Best GM Noël Studer Podcasts (2024)

1
Ep. 166 GM Noel Studer Returns! 1:26:12

2d ago1:26:12

1:26:12

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with GM Noel Studer. He provided a ton of great advice. It was rooted in an analysis of my recent terrible tournament. But his advice is applicable to all. Noel’s primary advice was a reminder to keep training simple and effective. This is a can’t miss episode, especially if your process is getting too convolute…

1
Why your tactics rating is so much higher than your normal rating 13:39

3d ago13:39

13:39

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a 5-star rating. It really helps. Books mentioned in this Episode: Ray Cheng's Practical Chess Exercises: https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Chess-Exercises-Lessons-Strategy/dp/1587368013 Join my Free Newsletter: https://nextlevelchess.blog/newsletter Get my free Ebook, The Art of Ch…

1
Ep. 165 Zack (1500 Chess.com) 56:25

9d ago56:25

56:25

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Zack. He’s an adult improver living in Hawaii. We talked about his OTB experiences, including a challenging first tournament. We dove into his study process of playing games, doing puzzles, and working on openings. Zack credits much of his improvement to Youtube videos, playing, and visualization. Be sure t…

1
Why chess can be so painful (and the antidote) 33:39

10d ago33:39

33:39

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a 5-star rating. It really helps. Join my Free Newsletter: https://nextlevelchess.blog Get my free Ebook, The Art of Chess Training: https://nextlevelchess.blog/free-ebook Beginner Chess course (up to 1200 Chess.com / 1400 Lichess): https://nextlevelchesscourses.teachable.com/p/beg…

1
Ep. 164 Glenn (1000 USCF) 1:09:14

16d ago1:09:14

1:09:14

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Glenn. He’s an adult improver using data analysis to augment his improvement. We discussed his journey starting at 750 USCF with the goal of making 1200. Glenn has worked on the London, tactics, and visualization. Recently, he’s built an Excel spreadsheet to drill himself on errors in his games. It’s a fun …

1
Stop blundering with this simple habit 19:49

18d ago19:49

19:49

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a 5-star rating. It really helps. Join my Free Newsletter: https://nextlevelchess.blog Get my free Ebook, The Art of Chess Training: https://nextlevelchess.blog/free-ebook Beginner Chess course (up to 1200 Chess.com / 1400 Lichess): https://nextlevelchesscourses.teachable.com/p/beg…

1
Ep. 163 NM Ben Johnson - Perpetual Chess Podcast Host 1:06:06

23d ago1:06:06

1:06:06

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Ben Johnson, host of the Perpetual Chess Podcast. We talked about his recent chess journey, his thoughts on consistent play, and his new Chessable Course, Identifying Critical Moments. I also provide a brief tournament report from the Southern California Open, where I went 1-5. We briefly discussed the game…

1
My favorite Chess Advice - Talk To Your Pieces 11:02

25d ago11:02

11:02

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this podcast, you will certainly enjoy my other content as well. Check it out with the links below: Join my Free Newsletter: https://nextlevelchess.blog Get my free Ebook, The Art of Chess Training: https://nextlevelchess.blog/free-ebook Beginner Chess course (up to 1200 Chess.com / 1400 Lichess): https://nextleve…

1
The Mindset you need for chess success 12:07

1M ago12:07

12:07

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a 5-star rating. It really helps. Join my Free Newsletter: https://nextlevelchess.blog Get my free Ebook, The Art of Chess Training: https://nextlevelchess.blog/free-ebook Beginner Chess course (up to 1200 Chess.com / 1400 Lichess): https://nextlevelchesscourses.teachable.com/p/beg…

1
Ep. 162 Jan (1750 Lichess) 51:04

1M ago51:04

51:04

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Jan. He’s an adult improver with a career and horses to care for. He makes time for chess on his own time. We discussed his improvement approach which includes spending however much time he feels like spending with chess, studying with the Chess Dojo, and getting coaching through his Youtube channel: Chess …

1
Why I hate draw offers (and you should too!) 11:19

1M ago11:19

11:19

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a 5-star rating. It really helps. Join my Free Newsletter: https://nextlevelchess.blog/newsletter Get my free Ebook, The Art of Chess Training: https://nextlevelchess.blog/free-ebook Beginner Chess course (up to 1200 Chess.com / 1400 Lichess): https://nextlevelchesscourses.teachabl…

1
Ep. 161 Evan (2150 USCF) 1:01:02

2M ago1:01:02

1:01:02

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Evan. He’s a returning guest that is pursuing master. Evan shared how his own improvement process has changed in the last 2 years, and provided a lot of advice for chess improvers. He outlined a system for examining critical position, extolled the virtues of Johnathan Rowson’s books, praised endgame studies…

