Bold move by Dan
@boldmovebydan.bsky.social
Dan Bock from Durham, NC. Three-time chess podcast guest. 114th best chess player in North Carolina. I have a Substack called the Chess Improvement Lab.
Web and mobile app developer, runner and dad in my spare time.
Web and mobile app developer, runner and dad in my spare time.
I'm extremely impressed with the head games Hikaru is playing with his Candidates opponents. Is he really going to play all the stuff he says here? How do you prep against this? www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHFy...
IM SHOWING ALL MY CANDIDATES PREP THIS TIME
YouTube video by GMHikaru
www.youtube.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:06 AM
I'm extremely impressed with the head games Hikaru is playing with his Candidates opponents. Is he really going to play all the stuff he says here? How do you prep against this? www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHFy...
Anyone seen Chess the Musical? I’m listening to the album and I don’t hear anything about chess
January 1, 2026 at 1:40 AM
Anyone seen Chess the Musical? I’m listening to the album and I don’t hear anything about chess
I’ve been having fun beating the Dutch with this h4-h5-h6 plan. (they resigned because they hung their bishop but it’s a crushing advantage anyway)
December 31, 2025 at 2:41 PM
I’ve been having fun beating the Dutch with this h4-h5-h6 plan. (they resigned because they hung their bishop but it’s a crushing advantage anyway)
Who's in the mood for Magnus vs. Hans
December 28, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Who's in the mood for Magnus vs. Hans
Elo
December 28, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Elo
Why are their backgrounds almost exact mirror images but not quite?
December 26, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Why are their backgrounds almost exact mirror images but not quite?
My least-favorite chess broadcast tradition is the commentators guessing about what's really happening as technical issues plague the transmission of moves
December 26, 2025 at 12:25 PM
My least-favorite chess broadcast tradition is the commentators guessing about what's really happening as technical issues plague the transmission of moves
Vincent Keymer showing how the bishop pair can complement passed pawns for a decisive advantage
December 26, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Vincent Keymer showing how the bishop pair can complement passed pawns for a decisive advantage
My early prediction: Magnus and Nepo will be co-champions
December 26, 2025 at 12:04 PM
My early prediction: Magnus and Nepo will be co-champions
The Folgers is brewing at my in-laws for the world rapid and blitz @camicravestea.bsky.social
December 26, 2025 at 10:42 AM
The Folgers is brewing at my in-laws for the world rapid and blitz @camicravestea.bsky.social
These Tromp Wall games where they don't put up a fight are a lot of fun @chessmensch.bsky.social lichess.org/zvIzTVPwkcLU
Blitz Chess • danbock vs pkr030707
danbock (2119) played pkr030707 (2025) in a rated Blitz (5+3) game of chess. pkr030707 resigned after 25 moves. Click to replay, analyse, and discuss the game!
lichess.org
December 22, 2025 at 11:36 AM
These Tromp Wall games where they don't put up a fight are a lot of fun @chessmensch.bsky.social lichess.org/zvIzTVPwkcLU
Reposted by Bold move by Dan
also one time i almost got my ass beat on the bus but instead the girl tiffany gave me a quote that's been banging around the inside of my brain forever: "i'm gonna beat your ass once i have this baby." RIP tiffany (opioids)
December 17, 2025 at 5:00 PM
also one time i almost got my ass beat on the bus but instead the girl tiffany gave me a quote that's been banging around the inside of my brain forever: "i'm gonna beat your ass once i have this baby." RIP tiffany (opioids)
I swear this song debuted in “Love Actually” in 2003. Is this the Mandela effect?
The song, which came out in 1994 and first hit the top 10 in 2017, has now led the chart for the last seven holiday seasons. n.pr/4iQWIMH
Mariah Carey is back at No. 1 with "All I Want for Christmas Is You"
The song, which came out in 1994 and first hit the top 10 in 2017, has now led the chart for the last seven holiday seasons.
n.pr
December 11, 2025 at 7:19 PM
I swear this song debuted in “Love Actually” in 2003. Is this the Mandela effect?
This one’s hard
December 8, 2025 at 11:39 AM
This one’s hard
I’ll be on Nate Solon’s Substack livestream today at 5 pm eastern (2 pm in Los Angeles, 10 pm in London), talking about ratings plateaus and setbacks. I hope you can tune in! open.substack.com/live-stream/...
LIVE SOON: Dealing with plateaus and setbacks
Starting Dec 5 at 5:00 PM EST
open.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I’ll be on Nate Solon’s Substack livestream today at 5 pm eastern (2 pm in Los Angeles, 10 pm in London), talking about ratings plateaus and setbacks. I hope you can tune in! open.substack.com/live-stream/...
Reposted by Bold move by Dan
How 2025 Became My Year of Endgames…
And what happened next LOL
substack.com
December 2, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I beat a high-rated kid in a tournament yesterday in a wild game where both kings were under constant attack and I did better at playing defense. Conventional wisdom about how to beat kids at chess (bore them to death with quiet positional middlegame and endgame grind) has not been my experience.
November 17, 2025 at 12:32 PM
I beat a high-rated kid in a tournament yesterday in a wild game where both kings were under constant attack and I did better at playing defense. Conventional wisdom about how to beat kids at chess (bore them to death with quiet positional middlegame and endgame grind) has not been my experience.
Uzbek Eric Rosen is in the quarterfinals at the World Cup
November 17, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Uzbek Eric Rosen is in the quarterfinals at the World Cup
A Chessup ad on the chess24 livestream uses the promise of engine assistance during a chess game as a selling point, with Anna Rudolf and Aman Hambleton demonstrating the feature and endorsing the thing. Bleak stuff.
November 14, 2025 at 12:14 PM
A Chessup ad on the chess24 livestream uses the promise of engine assistance during a chess game as a selling point, with Anna Rudolf and Aman Hambleton demonstrating the feature and endorsing the thing. Bleak stuff.
I hope we see Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the Candidates someday, but it looks like it will not be this year.
November 8, 2025 at 11:55 AM
I hope we see Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the Candidates someday, but it looks like it will not be this year.
Chess tip: don’t bother developing your pieces. Just attack.
November 4, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Chess tip: don’t bother developing your pieces. Just attack.
Older kid: constant whining and appeals of our “must be 13 to ride in the front seat” rule and endless comparisons to her friends’ parents’ rules
Younger kid: turned 13, still wants to ride in the back like a VIP being driven around by her chauffeur
Younger kid: turned 13, still wants to ride in the back like a VIP being driven around by her chauffeur
November 3, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Older kid: constant whining and appeals of our “must be 13 to ride in the front seat” rule and endless comparisons to her friends’ parents’ rules
Younger kid: turned 13, still wants to ride in the back like a VIP being driven around by her chauffeur
Younger kid: turned 13, still wants to ride in the back like a VIP being driven around by her chauffeur
It’s 2021. I have a random thought about chess. I post it on Twitter, because that’s where everyone is.
It’s 2025. I have a random thought about chess. I post it on X, Bluesky, Substack Notes, and a half dozen Discords and group texts, because that’s where everyone is.
It’s 2025. I have a random thought about chess. I post it on X, Bluesky, Substack Notes, and a half dozen Discords and group texts, because that’s where everyone is.
November 2, 2025 at 3:36 PM
It’s 2021. I have a random thought about chess. I post it on Twitter, because that’s where everyone is.
It’s 2025. I have a random thought about chess. I post it on X, Bluesky, Substack Notes, and a half dozen Discords and group texts, because that’s where everyone is.
It’s 2025. I have a random thought about chess. I post it on X, Bluesky, Substack Notes, and a half dozen Discords and group texts, because that’s where everyone is.
Guess the opening
November 1, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Guess the opening
Reposted by Bold move by Dan
It's Halloween. I am taking my kids trick or treating. So far I have seen eight couples dressed as the couple from the Coldplay concert and six dads dressed as Azel Chua
July 23, 2025 at 1:37 PM
It's Halloween. I am taking my kids trick or treating. So far I have seen eight couples dressed as the couple from the Coldplay concert and six dads dressed as Azel Chua