This week’s guest on Perpetual Chess is the ever popular Commentator, Streamer, YouTuber and traveling chess professional, WGM Dina Belenkaya. Dina is a 4 time Women's champion of St. Petersburg, which is no small feat given her native city's rich chess legacy. These days, Dina is based in France, represents Israel internationally, and competes frequently in various locations. Dina joined me shortly after returning home from the Reykjavik Open, an annual open tournament which is always popular among professionals and amateurs alike. This year several streamers competed and streamed their games, including Dina, Alexandra Botez, Eric Rosen and Simon Williams. In our interview, Dina discusses her recent tournaments, her study regimen, and how she balances streaming, content creation and her competitive chess goals. We also discuss her “chess upbringing” including her study tips and learning methods,and her childhood interactions with GM Anish Giri who was an early chess student of her mother’s. You can find timestamps for all of the topics discussed below.
Professional Chess Player (4 time St. Petersburg Women’s CHampion) Commentator, and
This episode was recorded live on April 7 on Dina’s Twitch stream (before the World Championship started)
02:00- Reykjavik Open- trip report. How did Dina decide to attend and compete along with other streamers such as Alexandra Botez, Eric Rose, Anna Cramling and Simon Williams?
Mentioned: Charlotte Chess Center and Scholastic Academy, Johnson-Belenkaya, Belenkaya-Gajewski 2023, Dina’s YouTube
26:00- What has changed since Dina switched from representing Russia to Israel?
30:00- Who is Dina’s secret chess trainer? What advice does he give her?
Mentioned: GM Brendan Jacobsen, The GM Ran Away From Me
36:00- What will Dina do to work on her chess? Does Puzzle Rush help her calculation abilities?
Mentioned: Puzzle Rush
42:00- What was Dina’s chess upbringing like in the chess mecca of St. Petersburg?
Mentioned: IM Andrey Praslov, Asya Kovalyova (Dina’s Mother), Anish Giri, Endgame Studies 101
50:00- Does Dina remember GM Anish Giri as a kid in St. Petersburg?
1:01:00- What are Dina’s 2023 Chess and Content plans?
1:05:00- Does Dina get nervous when playing OTB games on stream?
1:07:00- Dina trash talks my chess skills (mildly)
1:11:00- If DIna had children would she encourage them to play chess?
1:12:00- Does Dina have a favorite chess “destination” tournament?
Mentioned: Reykjavik Open, Sunway Sitges Open
1:14:00- Thanks to Dina for joining the show!
Check out her YouTube channel here:
Dina’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/thebelenkaya
Dina’s Twitch channel:
https://www.twitch.tv/thebelenkaya
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dinabelenkaya/?hl=en
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/DinaBelenkaya
If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess, you can do so here:
https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EP 380- FIDE Candidates Wrap Up with GM Erwin L'Ami: Gukesh Ascends as Caruana Suffers a Heartbreaking Setback
EP 379- IM Renier Castellanos on How he Earned the GM Title at Age 41.
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 12 Breakdown (Part 2)- FM Mike Klein on the Player’s Mindsets, Historical Context, and the Alireza Shoe Controversy
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 12 Breakdown (Part 1)- An Epic Finish Awaits, as Naka, Nepo and Gukesh are Tied!
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 10 Breakdown (Part 2)- GM Jan Timman on the tournament so far.
EP 378- Lou Hays- Spending weekends with Fischer and Spassky, Getting to 2100 from Scratch as an Adult, Chess Publishing Then and Now
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 10 Breakdown (Part 1)- Nepo and Gukesh lead Narrowly as Naka and Fabi are in Pursuit
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 7 Breakdown (Part 2)- GM Daniel King on the Tournament So Far
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates Round 7 Breakdown (Part 1)- Nepo and Tan Zhongyi Lead after a Dramatic First Half of the Tournament
EP 377- NM Dan Heisman and NM Laura Smith. Two Accomplished Trainers on Capturing, Counting, and other Chess Concepts To Know
Bonus Pod- FIDE Candidates First 4 Round Breakdown. Nepo leads (As usual). Plus a Fan's Toronto Trip Report
EP 376- Adult Improver Jordan Groff on What it Takes to Make Master in 2024
EP 375- FIDE Candidates Mega Preview with GM Rafael Leitão, Chess by the Numbers, and On the Queenside
EP 374- GM Noel Studer- Chess Improvement Q & A- Avoiding Burnout, Addressing Weaknesses, Avoiding Blunders, & Lots More!
EP 373- Carol Ann Caronia: Advice for Chess Parents & Scholastic Teachers from an Author and Longtime Teacher
EP 372- GM Jan Gustafsson: Learning 1. E4, Life after Team Magnus, Chess Cheating, the FIDE Candidates & more
EP 371- GM Josh Friedel- Common Beginner & Intermediate Mistakes, Freestyle Chess, and Advice for Goal-Setting
EP 370- GM Paul van der Sterren- Breakthroughs, Declines, Mindfulness and the Odyssey of a 20+ Year Professional Career
EP 369- NM Robert Ramirez on the difference between Adult and Youth Chess Students, Chess in Cuba, and Why He Loves the Pirc Defense
EP 368- Erik Allebest (Chess.com CEO)- Online Cheating, The Magnus-Hikaru match that fell through, the Chess24 closure & more
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
That Don‘t Sound Right
Gun Talk
Good Job, Brain!
Adeptus Ridiculous
BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast