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Ono Another Chess Podcast

TheOnoZone
Ono Another Chess Podcast
Latest episode

10 episodes

  • Ono Another Chess Podcast

    S2 E2: Has Chess Ruined My Life?

    20/08/2026 | 24 mins.
    Ono reads one of his most popular blog posts "Has Chess Ruined My Life? An exploration of the costs and benefits of having chess as a hobby.
    Read the blog on Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-211658848
    Join The Online Chess Club: TheOnoZone.com/club
    Free trial chess lesson: TheOnoZone.com/coaching
    Ono's Chess Toolkit: toolkit.theonozone.com
    Contact: info@TheOnoZone.com
  • Ono Another Chess Podcast

    S2 E1: The Greatest Underdog Story in Chess History

    06/08/2026 | 22 mins.
    Ono reads his latest blog post "The Greatest Underdog Story in Chess History" a tale of his teams exploits in last season Dutch Evening League Tournament.

    Read the blog on Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-208148233

    Join The Online Chess Club: TheOnoZone.com/club
    Free trial chess lesson: TheOnoZone.com/coaching
    Ono's Chess Toolkit: toolkit.theonozone.com
    Contact: info@TheOnoZone.com
  • Ono Another Chess Podcast

    #8 Fionn O’Donovan: Non-Titled Chess Coaches + Social Learning

    22/12/2023 | 1h 17 mins.
    Ono (⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠) talks to Fionn O'Donovan who was his first chess coach and inspired Ono to start coaching Adult Improvers as well. Fionn is the founder of the #chesspunks tactics group, has a PhD in Philosophy and works as a professional tutor.

    On this episode:

    (01:53) What does Fionn love most about chess?

    (05:07) How Ono met Fionn

    (07:32) The #chesspunks tactics group

    (11:53) Fionn's chess in 2023

    (19:37)  Fionn’s experience switching to e4

    (31:09) Improvement separate to rating gain

    (34:42) Why hire a non-titled chess coach?

    (40:59) Is Fionn surprised Ono became a coach?

    (42:54) Ono's 2024 chess study plan

    (47:33) Analysing chess games

    (49:03) Getting quality post-mortems

    (52:08) Why Ono wants to play more

    (57:19) The value of pattern recognition

    (58:51) Diversity in a chess study plan

    (01:00:30) Is coaching good for your own chess?

    (01:03:38) A second opinion on your chess

    (01:08:00) Fionn’s Lichess 4545 League experience

    (01:10:54) The value of training partners

    (01:13:36) Join the #chesspunks tactics group

    Come talk with Fionn O'Donovan + Ono in the Zoom Hangout on Friday, January 5th @19:00 UTC! Sign up for the free 7-day trial on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get the Zoom link.

    On www.TheOnoZone.com, you can download Ono's free ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Study Plan Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to plan + track your 2024 chess training. You can also find out more about Ono's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Episode links:

    Fionn O'Donovan on Chess Journeys Podcast

    Noel Studer’s Chess Training Planner (use code Ono10 to get 10% off)

    Dawn Lawson’s Blog

    Alex Crompton’s Pattern Recognition Blog

    Your (2024) Chess Skill-Based Study Plan (TheOnoZone Blog)

    What the Fork is a Blunder Check (TheOnoZone Blog)

    ChessDojo Endgame Sensei

    Lichess 4545 League

    Follow Fionn O'Donovan:

    Twitter/X @FODonovan | Lichess @FODonovan

    If you'd like to join the #chesspunks tactics group, just send a message to Fionn on Twitter/X or Lichess!

    Follow TheOnoZone:
    Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Lichess ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠info@theonozone.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheOnoZone.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ who supported this episode: Benjamin Portheault | Rick Chlopan | Tim Everett | MatthewKCanada | Brett | Nate Glissmeyer | Laura Holmes | Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

    Thanks to Fionn O'Donovan for coming on the podcast, my wife Yara for being the other half of TheOnoZone, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

    Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening to season 1!
  • Ono Another Chess Podcast

    #7 NM Ben Johnson: Perpetual Chess Improvement

    08/12/2023 | 57 mins.
    Ono (⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠) talks to NM Ben Johnson about the Adult Improver endeavour of perpetual chess improvement against the backdrop of a busy adult life. Ben is the host of the legendary Perpetual Chess Podcast, creator of the weekly Perpetual Chess Linkfest + the author of the recently published book Perpetual Chess Improvement, among other things.

    On this episode:

    (01:56) The chess communities Ben belongs to

    (05:00) The state of Ben’s chess in 2023

    (05:58) The importance of playing OTB

    (07:40) The writing of Ben’s new book

    (09:17) Ben as a writer

    (11:13) Success of Ben’s guests outside of chess

    (13:13) What drives Adult Improvers to improve

    (17:10) Unecessary vs Necessary Fallibility

    (21:40) Knowledge vs Decision Making resources

    (25:15) Can you acquire all the chess knowledge?

    (27:15) Ben’s frustration with memory

    (28:31) Ben’s last year of chess improvement

    (30:11) Ben’s future projects

    (31:05) Personality reflected on the chess board

    (33:48) Luck in chess

    (38:09) Ben’s chess ambitions

    (41:57) When is the audio book available?

    (43:25) Linkfest: Ben’s Blog

    (45:42) Chess news sources

    (50:20) Linkfest; adult improvement blogs

    (54:58) Where can you get Ben's book?

