Rephonic
Artwork for Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement

Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement

Dr. Kevin Scull
Chess
Chess Improvement
Tactics
Tournaments
Chess Dojo
Chessable
Coaching
Endgames
Youtube
Blitz Chess
Adult Chess Improvement
Queen's Gambit
Online Chess
Patreon
Adult Improvement
Opening Strategies
Over-the-Board Chess
Chess Coaching
USCF
Pacific Coast Open

A podcast dedicated to the journey of adult chess improvement. Each week a guest will join me to discuss what has worked for them, what hasn't worked as well, and the status of their journey.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes298Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HobbiesLeisureSports

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement

Latest Episodes

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with NM John Wright. He is the president of the San Gabriel Valley Chess Club. John talked about his 60 year history with chess. We discussed some of his first books, and how he learned chess long before the days ... more

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Dash. We discussed his journey into chess. Dash has tried a lot of improvement techniques and most did not work for him. However, the Chessbrah opening video series worked. He has also spent a lot of time wit... more

Ascend Chess Discount: ascendchess.com/offer/JOURNEYS?tier=candidate

Chessbook: chessbook.com/?ref=kevin

chess-journeys.com - The podcast has a website!

Chessiverse Code: DrSCULL20

Check out my new Substack: substack.com/@drscull more

This week on Chess Journeys, I spoke with Kyle. We talked about his improvement journey and love for chess. Kyle started pre pandemic with videos and joy. He continued playing looking at openings, endings, and not many puzzles. We talked about chess ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Dojo Talks: A Chess Podcast
Dojo Talks: A Chess PodcastIM Kostya Kavutskiy, IM David Pruess, GM Jesse Kraai
NextLevelChess
NextLevelChessGM Noël Studer
The Chess Angle
The Chess AngleLong Island Chess Club

Recent Guests

Varun Kumar
AI specialist turned chess player, guest on the show
Independent / Chess Journeys guest
Episode: Ep. 293 Varun (1500 USCF)
CM Dr. John
Coach, podcaster, neuroscience specialist, Chessable course author of the year 2024
Chessable / Doctoral researcher in cognitive science
Episode: Ep. 290 CM Dr. Can (Chessable, Youtube, Podcaster)
Mike Carey
Retired professor, adult improver, long-time chess enthusiast
Self-employed/academic
Episode: Ep. 289 Mike (2000 USCF)
Jay Garrison
Friend of the show, coach at the Charlotte Chess Center
Charlotte Chess Center
Episode: Ep. 285 Summer of Chess with Jay Garrison (1900 USCF)
Tatev Abrahmian
Chess coach and former professional player, discussed as a guest in the flashback interview
Episode: Ep. 278 Flashback: IM Tatev Abrahmamyan Ep. 41
Junta Ikeda
International Master, coach, Substack writer
Episode: Ep. 273 IM Junta Ikeda
Noel Studer
Grandmaster, author, coach, and creator of Next Level Chess
Next Level Chess / RealChess Training
Episode: Ep. 268 GM Noel Studer
Mauricio Flores
Chess trainer and author, known for Chess Bible (Chess Structures)
Independent chess educator/author
Episode: Ep. 258 GM Mauricio Flores
Owen Blunder Man
Chess YouTuber known as Blunder Man; content creator focusing on entertaining and educational chess videos
Blunder Man YouTube channel
Episode: Ep. 256 Owen - Blunder Man (1550 USCF)

Host

Kevin Scull
Host of Chess Journeys: Tales of Adult Improvement; guides discussions with guests and shares personal training insights.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 351 ratings
  • Great advice!

    As an adult improved learning Chess from scratch this Podcast has been a massive help. I started using Podcasts on my daily dog walk around the same time as picking up Chess as a hobby and after some other Podcasts discovered this which is aimed at improvers like me. I’ve learnt some great tips and bought some great resources using this as you hear lots of similar recommendations. Kevin is a great host, always giving the interviewee space to walk through their journey which is great for similar ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RichSwales
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Yes! Keep it going!

    This is a terrific podcast, I red my weekly Chess Journeys fix, don’t ever stop!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AverageChessEnjoyer
    United States6 months ago
  • Just terrific. Don’t ever stop Kevin.

    Back from a 30-year hiatus, and this podcast was my first glimpse into a world that I no longer knew. Adult improvement? What is that? An increment of what? Tilt? Did my pinball machine become stuck? I came for chess knowledge but found something even more. The stories of why we pursue this game, the pain, and the victories. All of this and more from the perspective of an adult with limited time. Appreciate the hard work, Kevin. So yes, we, the community, still need this outlet, so don’t ever st... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Boldness is all
    United States6 months ago
  • T

    Not good

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ottoistcool0
    Germany10 months ago
  • My favorite chess podcast

    I discovered this podcast only a week ago and have already listened to the first 25 episodes. I spend tons of time driving for work and I crave to learn about chess in that Los Angeles traffic. This fills the niche—more about how various people approach learning than about theory itself. I’m a relatively low rated adult so this is the perfect in-road to improvement. It motivates me to practice after work, and constantly gives me ideas about how to proceed. Kevin is the perfect host—funny, relata... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeb_C
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Episodes are consistently described as motivational and actionable for real-world practice.
A subset notes a strong community vibe and value in long-form, experience-based storytelling.
Guests provide diverse perspectives on training, balancing life, and staying motivated.
Listeners appreciate the host's relatable, down-to-earth style and the focus on practical improvement for adults.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#47
United States/Leisure/Hobbies
Apple Podcasts
#13
Canada/Leisure/Hobbies
Apple Podcasts
#27
United Kingdom/Leisure/Hobbies
Apple Podcasts
#125
Canada/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#191
United Kingdom/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#56
Australia/Leisure/Hobbies

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep. 296 Joe (1500 Chesscom)
Q: Can you tell us about Ascend Chess and how it fits into your learning approach?
Ascend Chess is an AI-assisted training platform that also connects users with human coaches, tailored to 800-1800 players, with safeguards to ensure quality and context for teaching, and a focus on integration with users' existing learning resources.
Ep. 296 Joe (1500 Chesscom)
Q: How did you get into chess and what motivated you to build clubs?
He describes starting with online play during the pandemic, then returning to in-person play, founding several clubs to expand access, and pursuing community-building initiatives like a non-profit structure to sustain them.
Ep. 296 Joe (1500 Chesscom)
Q: What gets you to over the board, Chess?
The guest explains a shift from online play to over-the-board events, driven by a desire for real-life competition and community engagement, and notes increasing engagement through multiple clubs and tournaments.
Ep. 294 Charlie (1700 USCF)
Q: Okay. So what other things did you have to do as you reach different steps on this ladder up to 1700?
He emphasizes consistent practice, balancing play with targeted study (tactics, endgames, and calculation), and gradually increasing the difficulty of opponents to build skills over time.
Ep. 293 Varun (1500 USCF)
Q: What sparked your decision to pursue chess more seriously after a long period of balancing work and family?
He describes recognizing a need to stay afloat and the desire to dedicate more time to chess, balancing coding work and family life while pursuing continuous improvement.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A show focused on adult chess improvement, featuring guests who share their personal journeys, training routines, and practical strategies for progressing as longer-term players. Episodes emphasize deliberate practice, balance with work and family, community involvement, and real-world training methods over abstract theory. Noteworthy is the emphasis on accessible, actionable steps, coaching perspectives, and the presence of diverse guests—from coaches and club organizers to dedicated improvers—creating a relatable path for listeners who juggle busy lives while pursuing improvement.

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does this podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for this podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Perpetual Chess Podcast
2. Dojo Talks: A Chess Podcast
3. NextLevelChess
4. The Chess Angle
5. The Chess Cognition Podcast

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 5 years ago and published 298 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact this podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Varun Kumar
2. CM Dr. John
3. Mike Carey
4. Jay Garrison
5. Tatev Abrahmian
6. Junta Ikeda
7. Noel Studer
8. Mauricio Flores

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days