Frederik Svane: thoughts on training, tournament formats, & what makes chess fun | UP #24

Frederik Svane is Germany's #3 player and World #60. Growing up, he learned chess alongside his older brother, Rasmus Svane (German #6). He earned the grandmaster title in 2022, took bronze at the 2024 European Championship, and won the board 5 individual gold at the 2024 Olympiad. He lives in Lübeck, Germany. This interview was recorded on Jul 23, 2026. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 0:27 - Reaching the professional level; important milestones; handball goalkeeper 6:05 - Motivating yourself; work opportunities in chess; skipping university 10:36 - Daily chess training; training camps; German federation 17:22 - Openings; Chess960; favorite tournaments; ethics in chess 27:38 - Lichess fun; other games 30:34 - A musical challenge for Frederik; thank you & goodbye! Thumbnail photo credit: Eteri Kublashvili / FIDE