Show Notes
Michael Duke (better known as Mr. Dodgy, or @chessproblem on X) is a Chessable author, the co-founder of Chessfam, and co-host of the Chicken Chess Club podcast. He has built a large online following through his passion for chess and his sharp sense of humor. But aside from the jokes, Michael has become more serious about improving his own game.
With a FIDE rating just shy of 2100, Michael was frustrated that he consistently performed much better in rapid than in classical chess. In order to change that, he sought out GM Alex Colovic for coaching after trying several instructors. He worked to address the biggest weaknesses in his game, including lazy calculation and overly ambitious opening choices. The work paid off as he defeated a grandmaster for the first time at age 38 and later held GM David Howell to a draw in a rapid game.
In our conversation, Michael shares what he learned about improving as an adult, why his rapid results have always been better than his OTB results, and the practical changes that helped close the gap.
We also discuss Chessfam, the ambitious new platform he co-founded to make finding and entering chess tournaments easier, as well as his observations from the recent European Chess Union Congress and the upcoming FIDE presidential election. (Please note this interview was recorded before Arkady Dvorkovich withdrew from the race.)
As always, timestamps for all topics discussed are below.
00:04 Introduction to Mr. Dodgy
02:51 Chess Improvement Deep Dive and Dodgy’s recent achievements
Mentioned: GM Alex Colovic’s Substack
05:42 Lessons from Grandmaster Alex Colovic
GM Alex Colovic- How to Become a Grandmaster
https://www.quora.com/How-did-you-become-a-grandmaster/answer/Alex-Colovic?share=55b455d3&srid=hY2IT
08:49 Strengths and Weaknesses in Rapid vs Classical Chess
11:52 Opening Strategies and Learning Approaches
GM Alex Colovic’s Suggestions for the Alapin-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6K0YFRN20U
14:38 Daily Practice and Calculation Work
17:49 Patreon Mailbag Question: Can We Expect another Mr. Dodgy Chessable course?
20:33 Recommended Resources for Improvement
Mentioned: Improve Your Chess Calculation by GM RB Ramesh, Think Like a Super GM by GM Michael Adams and Philip Hurtado, Perfect Your Chess by GM Volokitin and IM Grabinsky
25:20 Exploring Diverse Thinking in Chess
26:15 Influential Players and Their Styles
27:21 Dodgy's Grandmaster Victory Story
30:19 Chess Party: A Unique Event Experience
35:45 Introducing Chess Fam: A New Chess Platform
Mentioned: Sligo International, Maia Chess Festival, Sitges International
39:55 The Business Model Behind Chess Fam
43:54 Navigating New Skills in Chess Fam
48:01 Getting Involved with Chess Fam
48:26 The Need for Chess Tournament Reviews
50:43 Creating a Welcoming Environment for New Players
52:39 The Rise of Casual Chess Events
54:07 Insights from the ECU Congress
55:40 Understanding the Role of the ECU
59:00 The Future of European Chess
Mentioned: GM Peter Arnaudov from ModernChess.com, Business Meets Chess & Kids & GM Pontuss Carlsson
01:05:07 FIDE Elections and the Importance of Term Limits
Thanks to Mr. Dodgy for joining! Here are links to his stuff:
Chessable-
https://www.chessable.com/courses/s/dodgy/
Chessfam-
Photo in thumbnail by David Llada
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