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PODCAST

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement

Dr. Kevin Scull

A podcast dedicated to the journey of adult chess improvement. Each week a guest will join me to discuss what has worked for them, what hasn"t worked as well, and the status of their journey.

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All Episodes

76:22

Ep. 249 Mike (1000 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2026/01/15

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Mike. We talked about his journey, starting from the bottom. He talked about starting at 600 and working his way up by doing tactics, openings, and playing games. Mike discussed his improvement plan, which includes flashcards, Chessbook, and tactics books like Polgar’s Chess Tactics for Champions. He also talked about lessons from his career as a pilot, lessons learned from this podcast, and his improvement plan. This is a great podcast for anyone near the

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96:01

Ep. 248 James (1494 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2026/01/08

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with James about his chess journey. He’s gained 350 points in the last 6 months. We talked about his beginnings in chess going through the lessons on Chesscom. He talked about attending a chess club and preparing to play OTB tournaments. James spoke about different books and resources that have helped him improve. The last six months, James has played a lot of longer time controls online, which he thinks contributed to his OTB ratings rise.Chessiverse Code:

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23:00

Ep. 247 Dr. Scull 2025 Recap - Bonus Episode

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2026/01/05

This week on Chess Journeys, I reflect on 2025. I reflect on the business of the year, my achievements, and the work that I did. I conclude by outlining my hopes for 2026.Chessiverse Code: DrSCULL20 Check out my new Substack: https://substack.com/@drscull My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/ Chessnut Link/Code: Code - KEVINSCULL https://www.chessnutech.com?sca_ref=7643464.HueBIKWTYE Get 20% off GM Noël

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55:43

Ep. 246 Taja (2083 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2026/01/01

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Taja about his recent tournament win at the North American Open. We talked about his journey, starting in 5th grade to his recent transition to adulthood. Taja spoke about his process of taking games one at a time. He talked about the benefits of playing in your own section. We talked about resources that helped him on his journey, and how to break through plateaus.Chessiverse Code: DrSCULL20 Check out my new Substack: https://substack.com/@drscull My

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75:03

Ep. 245 Nick (1650 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/12/25

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Nick. He’s a prolific chess writer on Substack, and a is making his 3rd appearance on Chess Journeys. We discussed his lengthy fall from 1730 to 1511. It was a true pit of despair. Nick talked about losing confidence in his intuition, which caused extensive time trouble. He spoke about working out of the funk, how to use Chessable better, and his analysis of over 3,000 master games. Nick has once again risen into the 1600’s, and we talked about keeping a

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71:13

Ep. 244 Kevin - Angry Iceberg (750 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/12/18

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Kevin, the Angry Iceberg. Kevin picked up chess in May. It was great to chat with someone so close to the beginning of their journey. We talked about resources that he used, and his emphasis on enjoying the journey. Kevin recently attended his first tournament winning 3 out of 5 games. Chessiverse Code: DrSCULL20 Check out my new Substack: https://substack.com/@drscull My Chessable

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63:08

Ep. 243 Drew (1500 Chesscom Rapid)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/12/12

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Drew. He’s trying to balance family, work, running a chess club, and chess improvement. We talked about his start with chess, OTB tournaments, and coaching. We talked about his recent turn to studying tactics and which resources have been working for him. Drew especially recommends the amazing Chess Tactics From Scratch.Chessiverse Code: DrSCULL20 Check out my new Substack: https://substack.com/@drscull My Chessable

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69:08

Ep. 242 J.J. Lang (2100 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/12/04

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with J.J. Lang. J.J. is a chess professional, writing and editing articles for USCF. We discussed a wide range of topics such as his own chess journey chasing 2200 and adult chess improvement. We also chatted about coaching, chess journalism, and podcasting. As always, J.J. brought a lot of interesting and helpful improvement suggestions.Chessfeels podcast J.J. Substack My Chessable

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22:51

Ep. 241 Dr. Scull Reflecting on Reaching 1800 /...

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/12/01

This week I celebrated reaching 1800 USCF and the American holiday of Thanksgiving. In this episode, I reflect on the different aspects of my life that helped me reach 1800. It was a fun episode for me as I reflected on my chess communities, coaches, family, friends, patience, health, and consistency. Hopefully, some of these thoughts will help you with your chess improvement process.My Chessable

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95:55

Ep. 240 FM Nate Solon Returns!

