C-Squared
Two Grandmasters, including a recent World Championship challenger, give an insider's weekly briefing on the professional chess circuit.
A mix of timely news analysis and interviews from deep inside the elite chess world. One host is a top-3 player actively competing in the tournaments discussed, giving the analysis an unmatched level of personal insight and credibility. The other host, a fellow GM and former coach, guides the conversation, covering tournament results, player controversies, and chess politics with authority.
“The hosts are not just commentators; they are peers and competitors of the players they discuss. Fabiano Caruana's perspective as a current top-5 player provides unique insights into the psychology, preparation, and high-stakes drama of elite chess.”
Who hosts this show
The C-Squared Podcast is a weekly discussion about the chess world hosted by Grandmasters Fabiano Caruana and Cristian Chirila. Caruana is an American chess prodigy, five-time U.S. Champion, and the third-highest-rated player in history, who challenged Magnus Carlsen for the World Chess Championship in 2018. Chirila is a Romanian-born Grandmaster, a former World Youth Champion, and served as one of Caruana's seconds during his 2018 World Championship match. Together, they analyze recent tournaments, discuss chess politics, and interview top players.
Credentials & credits
- Fabiano Caruana: Chess Grandmaster
- Fabiano Caruana: 5-time U.S. Chess Champion
- Fabiano Caruana: 2018 World Championship Challenger
- Cristian Chirila: Chess Grandmaster
- Cristian Chirila: World Youth Champion (U-16)
- Cristian Chirila: Head Coach, University of Missouri Chess Team
Other ventures
- Cristian Chirila: Commentator for Saint Louis Chess Club
- Cristian Chirila: Twitch Streamer ('chesschilla')
- Fabiano Caruana: Member of esports organization Team Liquid
- ChessReps.com (Sponsor, relationship unclear)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Peter Leko helped Kramnik in the World Championship #chess #kramnikJun 17, 2026 · 1 min
- 02
- 03Ragebaiting Kasprov 🫡 #chess #kasparovJun 11, 2026 · 47s
- 04
- 05Bedridden Alireza Battles Sindarov In Epic Match | Game AnalysisMay 18, 2026 · 12 min
- 06Titled Tuesday With Fabi In RomaniaMay 12, 2026 · 2h 37m
- 07Hans Cracks After Warsaw: "The Turtle Was Right Behind Me!!"May 12, 2026 · 46 min
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01Bedridden Alireza Battles Sindarov In Epic Match | Game Analysis
A unique episode featuring on-the-spot interviews after a bizarre match where one player competed from his hotel bed due to injury.
- 02Peter Leko : World Championship HEARTBREAK, Beating Polgar's Record, Keymer Is Special
A long-form interview with a chess legend, showcasing the show's ability to produce deep, career-spanning profiles.
- 03Hans Cracks After Warsaw: "The Turtle Was Right Behind Me!!"
A prime example of the show's core format: the hosts analyze a major tournament where Caruana was a top contender, providing direct, personal insight.
- 04Titled Tuesday With Fabi In Romania
Shows a different, more casual format where the grandmaster hosts live stream their own online games while interacting with the audience.
What you'll be asked on this show
When conducting interviews, Cristian Chirila often takes the lead. He focuses on capturing the guest's immediate, raw reaction to a specific event, such as a bizarre or high-pressure match. He probes for the guest's internal monologue and decision-making process, asking how they maintained focus or navigated unusual circumstances. For career-retrospective interviews, as seen with Peter Leko, the questions focus on pivotal moments, heartbreaks, and the sacrifices required to reach the top.
The show primarily alternates between two formats: a conversational recap between the two co-hosts and long-form interviews with other top players. Cristian Chirila typically leads the news discussions, posing questions to Fabiano Caruana, who provides the insider player's perspective. On-screen chess boards are often used to illustrate game analysis.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
7 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
controversy
1- Q.01
“What's your take on [a recent controversy or player decision]?”
This is a common way for Cristian to tee up a discussion on chess politics or a contentious topic.
personal
1- Q.01
“How would you analyze your performance in [the recent tournament]?”
A direct opening question, often posed to co-host Fabiano, to get his personal reflection on his results.
mindset
2- Q.01
“How did you manage to stay concentrated in such a strange environment?”
Used to explore a player's mental fortitude during a match with unusual or difficult conditions.
- Q.02
“How did you maintain focus for six hours in that position?”
A follow-up question to understand the mental and physical endurance required during a grueling match.
process
1- Q.01
“How did you decide to continue playing despite [an injury or obstacle]?”
This question surfaces the guest's decision-making process under pressure.
backstory
1- Q.01
“Tell me about this crazy experience.”
An open-ended prompt given to a player immediately following a highly unusual or dramatic game.
industry
1- Q.01
“Is it fair that some players get preferential treatment regarding [a specific rule or measure]?”
This question is used to elicit opinions on fairness and regulations within the professional circuit.
Signature segments
- · Animated intro/outro sequence
- · Fabiano's Masterclass
- · Live Titled Tuesday gameplay
- · On-location tournament reports
- · Post-game player interviews
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are exclusively elite figures in the chess world, including legendary players, current top competitors, and rising stars. Interviews often happen on-site at tournaments to capture immediate post-game reactions or are career-spanning deep dives.
- Peter Lekoon Peter Leko : World Championship HEARTBREAK, Beating Polgar's Record, Keymer Is Special
- Alireza Firouzjaon Bedridden Alireza Battles Sindarov In Epic Match | Game Analysis
- Javokhir Sindarovon Bedridden Alireza Battles Sindarov In Epic Match | Game Analysis
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show is sponsored by the chess training site ChessReps.com and also promotes its own official merchandise. In live stream episodes, they also receive viewer donations and gifted memberships.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of C-Squared?
- The hosts are American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana, a former World Championship challenger, and Romanian Grandmaster Cristian Chirila.
- What is the format of the podcast?
- It's a mix of formats, including weekly news recaps between the hosts, long-form interviews with other top players, live streams of their online play, and on-site tournament reports.
- Is this podcast for chess beginners?
- No, the podcast is aimed at experienced players and fans who follow the professional chess circuit and are familiar with its top players and events.
- Where can I listen to the C-Squared podcast?
- The primary channel is YouTube, with full episodes and clips available. It is also distributed on podcast platforms like iHeartRadio and Chess.com.
- Are the hosts' real names Fabiano and Cristian?
- Yes, they use their real names. Fabiano Caruana and Ioan-Cristian Chirilă are both well-known figures in the chess world.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]C-Squared Podcast Official Websitec2pod.com
- [02]C-Squared - YouTubeyoutube.com
- [03]Fabiano Caruana - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [04]Ioan-Cristian Chirilă - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [05]Fabiano Caruana | Top Chess Players - Chess.comchess.com
- [06]Ioan-Cristian Chirila - U.S. Chess Champsuschesschamps.com
- [07]C-Squared Podcast - Chess.comchess.com
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