Dojo Talks: A Chess Podcast EP 179 | Modern Chess Training Methods
23 snips
Jan 23, 2026 
Zach (TheChessNerd), online player and content creator, weighs in on modern chess training tools. They rank Puzzle Rush, blitz, longer online play, e-boards, blindfold training, bots and AI tutors. Short takes include debates on speed tactics, visualization work, spaced repetition and the pros and cons of bullet and engine analysis.
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Hiring For Human-Like Bots
- Jesse recounts Vinay Bhatt joining chess.com to build human-like AI bots and improving bot realism.
- He expects human-style bots to become valuable for openings and longer practice games.
Be Skeptical Of Today's AI Tutors
- Treat current AI tutors and game-review coaches cautiously; they often give shallow or nonsensical feedback today.
- Expect rapid improvement in AI tutors; revisit them as they evolve into useful personalized coaches.
Avoid Bullet For Improvement
- Avoid bullet as a training tool; it's addictive and degrades useful thinking despite being fun.
- Use bullet only to practice specific mouse/motor skills if that matches your goals.
