This week we are joined by a legend of Norwegian Chess, GM Simen Agdestein. GM was the first Norwegian Grandmaster, a childhood trainer of Magnus Carlsen, and is a nine-time champion of Norway, who holds the record of being both the country’s youngest and oldest national champion, after winning the title again this year at age 56. As if these feats weren’t impressive enough, at the time Simen was around his chess peak (#16 in the world) he was also a star football/soccer player, who played striker on Norway’s national team! With such an accomplished resume, one might think things have been easy for Simen, but that has been far from the case. As he discusses in our interview, injuries derailed his chess and football careers simultaneously, and SImen was forced to reassess everything. In our conversation, Simen shares what his vast life experience has taught him about life and chess improvement. Simen also discusses the current chess scene in Norway, and of course, tells plenty of stories about what it was like to coach a young Magnus Carlsen.
Thanks to our Presenting Chess Education Sponsors, Chessable.com Here are a few of their Magnus related courses:
Fight Like Magnus
Grind Like a GM
Magnus Carlsen: Endgame Virtuoso
You can check out my favorite courses here:
You can check out some of my recommended courses here: https://go.chessable.com/perpetual-chess-podcast/
0:02- GM Agdestein reflects on his recent, record-setting National Championship. How does the feeling of this one compare to prior championship wins? How did he prepare for this one?
Mentioned: GM Judit Polgar’s Interview with GM Judit Polgar, IM Elham Abdrlauf, GM Jonathan Speelman’s Chessbase column about Simen’s recent win, SImen’s book
15:00- How does Simen structure the chess study time at his famed chess institute for talented chess players?
Mentioned: GM Aryan Tari, GM Magnus Carlsen, Magnus Carlsen on The Lex Fridman Podcast
22:00- What stood out about Magnus in his early years?
Mentioned: GM Torbjorn Ringdal Hansen
27:30- Patreon mailbag question: “Are the live TV broadcasts attracting new tournament players?”
31:30- How did Simen become a GM with so little chess infrastructure in Norway at the time?
35:00- Does Simen think he was more talented in chess or in football?
37:00- Simen tells how injuries derailed his football and chess careers simultaneously.
Mentioned: Chess.com’s Tarjei Svensen
44:00- Why did Simen turn down a lucrative professional football offer from the Turkish club Besiktas?
45:30- How did Simen recover from the physical and mental setbacks in his mid 20s?
49:00- When Simen reflects on his 20s does he think of chess or soccer first?
52:00- Why did Simen turn down a lucrative football contract with a Turkish pro club in his 20s?
55:00- What does SImen remember about a young Alexei Shirov coming to visit his house?
57:00- What was it like facing Kasparov?
1:00:00- What are Simen’s memories of Kasparov’s visit to Norway to work with Magnus at age 14?
1:04:00- More Magnus stories!
1:07:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What is the proper way to determine a world champion in chess?”
1:12:00- Why does Simen advise to “always take pieces?”
1:16:00- Thanks so much to Simen for joining the pod! You can learn more about his experience coaching Magnus in his book:
https://www.amazon.com/Magnus-Carlsen-Became-Youngest-Grandmaster/dp/9056914375
And keep an eye out for the forthcoming book, The Chess That Was
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EP 292- Adult Improver Karen Boyd on What She Learned from a Busy Summer of Tournament Chess, and Why she Always "Plays Up" Against Tougher Competition
Bonus Pod- How to Chess Podcast- How to Approach Studying the Endgame with GM Sahaj Grover
EP 291- GM Alex Fishbein on Maintaining a Passion for Chess into One's 50s, (Plus great Korchnoi and Tal stories.)
Bonus Pod - Dispatches from the Chennai Olympiad with GM Axel Bachmann and Mr. Dodgy of Chessable
EP 290- Dutch Trainer and Author IM Jeroen Bosch on How to Build an Opening Repertoire
Book Recap #28- Chess Tactics from Scratch by FM Martin Weteschnik- A Great Intermediate Level Tactics Guide
EP 289- Tony Ballard- A Convicted Felon on How Chess has Changed His Life
Bonus Pod- GM Andrii Baryshpolets on Why He is Running For FIDE President
Breaking News Bonus Pod- Chess24 Reporter Tarjei Svensen on Magnus' Decision not to Defend his Title
EP 288- GM Peter Heine Nielsen Takes us Behind the Scenes of the 2012 World Championship Match between Anand and Gelfand
EP 287- GM David Howell joins for a FIDE Candidates Wrap Up plus World Championship Match Scuttlebutt, and his 2022 OTB and Commentating Plans
Book Recap #27 - GM Yasser Seirawan's Play Winning Chess
EP 286- Adult Improver Dr. Nicholas Vasquez on How and Why he Finally Got Serious about Chess Improvement
FIDE Candidates Round 12 Update- IM Christof Sielecki on Nepo's Dominance, Alireza's Struggles and the Tight Battle For 2nd Place
EP 285- IM Irina Bulmaga on her New Chess Training Regimen, the best Open Tournaments in Europe, and her Current Chess Goals
FIDE Candidates Round 6 Update- GM Jonathan Tisdall on the tournament so far
EP 284- GM Eugene Perelshteyn and FM Nate Solon on How to Improve Your Chess Evaluation Skills plus the lessons we can learn from Magnus' blitz games
EP 283- Top Trainer GM R.B. Ramesh on How to Improve Your Chess Calculation, and the keys to GM Praggnanandhaa’'s success
EP 282- 2022 FIDE Candidates Preview Double Episode with GM Robert Hess and Tai Pruce Zimmerman of the Chess by the Numbers Blog
EP 281- Dr. Stuart Margulies tells the story behind the classic, best-selling book, Bobby Fischer Teacher Chess
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