The Chess Underground

Chess Underground #46: Age of the TikTok attention span

Pete and Gopal explore a new horizon in chess media: Chess Sketch Comedy. Open source… kinda.

Chess Underground #45: New Year, New You

The January 2023 “New Year New You” episode explores undervalued and underrated aspects of chess improvement. What are some areas that chess students overlook? Underrate? Ignore? Hosts Pete Karagianis and Gopal Menon explore not only what it takes, but what you might not realize you should focus on, to get better at the royal game.

Chess Underground #44: Chess Thanks with Gopal

Find out what Pete and Gopal give “Chess Thanks” for on this edition of the Chess Underground. From the mundane and obvious to the deep and pseudo-profound… can you guess the reasons before they do?

Chess Underground EP#43: Julia Rios

The October CU completes it’s quest to seamlessly fuse with the Chessfeels Podcast, as host Pete Karagianis and Gopal Menon sit down with Julia Rios. As wholesome as a Stouffer’s ™ Lasagna, the three discuss chess, wild horses, emo phases, and a hypothetical 24-game chess match between The Dude and Ricky Bobby.

EP #42: ”Do No Harm”

The September edition of the Chess Underground assesses the idea of “Do No Harm,” stemming from an earlier discussion on the podcast. Host Pete Karagianis submits an oath to the Greek Gods of old. Gopal suggests that sometimes, the most important thing is to actively NOT try to improve one’s position.

Plus, a bonus hypothetical matchup between Princess Elsa and the one and only GM Judit Polgar.

Games and articles mentioned on this episode:

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1328830
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1324924
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-art-of-doing-nothing
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-art-of-doing-nothing-part-two
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-art-of-doing-nothing-part-three
https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-art-of-doing-nothing-part-four

EP#41 - ”Bullet Binges, All-Nighters, and TMI”

Chess Underground, with host Pete Karagianis and Gopal Menon, returns in August to discuss some spicy interviews as hot as the Miami heat, chess internet (degeneracy?), mouse slips and slams, pre-moves, FICS and much more. Also, who would win a hypothetical 24-game match between John Wick and the Terminator? "This Month in Chess" also recaps the 2022 Olympiad, including some impressive performances. Enjoy!

Gopal Menon, based out of Chicago, Illinois, is a national master with a peak standard rating of 2394 and blitz rating of 2558. He has more than ten years of coaching experience and is the three-time coach of Illinois high school state champions Whitney Young. He has worked as the second for multiple grandmasters, and has worked for Nikola Mitkov since late 2014.

Follow Gopal on Twitter and read his LiChess blog.

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"Chess Underground" is a monthly US Chess podcast hosted by US Chess Assistant Director of Events NM Pete Karagianis that explores eccentricities, peculiarities, and theoretical novelties. 
 

Listen to the whole family of US Chess podcasts at https://new.uschess.org/podcasts

EP#40 - ”What Makes Your Best Results?”

Chess Underground returns! Pete and Gopal try to answer the question, "What makes your best results?" How do we perform at our best over the board? Can any connections be drawn from anecdotal cases? Also, the two debate a hypothetical chess match between Michael Scott and Andre the Giant. Who will be the king of the ring?

EP#39 - ”He’s a 10, but He Plays the French”

Season 4 of Chess Underground continues with Gopal Menon and host Pete Karagianis. The topics this month include: Shrek vs. Beth Harmon in a 24-game match; a philosophical discussion of chess Twitter; psychology, mind games, and stare-downs; and the return of "This Month in Chess."

Gopal Menon, based out of Chicago, Illinois, is a national master with a peak standard rating of 2394 and blitz rating of 2558. He has more than ten years of coaching experience and is the three-time coach of Illinois high school state champions Whitney Young. He has worked as the second for multiple grandmasters, and has worked for Nikola Mitkov since late 2014.

Follow Gopal on Twitter and read his LiChess blog.

--

"Chess Underground" is a monthly US Chess podcast hosted by US Chess Assistant Director of Events NM Pete Karagianis that explores eccentricities, peculiarities, and theoretical novelties. 

Listen to the whole family of US Chess podcasts at https://new.uschess.org/podcasts

EP #38 - Gopal Menon, ”Chess Variants”

Season 4 of Chess Underground continues with Gopal Menon and host Pete Karagianis, who go deep into some of their favorite -- and least favorite -- chess variants.

Have you ever heard of "Secret Queen"? What happens when 36 pawns meet a chess set? How fast do you have to be to win a game of "Racing Kings"? What’s the best method to detonate a radius of squares? 

Which of the many chess variants get the official seal of approval and which ones will be poo-pooed into the annals of obscurity? Check out the May episode of Chess Underground to find out!

Gopal Menon, based out of Chicago, Illinois, is a national master with a peak standard rating of 2394 and blitz rating of 2558. He has more than ten years of coaching experience and is the three-time coach of Illinois high school state champions Whitney Young. He has worked as the second for multiple grandmasters, and has worked for Nikola Mitkov since late 2014.

Follow Gopal on Twitter and read his LiChess blog.

--

"Chess Underground" is a monthly US Chess podcast hosted by US Chess Assistant Director of Events NM Pete Karagianis that explores eccentricities, peculiarities, and theoretical novelties. 

Listen to the whole family of US Chess podcasts at https://new.uschess.org/podcasts

EP #37 - Gopal Menon, ”What is Chess Most Like?”

Season 4 of Chess Underground is here!

Host Pete Karagianis and Gopal Menon approach the question: "What is chess most like?" The answer(s) may surprise you! Also Pete and Gopal catch up on "This Month in Chess" with a rundown of hot chess news topics from April 2022.

Gopal Menon, based out of Chicago, Illinois, is a national master with a peak standard rating of 2394 and blitz rating of 2558. He has more than ten years of coaching experience and is the three-time coach of Illinois high school state champions Whitney Young. He has worked as the second for multiple grandmasters, and has worked for Nikola Mitkov since late 2014.

Follow Gopal on Twitter and read his LiChess blog.

--

"Chess Underground" is a monthly US Chess podcast hosted by US Chess Assistant Director of Events NM Pete Karagianis that explores eccentricities, peculiarities, and theoretical novelties. 

Listen to the whole family of US Chess podcasts at https://new.uschess.org/podcasts