Perpetual Chess Podcast

Perpetual Chess Podcast is the most popular independent chess podcast in the world, hosted by Ben Johnson from New Jersey. Launched in 2016, it has surpassed 2 million downloads across 100 countries and publishes around five episodes per month. The format is conversational: Ben sits down with top grandmasters, trainers, and dedicated amateurs to talk about chess careers, improvement, and what it actually means to love this game.

What sets the podcast apart is its range. Ben interviews world champions and titled players, but he also dedicates a recurring series called the Adult Improver Series to ordinary club players who have made serious rating breakthroughs. The show also runs a monthly Chess Books Recaptured series, breaking down chess books episode by episode for listeners who want to study alongside a community.

Ben is also the author of Perpetual Chess Improvement, a book that distills lessons from hundreds of interviews into practical advice for players of all levels. The podcast is supported by over 400 Patreon backers and a weekly Substack newsletter called Perpetual Chess Linkfest. If you want to understand how serious chess players think about their improvement, this podcast is the place to start.