inside the Smashing the Plateau Community, consultants come together to meet and support one another, get answers to burning questions, learn from experts, participate in growth challenges, and more.

We speak about his biggest lessons from podcasting, breakthroughs, transitioning from engineering to business, the art of soul searching, the importance of proactivity, reacting to change, strategy and execution in business and chess, the art of resiliency and more. 

In Episode 184, I converse with Dr. Nava Silton, a Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Marymount Manhattan College. Nava has written over three dozen peer-reviewed journal articles, over twenty chapters, book reviews and encyclopedia entries, and has edited six full textbooks, in addition to the comic series "Real Abilities". She produced the children's musical Addy and Uno and the dating game "Bashert". She has also been an active leader in Jewish community, leading volunteer bikur holim groups and helping run the Ohab Zedek Youth Department. Check out my appearance on our her podcast entitled "Discussing How Colorful Chess Can Be for Developing Brain". 

We speak about the construct of grit, emotional intelligence, creativity, the juggling of responsibilities, life as a chess mom, the chess community at large, her stash of 50 chess sets, adult chess improvement, The Queen's Gambit, ideas for human development, pillars of happiness, chess as vehicle to overcome disabilities, the art of matchmaking, and more. 

In Episode 183, I converse with Jay Stallings, Founder of Coach Jay's Chess Academy, live from Dubai. He is an Expert-level chess player and certified FIDE Trainer with 25 years coaching experience. He runs a non-profit organization that has taught chess to over 40,000 students. He and his wife, Michel, have two sons, both of whom played chess in tournaments from coast to coast.

We speak about the influence of Bobby Fischer, thoughts on the  2021 Magnus Carlsen-Ian Nepomniachtchi World Championship Match,  a reflection on the  1927 Alekhine- Capblanca World Champiopnship Match, meeting Former World Championship Candidate Fabiano Caruana,  top tips for chess improvement, the importance of studying positional chess, an overview of his 15 books, pawn play strategy, a preview of his project with Square Off. 

In Episode 182, I have the pleasure of conversing with National Master Evan Rosenberg, who is an education attorney at The Law Offices of Neal H. Rosenberg. Evan received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Texas at Dallas. He received a Juris Doctor degree from New York Law School. He is now transitioning from practicing law full-time to launching his own chess instruction business. 

We speak about the etymology of the name "Evan", opening repertoire, pillars of education law, independent education plans, learning disability diagnoses, special education vs. inclusion, the resiliency of children, benefits of chess, thought process and preparation in chess and law, intensity in school chess programs, the passion's effect on happiness and more. 

In Epsiode 181, I have the honor of interviewing James Altucher, American Hedge-fund Manager, Author, Podcaster and National Chess Master. James Altucher has co-founded 20 companies and written 20 books. He is an alum of Cornell University. He is a US Chess National Master and owner of Stand Up New York.

We discuss his thoughts on the Upcoming Carlsen- Nepomniachtchi World Championship match, Magnus Carlsen's positional style, leaving Corporate America for entrepenurship, resiliency after he lost his $15M of net worth,  ways to enter the hegefund space, the art of competitive advantage, candidate moves in chess and finance, his rapid growth to chess master, tournament play vs. online play, parallels of chess and stand-up comedy, mainline vs. orthodox chess openings and more. 

Dr. Richard Lewis retired two years ago from his dentistry career and has since taught for us in several schools in Westchester and the Bronx.  He taught International Master Yaacov Norowitz and our New Jersey Instructor Mikhail Kruglyak when they were children in Elizabeth, NJ.

We speak about his life on the Thomas Jefferson High School chess team,  the University of Pennsylvania chess club,  lessons with Grandmaster Rossolimo for $8/hour, the importance of patience, chess pedagogy lessons, exchanging chess for dental lessons, thought process in chess and dentistry and more. 

In Podcast Episode 179, I converse with  National Master Gabriel Ewing, Premier Chess Instructor and Programmer. Gabe has a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Computer Science from Case Western Reserve University. He recently started teaching for us after he left Google, where he was a full-time Software engineer for four years. He made National Master when he tied for first place in the 2014 World Open U-2200 section. 

We speak about his drive to follow his passion of chess, the parallels between chess and programming, recommendations for winning big tournaments, chess pedagogy lessons and more. 

In episode 178, I converse with Galen Pyle, CEO of Best Knight Games and Senior Strategic Advisor at FOCUS Investment Banking Business Owners: Let's Discuss Selling Your Business.
He is an Experienced E-Commerce CEO with a 10+ years history of scaling and selling e-commerce businesses

We speak about his leadreship of the Reed College Chess Club, the global chess community, the intersection of cloud computing and chess, a compare and contrast of business brokers and investment banking strategtic advisors, market trends in the chess equipment industry, the Portland chess scene, the impact of The Queen's Gambit on the chess industry and more.

In Episode 177, I converse with  Mike Nietman, President of Wisconsin Chess Association and Former United States Chess Federation Board Member. Mike is currently serves as the Chair of the US Chess Election Committee, and a member of the National State Invitational Scholastic, State and Affiliate, and Trust commmiteees.

We speak about obstacles in running major chess events, a call for young professional chess players to get involved in chess politics, an overview of Wisconsin chess, motivation for women chess players, deductive logic in programming, chesss, and education, goals for US Chess, thoughts on the Upcoming World Championship and more. 

In Episode 176, I converse with Elana Margulies Snyderman, Senior Manager, Publications at EisnerAmper and Co-Founder of Phyt Cares. During the day, she oversees, produces and edits various publications of many of EisnerAmper's largest industry groups and service lines. By evening, she volunteers to help run Phyt Cares,  the 501c3 U.S. tax exempt and 1101.01 Puerto Rico tax exempt non-profit arm of Phyt Gym. It educates youth and communities in New York City and Puerto Rico through fitness. She is spearheading the organization's virtual fundraiser, which is taking place on November 3.

We speak about her thoughts on the Acclarity Conference for Economic Recovery, which we were both speakers at, life as a Brandeis University student, podcasting with EisnerAmper, applications of chess in venture capital, private equity and hedge funds, training underprivileged youth, Phyt Cares' upcoming fundraiser and more.

In Episode 175, I conerse with Debra Brunner, Chief Executive Officer at The Together Plan, which facilitates community capacity building for communities in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union.

We speak about the disconnected Belarusian Jews, the top Belarusian chess players, a sparknote summary of Belarus, ways to get involved with The Together Plan and their upcoming Zoymen 2021 Virtual Conference on October 10 and October 17, which will feature a talk from our 116th Podcast Guest Sylvie Heyman.

In Episode 174, I have the pleasure of conversing with Jessi Shakarian, User Experience Designer at DIA Design Guild. Thanks to The Queen's Gambit, Jessi recently got into chess and is excited to play her first over-the-board tournament in November. Follow her on Twitter.

We speak about the The Queen's Gambit, The User Experience (UX) of various chess sites, common misconceptions about chess, ways to get started in the game as an adult, educational chess Twitch streamers, parallels between the UX process and a chess game, and more. 

In Episode 173, I converse with Cory Reader, Chief Investment Officer at HK Wealth Management, Inc. Cory was born and raised in Brisbane, Australia. He played basketball professionally with the LA Clippers and the Portland Trailblazers. Basketball took him all around the world, playing on 5 different continents (excluding Africa & Antarctica).He retired from Basketball in December 2004 at the ripe old age of 32 and  came to work in the Investment Management Industry at Smith Barney (which became Morgan Stanley in 2009.On June 30, 2017 he tendered his resignation to Morgan Stanley and left the Broker/Dealer world for good, partnering with his friend and colleague, Al Knobloch and HK Wealth Management, Inc. 

We speak about transferrable skills in chess and basketball, preventing artificial barriers, Return on Investment in chess and financial investments,, market cycles pre and post COVID-19 and more. 

