Premier Chess: Conquer the Game; Master Your Life

Milestone 200th Episode with "Chess Gladiator" FIDE Master Asa Hoffmann

March 14, 2022 National Master Evan Rabin, CEO of Premier Chess
Premier Chess: Conquer the Game; Master Your Life
Milestone 200th Episode with "Chess Gladiator" FIDE Master Asa Hoffmann
Show Notes

In our Milestone 200th Episode, I have the honor and privilege of conversing with the "Chess Gladiator" FIDE Master Asa Hoffmann. He is known as "the sparring partner of champions, with a peak regular rating of 2471. He was portrayed in the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer by actor Austin Pendleton.  He recently published his autobiography The Last Gamesman: My Sixty Years of Hustling Games in the Clubs, Parks and Streets of New York.

We speak about playing chess with Marcel Duchamp,  computers' effect on the rising number of prodigies, playing Bobby Fischer for $3/game, Fischer's individualist legacy, his recollection of the 1972- Fischer-Spassky match, his potrayal in Searching for Bobby Fischer, his interview in  Bobby Fischer Against the World, meeting Henry Kissinger, his friendly rivalry with our 112th Podcast Guest "Iron Man" International Master Jay Bonin, questions from our special guest International Master Yaacov Norowitz, Trompowsky Attack theory, ways to deal with intimidation, the ideal opponent, playing an assortment of games at the Fleahouse, poker, and more.