EP.199- Dr. Barry Hymer and GM Peter Wells

This week I am joined by Dr. Barry Hymer and GM Peter Wells, who are the authors of the new book, Chess Improvement: It’s All in the Mindset. Dr. Hymer is a Professor of Psychology in Education, as well as a long time chess enthusiast. GM Peter Wells, in addition to being an active player is a prolific chess author and a trainer for some of Great Britain’s top juniors. As a pair, they are perfectly suited to write a book tackling so many persistent questions related to chess improvement. Our conversation discusses questions such as the following: What is a growth mindset, and how can it apply to chess improvement? What can parents and trainers learn from the approach to nurturing talent taken by the family of GM Magnus Carlsen?  How much of chess talent is determined by genetics? What are Peter’s favorite games of his career? How has Barry managed to go from the 1800 level to over 2000 while in his 50s?  For the answers to these questions and many more, please enjoy the show. You can find timestamps and show notes below.  0:00- We begin by discussing the source of  the authors’ idea for this book, and they explain  the research that framed their writing of it.  Mentioned: Tim Kett, Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success    7:00- What psychological issues in his own chess game did Carol Dweck’s research help Peter address?    10:30- Barry and Peter answer the first of many Patreon mailbag questions relating to whether their book is more of a “how-to guide” or more of an overview of research chess players should know?   Mentioned: GM Boris Gulko, GM Boris Gelfand, Tim Kett, Henrik Carlsen, GM Erwin L.Ami   Henrik Carlsen interview with IM Sagar Shah here-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TAGKisuHUg   20:00- Another Patreon question- what advice do Peter and Barry have for managing chess study while working full time?    25:00- Must “deliberate practice” be inherently unenjoyable?   Mentioned: Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers    30:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessab