Perpetual Chess Linkfest #78, April 5, 2024
Predictable Unpredictability
The 2024 FIDE Candidates is off and running, and as I type this, Firouzja just made a dodgy sacrifice, and Nakamura just lost to Vidit with White. It looks like this Candidates will be as surprising as ever! Beyond that, this week’s linkfest has a wide array of chess posts to dig into. By the way, if you have a chess blog that you would like me to potentially include in this newsletter feel leave a comment to make sure its on my radar. Have a good weekend everyone!
New Blogs
Forgot to mention this previously, but beloved YouTube O.G. presenter IM John Bartholomew has recently started a newsletter/blog called “The Chess Mindset” . I don’t see a way to link to his first post, but you can subscribe to his email list to get all his posts. (IM John Bartholomew’s Newsletter)
Matthew Gross recently made NM his late 40s after a long chess hiatus and is blogging about his study approach. Check it out here (MoveLibrary)
Early Candidates Coverage/Belated Candidates Previews
OK, not exactly a new blog, but none other than GM Daniel Naroditsky wrote an expansive post on chess Reddit about why its impossible to predict the Candidates winner. (Chess Reddit)
One more belated preview, CM Vjekoslav Nemec goes deep on the Women’s Candidates field (Chessentials Blog)
NM Vanessa West has a detailed write up of Round1 with some beautiful photos of the venue by Maria Emelianova (Chess.com News)
FM Dennis Monokroussos shared some thoughts on a fascinating Round 1 (The Chess Mind Blog)
GM Alex Colovic shared a few lessons he learned from attending the last Candidates “It never ceases to amaze me how different the games look when I follow them in the playing hall, using my head, and at home, even without an engine turned on.
I think the reason for this is that when I am in the playing hall I subconsciously adopt the player's mindset and I am more finely attuned to the psychological aspects of the moves and what the players want to achieve with them.” (GM Alex Colovic’s Blog)
Misc.
What traits distinguish a prodigy like Abhimanyu Mishra? “GM Prasad (Abhi’s coach), vouched for Abhi’s ability to focus for long periods from a very young age and Abhi’s willingness to not only do his homework but go beyond it every time” (Chessable Blog)
GM Hans Niemann won the Grenke Open in impressive fashion. JJ Lang discusses that and other highlights from the tournament (CLO)
Tarjei Svensen highlights another impressive prodigy, 12 year old Yergiz Erdogmus has become the youngest GM in the world. "He is the best tactician I have seen in my life and I don't think he is second to anybody in that regard. He also has a very good feeling for dynamic positions. One inaccuracy and he is there to punish you." (Chess.com)
Chess Improvement
Great post from FM Nate Solon on How Club Players can Potentially Improve Positional Awareness Using Flashcards or another method of Spaced Repetition)(Zwischenzug Blog)
Books
Nick Visel shares a few thoughts on books he is reading, including Ding Liren’s Best Games (Nick Plays Chess)
GM Maurice Ashley is out with two new books that touch on the role chess can play in one’s life (Daaim Shabazz for The Chess Drum)
FM Richard Webb recommends Dragon Masters by FM Andrew Burnett (British Chess News)
Thanks, as always, for the shoutout!