In Episode 172, I converse with Woman FIDE Master Uyanga Byambaa, Economics PHD Student at University of California, Berkeley.  Learn more about her through her blog My Memorable Tournaments. 

We speak about our memories of the 2012 Northern California International tournament, her thoughts on female titles and tournaments, her upbringing in Mongolia, ideas to keep middle and high schoolers motivated in chess, improvement tips, the importance of analyzing one's own games, objectives for global economic development, parallels between coding and chess, applications of chess in economics and finance and more. 

In Episode 171, I converse with Michael Chadwick, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson with Corcoran Group.  He does sales and rentals all over New York City and has been featured on The Real Deal, Real Estate Weekly,  The New York Times and more. 

We speak about the reasons there are so many actors in real estate, brokers' transitions between firms, the ability to think ahead in chess and real estate, his thoughts on The Queen's Gambit, the art of charity and more. 

In Episode 170, I converse with Florian Helff, Chess Tournament Manager and Director of Business Development at Corporate Esports Association. In addition to preparing for the Second Corporate Chess Championship, which is taking place virtually from September 4- December 11, he works as a software engineer at Twitch. Furthermore, he is the Club President of the Amazon Chess Club and is the Washington Chess Federation board member for Corporate and Collegiate Chess.

We speak about the benefits of corporate chess programs, reasons to register for the upcoming Second Corporate Chess Championship, the art of giving to charity through chess, quality assurance in chess and programming Amazon's "Working Backwards" principle, the rising chess community on Twitch and more.  

In Episode 169, I converse with Grandmaster Alexander Fishbein, who is a Director and Desk Strategist at TD Securities. He won the 1st Denker Tournament of High School Champions in 1985. He also has earned the 1st place prize at some of the United States' major open tournaments, including the World Open and the National Open. One of his other major claims to fame is beating Super Grandmaster Alexei Shirov. 

We speak about winning major national tournaments, applications of chess in finance,  top improvement tips,  training his son Mitch to become a master, his family's immigration to the United States from Russia due to anti-semitism, his new book The French Exchange Comes to Life and more.

In Episode 168, I converse with National Expert Brian Wilmeth, Premier Chess Director of Virtual Programmers and Programmer. Brian splits his time between teaching chess, managing our virtual programs, and freelancing programming web and IOS applications. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Polytechnic University and a certificate in Human Relations from Dale Carnegie Training. 

We speak about his entry in the New York chess scene, the Brooklyn Tech chess community,  the programming of educational applications, the paralells between chess and programming, habit making, chess improvement tips, the art of resilience, virtual teaching and more. 

In Episode 167, I have the pleasure of speaking with Karel van Delft, Author of Chess for Educators.  Karel van Delft is a psychologist and chess trainer in Apeldoorn.  He has is Masters in Psychology from University of Amsterdam. His son Merijn is an International Master.

We speak about chess as a metaphor for life, the potential for autistic and other special needs students to learn the game,  the Euwe museum in Amsterdam, the Dutch chess scene, the Development of Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021 Champion Grandmaster Jorden van Foreest, game-based learning and more.

In Episode 166, I converse with FIDE Master Justus Williams, Founder of Black Squares, which offers a range of opportunities for St. Louis city youth aged 6-18 to engage with chess. through an after-school program, group lessons and play, and weekend tournaments. Justus originally hails from the Bronx, NY and has been highlighted for his chess skills in major outlets such as the New York Times, Brooklyn Castle, and TMZ.  Justus was also featured in a Cadillac commercial, which showcased prodigies from various fields. 

We speak about the New York City chess scene, his experience teaching in South Africa with David Macenulty and Jonathan Corbblah, a day in the life at IS 318,  studying with grandmasters at Webster University and elsewhere, the importance of playing lots of games, the importance of endgame study, ideas for time management,  working with inmates in prison, decision making on and off the board and more. 

In Episode 165, I converse with Grandmaster Patrick Wolff, a two-time US Champion and Founder of Grandmaster Capital Management, a hedge fund that received seed capital from Peter Thiel, the founder of Clarium and a strong chess player himself. 

We speak about his inspiration from Fischer Boom, his wins against Former World Champions Garry Kasparov and Mikhail Tal, stories from working with Viswanathan Anand,  the importance of endgame study, the effect of computers on opening study, the game-like nature of investments and more.

In Episode 164, I converse with Andrew Stein, a former investment banker, who founded Oprhaned Starfish Foundation (OSF). OSF works with 12,000+ orphans, victims of abuse and trafficing and other impoverished children in 26 countries. They have established 57 computer centers.

We speak about Andrew's global investment banking and children's magic practices, the processs of founding a new non-profit,  chess applications in investment banking, passion for charity, ways to get involved, OSF's upcoming gala at Cipriani in New York on October 22 and more. 

 In Episode 163, I converse with National Expert Jason Ciano, one of our instructors, who has been teaching chess for 20+ years at schools including PS166, Trinity and Greenwich Country Day School. He has trained five national champions.  Jason Ciano is also an International Master in bridge.

We speak about the controversial Chess Ratings North West system, the Seattle chess scene, Jason's coaching from Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan,  the value of the king, chess improvement tips, the rapid improvement and inspiration of Tani Adewumi, the parallels between chess and bridge and more. 

In Episode 162, I converse with Rabbi Mark Wildes, founder of Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE), which is a warm and open community where millennial men and women in their 20s and 30s can explore Jewish life and meet new people. I recently finished MJE's senior fellowship program, in which I studied 3 hours of Torah every Wednesday night for a year. 

We discuss Rabbi Wildes' legal and Jewish educations, community building, the overcoming of obstacles, the understanding of our souls through the Tanya, the symbiotic relationship of religion and science, the challenges millenial Jews face, the art of planning, and more.  

 In Episode 161, I converse with  National Master, Jesse Lozano, Founder of Complete Chess. Jesse was born and raised in San Antonio. He has been competing in chess tournaments since high school and is a four-time San Antonio City chess champion. Lozano is a full time chess player and coach. His goal is to help San Antonio be a chess capitol and give students an opportunity to grow. 

We speak about the San Antonio chess market, collaboration with other coaches, over-the-board play during  the pandemic, book recommendations, the benefits of chess coaching, ways to get more girls active in chess and more. 

In Podcast Episode 160, I converse with National Expert Andrew Hellenschmidt, a former Wall Street recruiter and trader, who has taught chess at Success Academy, PS 33, Nest+M and many other schools. 

We speak about a day in the life on Wall Street, the utilization risk management in chess, tips for chess improvement, his experience teaching with Magnus Carlsen, the transition from virtual to over the board play and more. 

In Episode 159, I converse with Evan Katz, Founder of Crawford Ventures. He is an award-winning  hedge fund and private equity executive and fundraiser. He has a BS in Finance and Economics from Wharton and a JD from Harvard Law School. Outside of the hedge fund space, he is a chess player and big supporter of the game.

We speak about his computer chess column in chess life, his love and support for some great charities, hedge fund fundraising with chess techniques (relating to the ideas of Marty Katz and his company Connectors 360) , the Fischer-Spassky, Searching for Bobby Fischer and Queen's Gambit booms,  common hedge fund mistakes and more. 

Lord Carmine Villani is the World Champion in Endurance. Professionally, he is the Executive Board Member of Saudi Crown Holding. He is the former advisor to Blackstone Group and has a Masters in Professional Accounting and Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with Highest Honors from the University of Texas at Austin. 

We speak about the Acclarity Conference for Economic Recovery that we recently met at, his road to World Champion,  the applications of endurance in finance, worldwide investments from the Saudi office, investment evaluation methods and more.

In Episode 157, I have the privilege of conversing with Interational Master Christopher Yoo, an American international master and the 2020 U.S. Cadet (U16) Champion. He won that title with an undefeated performance, eclipsing the field by one and a half points. The same year, the 13-year-old finished in fifth place (out of 10) at the U.S. Junior (U21) Championship. Yoo became the youngest American master (at nine years old in 2016) and IM (at 12 years old in 2019) at the time until he was surpassed by IM Abhimanyu Mishra. Last month, he tied for 1st in the Charlotte Chess Center GM Invitational and earned his first Grandmaster norm.

