IM Greg Shahade on Why Pro Chess is Flourishing, Trivia Mastery & The Rise of the Next Generation

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IM Greg Shahade was the very first guest of Perpetual Chess and has remained a frequent and insightful contributor ever since. A former youth national champion, Greg has subsequently been involved in the chess world in an array of capacities —founder of the US Chess School (which provides free training to top American juniors), creator of the now-defunct Pro Chess League, and a near-2800-rated blitz player on Chess.com who has maintained his level well into his 40s. A former poker pro, Greg has more recently become a trivia whiz to boot. But which is harder to improve at—trivia or chess? In this wide-ranging conversation, we catch up on Greg’s many interests, get his take on events like the E-Sports World Cup and Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas, and hear his thoughts on the continued ascension of the next chess generation. It’s always a treat to hear Greg’s takes on the ever-evolving chess landscape. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.

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0:00- Will Greg learn GM Jan Gustafsson’s Chessable course?

0:05- Patreon mailbag question: Greg followed the E-sports World Cup (EWC) closely- what were his impressions of it?

0:09- Why Greg loves classical chess!

0:12- Back to the EWC

0:16- What did Greg think of the recent Freestyle tournament in Las Vegas?

21:00- The US Chess School- are kids good at chess?

30:00- The benefits of the daily chess format

36:00- Why did Greg decide to become good at trivia? Is it harder to improve at then chess?
https://gregshahade.wordpress.com/2023/01/31/1-5-years-of-trivia-total-n00b-to-learnedleague-group-a/

44:00- Patreon mailbag question: Greg seems like a happy and positive person- has that come easy to him or has he had to work at it?

47:00- Patreon mailbag question: Greg sings a song!(briefly)

48:00- As another friend of FM Donny Ariel’s, does Greg think he can make GM? Could Greg make GM?

53:00- Patreon mailbag question: Does Carlsen’s retirement from the World Championship title hurt his legacy as compared to Kasparov?
Mentioned: Kasparov-Polgar touch-move controversy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT9UhaUIBCY


1:01- Greg discusses his enthusiasm for the Chess.com daily chess league

https://www.chess.com/article/view/join-chess-league


Thanks to Greg for joining me again! You can reach/keep up with him via Chess.com or via X:
https://www.chess.com/member/gregshahade
https://x.com/GregShahade