Kamryn

How to Push Through a Plateau The online road to 2200.

Aaaaaand of course a rare Substack post with all the details on pushing through a plateau: kamrynheidichess.substack.com/p/how-to-pus...

YouTube video by Kamryn How I Finally Reached 2200 in Chess

It only took 2 MORE years lol

How I Finally Reached 2200 in Chess: youtu.be/kh3EBaU9lBE

#chess #chesspunks

Daniel Naroditsky, 1995-2025 A wordsmith, a chess genius, and most importantly a kind person

A very sad day. RIP to a wordsmith, a chess genius, and most importantly a kind person.

jenshahade.substack.com/p/daniel-nar...

My parents are really new to chess but took screenshots of my games during the tournament so they could ask me about specific moves later 🥹

It’s otb chess season! Last weekend I won my local rapid quad. This past weekend I played in Minneapolis. Next up: the SD Gov. Cup, Sept. 19-21, with my games streamed live on twitch.tv/kamrynheidi, including a couple rounds of commentary with @nmiharris.bsky.social and @chessvondoom.bsky.social!

Sadly couldn’t fit it in my schedule. I’m back home in ND now but it’s top of my list next time I’m out there!

Mainly contemporary lit, from flash fiction to novels. I workshopped part of a literary novel this summer, but my main focus recently has been middle grade. The community in the master’s program has definitely been worth it for me. Happy writing!

It’s so lovely!!

I recently finished my writer’s residency at Harvard!

It was filled with workshops and opportunities to connect with industry professionals and fellow creative writers in my master’s degree program.

Now on to capstone, and graduation in spring 2026!

Goose medal!!!

Coaching Session - May 29 at 2:30 pm CDT or 7:30 pm UTC at Twitch.tv/kamrynheidi

Join me for a live coaching session with Nate Solon this Thursday! Nate recently released his @chessable.com course on the Semi-Slav, and he's going to help me improve my win rate against 1. d4 (etc.)...let's go!!! #chess #chesspunks

Second time’s a charm 😆

Amazing to hear, thanks so much!!

From chess beginner to 2000 in just 2 years? Sounds impossible. 

But Kamryn Hellman did it.

In this thoughtful guest post, the author and streamer shares the insights and practical lessons that made it happen.
🔗⬇️

I jinxed it

Thanks and good luck to you too!

Yea my local club has monthly rapid tournaments (G25/d5)

Nerves and focus will be the main thing 😁

Thank you!!

Thanks! Mainly just more structured study - opening prep, tactics, calculation, and going through master games!

Nah that’s too much work lol, I just go a little deeper into lines to prep for classical 😄

Playing classical chess next weekend for the first time in almost six months 🥹 🙏 #chesspunks

In other news I’m on a 7-game win streak and +100 uscf rating since January…I don’t want to jinx it but I think something’s finally clicking for me otb

Not to be weather-posting on main but from -33 to 49 F it’s about to feel like a sauna up here next week

Need to start tracking the random songs aggressively playing on repeat in my head during chess tournaments.

This weekend, Free Bird. Result: 3/3 and +89 rating points. Coincidence? Only time will tell.

From what I can find they’re pretty much all going to be second-hand

Trends in the Sicilian Paulsen (Trends) Trends in the Sicilian Paulsen (Trends) [John Emms, IM Andrew Martin] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Trends in the Sicilian Paulsen (Trends)

I think the best place is amazon or ebay, just searching “trends publications chess” plus X opening should get ya there. www.amazon.com/Trends-Sicil...

Yes they have quite a few. I was gifted these which is why they’re all Sicilian lol

I think so yes, though it’s a series from the 90s, not sure if they’re still in print

Okay FINE, I’ll keep trying the Sicilian 😍