Kamryn's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCYUOoqtGaRgUeUta134aUyw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ9gkF840Vk&t=1s
Kamryn's Chessable course: https://www.chessable.com/50-essential-chess-concepts-an-improvers-blueprint/course/233222/
Kamryn's Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/kamrynheidi
https://bsky.app/profile/kamrynheidi.bsky.social
https://kamrynheidichess.substack.com/
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00:00 Intro
01:54 The Chess Bug and the Very Short Summary of the Journey to 2000 ELO
08:57 The Thought Process
10:47 Blunder-Check
15:16 'Why Am I Losing?' Document
23:07 How Blitz Helped
26:00 Study Advice for 0-1500 ELO
29:16 Study Advice for 1500 - 2000 ELO
37:18 Her Chessable Course
41:40 Her New Openings
44:47 Final Advice for Beginners
45:40 Final Advice for Intermediate Players
46:34 The Weekly Training Schedule
In this special year-end episode, I had the pleasure of hosting Kamryn Helman, an extraordinary adult improver who achieved a chesscom rapid rating of 2000 in just two years, starting from absolute zero. Kamryn shared her inspirational journey, which began in 2021 after watching The Queen’s Gambit. Despite balancing her undergraduate studies and later a full-time job, she devoted around 20 hours per week to chess and made remarkable progress. Kamryn's disciplined approach combined playing, tactical exercises, and joining a chess club, where she set goals to compete with stronger players. Her story is a testament to how dedication and a structured approach can yield extraordinary results in a short time.
During our conversation, Kamryn offered valuable insights into her improvement methods. She talked about her "Why I Am Losing" document, a weekly habit of analyzing losses to identify patterns and guide her studies. We also discussed her thought process, including a mental checklist to avoid blunders, and the critical role of breaks in consolidating knowledge. Kamryn's ability to stay intentional and disciplined about her chess journey is both inspiring and instructional for players at all levels.
Toward the end, we explored her educational contributions to the chess community, including her Chessable course, 50 Essential Chess Concepts: An Improver's Blueprint. She shared the challenges of designing clean, instructive puzzles that minimize cognitive overload and maximize learning. Kamryn's passion for chess and commitment to improvement was evident throughout our discussion, leaving me—and hopefully you—with fresh ideas and inspiration to tackle our own chess journeys. I’m thrilled to see what Kamryn accomplishes next and I look forward to another conversation as her chess story unfolds.