1
Grandmaster Opening Preparation explained 42:26

2M ago42:26

42:26

If you liked this episode, check out my course Prepare Like a Grandmaster. Enrollment is only open until August 31st. The original article with all the links: https://nextlevelchess.blog/how-to-prepare-like-a-grandmaster/ Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a 5-star rating. It really helps. Join my Free Newsletter: h…

1
Ep. 160 Nicholas ( 1849 USCF) 1:14:09

2M ago1:14:09

1:14:09

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Nicholas. He’s a busy family man who gained 500 rating points in the last two years. We talked a lot about his main strategy of cycling tactics. He tried the 7 circles / woodpecker method many times during his life. But in the last 2 years, he has finished it twice. Both times resulted in large rating gains…

1
How to play against higher rated opponents 14:30

2M ago14:30

14:30

In this episode, you'll learn my approach to facing higher rated opponents. Focusing on the long-term, this will help you win more games and improve more. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a 5-star rating. It really helps. Join my Free Newsletter: https://nextlevelchess.blog Get my free Ebook, The Art of Chess Trai…

1
Ep. 159 Marc (1650 USCF) 59:33

2M ago59:33

59:33

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Marc. He’s an adult improver trying to juggle life and chess. We had a great conversation about chess improvement. This included his suggestion of emulating a player, less opening theory, and listening to how better players process chess. Marc also explained his theory that our ratings are not a measure of …

1
Simple, not easy 7:23

2M ago7:23

7:23

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a 5-star rating. It really helps. Join my Free Newsletter: https://nextlevelchess.blog Get my free Ebook, The Art of Chess Training: https://nextlevelchess.blog/free-ebook Beginner Chess course (up to 1200 Chess.com / 1400 Lichess): https://nextlevelchesscourses.teachable.com/p/beg…

1
Ep. 158 Paul (1400 rapid Chesscom) 1:10:12

2M ago1:10:12

1:10:12

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Paul. He’s a lawyer with a family trying to juggle his life and chess improvement. We talked about his approach to improvement which has included opening work, tactics, Silman’s endgame course, and rapid games. Lately, Paul has started a new project, examining classic games. He uses a new approach that he c…

1
how to play against lower rated opponents 8:55

2M ago8:55

8:55

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a 5-star rating. It really helps. Join my Free Newsletter: https://nextlevelchess.blog Get my free Ebook, The Art of Chess Training: https://nextlevelchess.blog/free-ebook Beginner Chess course (up to 1200 Chess.com / 1400 Lichess): https://nextlevelchesscourses.teachable.com/p/beg…

1
Never Tilt Again 23:08

2M ago23:08

23:08

Get free chess advice every Friday into your inbox. Subscribe here: https://nextlevelchess.blog/newsletter Read more chess improvement articles here: https://nextlevelchess.blog/articles Download my free Ebook 'The Art of Chess Training': https://nextlevelchess.blog/free-ebook Check out my courses: https://nextlevelchesscourses.teachable.com/…

1
Ep. 157 Julio (1300 USCF) 1:01:57

2M ago1:01:57

1:01:57

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Julio. He’s a middle school math teacher, adult improver, and newly minted senior. We talked about his massive ratings gains over the last 2 years, nearly 700 points. In fact, Julio gained 400 points in the last month!! We discussed his training regime, success at the senior open, and the chess program that…

1
Ep. 156 Hooman (2100 Lichess) 57:00

3M ago57:00

57:00

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Hooman. He’s a medical student that got into chess as a stress reliever. Hooman has seen massive rating gains in a short period. We talked about his improvement journey which is mostly instructional videos, playing a lot of rapid games, and some Chessable work. He talked about playing for the university tea…

1
Ep. 155 Joe (1600 Lichess Classical) 1:08:29

3M ago1:08:29

1:08:29

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Joe. We talked a lot about his years long struggle to break through the beginner levels of chess. He felt frustrated by his lack of progress. We talked about his 5 step plan for improvement that has resulted in a lot of ratings success. His process focused on filing holes, learning basic chess strategy, bas…

1
Ep. 154 John (1430 Rapid Chesscom) 57:04

3M ago57:04

57:04

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with John. He’s a 47 year old pastor trying to juggle life, family, and chess improvement. He spoke about his journey and resources that he found most useful. John highlighted Chess Tactics from Scratch and the Polgar mates book as two helpful resources. We also discussed a variety of topics such as agism in che…

1
Ep. 153 Shannon (1300 Rapid Chesscom) 1:00:24

3M ago1:00:24

1:00:24

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Shannon. During the last 20 years, he’s picked up chess a few times. However, in the last year, at 50, he’s improved about 400 points. We talked about the different sources he uses, the importance of openings in his improvement, and the impact of being 50 on one’s development. Shannon has studied a lot but …