We speak about the time we first met at the Supernationals in Nashville, Tennesee in May, 2017,  his recent grandmaster norm, the art of tournament preparation, ideas for building confidence, overcoming obstacles, chess study recommendations, the benefits of blindfold chess, his lessons with our former podcast guest National Master Bruce Pandolfini, calculation skills, book recommenations, live commentary's impact on Chess PR,  his goals for GM and beyond, resources for top players, puzzles composition and more. 

In Episode 156, I converse with John Fernandez, an award-winning revenue marketer with two decades of experience drive hundreds of millions of dollars in B2B SaaS pipeline and tens of millions of dollars in ARR globally and across prime industry verticals. He has led organizations through $1.3 billion in equity events between Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C (2x), Acquisitions (3x) and IPO. In the chess world, he has been involved with the Internet Chess Club since 1997, as Administrator, Director, Public Relations and Executive Vice President, and Investment role since 2010. He is also the Founder of the New York Masters. Now he is one of three candiates for the US Chess Executive Board, along with Kevin Pryor and Randy Bauer. 

We speak about the applications of chess in marketing, the development of the Internet Chess Club, the online chess market, the founding and highlights of the New York Masters, an outlook on US Chess post COVID-19 and more.

In Episode 155, I converse with Ira Miller, the Chairman and CEO of Zone Capital Partners, a financial holding company that consults with private and public Small Cap companies. The firm has an M&A advisory practice that serves Small Cap companies in the Technology, Healthcare, Medical Technology, Enterprise Software Solutions and Consumer Goods markets.

We speak about M&A in a nutshell, the recent Acclarity Conference for Economic Recovery, in which I was a speaker,  the recent IPOs of Roblox and Slack, Peter Thiel as a chess master and tech executive, the paralells between M&A and chess and more. 

In Episode 154, I converse with Jim Egerton, Founder of Business on the Board™,  a talent development company that uses a game-based approach to teach business strategies and tactics. By incorporating a #1 Best Selling business management self-development book into our clients’ experiences, their leaders gain a competitive advantage by becoming better prepared to lead and make strategic decisions using the mindset and skills of a chess master. Read my review of Jim's book here.  Listen to Jim speak at even we did at UBS in November, 2018 here. 

We speak about our UBS event, chess as a simulator for business, chess' impact on the formation of Paypal, the center of the United States and the chess board, the benefits of corporate chess classes, the 1st FIDE Corporate Chess Corporate Chess Championships, the trajectory of corporate chess and more. 

In Episode 153, I converse with International Master Carlos Perdomo. Carlos is a winner of three GA State Championships, and has been ranked one of the top three highest rated players in Georgia continuously since 2002.  Under his leadership, the Emory University Chess Team defeated Duke, Yale, and Stanford in 2004.  He is the Founder of Chess Atlanta , which increases the chess presence in the metro Atlanta area via school programs, group classes, camps and more. 

We speak about collaborative chess promotion, the recent 1st All-Ivy Invitational, his native country Columbia, the benefits of team tournaments, tips for improvement, the United States' top youth players, his experience playing in the 2018 World Blitz Championship, the return to Over-the-Board  tournaments and more. 

Grandmaster Ron Henley is an American grandmaster, writer, narrator, video producer,  and former financial funding trader. He now acts as the Chess Program Director at Miami Country Day School  and acts as Special Consultant to Ultra High Net Worth Individuals and Family Offices, as founder of RWH Advisors.

In our longest podcast episode to date, we talk about an array of subjects, ranging from tributes to Michael Hoffer, Oscar Maldonaldo, Gildardo Garcia and William Lombardy to an outlook on Magnus Carlsen to working as a second of Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov to his weekly Twitch show on Thursdays from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST. 

