ChessDojo’s GM Jesse Kraai is always one of my favorite people to talk chess with, yet somehow it had been five years since his last visit to the pod. Jesse returned at a great time, having been both studying and competing actively, and recently achieving his goal of qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Senior Closed Championship. His recent over-the-board activity provided a springboard for us to discuss a wide range of topics, including:
<ul>
 <li>
How he has learned to confront his fears in tough, “meat-grinder” weekend tournaments
</li>
 <li>
Why he believes weight training—and even certain health supplements—are important for older players, and may be the next frontier for professionals as well
</li>
 <li>
How the ChessDojo curriculum and philosophy have evolved in recent years
</li>
</ul>
I am also a big fan of Jesse’s book reviews on the ChessDojo YouTube channel, so I couldn’t let him go without sharing a few recommendations. We even closed the conversation by discussing Intermezzo, a recent novel by award-winning Irish writer Sally Rooney. I always admire Jesse’s dedication to improvement, and it’s a pleasure to hear his thoughtful perspectives on chess and beyond. Approximate timestamps of topics discussed are below.
0:02- Does Jesse ever find it hard to stay motivated to keep studying and reading chess books? 
0:03- Reflections on Jesse’s recent tournaments
0:05- What are the keys to GM Alex Fishbein’s recent success? 
0:09- What does Jesse do to work on his own chess?
Mentioned: Jesse’s review of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turbo-Charge-Your-Tactics-Drive-Improvement/dp/B0CPHYPGCQ">TurboCharge Your Tactics</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLBMmqk8an0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLBMmqk8an0</a>
Also Mentioned: 
Perfect Your Chess
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Your-Chess-Ukrainian-Authors/dp/1915328063/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KXGHHH199SMQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.XJTzNVQ4N6jtqAJlUh5KzvNBpaX4Cs6DkIe2E-15eIhEw6YsZYPA5HdNzRFsEzgzHHBYkJjSSdBddTS1PPcTP6iRXtOUrqULwf5Sc2JQUMHafGmhNIGcuYGQ8MyXxIkQhoxaHmbKuO0u94ls6vl8vhiehM-UnVvrZ17ce4FPjsd3ho3b08KJh-vPw89-SF0ccgo36HEXf7zwi__wKMmX8iO1_7DXOTHH5Pk9OgLrBUA.kPo0CC2fg8nMzpfrIKoCIvkTyNUwFvqAT7-k0iXzEmI&dib_tag=se&keywords=perfect+your+chess&qid=1756510333&sprefix=Perfect+Your+Chess%2Caps%2C267&sr=8-1">https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Your-Chess-Ukrainian-Authors/dp/1915328063/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KXGHHH199SMQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.XJTzNVQ4N6jtqAJlUh5KzvNBpaX4Cs6DkIe2E-15eIhEw6YsZYPA5HdNzRFsEzgzHHBYkJjSSdBddTS1PPcTP6iRXtOUrqULwf5Sc2JQUMHafGmhNIGcuYGQ8MyXxIkQhoxaHmbKuO0u94ls6vl8vhiehM-UnVvrZ17ce4FPjsd3ho3b08KJh-vPw89-SF0ccgo36HEXf7zwi__wKMmX8iO1_7DXOTHH5Pk9OgLrBUA.kPo0CC2fg8nMzpfrIKoCIvkTyNUwFvqAT7-k0iXzEmI&dib_tag=se&keywords=perfect+your+chess&qid=1756510333&sprefix=Perfect+Your+Chess%2Caps%2C267&sr=8-1</a>
12:00- ChessDojo and Jesse’s fitness regimen
Jesse’s IG post here:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMqT1jOuxcK/">https://www.instagram.com/p/DMqT1jOuxcK/</a>
Check out Dr. Nick Vasquez’s blog here:
<a href="https://nickvasquezmd.substack.com/p/clearing-the-fog">https://nickvasquezmd.substack.com/p/clearing-the-fog</a>
17:00- Are elite chess players likely taking cognitive supplements or other drugs to help their performances? 
20:00- What have been the biggest lessons from co-founding the ChessDojo?
25:00- What has Jesse learned from reading the works of IM Willy Hendriks?
28:00- Patreon mailbag question: What non-chess books influenced Jesse’s philosophy of chess improvement?
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Work-Focused-Success-Distracted/dp/1455586692">Mentioned: Mindset by Carol Dweck</a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Work-Focused-Success-Distracted/dp/1455586692">Deep Work by Cal Newport </a>
30:00- Patreon mailbag question: Are books as effective as modern digital tools for chess improvement? 
32:00- Does Jesse have set hours for studying chess?
36:00- The strengths and weaknesses of Jesse’s competitors in next year’s US Senior Closed Championship. 
Mentioned: GM Larry Christiansen, GM Gregory Kaidanov, FM Doug Eckert 
38:00- New developments in the dojo
42:00- Jesse’s rest of 2026 tournaments 
44:00- We share our thoughts on the chess-adjacent novel Intermezzo by popular author Sally Rooney
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Intermezzo-Novel-Sally-Rooney/dp/0374602638">https://www.amazon.com/Intermezzo-Novel-Sally-Rooney/dp/0374602638</a>
54:00- Parting book recs
Mentioned: Polgar Chess
Logical Chess Move by Move 
58:00- Thanks to Jesse, for rejoining me! You can find him at the ChessDojo. (use code "ben" at checkout to save 10%
<a href="https://www.chessdojo.club/signup">https://www.chessdojo.club/signup</a>
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