EsotericPA

Opinions are my own! I am a huge fan of Taking control of my future via $btc and $egld amongst other great #crypto projects.

[HeyGen @HeyGen]

We built our launch video in Claude Code using HyperFrames.

Now it's yours.

Open source, agent-native framework. HTML to MP4.

$ npx skills add heygen-com/hyperframes

RT + Comment "HyperFrames" to get the full source code of this launch video (must follow)

[EsotericPA @EsotericPA]

@HeyGen Hyperframes

[EsotericPA @EsotericPA]

@PatrickHaede Agent

[EsotericPA @EsotericPA]

@polyaivoice PolyAI please :)

[Hoops @Hoopss]

Everytime I get mad at my sports team for losing, I remind myself of what Giannis said. Arguably my favorite response to a reporter ever.

[ChessMood @ChessMood]

For Danya ♥️
A legend, a teacher, a friend…
We never got to record a course with him, so we made one for him.
10 of his best games.
Free. Forever.
https://t.co/Nl5vJrmpV4

[ChessMood @ChessMood]

"My honor means world to me" 💔

[EsotericPA @EsotericPA]

@samruddhi_mokal NANO

[Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. @hubermanlab]

Doing hard stuff requires distress tolerance. Building distress tolerance requires doing hard stuff. There is no easy entry point. It gets easier by way of recognition. You think “I’ve been here before”. Pretty soon you’re seeking that state. That’s how you make hard stuff easy.

[Avetik GM Grigoryan @GmAvetik]

Even though I stopped playing chess professionally over 10 years ago, the lessons I learned from the game continue to shape my life.

As I turned 36 a few days ago, I reflected on these lessons and put together a list of 36 insights that chess has taught me — lessons that go far beyond the board.

I hope these insights inspire you, challenge you, and maybe even help you make a few winning moves in your own life.

1. Know your why before you start.
When your why isn’t clear, your story often becomes what others want it to be.

2. Learn the fundamentals fundamentally.
The deeper your foundation, the higher you can build.

3. Right Mood - Right Move!
The right mood generates the right moves.

4. Think before you act.
Impulsive moves — on the board or in life — rarely end well.

5. Quality wins quantity.
A few great choices trump many mediocre ones.

6. Time is your most valuable resource.
Use it wisely; don’t let distractions steal it away.

7. Surround yourself with good mentors.
Good mentors don’t just save you time — they teach you how to make the time you have more meaningful.

8. Look for hidden opportunities.
Great moves come from spotting possibilities others overlook.

9. Anticipate your opponent’s moves.
Understanding others’ perspectives leads to better decisions.

10. Protect your king.
Take care of yourself first, or you can’t help others.

11. Know your weaknesses.
Acknowledging them is the first step toward improvement.

12. Play to your strengths.
Focus on what you’re good at instead of trying to be everything.

13. Don’t fear sacrifices.
Sometimes, you must let go of something good to achieve something great.

14. A strong defense is as important as a strong offense.
Protecting what you’ve built matters just as much as chasing new goals.

15. Know when to attack.
Timing is everything; strike when the moment is right.

16. The small details matter.
Ignoring them can lead to bigger problems down the line.

17. Don’t cling to bad positions.
Learn to let go of what’s not working and start fresh.

18. Study your losses.
Every failure is a lesson in disguise.

19. Celebrate your wins, but don’t get arrogant.
Success today doesn’t guarantee success tomorrow.

20. Play your own game.
Trying to copy others will only dilute your strengths.

21. Control your emotions.
Anger and frustration lead to blunders on and off the board.

22. Don’t be afraid of calculated risks.
The biggest rewards often come with some uncertainty.

23. Plan, but don’t overthink.
Too much planning can paralyze action; trust yourself to adapt.

24. Adapt when necessary.
Life and a chess game are unpredictable; flexibility keeps you in the game.

25. Don’t waste time on meaningless moves.
Every decision carries an opportunity cost, so make sure it adds value to your position.

26. Know the value of your resources.
Prioritize what truly matters, and don’t trade for less.

27. Beware of traps.
What looks easy is often too good to be true.

28. Confidence is key, but overconfidence is dangerous.
Believe in yourself, but stay grounded.

29. You can’t see everything.
Accept that perfection is impossible and move forward anyway.

30. Trust your intuition.
Sometimes, your gut knows what your brain doesn’t.

31. Know when to take a step back.
Sometimes, retreating is the smartest way to move forward.

32. Balance is everything.
Overcommitting in one area leaves you vulnerable in others.

33. Enjoy the game.
If it’s not fun anymore, it’s time to rethink your approach.

34. The game isn’t over until it’s over.
Even in the toughest positions, there’s always hope.

35. Be brave and experiment.
Just because it’s unconventional doesn’t mean it’s not brilliant.

36. The journey is as important as the destination.
Enjoy the process, not just the results.

❤️

[EsotericPA @EsotericPA]

@DerrickEvans4WV 🙌

[Avetik GM Grigoryan @GmAvetik]

Karpov, Kasparov, Ivanchuk, and Kramnik were playing just ten meters away from me. The 32nd Chess Olympiad was in Yerevan, Armenia. I was seven years old, and with my father, every day, we would go there to watch the games.

