"From Murzin’s Childhood Struggles to Shogdzhiev’s Breakthrough”
2nd week of 2025
In this week’s edition, we dive into the latest chess stories—from Murzin’s emotional triumph to Carlsen’s upcoming podcast appearance. We’ve also got essential improvement tips for every level and a chess creator you won’t want to miss. Stay tuned for all the action!
📰Chess News & Stories
1. Volodar Murzin on Surviving His Father’s Abuse
GM Volodar Murzin, the 18-year-old newly crowned World Rapid Chess Champion, has shared a deeply moving story of his childhood struggles. Behind his remarkable achievement lies a narrative of resilience and survival.
Murzin, who recently triumphed in the 2024 World Rapid Chess Championship in New York with an undefeated score, opened up in an emotional interview with Championat about the abuse he endured at the hands of his father and the hardships his family faced.
He started beating me constantly when I was seven. He hit my older sister with a shovel when she and my middle sister came to visit him.—Volodar Murzin
His mother, Ekaterina, made a courageous escape with Murzin and his four sisters, traveling 1,100 miles to Moscow. The family faced severe hardship, often going without food or basic necessities.
Murzin recounted chilling details of his father's control: "He made me play chess until four in the morning. If I objected, he’d slam my head against the wall."
Despite these overwhelming challenges, Murzin pushed forward, earning his GM title in 2022 after overcoming a travel ban imposed by his father.
Now, Murzin competes under the neutral FIDE flag, refusing to sign a long-term contract with the Russian Chess Federation. As one of Russia’s few rising stars, he stands as a symbol of hope and perseverance in the chess world.
2. Magnus Carlsen to Appear on Joe Rogan Podcast:
Millions tune in to Joe Rogan’s podcast, known for its in-depth and unfiltered conversations. In February, Magnus Carlsen will join the ranks of Rogan’s high-profile guests, including Elon Musk, Quentin Tarantino, and Edward Snowden. The news was revealed by Jan Henric Buettner, founder of Freestyle Chess, a company co-owned by Carlsen.
The episode, set to be recorded in Rogan’s Texas studio, will focus on Fischer Random Chess and the innovative tournaments organized by Freestyle Chess. Buettner, a billionaire with a fortune exceeding €100 million, described the opportunity as monumental for chess.
"This is a big deal. Rogan hosts one of the world’s largest podcasts," media expert Terje Colbjørnsen noted.
Team Carlsen has remained tight-lipped about the appearance, but fans eagerly await the February interview, which promises to bring chess into the global spotlight.
3. Hans Niemann Challenges Top GMs with $100k Prize
The American Grandmaster announced that he had challenged several top players, including Arjun Erigaisi and Fabiano Caruana, to a winner-takes-all match with a $100,000 prize.
“I believe chess should evolve into something more exciting, like UFC or boxing,” Niemann explained in a post on X. “We need a pure meritocracy where players compete in high-stakes matches.”
Despite offering to fund the prize money himself, Niemann’s challenges have so far been declined.
Niemann added, “I have no tournaments for the next two months and would happily play matches against any top player. Chess must evolve.”
4. Roman Shogdzhiev Becomes Youngest IM Norm Holder
Nine-year-old Roman Shogdzhiev has made history by becoming the youngest player to secure an International Master (IM) norm. Competing in Serbia, Roman achieved this milestone at just 9 years, 10 months, and 7 days—breaking the previous record held by Faustino Oro.
Roman’s achievement underscores his immense potential, as he joins the ranks of prodigies shaping the future of chess.
🎯Chess Improvement and Tips
🔰For Beginners:
Problem for Beginners: Beginners often overlook simple tactics.
Solution: To sharpen your tactical vision, the YouTube video "How to Master the Burger Technique" is a great resource. It teaches you how to identify whether a tactic exists in a given position. By focusing on hanging or loose pieces, you'll quickly recognize the presence of tactics. While this method won't uncover every tactic, it will help you spot the simpler ones you might otherwise miss.
⚙️For Intermediate Players:
Problem for Intermediate Players: A common challenge for intermediate players is calculation.
Solution: In this insightful ChessBase India stream, WGM Anna Muzychuk walks through her thought process as she finds the best move in a position. Watching this video gave me a huge confidence boost. It revealed that even top players use a similar thought process to ours. This clarity helped me identify gaps in my own thinking, and I was particularly impressed by Anna's simple yet effective explanations. She quickly became one of my favorite chess players.
🧠For Master Level Players:
Problem: Identifying resources within a game.
Solution: The book “Game Changer” has had impact on Top level players. Both GM Ding Liren and GM Gukesh have mentioned it during press conferences at WCC 24. If you're not keen on purchasing the book, Matthew Sadler’s YouTube channel “Silicon Road” serves as an excellent alternative. In his playlist, he explains engine games and key concepts in a straightforward manner. It's definitely worth checking out."
📹Chess Creators & Content
Most Fun Chess Video I Watched This Week. Take a look at the YouTube channel “Natu.”
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