North Carolina–based trainer and author Elshan Moradiabadi has won over 25 tournaments and was the 2001 National Champion of his native Iran. Despite his many accomplishments, Elshan is deeply reflective about the proper role chess should play in one’s life. While he has no regrets about the sacrifices he made, his experiences have given him valuable lessons to share, including: Why you should keep chess enjoyment as your North Star The importance of intuition, and the nine cues for evaluating a position  The tradeoffs that come with pursuing excellence How chess parenting has changed since his own youthWe also touch on the professional chess landscape, and make a few predictions about the FIDE Grand Swiss (a tournament which is now over, but hadn’t started when we recorded on September 1). Whether you’re a chess hobbyist, parent, or coach, you’ll find plenty of wisdom and inspiration in this wide-ranging conversation. Timestamps of topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsor, Chessable.com! If you sign up for Chessable Pro in order to unlock discounts and additional features, be sure to use the following link:https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=proAnd you can check out their new offerings here:https://www.chessable.com/courses/all/new/https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EExhz3qbC/Prior interview with Elshan, Episode 58- https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new-blog/2018/2/6/episode-58-gm-elshan-moradiabadiMentioned: Cover Stories with Chess Life Episodes #44 and #48https://new.uschess.org/news/cover-stories-chess-life-44-gm-elshan-moradiabadihttps://new.uschess.org/news/cover-stories-chess-life-48-gm-elshan-moradiabadiRead more about Elshan’s 9 cues for evaluating a position here:https://gmelshan.com/how-to-master-chess-the-9-imbalances/Mentioned: So-Moradiabadi 2022https://www.chess.com/events/2022-us-chess-championship/11/So_Wesley-Moradiabadi_ElshanMentioned: Quantbox Chennai Invitationalhttps://www.chess.com/events/info/2025-quantbox-chennai-grand-mastersMentioned: GM Jan GustafssonMentioned: USA vs. India match in Dallas, Texas, October 2025https://www.texaschesscenter.com/usa-vs-india?srsltid=AfmBOooUe_kOJfuugQMW1JtCezBWX7DPRYRK05I6w2LQ4Bzb6H9Pc9LqMentioned: GM Mikhail Tal, Capablanca, Fischer, Positional Decision Making in Chess by GM Boris Gelfand Mentioned: Searching for Bobby Fischer https://gmelshan.com/contact/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices