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:

How he has learned to confront his fears in tough, “meat-grinder” weekend tournaments
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
How the ChessDojo curriculum and philosophy have evolved in recent years

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 TurboCharge Your Tactics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLBMmqk8an0

Also Mentioned:

Perfect Your Chess

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

12:00- ChessDojo and Jesse’s fitness regimen

Jesse’s IG post here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMqT1jOuxcK/

Check out Dr. Nick Vasquez’s blog here:

https://nickvasquezmd.substack.com/p/clearing-the-fog

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?

Mentioned: Mindset by Carol Dweck

Deep Work by Cal Newport

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

https://www.amazon.com/Intermezzo-Novel-Sally-Rooney/dp/0374602638

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%

https://www.chessdojo.club/signup

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EP 449- GM Jesse Kraai on Confronting Tournament Fears, Mental and Physical Fitness, and What’s Next for Him and ChessDojo

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