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/11/27

Ep. 240 FM Nate Solon (But beginning and word shitload)This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with FM Nate Solon. We talked about so many interesting topics. We discussed training plans, ratings in life outside of chess, Twitter hot takes, Nate’s substack, and Nate’s new course on the English. We also discussed the importance of health in chess, ChatGPT and chess, and how I can get to 1800. It feels like we had a discussion about everything! Nate’s Free English Course -

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27:46

Ep. 239 Flashback: GM Jesse Kraai Ep. 108

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/11/24

This week’s flashback episode features Jesse Kraai from episode 108. Jesse is of course one of the coaches at the Chess Dojo. In this excerpt, Jesse discusses the importance of game analysis, and he provides resource recommendations.Jesse also addresses whether or not getting a coach needed, and how to deal with setbacks. My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/ Chessnut Link/Code: Code -

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57:36

Ep. 238 NM Forest (2200 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/11/20

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Forest. I’ve known Forest since he was rated 1000 and just recently he crossed 2200 achieving NM! I brought him back on the show to talk about how he did it. He talked about breaking out of plateaus and the study changes and mental changes it took to get there. We talked about his busy life, the important role of parents, and the fun experiences that he’s had outside of OTB chess. Forest has played many chess celebrities such as the Botez sisters, Anna

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21:30

Ep. 237 Endgame Improvement - Bonus Episode

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/11/17

This week on Chess Journeys, I talk about why you should care about endgames and resources to get better. I cover books, Chessable courses, and Youtube videos. I recommend learning some theoretical endings, practical endgame play, and sparring with friends to cement the knowledge. Even if you “don’t get endgame” in your games, trust me this episode is especially for you!My Chessable

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66:41

Ep. 236 Kamryn - Youtuber (2200 Chesscom)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/11/13

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Kamryn. We talked about her busy life, and how she carves out time for chess. We discussed her recent successes moving to 2200 on Chesscom and 1750 USCF. We talked about her path to improvement and her future goals. We also discussed a variety of topics such as making a Chessable course, girls in chess, coaching, and chess improvement. Kamryn's Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@kamrynheidi My Chessable

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26:00

Ep. 235 Flashback: GM Noel Studer Ep. 95

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/11/10

This week’s flashback episode features friend of the show Noel Studer. He regularly appears to provide updates on my chess and chess improvement generally. Today’s excerpt comes from his first appearance, episode 95. In the snippet he discusses sticking to a training plan, puzzle book recommendations such The Steps Method books, a puzzle conversation and how many you should get right, and does age matter with chess improvement. The remainder of the episode is full of great chess improvement wisdom

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61:46

Ep. 234 Ryan (1850 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/11/06

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Ryan. He’s trying to balance college, sports, and chess improvement. Ryan has had periods of explosive ratings gain, and he dove into the secrets of his success. He attributes much of his success to playing rapid games, learning his openings, and more recently focusing on endgames. He highlighted Practical Chess Endings by Paul Keres. My Chessable

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28:46

Ep. 233 Dr Scull's San Diego Open Recap - Bonus Episode

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/11/03

This week on Chess Journeys, I recap the San Diego Open. I went 1 win and 3 draws against all higher rated players. It was a good performance and I learned a lot from it.My Chessable Course! https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/ Chessnut Link/Code: Code - KEVINSCULL https://www.chessnutech.com?sca_ref=7643464.HueBIKWTYE Get 20% off GM Noël Studer's courses with Coupon chessjourneys20 The Simplified Chess Improvement System:

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71:34

Ep. 232 Maddie (1950 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/10/30

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Maddie Maddie’s been playing chess since she was a young child. We talked a lot about the kid experience and training. She emphasized that her biggest times of growth occurred when she combined dedication with motivation. Maddie likes to have fun with chess and emphasizes doing what you enjoy. But … it turns out Maddie enjoys working on endgames. We also talked about coaching and her recent tournament success. Maddie brings a fun and positive energy that I’m

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71:23

Ep. 231 Evan - Chess Lobster (2150 USCF)

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/10/23

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Evan, the Chess Lobster. This is his third appearance on the show. You can check out his previous appearances on episodes 48 and 161. We talked about his continual pursuit of the master title. He talked about making simple moves, removing creativity, and focusing on calculation in regular positions. Evan also supplied advice on defeating kids at chess. His most prominent suggestion is to not be intimidated. The kids can smell weakness. Evan also supplied

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22:35

Ep. 230 Flashback: Chris Wainscott (1800 USCF) Ep. 29

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement ·

2025/10/20

This episode of Chess Journeys is an excerpt from Episode 29 featuring Chris Wainscott. Chris is a founding member of the chess punk community with lofty improvement goals. We had a wide ranging conversation covering topics such as chess tactics and resources, why he is studying positional books right now, fighting against the pull of laziness, the importance of playing rather than only studying, and the perils of relying on rating for measuring progress. Trusting the Process. In the rest of the

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249 results

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