This week’s guest on the Adult Improver Series is Matt Biancuzzo. Matt is a 31-year-old New York City consultant who is very active in both the local chess scene and on social media. He has taken full advantage of New York’s many chess opportunities, regularly attending chess gatherings and pub nights while also competing in tournaments locally. Over the past few years he has improved from below 1400 USCF to a peak of over 1800! Matt has worked with multiple coaches, grinded tactics, and consumed countless chess videos, but he credits the majority of his improvement to building a social network that made chess fun for him.
Speaking of fun, Matt has also built a large online following thanks to his hilarious short-form videos. Posting as “byredofantome” on Instagram and “fantomechess” on TikTok, Matt creates impressions and humorous shorts that lightly satirize chess culture. In the second half of our interview, we shift our focus from chess improvement to the story behind Matt’s videos. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out the bonus video check out the bonus video breaking down some of Matt’s best clips here.
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00:00 Introduction to Chess Improvement and Content Creation
04:45- Matt Biancuzzo joins the show! We begin by discussing how he got into chess in college.
13:29 The Role of Community in Chess Improvement
Mentioned: GM Robert Hungaski, IM Denys Shmelov, Alex Pickett, IM Jan van der Mortaal, Jonathan Williams, Pobo Efikoro
18:03 Coaching and Learning Strategies
23:04 The Impact of Online Chess and Content Creation
Mentioned: MaddiePlaysChess, GambitMan
25:00- Getting a chess coach
Mentioned: IM Sam Khanin, IM VIktor Matviishen
28:00 Personal Growth Through Chess
33:14 Final Thoughts on Chess and Community
40:16 The language and habits of chess players
48:55 Content Creation in Chess
Mentioned: Matt’s article about Where to Play Chess in NYC
https://www.chess.com/blog/byredofantome/where-to-play-chess-in-nyc-and-how-to-gauge-a-good-club
POV When you are Prepping for the 2002 World Under 12 Championship:
https://www.instagram.com/byredofantome/reel/DT6A_OHDqTi/
What I learned Playing 130 Chess Tournaments in 2 Years
https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ-fgbeDmHY/
POV You are Spassky in 1971
https://www.instagram.com/p/DTOntmlDlEM/
49:54 The Art of Subversive Commentary
52:06 Impressions and Mannerisms in Chess
Matt’s Yasser/magnus video is here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@byredofantome/video/7240979768525573418?_r=1&_t=ZP-94OfoAItpk7
53:50 Translating Chess for the Average Person
55:15 Inspiration from Online Trends
Mentioned: POV Chess Players Training at the Gym
https://www.instagram.com/p/DRqJ2x_jvKs/
01:03:19 Monetization and Content Creation Challenges
01:05:26 Entrepreneurial Ventures in Chess
01:09:05 Colliding Worlds: Chess and Consulting
01:12:26 The Nature of Content Creation and Recognition
Matt’s linktree is here: