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EP 447: Going Pro at 57- GM Alex Fishbein on How New and Challenging Training Methods Fueled an Upset win at the US Senior Invitational
Going Pro at 57: `GM Alex Fishbein on How New and Challenging Training Methods Fueled an Upset win at the US Senior Invitational
At 57 years old, Tennessee-based Grandmaster and Author, Alex Fishbein, has built an impressive chess résumé, with 12 state-championship titles across four states and multiple appearances in U.S. Championship events. But until recently, his chess had always been balanced with a demanding finance career. Last year, for the first time since age 24, Alex stepped away from Wall Street to devote himself fully to chess—an experiment that paid off quickly.
Through a rigorous and unconventional study routine—including his unique “post-postmortem” method—Alex pulled off a surprise victory at the 2025 U.S. Senior Invitational, despite entering as the second-lowest rated player. In our conversation, he reflects on:
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The training methods that fueled his breakthrough
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His advice for caring less about ratings
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The outsized role of age and stamina in senior chess
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Lessons learned from legends like Korchnoi and Keres
Alex’s story shows the power of playing actively against all comers, staying curious, and embracing new challenges, and he provides inspiration for chess players of all levels. Timestamps of topics discussed are below.
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02:30- GM Fishbein joins the podcast! We begin by discussing his recent tournaments
Mentioned:
Episode 291 with GM Alex Fishbein:
My System Fast Track Book Recap #37 with GM Alex Fishbein
Also mentioned: Dan Joelson, IM Stuart Rachels
08:00- What changes did Alex recently make to his training regimen?
Mentioned:
Interview with Nazi Paikidze and GM Yasser Seirawan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG156yEThSQ
15:00- Patreon mailbag question:
How are Alex’s preparation methods different as a professional vs.as an amateur?
Mentioned: Solitaire Chess
More on Solitaire Chess from FM Nate Solon here:
https://zwischenzug.substack.com/p/solitaire-chess
25:00- How and why did Alex begin to study the games and annotations of GM Paul Keres?
35:00- What was Alex’s approach to openings in
Published on 3 weeks ago