1
Ep. 152 CM Sandro (LionChess) 1:01:38

4M ago1:01:38

1:01:38

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with CM Sandro, otherwise known as LionChess. We focused on his chess journey, pursuing the FM title, and his coaching journey. Sandro credits most of his improvement to the small habit of 5 intense puzzles a day and one rapid game. Especially intriguing is his coaching approach which involves levels based on le…

1
Ep. 151 Kamryn (Youtuber) (1526 USCF) 1:05:19

4M ago1:05:19

1:05:19

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Kamryn, otherwise known as Kamryn Heidi on Youtube and Twitch. We talked about her journey since out last chat (ep. 73). Kamryn has continued to see ratings gains in blitz, bullet, and USCF. We also discussed our experiences at the National Open in Las Vegas last weekend. We both had an amazing time and had…

1
Ep. 150 Omar (ChessVonDoom) Returns Again Pt. 3 (928 USCF) 1:17:11

4M ago1:17:11

1:17:11

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Omar, otherwise known as ChessVonDoom. We talked about his journey/addiction with playing chess. We discussed a wide range of issues from obsession, coaching, chess celebrity, thoughts of quitting chess, and chess commentary. It was a wide ranging episode with Omar’s positivity on full display. Use this lin…

1
Ep. 149 Jay Garrison (1907 USCF) 1:08:15

4M ago1:08:15

1:08:15

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Jay Garrison about his meteoric rise from 1901 to 1907 in just 2 years! It was a great conversation about the pains of the pits of despair. Over a 2 year span, Jay hit his floor of 1700 twice, and he reflected on the pains it caused. Jay talked about his process, rethinking his process, and eventually overh…

1
Ep. 148 Dylan (1250 USCF) 1:06:45

5M ago1:06:45

1:06:45

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Dylan. He’s a high school teacher, parent, and dedicated chess improver. In a few years, Dylan has gained a lot of ELO on Lichess. But we talked about his comparably low USCF rating. Dylan talked about resources that helped him on his journey such as Naroditsky, Chess Brahs, and Hanging Pawns videos. He als…

1
Ep. 147 FM Ingvar Thor 46:09

5M ago46:09

46:09

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Ingvar. He’s the assistant tournament director of the Reykjavik Open, FIDE trainer, and FIDE arbiter. We talked about his massive jumps in the early 2000’s and his quest to reach IM today. Ingvar recommended three books that he credits for a quick 300 point jump, especially Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy.…

1
Ep. 146 Noah (1750 ECF) 1:04:55

5M ago1:04:55

1:04:55

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Noah. Noah has gained about 500 points in the last year. We spent a lot of time discussing tactics training, and how Noah applies learning science to his approach. We talk talked about over the board chess, reading chess books, and his opening experiment. Spoiler alert, Noah has only worked out a black repe…

1
Ep. 145 Nichol (663 USCF) 54:02

5M ago54:02

54:02

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Nichol. Nichol picked up chess just over a year ago and has already played 77 tournaments!! We spoke about her experiences as a tournament player, as an adult women at tournaments, and the Charlotte Chess Center. We also discussed her training, coaching, and ratings goals. Nichol is certainly an inspiring b…

1
Ep. 144 Adam (1875 USCF) 56:45

5M ago56:45

56:45

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Adam. He’s a member of the weekly club I play at. Adam’s had an impressive run of late, gaining 170 points in about 5 months. He explained his simple process of playing rapid games, analyzing them, and doing lots of tactics. He also talked about fixing the mental side of chess such as slowing down, especial…

1
Ep. 143 Matt (1770 USCF) 56:39

6M ago56:39

56:39

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Matt. Having played a bit as a child, we talked about his reintroduction to chess as an adult. Matt’s story is especially compelling since he has gained about 250 points in his 40’s only spending 1 hour a day on chess. Matt has a narrow study plan of playing games, reviewing his games, doing tactics, and wo…

1
Ep. 142 FM Dalton Perrine (2325 USCF) 58:39

6M ago58:39

58:39

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with FM Dalton Perrine. We discussed his time as a scholastic chess player, high school player, and continuing to play as an adult. We discussed topics such as setting goals, coaching, playing as an adult and creating Chessable courses. You can find Dalton at: https://nextlevelchesscoaching.com/ If you want to j…

1
Ep. 141 Benji (1650 ECF) 1:14:38

6M ago1:14:38

1:14:38

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Benji. We talked about his own journey into chess, including the thriving London chess club scene. Then we talked about Benji’s work with mindfulness and chess. Benji gave a lot of useful suggestions about how tournament players can think about their situation and how breathing and other exercises can addre…

