Is it possible to continue to get better at chess once you hit your 50s?
The Adult Improver Series returns, and that’s one of the central questions I explore with today’s guest, long-time friend of the pod and fellow chess podcaster
Dr. Kevin Scull. Kevin is the host of the popular
Chess Journeys podcast, where he interviews adult chess improvers on a weekly basis. In our conversation, he shares insights drawn from hundreds of interviews, as well as from his own dedicated pursuit of tournament chess. We discuss:
- How Kevin managed to reach a new all-time rating high of over 1800 USCF in his early 50s
- The social and competitive benefits of adult-only tournaments
- Whether struggling to remember your games afterward means you’re hopeless at chess
As you’d expect, Kevin also shares a wealth of chess resource recommendations and practical improvement tips, and reflects on nearly five years of producing Chess Journeys. Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series Website:
https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/adultimprover Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series Spotify Playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=ab7ba68225fb43dc 0:00- Thanks to Chessable, check out Kevin’s course here:
https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/ 0:01- Kevin joins the pod. How did he achieve a new rating high of 1800+ USCF in his early 50s? 0:08- Why Kevin particularly enjoys adult and senior-only tournaments 18:00- Kevin’s recent chess improvement realizations Mentioned:
Karpov’s Strategic Wins by IM Tibor Karolyi 23:00- The benefits of having a coach Mentioned: NM Gopal Menon
https://lichess.org/streamer/vitamixbrand 28:00- More chess improvement secrets! Mentioned:
100 Tactical Patterns You Must Know The Carlsbad Pawn Structure Revisited Chess Structures 32:00- Is Kevin hopeless at chess because he can’t remember his games? Post- Am I bad at chess or our brains really that different?
https://drscull.substack.com/p/am-i-bad-at-chess-or-are-brains-really Playing a Chess Tournament without Calculating
https://substack.com/@drscull/p-185151203 43:00- What is new with the Chess Journeys Podcast and Kevin’s Streaming? Check at Chess Inception at
Chesspuzzle.net https://chesspuzzle.net/Inception 47:00- Patterns that Kevin sees in successful improvers 50:00- What has Kevin learned from watching his daughter pursue chess? 53:00- Kevin’s review of IM Danny Rensch’s Dark Squares 54:00- How to recalibrate expectations as you get older 56:00- The value of studying random positions Thanks to Kevin for joining me! Blog/substack here:
https://substack.com/@drscull/posts Chess Journeys Podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1kNbZLQE6JvbAyfOlv7ZNY?si=4b82e81608c24743&nd=1&dlsi=1afd66a98e904dc7 Chessable course:
https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/
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