Julie Bruns has worked in learning and development for over 20 years and considers herself a lifelong learner.  She has a passion for teaching others what's possible and loves connecting with people to share tips on how to enrich their lives, no matter where they are.  Life and work can be wonderful, and she's here to show you how!

We speak about her new book Peace, Possibilities and Perspective: 8 Secrets to Serenity and Satisfaction in Your Life and Career , self -realization, mastermind groups, the importance of gratitude, positive thinking, accountability, applications of chess in employee engagement and more. 

Brandon Gidicsin is in charge of business development for the Stamford, CT Junkluggers location and helps homes and offices with sustainable disposal services in  Westchester, Putnam County, New York, and Western Connecticut.

He is also a team leader of "Rise Together and Raise", raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He is involved with LLS because they are helping eradicate forms of cancer, such as Hodgkins Lymphoma, the one his father passed away from. Consider supporting the cause here. 

We speak about the power of networking, the benefits or organization, his fundraising efforts, upcoming events, the importance of giving back and more. 

Nigel Davies is a FIDE Senior Trainer (2021), International Chess Grandmaster (1993), former British Rapidplay & British U21 Champion (1988 & 1979), trainer at all levels (beginner to Grandmaster), winner of 15 international tournaments, author of 17 books, presenter of 45 chess DVDs, online publisher (The Chess Improver) and founder of Tiger Chess.

We talk about England's breakway from COVID-19 lockdown, his childhood rivalry with our previous podcast guest Grandmaster Nigel Short,  his progression to grandmaster, the importance of self-honesty, the character traits of Grandmaster Lajos Portisch,  career plans in and outside of the chess world, his inspiration to become an author, his thoughts on unorthodox openings, paralells between chess and thai chi and more. 

In Episode 148, I converse with Phiona Mutesi,  who represented Uganda at four Women's Chess Olympiads, and is one of the first titled female players in Ugandan chess history. Mutesi is the subject of a 2012 book and a 2016 film called Queen of Katwe. She is the founder of the Phiona Mutesi Foundation. 

We speak about her upbringing in Uganda, dynamics between girls and boys in chess, a compare and contrast of she and Elizabeth Harmon of the Queen's Gambit, her life in the United States,  her plans after her upcoming graduation and more. 

In Episode 147, I converse with 147th Episode with Cristhian Ortiz Elizarbe, Human Capital Senior Consultant at Deloitte Perú. Cristhian is an experienced human capital professional with a demonstrated history of working in the management consulting industry in HR projects for local and multinational companies in Retail, Banking, Engineering, Marketing, Pharmaceutical, Foreign Trade and Metal-Mechanical Sectors. For the last 6 years he was worked for Deloitte Peru. He is the founder of the non-profit Learn and Share English, which has 200 volunteers all over South America that teach English.  He was the captain of the 3rd place team in the first FIDE Corporate Chess Championship. 

We speak about the chess scene in Peru, applications of chess in HR, benefits of corporate chess classes, the recruitment of a corporate team, the importance of giving back to the community and more. 

In Podcast Episode 146, I converse  with Adam Raoof, Founder of The Chess Circuit and Ben Graff, Journalist and Author of "The Greenbecker Gambit". See my recent appearance on their podcast here.

We discuss the transition from corporate life to entrepreneurship a compare and contrast of The Greenbecker Gambit and Queen's Gambit,  chess PR, the return to over the board chess the persona of perennial British Champion Michael Adams and more. 

Christopher Hunt is the Managing Director of Zone Capital Partners, LLC, which is a financial holding company which also has an active practice consulting with private and public companies that are under $ 500 million in market capitalization.

He is all the co-founder of Acclarity Advisors, which helps public and private companies enhance press and analyst coverage, broaden shareholder base, contribute to growth of valuation, market capitalization, enhance liquidity, and maintain a bankable image of you as an essential component on any exchange.

We speak about career changes to find one's passion, the importance of giving back during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual work environments, competition vs. collaboration his upcoming virtual Acclarity Conference on April 22-23 , in which I will be giving a presentation entitled "A QUEENS GAMBIT: Can chess give you an edge In business?". 

