Chess with Mustreader

2025 has been a wild year in chess: huge events, big drama, and an insane level of play. So I sat down with GM Felix Blohberger — Austrian Champion, commentator, and content creator — to recap the year and look ahead to 2026. We talk about the dominance of the young generation, the biggest trends in modern chess, and the key events of 2025 — including the World Cup, the Grand Swiss, and the 2026 Candidates. Felix shares his thoughts on the top Candidates favorites and whether Gukesh will keep his crown. As always, we finish with a blitz game — featuring my favorite King’s Gambit. Happy New Year, and enjoy!Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreaderMy X: https://x.com/mustreaderCollabs: [email protected]'s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@febloh Felix's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felixblohberger/ Felix's X: https://x.com/gmblohbergerLinks to what's discussed in the podcast: Felix’s course — King’s Indian: A Complete Repertoire for Black: https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/blohberger_kings_indian_repertoire_vol1_and_2?ref=RF5-TYB55LUOVF Rook endgames series (start here): https://youtu.be/EEESoSw164w?si=zULJ6Ur3_ianQCWi Many thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus 00:00 — Intro 01:29 — What this episode is about 02:08 — Felix’s breakout results: what changed? 04:41 — What separates a GM from a super-GM? 08:28 — Why the new generation dominates 13:06 — Are endgames more important now? 14:03 — Deep prep or broad repertoire? 18:46 — Top GMs are so flexible in openings 20:32 — How many openings do you need as Black? 21:52 — And as White? 22:25 — Mind games in the opening 23:23 — Will 2026 be a draw-fest? 24:57 — Faster formats reduce draws 27:00 — The Candidates lineup surprises 28:42 — Is the rating system broken? 30:20 — Bluebaum: a surprise? 31:30 — Esipenko: the most underrated? 32:14 — Sindarov: the dark horse? 33:13 — Wei Yi: potential world champ? 34:40 — The "Chinese style" in chess 35:42 — Fabi and Giri? 37:32 — Is Hikaru even trying to peak? 40:54 — Isn’t Pragg the best choice? 43:02 — Alireza, Keymer, Abdusattorov, Arjun45:50 — Will Gukesh lose the title? 49:44 — Name this segment in the comments! 50:34 — Does Felix even like bullet? 51:14 — Secret accounts for openings? 52:28 — Does online blitz help your chess? 53:58 — Blitz vs Felix Blohberger PREDICTIONS for CHESS in 2026 | GM Felix Blohberger | PODCAST gm felix blohberger felix blohberger podcast felix blohberger interviewchess podcastchess 2025 recapcandidates tournament 2026chess with mustreader mustreader chess mustreader greg mustreader cwm My name is Greg Mustreader, I am a Candidate Master in chess, an entrepreneur and host of several podcasts. On the Chess with Mustreader channel, I interview top chess players, play against chess AIs, analyze the most interesting chess games and combinations of today and of the past, as well as show you my path in chess and the way I work on my chess improvement (including recaps from the tournaments I play). I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan and travel the world extensively (been to 50 countries). I'm 32 years old, I have a girlfriend, three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese. Don't forget to subscribe! #felixblohberger #chess #chesspodcast #chessnews #candidates2026 #chesswithmustreader #mustreaderchess #gregmustreader #cwm

Today my guest is the chess legend Boris Gelfand — a six-time Candidates participant, winner of the 2009 World Cup, and the 2012 World Championship challenger. We talk about modern chess, the young generation, Magnus Carlsen, and the upcoming 2026 Candidates. Boris also shares how he trains his students and what every chess player must understand about decision-making. Plus stories from his prime years training with Kasparov, and a traditional blitz game at the end!Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreader My DISCORD server: https://discord.gg/bXZN36xb My X: https://x.com/mustreader My channel with podcast highlights: https://www.youtube.com/@CwMClips My referral link to chess.com: https://go.chess.com/mustreader My chess.com club: https://go.chess.com/MustreaderClub Collabs: [email protected] Many thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus 00:00 — Intro 01:13 — What’s happening with modern chess? 04:04 — Modern chess: playing style 06:52 — Boris’s opening repertoire 07:55 — Dubov on World Cup 2025 10:14 — Boris’s goals in chess nowadays 12:22 — Whom does Boris coach? 13:54 — Boris’s training methodology 17:46 — What every chess player MUST understand 19:30 — Two types of chess thinking 22:11 — Solver vs thinker in chess 24:26 — How long will Magnus stay No. 1? 25:32 — Gukesh, Pragg or Arjun? 27:35 — Boris on Fabi’s talent 29:18 — Can Fabi win the Candidates? 30:31 — Is the Candidates system broken? 35:51 — Boris’s prime years 37:03 — "At 40, I worked at least 8 hours a day.” 39:56 — A story about engines 41:34 — THIS is how to use engines 43:33 — Boris still works on chess all day 46:42 — Don’t be a slave to engines 49:39 — Boris on Kasparov 53:59 — Advice for young players 54:33 — Israel Chess Federation scandal 59:52 — Blitz vs Boris Gelfand Boris GELFAND: training with KASPAROV, battling MAGNUS | Podcast boris gelfand boris gelfand podcast boris gelfand interview garry kasparov kasparov training magnus carlsen magnus carlsen preparation how to get better at chess chess improvement improvement in chess chess training chess coaching chess decision making decision making in chess practical chess chess mindset how to analyze chess games how to train in chesschess for beginners candidates tournament candidates 2026 fabiano caruana caruana candidates gukesh praggnanandhaa arjun erigaisi daniil dubovmodern chess chess with mustreader mustreader chess mustreader greg mustreader cwm My name is Greg Mustreader, I am a Candidate Master in chess, an entrepreneur and host of several podcasts. On the Chess with Mustreader channel, I interview top chess players, play against chess AIs, analyze the most interesting chess games and combinations of today and of the past, as well as show you my path in chess and the way I work on my chess improvement (including recaps from the tournaments I play). I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan and travel the world extensively (been to 50 countries). I'm 32 years old, I have a girlfriend, three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese. Don't forget to subscribe! #borisgelfand #garrykasparov #magnuscarlsen #chess #chessimprovement #chesstraining #chesscoaching #chesspodcast #candidates2026 #chesswithmustreader #mustreaderchess #gregmustreader #cwm

Peter’s course on Chess Structures: http://go.chess.com/chessstructures My referral link to chess.com: https://go.chess.com/mustreader Today my guest is Peter Heine Nielsen, the legendary coach who worked behind the scenes for both Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen during their World Championship reigns. We talk about what life inside Team Magnus really looks like, how Magnus’s preparation has changed since he left the World Championship cycle, and whether he plans to return to the fight for the World Title. We also dive into many exciting chess topics: what Peter really thinks about Gukesh, the impact of engines on modern chess, and what the future of chess formats (including Chess960/Freestyle) might look like. Toward the end we also talk about politics in chess — bans on Russian players and the criteria for excluding federations from international events. We close the episode with a fascinating blitz game – don’t miss it! Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreader My DISCORD server: https://discord.gg/bXZN36xb My X: https://x.com/mustreader My channel with podcast highlights: https://www.youtube.com/@CwMClips My chess.com club: https://go.chess.com/MustreaderClub Collabs: [email protected] Peter's X: https://x.com/PHChess Many thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus 00:00 — Intro 01:34 — From Anand to Magnus: all achieved? 04:29 — Have engines replaced chess coaches? 07:08 — Using Vishy’s secrets against him? 12:36 — How big is Team Magnus? 15:54 — Magnus’s training after the World Championship 19:40 — Does Magnus have Chess960 preparation? 23:47 — How Peter trains Magnus 30:39 — Dubov’s ideas for the World Championship 31:53 — Does Peter miss World Championship camps? 35:35 — How strong is Gukesh really? 38:27 — Will anyone dominate like Magnus? 40:20 — How neural networks changed chess 44:21 — Is classical chess basically dead? 51:57 — Will rapid replace classical chess? 55:00 — Do we need a “Total Chess Champion” title? 58:19 — Will Magnus return to the world title? 01:03:44 — Should Russians be banned from international events? 01:06:53 — Russian team at the World Women’s Team Championship 01:13:32 — What criteria should ban a country? 01:19:17 — Should innocent players be punished? 01:30:52 — Blitz game vs Peter Heine Nielsen MAGNUS’S COACH on GUKESH, POLITICS and the FUTURE of CHESS | Peter Heine Nielsen Peter Heine Nielsen peter heine nielsen interviewmagnus carlsen coachanand’s coachMagnus Carlsenchess podcast chess interview chess with mustreader mustreader chess mustreader greg mustreader cwm My name is Greg Mustreader, I am a Candidate Master in chess, an entrepreneur and host of several podcasts. On the Chess with Mustreader channel, I interview top chess players, play against chess AIs, analyze the most interesting chess games and combinations of today and of the past, as well as show you my path in chess and the way I work on my chess improvement (including recaps from the tournaments I play). I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan and travel the world extensively (been to 50 countries). I'm 32 years old, I have a girlfriend, three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese. Don't forget to subscribe! #peterheinenielsen #magnuscarlsen #vishyanand #gukeshdommaraju #peterheinenielsen #chesscoach #classicalchess #chess960 #chess #chesspodcast #chesswithmustreader #mustreaderchess #gregmustreader #cwm

Volen's Alien Gambit course: https://go.chess.com/aliengambit Referral link to chess.com: https://go.chess.com/mustreader Volen’s email for sponsorships: [email protected] If you’ve ever wanted to play totally crazy chess and still win, this conversation with Volen "Witty Alien" Dyulgerov is for you. He explains how he created the Alien and Martian Gambits, why they keep scoring against strong opposition even after “refutations”, and what romantic, sacrificial chess can give to amateur players. We also talk about the dark side of content creation: 30-hour streams, migraines, burnout, and the emotional farewell video where he almost quit chess forever. The episode ends with a gambit tier list and a must-watch Alien Gambit blitz game – don’t miss it! Support Greg on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreader Greg's DISCORD server: https://discord.gg/bXZN36xb Greg's X: https://x.com/mustreader Greg's channel with podcast highlights: https://www.youtube.com/@CwMClips Greg's chess.com club: https://go.chess.com/MustreaderClub Collab with Greg: [email protected] Volen's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Witty_AlienClips Volen's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/witty_alien Videos mentioned in this episode: https://youtu.be/08x2sL7RWjw?si=tXDLVOGfYQwSvHGF https://youtu.be/hCEDjGVPRl4?si=N5ZUHJtJmYekBV4h https://youtube.com/shorts/wdlKuGOvtI8?si=F7XdRK_wF048o5KVMany thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus 00:00 — Intro 1:12 — How Alien Gambit was born 5:56 — What is the Martian Gambit? 7:30 — Witty’s Favorite Chess Gambits 9:45 — How to Play the King’s Gambit? 11:42 — Why You SHOULD Play Romantic Chess 16:44 — Volen’s Farewell Video 25:34 — Witty Streamed 30 HOURS – WHAT? 31:03 — Why Witty’s Family Doesn’t Support Him 32:47 — Content Creation Is Not Easy 35:15 — Does Witty Want to Become a GM? 37:16 — New Gambits From Witty? 37:57 — Tier List for Chess Gambits 49:00 — Mustreader vs Witty Alien: blitz! 59:23 — Something special for the viewers He CREATED the CRAZIEST CHESS GAMBIT | Witty Alien PODCAST improvement in chess chess improvement chess training chess gambits aggressive chess openings fun chess openings alien gambit martian gambit romantic chess kings gambit witty alien witty_alien chess streamer twitch chess chess content creator chess burnout chessable alien gambit chess podcast chess with mustreader mustreader chess mustreader greg mustreader cwm My name is Greg Mustreader, I am a Candidate Master in chess, an entrepreneur and host of several podcasts. On the Chess with Mustreader channel, I interview top chess players, play against chess AIs, analyze the most interesting chess games and combinations of today and of the past, as well as show you my path in chess and the way I work on my chess improvement (including recaps from the tournaments I play). I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan and travel the world extensively (been to 50 countries). I'm 32 years old, I have a girlfriend, three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese. Don't forget to subscribe! #witty_alien #chess #chessimprovement #chessopenings #gambit #aliengambit #romanticchess #chessstreamer #chesspodcast #chesswithmustreader #mustreaderchess #gregmustreader #cwm

Today’s guest is GM Jacob Aagaard — one of the most influential chess coaches and authors in the world. He has worked with players such as Boris Gelfand, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, among many others, and even Magnus Carlsen has studied his books. We talk about the real path to the GM title: what you actually need to do, why so many strong players never get there, and how Jacob’s “four types of thinking” model and views on talent fit in. Jacob also shares a practical training framework and breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of Magnus, Hikaru, Nepo and Fabi — and we finish with a blitz game. Don’t miss it!Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreader My DISCORD server: https://discord.gg/bXZN36xb My X: https://x.com/mustreader My channel with podcast highlights: https://www.youtube.com/@CwMClips My chess.com club: https://go.chess.com/MustreaderClub Collabs: [email protected] Jacob's X: https://x.com/GMJacobAagaard Resources and books mentioned in this episode: https://www.newinchess.com https://killerchesstraining.com Grandmaster Preparation: Calculation — https://amzn.to/3XgbG4Z Grandmaster Preparation: Positional Play — https://amzn.to/48f3Oqk Grandmaster Preparation: Strategic Play — https://amzn.to/4oFrDxx Grandmaster Preparation: Endgame Play — https://amzn.to/49l3urc Grandmaster Preparation: Thinking inside the box — https://amzn.to/44chf87 Matter of Endgame Technique — https://amzn.to/4p53FLS Mastering Chess Exchanges — https://amzn.to/4paU4mT Many thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus 00:00 — Intro 01:34 — Can ANYONE become a GM? 02:55 — Official requirements to become a GM 07:20 — Why most never reach GM 10:17 — 2700 players don’t know BASIC things 21:32 — Four types of chess thinking 28:01 — Hikaru’s strengths & weaknesses 32:33 — Magnus: strengths & weaknesses 35:02 — Why KASPAROV (not Magnus) is the GOAT 44:11 — THIS is Nepo’s biggest strength 45:08 — What makes Fabi special? 48:15 — Dubov, Fabi & real talent 51:02 — Aagaard’s 3-minute training plan 1:00:45 — Blitz against JacobMy name is Greg Mustreader, I am a Candidate Master in chess, an entrepreneur and host of several podcasts. On the Chess with Mustreader channel, I interview top chess players, play against chess AIs, analyze the most interesting chess games and combinations of today and of the past, as well as show you my path in chess and the way I work on my chess improvement (including recaps from the tournaments I play). I live in Almaty, Kazakhstan and travel the world extensively (been to 50 countries). I'm 32 years old, I have a girlfriend, three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese. Don't forget to subscribe!#jacobaagaard #magnuscarlsen #hikarunakamura #chess #chesspodcast #praggnanandhaa #grandmaster #gmtraining #chesstraining #chessimprovement #grandmasterpreparation #nepomniachtchi #fabianocaruana #kasparov #chesstalent #chesscoach #chesswithmustreader #mustreaderchess #cwm