[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":165},["ShallowReactive",2],{"bot-ztavW":3},{"id":4,"aboutLong":5,"age":6,"botId":7,"country":8,"countryCode":9,"dataHash":10,"dateModified":11,"elo":12,"extension":13,"faq":14,"favoriteQuote":24,"gender":25,"hello":26,"introduction":27,"isTrophy":28,"liveDate":29,"luckyCharm":30,"meta":31,"name":32,"occupation":33,"openingAxes":34,"openingsAnalysis":37,"playstyle":121,"playstyleSummary":124,"ratingHistory":125,"shortName":128,"similar":129,"stem":162,"trophyQuirk":30,"trophyUnlock":30,"whoShouldPlay":163,"__hash__":164},"bots/bots/ztavW.json","NM Ben Johnson, known on Chessiverse as Perpetual, is a 49-year-old chess podcaster from the USA and the founder and host of the Perpetual Chess Podcast. Hundreds of long-form interviews with grandmasters, coaches, authors, and adult improvers have shaped his own game, and at an estimated 2206 Elo he plays at genuine candidate master strength, with accurate calculation and well-organized opening preparation. With the black pieces he leans on the [Sveshnikov](/resources/openings/sveshnikov), a system he has played over a hundred times, supplemented by the Nimzo-Indian against queen-pawn openings. His approach reflects the practical wisdom he has spent years curating: sound principles, sustainable plans, and a willingness to punish opponents who drift. Players who face Perpetual should expect a patient, well-prepared opponent who converts small inaccuracies into lasting pressure rather than gambling on wild attacks.","49","ztavW","USA","us","9ce657dd3f96c75176e6fc28826ce009f528e2afe7f9e86317fe9e0a8d775bc5","2026-07-06",2206,"json",[15,18,21],{"question":16,"answer":17},"What rating is Perpetual?","Perpetual plays at an estimated 2206 Elo, which sits at candidate master strength. That means accurate calculation, deep opening preparation, and reliable punishment of the mistakes most club players make. He is a serious test for anyone below master level.",{"question":19,"answer":20},"What opening does Perpetual play?","With the black pieces his main weapon against 1.e4 is the [Sveshnikov](/resources/openings/sveshnikov), which he has played in over 100 games. Against 1.d4 he relies on the [Nimzo-Indian](/resources/openings/nimzo-indian), pinning the knight on c3 and fighting for the center with pieces.",{"question":22,"answer":23},"How do strong club players prepare to face Perpetual?","Study the main lines of the Sveshnikov and Nimzo-Indian before the game, since Perpetual knows his repertoire well and small opening inaccuracies against a 2206-rated player rarely go unpunished. Aim for structures where his slight preference for tension works against him, and be ready to trade down when a simplified position is objectively sound. Above all, play concretely: he calculates accurately, so vague plans lose to precise ones.","That escalated quickly.","Male","Welcome. I've spent years asking strong players how they actually think about chess, and some of it clearly rubbed off. Shall we test what holds up in practice? A good game, like a good conversation, tends to escalate quickly, so let's find out where this one goes.","Ben Johnson, founder and host of the Perpetual Chess Podcast, is known for thoughtful, wide-ranging conversations that make chess improvement feel both practical and personal. Through hundreds of interviews with top players, coaches, authors, and adult improvers, he has built one of chess’s most respected spaces for learning, reflection, and long-form discussion.",false,"2026-05-20T17:38:00.000Z",null,{},"NM Ben Johnson","Chess Podcaster",{"solid_sharp":35,"unprepared_theoretical":36},0.19,-0.10499999999999998,{"stats":38,"whiteFingerprint":56,"blackFingerprint":66},{"total":39,"white":44,"black":50},{"games":40,"uniqueOpenings":41,"sharpness":35,"repertoireNarrowness":42,"theoryAdherence":43},1994,186,-0.71,0.5,{"games":45,"uniqueOpenings":46,"sharpness":47,"repertoireNarrowness":48,"theoryAdherence":49},993,121,0,-0.64,0.32,{"games":51,"uniqueOpenings":52,"sharpness":53,"repertoireNarrowness":54,"theoryAdherence":55},1001,124,0.37,-0.77,0.67,{"firstMove":57},[58],{"name":59,"percent":60,"count":61,"lines":62,"responses":65},"Reti Opening",74.7,694,[63],[64],"Nf3",[],{"vsFirstMove":67},[68,94],{"name":69,"lines":70,"responses":72},"e4",[71],[69],[73],{"name":74,"percent":75,"count":76,"lines":77,"variationBreakdown":80},"Sicilian",77.1,414,[78],[69,79],"c5",[81],{"name":82,"percent":83,"count":84,"lines":85},"Sveshnikov",77.2,113,[86],[69,79,64,87,88,89,90,91,92,93],"Nc6","d4","cxd4","Nxd4","Nf6","Nc3","e5",{"name":88,"lines":95,"responses":97},[96],[88],[98],{"name":99,"percent":100,"count":101,"lines":102,"variationBreakdown":104},"Indian systems",96.2,255,[103],[88,91],[105,114],{"name":106,"percent":107,"count":108,"lines":109},"Nimzo-Indian",42.9,50,[110],[88,91,111,112,92,113],"c4","e6","Bb4",{"name":115,"percent":116,"count":117,"lines":118},"QGD",36.1,42,[119],[88,91,111,112,64,120],"d5",{"defensive_aggressive":122,"simplifying_complicating":122,"category":123},0.1,3,"Perpetual plays balanced, slightly enterprising chess. He is marginally more aggressive than defensive, keeps a little tension on the board rather than trading down early, and chooses lines that lean sharp without becoming reckless. His repertoire tilts toward the offbeat side of respectable theory. As Black he favors the combative [Sveshnikov](/resources/openings/sveshnikov) and the flexible [Nimzo-Indian](/resources/openings/nimzo-indian), both fitting his preference for principled but dynamic positions.",[126],{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":127},1779320262405,"Perpetual",{"sameStyle":130,"different":148},[131,136,142],{"botId":132,"name":133,"elo":12,"country":134,"countryCode":135,"category":123},"Shara","Sharafox","Egypt","eg",{"botId":137,"name":138,"elo":139,"country":140,"countryCode":141,"category":123},"HDTpc","Sonia Sambista",2208,"Brazil","br",{"botId":143,"name":144,"elo":145,"country":146,"countryCode":147,"category":123},"lbNzl","Ivan Ochek",2202,"Czechia","cz",[149,155],{"botId":150,"name":151,"elo":12,"country":152,"countryCode":153,"category":154},"WHhZw","Wu Chekkmi","China","cn",1,{"botId":156,"name":157,"elo":158,"country":159,"countryCode":160,"category":161},"Sbxka","Rosa Canvas",2203,"Italy","it",4,"bots/ztavW","Players rated roughly 1800 to 2300 will get the most from this matchup. Club players near 2000 can treat Perpetual as a measuring stick: he punishes most mistakes accurately, so surviving the middlegame is an achievement in itself. Improvers who tend toward passive play benefit especially, since his slight aggression and tension-keeping style expose overly cautious decisions without overwhelming the game in chaos.","xboNhEaUTrm4qn3FyTnTK_GxxcgtbrLZj2mAPqBqZrQ",1784583551620]