In Episode 144 I converse with Victor Mikhalevski,  an Israeli chess grandmaster who lives in Beersheba. As of March 2010 his Elo rating was 2611, making him the #7 player in Israel and the 171st-highest rated player in the world. His peak rating to date was 2632, which he reached on 1 January 2008. He won the Israeli Chess Championship in 2014 and 2021. 

We speak about his recent victory, winning the 2021 Israeli Championship earlier this month, his upbringing in Belarus, his family's Aliyah process (moving to Israel), the rise of Beersheba as a chess city, his keys to chess success, the art of enjoyment, overcoming setbacks, the return of Over the Board chess, coaching some of the the world's talented young players and more. 

In Episode 143, I converse with Jason Deluca, President of Columbia Club of New Jersey and CEO and Founder at Argonaut Media, an innovative advertising agency specializing in the creation, implementation and management of marketing campaigns.

We speak about college fundraising, the new American Dream Mall, chess PR, chess as a vehicle in advertising, Rex Sinquefield's work in Saint Louis, the Columbia University cigar club, chess community and most importantly, the upcoming 1st All Ivy Chess Invitational. 

In Episode 142,  I converse with Senior Master Jerald Times and Mike Papapavlou, Founder of Guitar Guide Guru.   In the last few months, University of Texas at Dallas declared Jerald Times "Chess Educator of the  Year" and  Guitar World has declared Mike Papapavlou "Guitar Teacher of the Year". 

The three of us speak about the rise of city of inner-city education programs, the elevation of academics through extracurriculars, delayed gratification, measurements of success, school programs, a tribute to Charu Robinson, the growth of talent, benefits of awards, rhythm, melody and harmony in chess and music and more. 

In Episode 141, I converse with Inna Agrest, who is an IT Project Manager at Grenke Bank in Germany. She is also a member of the Swedish National Team, for which she has competed in 6 Olympiads. She recently was the captain of the 1st place team in the 1st FIDE World Corporate Championships. 

We speak about the importance of Women's tournaments, applications of chess in IT, her upbringing with a Grandmaster father and Women's International Master mother, her Belarussian background, chess sponsorship, her recent championship experience and more. 

In Episode 140, I converse with Alisa Melekhina, who  is a FIDE Master and is currently a corporate litigator practicing in New York City. She has consistently ranked among the top ten female chess players in the country and has been a perennial member of the national team. Alisa won a gold medal representing the United States in the World Team Championships held in Ningbo, China in 2009.

We speak about the relationship of chess and dance, the development of a chess player, ways to inspire more women chess players, transferrable skills from chess to law, work-life balance,  the New York Corporate Chess League, team-building through chess, her book "Reality Check", collegiate chess, the upcoming All-Ivy Invitational and more. 

In Episode 139, I converse with Jacob Fortuna, a chess streamer. He is also a systems analyst at Auto-Owners Insurance, where he creates desktop applications with SQL server back ends using WPF and Visual Studio to automate actuarial solutions. 

We chat about the applications of chess in software engineering, the value of Twitch, the global chess community, Chess PR and more. 

Hanon Russell is the founder of Russell Enterprises, which has been publishing fine chess books for over three decades. With comprehensive international distribution, REI books are offered by both local book sellers and major book chains worldwide.

We speak about his former legal career and the applications of chess in litigation,  the influence of Bobby Fischer, a revealing of Former US Chess Federation president Ed Edmonson, the elements of a publishable book, tips for new authors and more. 

Peter Geeraerts is the Managing Director-CoChess at Play Magnus, a fast growing scale-up focused on chess, and is listed on the Merkur Market. CoChess is a start-up subsidiary of Play Magnus, providing an electronic marketplace to connect chess coaches with students.

Peter hails from Ghent, Belgium and is a Customer and sales oriented executive/CEO with proven track record in change management, turnarounds and growth. He has advised several startups and previously did enterprise sales for major corporations like Alcatel-Lucent. 

We speak about  the restaurants in Belgium, business applications in chess, the development of CoChess and more. 