1
Ep. 140 Spenser(1600 USCF) 58:11

6M ago58:11

58:11

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Spenser. He’s a former scholastic player that has returned to chess as an adult. He heads up the impressive Richmond chess club. We talked about his progress with openings, endgames, and tactics. We discussed his coaching, and what it takes to run a successful chess club. If you want to join The Chess Gym a…

1
Ep. 139 GM Noel Studer 1:21:05

7M ago1:21:05

1:21:05

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with GM Noel Studer. We took a look at my games and progress in 2024. We examined my chess, my rating improvement, and my study plan. We also discussed Noel’s near course: Beginner Chess Mastery. If you want to join The Chess Gym and support the show use the following link: https://the-chess-gym.circle.so/checko…

1
Ep. 138 Thomas (1400 Chess.com) 1:05:36

7M ago1:05:36

1:05:36

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Thomas. We spoke about OTB chess is Paris and his preference for OTB games. We focused on his struggles to play online and the anxiety that comes with those games. Thomas had a sudden ratings gain, and we discussed what motivated that jump. He also, gave us his list of the 5 best chess books. If you want to…

1
Ep. 137 Rachel (1600 USCF) 55:38

7M ago55:38

55:38

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Rachel. She’s a former scholastic player, who has returned to chess as a college student. We talked about how she studies chess, her preference for OTB chess, and the importance of coaching. We also discussed her desire to stay away from labeling progress with numbers. Rachel talked about her approach to st…

1
Ep. 136 David (1100 Chesscom Rapid) 58:45

7M ago58:45

58:45

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with David about his journey through life and chess. He talked about books and resources that helped him improve. We spent time talking about the value of process over rating goals. David also talked about his experiences with coaching and tournaments. If you want to join The Chess Gym and support the show use t…

1
Ep. 135 Andrew (1450 Lichess) 1:20:33

8M ago1:20:33

1:20:33

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Andrew. He’s about 1 year into his journey. He and his wife got into the game together as a way of being ready to help their daughter learn chess. Andrew has been bitten hard by the chess bug and we discussed his approach to learning and playing chess. He started with random books, some accessible and some …

1
Ep. 134 FM Nate Solon 1:23:53

8M ago1:23:53

1:23:53

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with FM Nate Solon. We talked a lot about the best ways to improve your skill at chess. We discussed my current training program, and where it could be improved. We also talked about the Chess Gym, and its role in my training. Nate provided a lot of useful insights. Use this link to purchase Next Level Training:…

1
Ep. 133 Neal-Bruce (1800 USCF) 1:42:09

8M ago1:42:09

1:42:09

This week on Chess Journeys, the habit master Neal Bruce checks in. We talked about his return to and recent success with OTB chess. We discussed in depth his program, why he changed it, and why he got a coach. We also examined the question of if an adult can reach master, including Neal’s thoughts on the Chess Dojo episode. Neal talked about burno…

1
Ep. 132 Anna (1300 FIDE) 57:24

8M ago57:24

57:24

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Anna. We focused on her emphasis on OTB play. Anna plays 1 to 2 games every week OTB and spends a lot of time examining them. We discussed several book that Anna has used to improve her chess such as the Polgar 5334 book. Near the end we discussed Anna’s goals and strategy for bringing more women in to ches…

1
Ep. 131 David (1580 Lichess) 1:07:27

9M ago1:07:27

1:07:27

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with David. We focused a lot on his ability to carve out 20-30 hours a week for chess. He believes that most people can make a lot more time, if they are willing to make sacrifices. We also discussed the benefits of the Chess Dojo and direct coaching. David talked about his favorite resources including Tactics T…

1
Ep. 130 Chris (1700 Chesscom) 55:24

9M ago55:24

55:24

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Chris. His journey has taken him from 800 to 1700 Chesscom in about 8 years. He got into chess by coaching kids as a beginner. He spent the next several years playing and working on tactics with the ultimate goal of not blundering! Chris provided a lot of tips on eliminating the dreaded blunder. Chris and I…

1
Ep. 129 Will (2000 Chesscom) 54:48

9M ago54:48

54:48

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Will about his rapid ascent from 1000 to 2000 Rapid Chesscom. Will talked a lot about his focus on playing chess and examining his games. When asked questions like how did you learn strategy or endgames his answer was usually by playing games. The interview was a fascinating take on how just playing the gam…

1
Ep. 128 Dr. Scull (1781 USCF) 1:08:39

9M ago1:08:39

1:08:39

This week on Chess Journeys, we did something a little different. I turned the show over to I Jay Garrison and he interviewed me about my year in chess. It was a wild ride, dropping 200 points and then gaining them all back and more at the end of the year. We talked about my focus on turning knowledge into skill this year, the challenges of losing …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

GM Noël Studer Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide