EP 487- Matt Rathkey on Chess Improvement, Jazz Improvisation, and Learning How to Learn

Podcast: Perpetual Chess Podcast · Ben Johnson

Opublikowano: 2026-06-16

Can a background as a professional jazz musician help you improve at chess? Matt Rathkey says “yes.”. Matt is this week's guest on The Adult Improver Series. Like many players, he fell back in love with chess during the COVID pandemic and soon found himself playing regularly, watching top-level broadcasts, and solving puzzles. Along the way, he drew upon lessons from years of studying music, particularly the role of pattern recognition, deliberate practice, and improvisation. After years of dedication, Matt has raised his Chess.com blitz rating from roughly 1200 to over 1900. Matt also has a fascin...