The 2025 Zwischenzug Gift Guide
Gift ideas for the chess lover in your life (aka you)
What you really need to improve your chess game is more stuff. Right? Right??!!!
Well, here are some of my favorite gift ideas from 2025. There are weird affiliate links or anything, just stuff I actually use and like.
The gift of Zwischenzug
Hey, did you know you can give Zwischenzug subscriptions as a gift? And while you’re at it, why not lock in 30% off your annual subscription forever?
Donate to a good cause
If you read this newsletter, you’re probably aware of the tragic passing of GM Daniel Naroditsky. The Charlotte Chess Center, which was Naroditsky’s home, has launched a fundraiser for a memorial tournament. You can learn more about the initiative on the Perpetual Chess Podcast, hosted by friend of the newsletter
.
Good coffee
You’re going to need a lot of coffee to fuel all that chess studying. I’ve been enjoying my Trade coffee subscription. They send you beans matching your taste profile from independent roasters all over the country. At one point I tried to switch to buying all my coffee local, but the convenience of having everything delivered automatically made me resubscribe.
When it comes to making the coffee, I’m a fan of the Hario Switch. It’s sort of halfway between a pourover and French press, and very easy to use.
Opening courses
All my opening courses are on sale on Chessable. One user said:
“FM Nate Solon’s courses have completely changed how I play chess… These repertoires train you to create positions where you can apply these notions and experiment with ideas more complex than just playing open positions and tactics. It also teaches you to step away from computer evaluations and exploit lesser known ideas that it might identify as an inaccuracy, but that in practical play leads to significantly more victories.”
A great book
I rubbed some people the wrong way by questioning the value of chess books on Twitter. What I am a fan of is non-chess books, the older and weirder the better. The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann played a role in my personal lore this year of getting really sick and then getting better.
Tournament pants
I basically revamped my whole wardrobe in the second half of this year. One of my favorite items is the Apres Pants from Taylor Stitch. They’re basically a jogger, but with an interesting texture. Comfy enough to play a four hour classical game, but stylish enough to look cooler than your opponent. And we know chess is 90% style.
h/t to
for recommending these.Zwischenzug gear
Hey, who put this here??!
My wife just updated all the Zwischenzug merch designs and everything is 20% off. Strike fear into the heart of your opponents by letting them know you’re a Zwischenzug subscriber with this stylish hat.
Chess table
If you really want a blowout gift, whenever I post my chess setup someone always asks where I got this chess table. It’s the Camaratta Signature table from House of Staunton. Pricy but nice.
Teach your kids chess
Mine are still a little young, but if your kids are getting to the age where they can learn chess, here are a few of my favorite resources.
Storytime Chess is a game that helps you teach your kids chess with storytelling.
Kahoot! Learn Chess sounds completely random, but it used to be Magnus’ Kingdom of Chess (not sure what happened there). Anyway, it’s still an amazing app if you want to plonk your kids in front of a tablet and let them play a game that teaches the rules of chess.
Always love the gift ideas post. I’ve had bottomless.com for my coffee for a while. But I’ll be curious what Trade’s quiz tells me. I’ve been set on the same exact coffee for quite awhile. Very much in that “exploit” stage of coffee. I’ve been disappointed way too many times when I try and switch it up.