Dojo Talks: A Chess Podcast

The Chess Dojo's annual Junior Draft is back! Jesse, David, and Kostya review last year's results, debate the world's most promising young chess talents, and draft their picks for 2026. 

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Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips

00:00 – 2025 Draft Results
09:27 – Biggest Winners and Disappointments
14:25 – Jesse's Winning Strategy
29:47 – The 2026 Junior Draft Begins
43:12 – Drafting the Top Female Juniors
54:28 – Betting on Young Talent
1:04:29 – Trades and Roster Changes
1:18:13 – Final Teams and Predictions

Jesse, David, and Kostya preview the 2026 Chess Olympiad, breaking down the top contenders, Team USA, dark horses, board orders, and the notable players missing from the event.

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Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you.

Website: https://chessdojo.club
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo
Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo
Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo
Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips

00:00 – Olympiad Predictions
09:00 – The Top Contenders
18:00 – India’s Big Challenge
27:00 – Breaking Down Team USA
36:00 – Dark Horses to Watch
45:00 – Board Order Strategy
55:59 – Why Top Players Are Skipping
1:02:33 – Final Thoughts & Predictions

The ChessDojo sensei reconnect after a busy summer to recap recent tournament runs, European travels, behind-the-scenes FIDE election politics, and updates across the Dojo.

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Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo
Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip

Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo

Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you.

Website: https://chessdojo.club
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo
Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo
Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo
Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips

00:00 - Summer Catch-Up
01:35 - Tournaments & Prodigy Records
06:40 - US Senior Championship
13:50 - European Tour & FIDE Politics
19:57 - The GM Quest Reality
23:42 - 45-Minute Classical Time Controls
26:15 - 2700 Blitz Peak & Dojo Camp

For our milestone 200th episode of Dojo Talks, we are joined by Grandmaster and long-time second to Magnus Carlsen, Peter Heine Nielsen!  The sensei and Peter discuss the upcoming 2026 FIDE Presidential election. 

Join the Dojo - https://chessdojo.club
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Want to support the channel?
Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo
Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip

Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo

Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you.

Website: https://chessdojo.club
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo
Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo
Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo
Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips

00:00 - Election Intro
02:54 - FIDE Voting System
07:54 - Secret Ballots & FIFA
18:59 - Two-Term Limit Drama
33:15 - The New Candidates
1:03:47 - Coaching Magnus & Freestyle Chess

GM Jacob Aagaard joins Dojo Talks for a deep conversation on chess books, AI, coaching, and the future of chess improvement.

Join the Dojo - https://chessdojo.club
Watch Live - https://twitch.tv/chessdojo
Play Chess - https://go.chess.com/chessdojo

Merch - https://www.chessdojo.club/shop

Want to support the channel?
Patreon - https://patreon.com/chessdojo
Donate - https://streamelements.com/chessdojo/tip

Find all of our chess book & supplies recommendations (& more!) on our Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/chessdojo

Shopping through our link is a great way to support the Dojo. We earn a small affiliate % but at no cost to you.

Website: https://chessdojo.club
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/chessdojo
Discord: https://discord.gg/GhKsJtjpFw
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chessdojo
Patreon: https://patreon.com/chessdojo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chessdojo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chessdojo
Podcast: https://chessdojotalks.podbean.com
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@/chessdojoclips

00:00 Jacob Aagaard's Publishing Journey
07:09 The New Dvoretsky Book Collection
12:18 Are Chess Books Still Relevant?
27:25 Deep Work vs. Digital Learning
39:33 AI, Chess, and the Future of Learning
50:19 Why Great Chess Coaches Still Matter
56:05 Why Beginner Chess Books Are Too Hard