    Come talk with NM Ben Johnson + Ono in the Zoom Hangout on Friday, December 15th @19:00 UTC! Sign up for the free 7-day trial on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get the Zoom link.

    Episode links:

    NM Todd Bryant’s chess improvement article

    NM Todd Bryant on Perpetual Chess ep. 346

    ⁠⁠Wordy Chess Book List for Adult Improvers (free download TheOnoZone)

    David Monokroussos's Blog

    Nick Visel's Blog

    Dan Bock's Blog

    Dr Patzer's Blog

    ⁠Ben Johnson Came To My (Chess) Birthday Party⁠ (TheOnoZone blog)

    How To Chess podcast S3: How I forced myself to love endgames (Ben Johnson interviews TheOnoZone⁠)

    Follow NM Ben Johnson:

    Twitter/X @Bennyficial1

    Perpetual Chess Podcast

    Perpetual Chess Linkfest

    Perpetual Chess Improvement book

    Ben's Patreon

    Follow TheOnoZone:
    Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Lichess ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠info@theonozone.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheOnoZone.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    On the ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠, you can download a free ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Study Plan Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wordy Chess Book List⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, as well as find out more about Ono's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ who supported this episode: MatthewKCanada | Brett | Nate Glissmeyer | Laura Holmes | Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

    Thanks to Ben Johnson for coming on the podcast, my wife Yara for being the other half of TheOnoZone, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

    Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening!
  • Ono Another Chess Podcast

    #6 Ono + Yara: Being Married to a Chess Player (with Ono's wife)

    24/11/2023 | 1h 8 mins.
    Ono (⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠) talks to Yara about being married to an Adult Improver as a non-chess player. Yara is Ono's wife and they share life, parenthood and a chess business (TheOnoZone) together. Yara + Ono talk about their experiences with chess in their family, as well as general emotion regulation, shame and community in chess.

    On this episode:
    (01:54) What Yara loves most about chess

    (02:33) Why Yara doesn't play chess

    (03:30) What it's like being married to a chess player

    (05:15) When Ono got beaten by Yara

    (07:11) Rating goals - good or bad?

    (13:01) Should all chess coaches be masters?

    (16:56) Striving for excellence vs perfection

    (18:35) Self-improvement for chess improvement

    (21:32) How to overcome shame in chess

    (25:23) Why community kills shame

    (28:47) Why does chess make you feel so much

    (30:56) Are you super smart when you play chess?

    (34:18) Addiction + other coping mechanisms

    (38:40) Compassionate chess improvement

    (41:15) Does emotion belong at the chessboard?

    (45:07) Why you should not repress shame

    (46:43) Why your life shows up in your chess

    (49:17) Ono's chess journey in 2023

    (54:40) Ono's rating goals + rating

    (58:03) Ono's birthday request to you

    (58:50) Ono does not want his son to play chess

    (01:01:56) Yara's wish: happy chess improvement

    Come talk with Yara + Ono in the Zoom Hangout on Friday, December 1st @19:30 UTC!
    Sign up for the free 7-day trial on ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get the Zoom link.

    Episode links:

    Episode #5 Sara Herman

    Episode #3 Ché Martin

    Brené Brown (specifically her TED talk on vulnerability)

    Eckhart Tolle

    chessfeels podcast

    Gabor Maté (specifically his book on addiction: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts)

    @ChessVonDoom

    Russell Brand - Recovery

    Kristin Neff - Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself

    Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind (Ono’s favourite book)

    I Hate Winning (TheOnoZone blog)

    Alex Crompton on spaced repetition

    Ben Johnson Came To My (Chess) Birthday Party (TheOnoZone blog)

    Has Chess Ruined My Life? (TheOnoZone blog)

    Contact Yara:

    If you're a female entrepreneur wanting to start or grow your online business, you can email Yara at yara.vossebelt@gmail.com (first Zoom call is free).

    Follow TheOnoZone:
    Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Lichess ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheOnoZone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠info@theonozone.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheOnoZone.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

    On the ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠, you can download a free ⁠⁠⁠⁠Study Plan Template⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠Wordy Chess Book List⁠⁠⁠⁠, as well as find out more about Ono's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Adult Improver chess coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠ + ⁠⁠⁠⁠book a free trial lesson with Ono⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Thanks to ⁠⁠⁠⁠TheOnoZone Patrons⁠⁠⁠⁠ who supported this episode: Laura Holmes | Marcus Buffett | Dan Bock | Dawn Lawson | Glen G | Mikey Wells | Michael Shpizner | Karen W | Gregory C | BowiE | Stefan K | Ché Martin | Andrew M | Ben Johnson

    Thanks to my wife Yara for coming on the podcast, Ché Martin for creating the legendary intro, and Zach Shpizner for applying his audio engineering skills to this episode.

    Make sure to follow Ono Another Chess Podcast on your favourite podcast app + give us a 5-star rating if you like it. Thanks for listening!
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About Ono Another Chess Podcast
In Ono Another Chess Podcast, Ono (@TheOnoZone) talks to Adult Improvers, chess celebrities, his chess coaching students + himself about all things chess - like chess culture, adult chess improvement, online + OTB. Ono is an Adult Improver, Chess Blogger, Chess Podcaster + Chess Coach for Adult Improvers <1600 FIDE. New episodes every other Thursday. Join the conversation in The Online Chess Club. Start your 14 day free trial: TheOnoZone.com/club Free trial chess lesson: TheOnoZone.com/coaching Ono's Chess Toolkit: toolkit.theonozone.com Contact: info@TheOnoZone.com
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