GM Melik Khachiyan is a top player and former chess Olympian. He is also a trainer who has taught many future GMs and has coached the US Women’s national team for many years. Despite his many successes, Melik had never won a US Championship of his own…until this year. In 2023, Melik beat out many higher-rated U.S. legends to comfortably win the U.S. Senior Championship! In our conversation, Melik takes us behind the scenes of the games and opening preparation, and his training regimen during the weeks leading up to the tournament. Melik thinks that he was propelled to victory by a couple of decisions in particular: 1) a focus on physical fitness and 2) his staying active in competitive chess. Melik always has lots of chess knowledge to impart, but his recent successes highlight the importance of perseverance, both at and away from the board. And of course, as GM Levon Aronian’s childhood coach, and a former student of World Champion Tigran Petrosian, Melik always has a few stories to share. You can find timestamps of topics discussed below.
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My prior interview with Melik:
Episode 64 with GM Melik Khachiyan
0:00- Melik explains the story behind his last-minute invitation to the U.S. Senior Championship.
5:00- What did Melik do to change his chess training and fitness routine leading up the tournament?
Mentioned: Khachiyan-Root 2023
12:00- Patreon mailbag question- “How has Melik’s tournament approach changed over the years?”
20:00- Did Melik gain an edge over his competitors by continuing to compete?
Mentioned: GM Alex Fishbein
25:00- Patreon mailbag question: Has Melik changed his opening repertoire in recent years?
30:00- What was the story behind Melik’s game with Dlugy which began with the unusual sequence 1. Nf3 c5 2. C3 ? Melik also discusses his unusual preparation for GM Patrick Wolff
Mentioned: Khachiyan-Dlugy 2023, Khachiyan-Wolff 2023
39:00- What does Melik do to deal with sleep problems that occur during tournaments?
42:00- What are Melik’s memories of competing in the 1996 Olimpiad in Yerevan, with his then student FM Levon Aronian, also on the Armenian team?
44:00- In my recent interview with GM Aronian he discussed traveling to tournaments in the cargo department of a plane. What were Melik’s recollections of those rides? What does Melik think Levon learned from growing up so poor?
Mentioned: Episode 341 with GM Levon Aronian
50:00- How was World Champion GM Tigran Petrosian’s table tennis game? What did Tigran think of speed chess?
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EP 351- Steffen Nielsen: The author and award-winning endgame study composer on what makes a good chess puzzle, and whether endgame studies are good for your chess calculation.
EP.350- CM Can Kabadayi: A self-taught Candidate Master and Cognitive Scientist on Calculation, The Chess Aging Curve and his Favorite Chess Books
EP 349- Dr. Anique de Bruin: Deliberate Practice and the Science of Chess Learning
Book Recap #33- Think Like a Super GM and Strategic Chess Exercises: 2 Great Books for Intermediate Level and Up (with Dr. Michael Franco)
EP 348- ALTO Tournament Report- Two Participants on What they learned and Experienced at an Adult Only Weekend Tournament in Charlotte
EP 347- GM Gregory Kaidanov on The Return of Hans Niemann, FIDE World Cup Reflections & The Differences Between Adult and Youth Chess Students
EP 346- NM Todd Bryant Shares his Data on the Most Accomplished Adult Improvers in recent US Chess History, plus Discusses his Own Approach to Chess Enjoyment & Improvement
EP 345- WFM Maaike Keetman on The Best Open Tournaments in Europe, The Chess Steps Method & Chessable's Create Your Own Course Contest
Bonus Pod- FIDE World Cup Update- Magnus and Fabiano on a Collision Course? Featuring CM Vjekoslav Nemec and IM Michael Rahal reporting from the tournament in Baku.
EP 343- Rating Deflation Roundtable- Statistician Jeff Sonas and Data Scientist FM Nate Solon discuss FIDE’s Proposed Changes to their Rating System, Plus Historical Chess Nuggets from Jeff’s Grea
EP 342- GM Simen Agdestein: The Norwegian Chess Legend on Coaching Young Magnus, Life as a Pro Footballer, and What he Learned from Career-Altering Injuries
Book Recap #32- GM Rowson's Chess for Zebras a classic book that tackles the challenges of adult improvement, and the differences between playing White and Black (with guest co-host, Professor David
EP 341-Double Episode! GM Levon Aronian on The Global Chess League, How to Better Promote Chess, and Reflections on his Bumpy Ride to the Chess Elite + Global Chess League Chairperson Jagdish Mitra on
Bonus Pod- Jen Shahade joins for a FIDE Women's World Championship Wrap Up
EP 340- FIDE World Cup Preview with Mr. Dodgy- The Best Tournament of the Chess Year starts Sunday! Magnus looks for his first World Cup Win, and Hikaru, Fabiano, and a host of Challengers hope to Ear
EP 339- WGM Anna Zatonskih: The Four-Time US Women’s Champion Shares the Story Behind Earning Her First GM Norm at age 44!
Bonus Pod- The FIDE Women's World Championship is at the Halfway Point: American Chess Olympian WGM Begim Tokhirjonova joins to discuss it
EP 338- Dr. Daniel Simons and Dr. Christopher Chabris- Two Award Winning co-authors and Professors on Growth Mindset, Cheating in Chess, Chess Improvement & Much more!
EP 337- NM Nate Shuman- A Scholastic Champion on How Mindfulness Practices Helped Him & Can Help All Competitive Chess Players
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