This week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with James Altucher, an ardent chess lover and one of the most inquisitive and inspiring persons I have met in recent years.
James Altucher is an investor, a venture capitalist and a firm believer in AI and crypto. He’s also a bestselling author – you may know his book Choose Yourself – and he has a popular podcast with 50 thousand subscribers, The James Altucher Show. In his podcast, he dives into the world of entrepreneurship, personal development and out-of-the-box thinking. Or, as he puts it himself, he interviews the world’s peak performers in every area of life.
You will find a wealth of thought-provoking conversations at https://jamesaltuchershow.com/
But the main reason why I invited James Altucher to the New In Chess Podcast, is the great column he has been writing for New In Chess Magazine for the past four years. In his column, he describes his struggle to regain his old chess strength after he returned to our game following a ‘sabbatical’ of more than twenty years. His articles are witty, perceptive and full of humour and insights.
I had the pleasure of meeting James in Stavanger, where he was the moderator of the Norway Summit, a knowledge-sharing conference, and where he was a guest at Norway Chess, one of the finest chess tournaments in the world.
The interview took place on the day when James was to be a co-commentator next to five-time World Champion Vishy Anand in the Norway Chess studio, a privilege he was thrilled about. With his contagious enthusiasm, he spoke about Anand and the other chess greats he has encountered, from Kasparov, Judit Polgar and Hikaru Nakamura to the legendary Sammy Reshevsky. We spoke about his passion for chess and his adventures as an entrepreneur and investor. And much more. I wouldn’t miss it if I were you.
Enjoy this week's episode of the New In Chess Podcast!
0:00 – Intro
1:47 – Welcome James!
3:24 – Where does James’s natural curiosity come from?
5:00 – How James became obsessed with chess
9:15 – James’s memory of the late and great Samuel Reshevsky
10:25 – Did James ever aspire to a pro chess career?
12:52 – James’s hiatus from chess
16:05 – Does chess skill translate into other areas of life?
18:49 – What is James’s biggest achievement in business?
21:11 – James’s writing
30:36 – AD BREAK
31:09 – How The Queen’s Gambit got James back into chess
33:40 – The challenges of improving your chess at a later age
46:24 – What does James find special about chess players?
49:38 – Having chess superstars on his podcast
53:25 – Hikaru’s entrepreneurial talent
58:11 – AD BREAK
59:11 – Robert Greene, the laws of power, and James’s next book
1:02:38 – James’s own tournament and writing for New In Chess
1:05:12 – Commentating alongside Vishy Anand
1:05:58 – Outro