Perpetual Chess Linkfest #26, February 24 2023
When you see a good chess improvement focused blog post, look for a better one!
Welcome the the 26th edition of The Perpetual Chess Linkfest. I am happy to report that I am finding more quality chess writing than ever to share , especially on the chess improvement front. Here are this week’s links:
Chess Improvement
GM Jan Markos alert! The Award Winning Slovakian Author looks at some instructive moments from Magnus’ games “In chess calculation, width is more important than depth.” (Chessbase News)
Dr. Benjamin Portheault gives advice for dealing with fatigue in tournaments “You need to train for the effort you have to make. Watching 2 hours of Youtube videos is not the same as calculating for two hours straight.” (Ben’s Blog)
GM Noel Studer shares some tip for changing your habits ““All self-help boils down to ‘choose long-term over short-term.'” (Next Level Chess Blog)
NM Aakaash Meduri with a fun recap of his last minute decision to play in the North American Open in December (Chess Life Online)
Welcome to another promising new-ish chess improvement blog! Sam Asaka on the “biggest trap for every chess improver.” (Sam Asaka’s Blog)
Is the famed Lasker adage “when you see a good move look for a better one” actually good advice? (FM Nate Solon’s Blog)
IM Junta Ikeda reviews 3 effective approaches for how to Divide One’s Chess Study Time (Infinite Chess Blog)
Reviews
Dr. Patzer reviews 2 Hellsten classics. “Johan Hellsten has created a name for himself as one of the leading experts of chess strategy in modern times.” (Patzer’s Review Blog)
Tom Shupe reviews the illuminating new documentary by Dr. Howard Burton “Through the Mirror of Chess”. Tom writes “The sprawling 4-part docuseries examines the remarkable impact of chess on culture, art, science, and sport.” (Chess.com Blog)
Features & Opinions
Must-read, sobering article about life for Ukrainian GMs like Pavel Elianov and Kirill Shevchenko one year into the war. ”"It's incomprehensible. It's a real war, of the kind that we've only seen in movies.” - GM Natalia Zhukova as told to New in Chess Magazine (Peter Doggers for Chess.com)
Dr. Howard Burton on How he Would Reform FIDE “FIDE was by far the single most dominant point of frustration voiced by the many people I spoke with throughout my detailed investigations across the international chess community; and it was not hard to see why” (Part 1, Part 2)
Actual Chess News
Gukesh and Aronian share first in the WR Masters with one round to go- (NM Anthony Levin for Chess.com)
The Pro Chess League is proceeding at a breakneck pace (NM Vanessa West for Chess.com)
Thanks for the shout-out, Ben!
Great rundown as always!