Chess with Mustreader

Try ChessReps and start learning chess openings from the best: https://chessreps.com/mustreader

Today I'm joined by GM Oleksandr Bortnyk, one of the world's strongest speed chess players. He shares practical advice on improving at blitz and bullet, explains why even bad openings can work, and discusses why some strong players struggle with faster time controls. We also talk about the best blitz and bullet players in the world, including his views on Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura. Oleksandr shares the harder side of a chess career: the financial challenges of competing below 2700, his difficult childhood, and collecting scrap metal to afford trips to tournaments. We discuss what he wants to achieve next and what he thinks is wrong with the Esports World Cup qualification system. And of course, we finish with a blitz game: I get three minutes, while Oleksandr gets just 30 seconds — the same time odds Daniel Naroditsky gave me when he was on the podcast. Don't miss it!

Oleksandr's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BortnykChess96
Oleksandr's X: https://x.com/BortnykChess
Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreader
My X: https://x.com/mustreader
My channel with podcast highlights: https://www.youtube.com/@CwMClips
Collabs: mazdrid@gmail.com

Many thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus

00:00 — Intro
01:52 — Getting better at speed chess
03:46 — Does Puzzle Rush help?
06:42 — Is speed chess just tactics?
09:14 — Why some struggle at blitz
11:38 — Why ratings can mislead
13:21 — The best blitz players
18:18 — The best bullet players
21:08 — Bullet, blitz, rapid: different styles?
24:06 — Garbage openings work!
25:47 — Arjun's wild opening ideas
27:03 — Magnus's opening experiments
28:15 — Bortnyk's next steps in chess
29:17 — Bortnyk's last project with Naroditsky
32:27 — The best blitz time control
34:08 — Bortnyk's difficult childhood
40:24 — Why Bortnyk chose speed chess
47:14 — Classical chess doesn't pay
49:01 — Would Bortnyk return to classical?
51:45 — Playing for NAVI
52:42 — Chess salaries in esports
57:00 — What's wrong with EWC qualification?
01:02:36 — Blitz vs Bortnyk
01:07:19 — Game analysis

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 33 years old, I’m married, and I have three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese.

Don't forget to subscribe!

#oleksandrbortnyk #magnuscarlsen #blitzchess #bulletchess #grandmaster #chesspodcast #esportsworldcup #chesswithmustreader #chess

Try ChessReps and start learning chess openings from the best: https://chessreps.com/mustreader

Today I'm joined by GM RB Ramesh, one of India's leading chess coaches and the longtime coach of Pragg, Vaishali, Aravindh, and many other GMs. Can any dedicated young player go from 1700 to 2700? Ramesh believes it's possible — but what are you willing to sacrifice to get there? He explains what it takes to reach the top, why training 6-8 hours a day is only part of the commitment, and the habits and values he helps his students develop. We discuss his approach to coaching, how to become a more independent player, and why you need to work on the parts of chess you don't enjoy. Ramesh also shares advice on concentration, confidence, and recovering from losses. And of course, we finish with a blitz game. If you want to improve your chess, don't miss it!

Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreader
My DISCORD server: https://discord.gg/QYX5VcpTBP
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: mazdrid@gmail.com
Ramesh's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RameshRB
Ramesh's X: https://x.com/Rameshchess

Many thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus

00:00 — Intro
01:07 — Can anyone reach 2700?
04:14 — Why so few 2700+ players?
09:27 — Can adult improvers hit 2700?
11:59 — The price of elite chess
17:20 — Sindarov and Counter-Strike
18:12 — Should chess be your life?
22:45 — How Ramesh trains his students
30:49 — How to recover from losses
35:04 — Many GMs are unhappy
37:46 — How to unlock your potential
39:34 — Underrated exercises
45:01 — I’ve meditated all my life
46:33 — How to ignore distractions
49:40 — Building confidence
54:04 — Blitz vs Ramesh
58:09 — Game analysis

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 33 years old, I’m married, and I have three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese.

Don't forget to subscribe!

#rbramesh #praggnanandhaa #vaishali #aravindhchithambaram #chesstraining #chessimprovement #chesspsychology #indianchess #chesspodcast #mustreaderchess

Follow the 100–0 Project:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBulletGrandpa
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thebulletgrandpa

Daniil Dubov, one of the strongest speed chess players in the world and a former World Rapid Champion, is about to play 100 games of 1+0 bullet against amateur Josh Smith, aka BulletGrandpa. The match is part of the 100-0 Project and takes place on November 7 at 12:00 p.m. Arizona time. If Dubov wins all 100 games, he gets $20,000, but if Josh scores even half a point, that drops to $10,000. In this interview, Daniil explains why he accepted the challenge, how he rates his chances of going 100-0, and what he likes about handicap matches. Do you think Josh can score even half a point?

Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreader
My DISCORD server: https://discord.gg/QYX5VcpTBP
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: mazdrid@gmail.com
My previous podcast with Dubov: https://youtu.be/rimjT4Pj3jY

Many thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus

00:00 — Intro
00:50 — Can Dubov win 100-0?
03:36 — Josh needs to wait for...
05:20 — Why Dubov respects Josh
06:10 — Could Magnus or Nihal win 100-0?
07:01 — Nihal’s extreme bullet preparation
07:38 — Esports generation in chess
08:51 — Nihal’s streak gives Dubov hope
09:29 — Guess the exact score for a reward

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 33 years old, I’m married, and I have three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese.

Don't forget to subscribe!

#daniildubov #bulletgrandpa #bulletchess #100zeroproject #chessinterview #chess

Try ChessReps and start learning chess openings from the best: https://www.chessreps.com/

What does Danny Rensch regret about the Hans Niemann controversy? Today I’m joined by Danny, Chess.com’s Chief Chess Officer, to talk about what happened between Hans, Magnus Carlsen, and Chess.com. We discuss why Magnus said he felt gaslit by Chess.com, which parts of Hans’s account Danny disputes, and what he wishes he’d done differently. Danny also talks openly about how the situation affected him, why he was unhappy with Netflix’s Untold: Chess Mates, and what he thinks the film left out. We cover Magnus’s relationship with Take Take Take, why Danny dislikes Reddit, the future of chess, and Chess.com’s ban of Brandon Jacobson (Viih_Sou). And of course, we finish with a blitz game — don’t miss it!

Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreader
My DISCORD server: https://discord.gg/QYX5VcpTBP
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: mazdrid@gmail.com
Danny's X: https://x.com/DanielRensch
Danny's book Dark Squares: https://www.chess.com/darksquares

My previous podcast with Danny: https://youtu.be/E4fGt3MbF0I
My podcast with Brandon Jacobson: https://youtu.be/f06eeiRRT0Q
My podcast with Chess.com CEO Erik Allebest: https://youtu.be/1cCrMcUTDj8
My video about Netflix’s Untold: Chess Mates: https://youtu.be/dCYhSD9Lyec

Listen on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chess-with-mustreader/id1745521337
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mU5WbBXgDklyN3jm6GMSN
All platforms: https://mustreaderchess.mave.digital

Many thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus

00:00 — Intro
01:04 — Magnus, Chess.com & Take Take Take
10:34 — Is Magnus dependent on Chess.com?
18:08 — Netflix’s Untold: "I wasn’t happy"
20:32 — Netflix cut this out
26:11 — Netflix made Chess.com the villain
30:48 — Danny’s regret about Hans
37:30 — Most personal moment
44:36 — Did Chess.com gaslight Magnus?
50:32 — The Chess.com–Hans agreement
53:26 — Why Danny dislikes Reddit
54:39 — Who can challenge Chess.com?
01:00:55 — Chess boom over?
01:03:53 — Brandon Jacobson’s ban (Viih_Sou)
01:06:37 — Can Chess.com get bans wrong?
01:11:52 — More books from Danny?
01:15:08 — Blitz vs Danny Rensch

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 33 years old, I’m married, and I have three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese.

Don't forget to subscribe!

#dannyrensch #hansniemann #magnuscarlsen #chesscom #chesscontroversy #chesspodcast #brandonjacobson #mustreaderchess

Try ChessReps and start learning chess openings from the best: https://www.chessreps.com/

My guest today is Timur Turlov — a billionaire entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., president of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the International School Chess Federation, and now a candidate for FIDE president. We discuss what a FIDE president should be, why every candidate must be willing to answer hard questions, and how Timur is campaigning for the job. He explains how chess can reach a much wider audience, rival tennis commercially, and attract investment from major global brands. We also talk about the other candidates in the race, including one whom Timur addresses directly. On a more personal note, we discuss his love of fantasy books and what it feels like to be the hero of your own story. And of course, we finish with a blitz game: this time, I get one minute and Timur gets five. Don’t miss it!

Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mustreader
My DISCORD server: https://discord.gg/QYX5VcpTBP
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: mazdrid@gmail.com
Timur's X: https://x.com/TurlovforChess

My podcast Jan Henric Buettner: https://youtu.be/rimjT4Pj3jY
My podcast with Vishy Anand: https://youtu.be/ZqHu5seKDrc

Many thanks to my Patreon supporter: Sarterus

00:00 — Intro
00:54 — Timur vs his kids
02:26 — Business during the FIDE race
07:03 — FIDE presidential campaign
11:31 — Competition in the FIDE election
13:33 — How should chess change?
18:10 — Can chess rival tennis?
24:07 — Why brands should sponsor chess
27:15 — The debate incident
29:17 — “Wadim, come debate!”
30:11 — Is Timur a fantasy hero?
36:18 — Timur’s book recommendation
36:53 — Chess = decision-making test
39:36 — Blitz vs Timur

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 33 years old, I’m married, and I have three dogs and four cats. I speak English, Russian, German, and a bit of French and Chinese.

Don't forget to subscribe!

#timurturlov #fide #fideelection #chesspolitics #freedomholding #futureofchess #chesspodcast #chessinterview #mustreaderchess