Dojo Talks: A Chess Podcast

• EP 168 | 2025 Junior Draft Update

  The sensei recap last year’s junior-draft results and rating swings, then run a snake draft to add three new juniors and two girls each—keeping graduated players for tracking, debating drops and Christopher Yoo’s suspension/return, and highlighting prospects like world junior champion Pranav V, Lu Miaoyi, and even a risky 10-year-old. Join the Dojo - https://chessdojo.club Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop Want to support the channel? Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you. Website: https://chessdojo.club Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips 00:00 — Intro & format 02:18 — Rating swings & scouting 06:01 — Team breakdowns 10:42 — Draft rules & order 13:19 — Round 1 picks 19:42 — Round 2 picks 25:24 — Round 3 picks 35:44 — Girls’ draft (Round 1) 42:08 — Girls’ draft (Round 2) 49:23 — Closing thoughts

  --------  

  52:15

  --------

  52:15
• EP 166 | 2025 Grand Swiss

  The 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss thrilled fans with Anish Giri’s win, Matthias Blubaum’s surprise Candidates spot, and dramatic clashes between rising juniors and veterans, sparking debate on how to create more high-stakes events like it. Join the Dojo - https://chessdojo.club Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop Want to support the channel? Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you. Website: https://chessdojo.club Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips 00:06 – First impressions of the Grand Swiss 01:34 – Why this tournament felt special 03:02 – Calls for more events tied to the World Championship 06:12 – Stakes and qualification systems in chess 09:26 – How FIDE co-opted the Isle of Man tournament 14:06 – Tournament winners: Giri and Bluebaum 20:00 – Evaluating Bluebaum’s chances in the Candidates 28:34 – Giri’s ambitions and old-school endgame play 33:45 – The gap between 2600s and 2700s 42:26 – Who might miss the Candidates and future prospects

  --------  

  50:40

  --------

  50:40
• EP 167 | What Does 3700 ELO Mean?

  In this DojoTalks, the sensei argue that 3700 Elo engines are so far beyond humans that they beat elite GMs even while spotting queen/rook/knight odds. They discuss that this gap reframes odds chess, preparation, and training, showing how much headroom remains in human understanding. Join the Dojo - https://chessdojo.club Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop Want to support the channel? Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you. Website: https://chessdojo.club Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips 00:05 Humans compared to machines in chess strength 01:14 Purist view of chess vs. odds traditions 02:06 GMs losing to Leela even with material odds 03:37 Notable results Naka Fabi Nepo against Leela 10:35 Odds games as a learning tool vs. engines 17:18 What an 800-point gap from Magnus really means 28:47 Computers proving drawish positions still hold winning chances 39:09 Engine Elo progress and the question of a plateau

  --------  

  1:05:57

  --------

  1:05:57
• EP 165 | 2025 Maia Open Recap

  In this Dojo Talks, Kostya recaps his trip to Portugal for the Maia Open with three chess streamers—Matthew, Rachel, and Anushka—along with David, discussing their experiences with tournament preparation and their performance. They highlight how sparring and collective training were crucial to their success, helping them feel more confident and prepared for their games, and they share their different feelings about the pressure of a big tournament. Join the Dojo - https://chessdojo.club Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop Want to support the channel? Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you. Website: https://chessdojo.club Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips 00:00 Introduction to the Maya Open tournament recap 01:19 Players share how they feel after the tournament 02:28 Player backgrounds and chess experience 04:19 The role of sparring in their training 13:04 The players' approach to pre-game preparation 20:16 How tournament goals changed their training

  --------  

  2:04:26

  --------

  2:04:26
• EP 164 | Hikaru Goes To The Farm

  The Dojo (GM Jesse Kraai, IM David Pruess, IM Kostya Kavutskiy) discuss Hikaru Nakamura's path to the candidates, along with who they'd like to see qualify for the 2026 FIDE Candidates tournament.   Join the Dojo - https://chessdojo.club Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop Want to support the channel? Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you. Website: https://chessdojo.club Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips 00:00 – Intro & Setup 01:31 – Is Hikaru the Exception? 08:36 – Balancing Streaming, Training, and Competition 09:23 – The Busy Chess Calendar 10:55 – Strength of the Tournament 14:39 – Ethics of Rating Manipulation 17:39 – Die-Hard Rules vs. Fair Play 22:27 – Mathematical Loopholes in Ratings 27:15 – Impact on Future Candidates 31:20 – Who Deserves to Be in the Candidates? 55:00 – Alternative Qualification Systems 58:33 – Broader Trends in Chess Ratings 1:00:12 – Closing Thoughts & Wrap-Up

  --------  

  1:01:02

  --------

  1:01:02

More Education podcasts

Trending Education podcasts

About Dojo Talks: A Chess Podcast