 Misha Rubin provides transformational career programs which are designed for people to discover careers that bring a sense of meaning, fulfillment, and abundance. He spent over 20 years in corporate America; in his last position as a partner at Ernst & Young, he guided hundreds of careers. Find more about his services here. 

We speak about leaving Corporate America, his signature Career Leap program, impact of chess on careers and more. 

In Episode 135, I converse with Linda Brenner, the Founder of Talent Growth Advisors. She spent the early part of her career in a variety of operations and talent management roles.  She worked in a variety of positions at The Gap, Pepsi and Home Depot. Learn more about her company, which leads finance, talent acquisition and talent management at Fortune 500 companies, including Home Depot, Coca-Cola and Revlon, here.

We speak about the art of finding one's passion, learning from the past, major types of HR projects, corporate recruitment, employee retention, the relationship of chess and HR and more. 

Luke Van Every founded True Compare PEO to better address the individualized needs of small and medium-sized businesses across the U.S. With years of experience working for some of the nation’s top providers, Luke leverages his expertise and long-standing relationships with a broad range of PEOs to help companies evaluate which PEOs offer solutions best tailored to meet their specific needs.

Additionally, Luke is the Founder & Host of In This Together Roundtable, a networking group formed to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and to support other professionals adapting to the changing business environment.

We speak about leaving corporate America for entrepreneurship, the importance of getting outside of one's comfort zone, international networking,  the definition of PEO, requirements for PEO eligibility, the relationship of PEO and chess and more. 

In Episode 124, I converse with Macauley Peterson, Operations Associate at Play Magnus. He is a Former Chief Editor at ChessBase.com and Content Director at chess24.com. He was also the Associate Producer of "Magnus" in 2016. Learn more about Macauley through these three pages:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Macauley64

Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/user/MacauleyPeterson

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/macauleypeterson

We speak about Gata Kamsky's career, journalism vs reporting, chess travels, Peter Leko's love for wrestling, Aronian's Civilization strategy, the Twitch streaming boom, Macauley's involvement in the "Magnus" film, the potential revival of his podcast "Full English Breakfast", the integration of Chessable and Play Magnus and more.

In Episode 93, I converse with Eric Mendelsohn, a business broker with Transworld Business Advisors. Eric works with business owners and business buyers all over the United States to facilitate their business sale or acquisition. In addition to being a business broker, Eric also still helps individuals buy, sell, and rent real estate in Manhattan as a licensed real estate broker with eXp Realty. We talk about the process of a business sale, transferrable skills between business sales, real estate and chess, ways businesses can preemptively get ready to be sold one day, and more.

In Episode 91, I have the privelege of conversing with Judit Sztaray, 91st Podcast Guest Judit Starzay, Director of Chess Club Relations at Chess.com. She previously served as the Manager of Events and Youth Outreach at Mechanics' Institute, the United States' oldest chess club in San Francisco. In addition to running their programming, she sits on the US Chess Scholastic Committee. 

We talk about chess in her home country Hungary, her work with Bay Area Chess, her organization of the United States Amateur Team West 2020, the Mechanic Institute's COVID-2019 transition, online tournaments, the 2020 online US Chess Invitational tournaments, US Chess Online Taskforce, the US Chess Coach Certification, motivation, for women to play more chess and more.

In Episode 81, I converse with Michael Lenox, the President of Chess Vets. Michael Lenox is a 100% service connected disabled retired US Navy Machinist Mate Chief Petty Officer (Submarine/Diver). He is a US Chess (USCF) Local Tournament Director and Certified Coach. Mr. Lenox is also an Illinois Chess Association (ICA) board member and the ICA Veterans Committee Chair. He currently lives in Burbank, Illinois with his beloved wife of 18 years, Lia.Chess Vets fundraises for small local veteran/1st Responder Organizations, hosts weekly competitions and sends care packages to active duty members.

We discuss chess in the navy, benefits of chess for veterans, care packages for active service members and the future of Over-The-Board Chess.