How Kevin Reached a 1800+ Rating

Kevin explains persistence, tournament variance, and steady play that led to his new rating high in his early 50s.

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Episode notes

Is it possible to continue to get better at chess once you hit your 50s? The Adult Improver Series returns, and that’s one of the central questions I explore with today’s guest, long-time friend of the pod and fellow chess podcaster Dr. Kevin Scull.

Kevin is the host of the popular Chess Journeys podcast, where he interviews adult chess improvers on a weekly basis. In our conversation, he shares insights drawn from hundreds of interviews, as well as from his own dedicated pursuit of tournament chess.

We discuss:

How Kevin managed to reach a new all-time rating high of over 1800 USCF in his early 50s
The social and competitive benefits of adult-only tournaments
Whether struggling to remember your games afterward means you’re hopeless at chess

As you’d expect, Kevin also shares a wealth of chess resource recommendations and practical improvement tips, and reflects on nearly five years of producing Chess Journeys.

Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series Website:

https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/adultimprover

Perpetual Chess Adult Improver Series Spotify Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75Uoqz2BoRt2IiTCeOfuky?si=ab7ba68225fb43dc

0:00- Thanks to Chessable, check out Kevin’s course here:

https://www.chessable.com/chess-journeys-tactics-workbook-turning-knowledge-into-skill/course/268850/

0:01- Kevin joins the pod. How did he achieve a new rating high of 1800+ USCF in his early 50s?

0:08- Why Kevin particularly enjoys adult and senior-only tournaments

18:00- Kevin’s recent chess improvement realizations

Mentioned: Karpov’s Strategic Wins by IM Tibor Karolyi

23:00- The benefits of having a coach

Mentioned: NM Gopal Menon