In Episode 197, I have the pleasure of conversing with Grandmaster Joel Benjamin and Expert Harold Scott, authors of Winning the World Open.
Joel Benjamin won the US Championship three times and happens to be the player with the most World Open first places: six! He is a very successful author of books on chess. His Liquidation on the Chess Board won the Best Book Award of the Chess Journalists of America (CJA), his Better Thinking, Better Chess is a world-wide bestseller, and World Champion Chess for Juniors was published in 2020 to wide acclaim.
Harold Scott is a FIDE Instructor, a chess columnist and a chess teacher and coach in the New York City area.
We speak about suburban dad life, Joel and Harold's mutual passion for The Mets , their favorite classic rock bands, the Memphis chess scene, top chess improvement tips, The Yale University Chess Team, the importance of tactical training, walking around during tournaments, active dfense in the endgame, cheating at the World Open, ways to deal with the pressure of last round situations, the art of opening preparation, the importance of preparation, diet at chess tournaments and more.