EP 302- Chess Improvement Q & A with IM Andras Toth- One of YouTube's Best Chess Teachers

This week we are joined by one of the best chess online chess teachers in the world, IM Andras Toth. Andras is an Australia-based Chessable author, YouTube presenter and Twitch streamer. Andras’ background as a teacher enables him to explain chess strategy very clearly, in a no-nonsense style. It had been a while since Andras and I had talked, so it was doubly fun to catch up with him. In our interview, Andras answers tons of listeners' questions related to chess improvement, discusses some favorite recent chess books, and talks about the ups and downs of the life of a chess content creator. It is always fun and informative to talk chess improvement with IM Andras Toth! 

Recorded October 10, 2022 

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0:00- How does Andras manage to avoid discussing chess drama such as the Carlsen/Niemann controversy? 

5:00- What qualities and habits has Andras observed in people who have improved significantly at chess? 

7:00- Why do players sometimes struggle to convey their increased skills to better OTB performance? 

14:00- If study material is not sticking, should one study it multiple times? 

Mentioned: Yusopov Improve Your Chess Series

18:00- Has Andras read any good new chess books? Any suggestions for books about pawn structures? 

Mentioned: How to Chess with Andras Toth , Improve Your Chess Calculation by R.B. Ramesh (Now on Chessable), Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios (also on Chessable), GM Andy Soltis’ Pawn Structure Chess, Winning Chess Middlegames, an Essential Guide to Pawn Structures by GM Ivan Sokolov 

28:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. You can check out all of their latest offerings here: 

https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/

30:00- What would your approach be if you were trying to go from 1700-1900? 

Mentioned: Chess Principles Reloaded by IM Andras Toth, GM Magnus Carlsen on the Lex Fridman Podcast 

37:00- What was it like to work GM Judit Polgar on a Chessable course? 

Mentioned: Master your Chess with Judit and IM Andras Toth 

41:00- How can one better learn to play less materialistically? 

44:00- Does Andras have recommendations for learning King’s Indian/Benoni structures?  

Mentioned: Lifetime Repertoires: Modern Benoni, Chess Structures by GM Mauricio Flores Rios

LiChess Opening Explorer

50:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess’ algorithm reviews your games and gives you actionable advice on how to improve your game. Check it out for free, and if you choose to subscribe you can use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

Or use this link for the same discount:

https://aimchess.com/try?ref=benjohnson12

51:00- How is Andras’ YouTube channel doing? 

52:00- What videos on his Channel would Andras recommend to someone who has never watched it?

Mentioned: The Amateur’s Mind Series

54:00- Does Andras get tempted to do more “clickbaity” content? What about Twitch clips or videos of him playing blitz? 

1:01:00- What is Andras working on now? 

1:02:00- Thanks to Andras for joining the pod! Here are links to keep up with him:

Twitter- 

https://twitter.com/chesscoachandra?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Chessable- https://www.chessable.com/author/ChesscoachAndras/

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcYZTGsTO5TbCaA1O0wcBzw

Twitch- https://www.twitch.tv/chesscoachandras

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