I remember only one of them.

"Who would you like to be when you grow up?" my father asked me, pointing to the chess legends.

What does it mean to be like someone? I didn’t understand the question. I wanted to be me. So after some thought, I declared, “No one. I am me, and I’ll be me.”

Years passed, and nothing changed in my life from that perspective. I wanted to be me. Until 2006. Until I met GM Karen Asrian.

The first time I had a chance to interact with him in person, was during a chess camp organized by the Armenian Chess Federation and by the Armenian Chess Academy led by GM Smbat Lputyan (which I never appreciated then… Shame on me.)

GM Asrian came there as a coach, and as I was in the lead group (I was an IM already), he would train us mostly.

His rating was 2,600+, and he was part of the Armenian team that won the gold medal in the 37th Chess Olympiad, in 2006.

Of course, he was a very strong chess player, but I was still surprised by his abundance of chess knowledge. He knew nuances in the openings that he never played, knew games by heart that I had never seen, and had knowledge of theoretical endgames like a walking encyclopedia.

But most of all, I was impressed by his charm.

I wasn’t sure if his positive energy came from always smiling, or if always smiling came from his positive energy.

Now I know it came from his heart and soul. But at that time, I was confused.

He was also super humble and polite with us.

I remember, once during the lesson I asked a question that had already been answered that morning (I was the memory leader in our group, just from the bottom), and everyone laughed (as they often did when my memory reported a bug), but Karen said “Let me explain that from a different perspective. Maybe it’s my fault that you still have that question.”

That was an answer that had an impact on my future coaching career. Whenever my students ask me a question about something I’ve explained earlier, then it’s my problem.

***

I learned from Karen the beauty of humbleness, politeness and awesomeness. Chesswise–not only chess knowledge, but also something about character and winning.

At the World Youth Championship, I was playing Under 18 category, and Karen would prepare me for the games every day.

I’m not sure if he realized that he wasn’t just sharing with me his opening knowledge, but also his fighting energy. I took all.

Not surprisingly, I was leading the tournament with 4.5 out of 5.

When the pairings of the 6th round came, I saw that the next day I was going to play against Italian Grandmaster (then International Master) Daniel Vocaturo with Black pieces.

The mindset I see most chess players have in such situations, and I had it too then, was “Okay, I’m the leader, so a draw with Black pieces is okay.”

Karen also came to the pairings board, looked at it carefully, and said: “Ah… Vocaturo… It’s a good opponent to win.”

That was very surprising to me then. So I stupidly asked, “Karen, have you seen that I’m playing with Black?”

He turned to me with a strange look. “And what?”

The next morning, he spent several hours teaching me very aggressive variations for Black - in my favorite French Attack!

(He was a Caro-Kann player. When I saw his analyses in the French, I realized a little bit more about the difference between a Master and a Grandmaster)

Sure enough, I went on to win the game with Black.

It’s a shame that having Karen, I didn’t win the tournament. Not even made it into the top 3. (I finished 4th)

But that mindset and character led me to build a very aggressive opening repertoire for Black.

I realized that it's better to finish in last place eight times and win twice, than to finish in the top 10 in ten tournaments.
(Both emotionally and financially)

***

Almost every day I trained with my then coach, GM Artur Chibukhchian, and his contribution to my becoming a Grandmaster was the biggest.

But the way Karen touched my character and mindset, definitely had a huge role as well. In the next 5 months, I made all my 3 Grandmaster norms and crossed 2,500 rating (a barrier one should cross to get the title.)

After becoming a Grandmaster, I was thinking about finding a way to talk with Karen and see if he would be interested in training together.

I never approached him… I kept postponing. Thinking there would always be a “later.”

On June 9, 2008, Karen died of a heart attack while driving.

That day, many lost: a son, a brother, a friend…

I lost my big brother and my teacher.

I cried all day, and I didn’t touch chess for a while. I didn’t do anything for a while…

***

I always thought that if everyone loves you, then you’re fake.
Karen changed my belief.

He was loved by everyone. And it was very clear why…

He changed my belief in another perspective too.

I saw and still see this virus in human consciousness: the attitude that you should win at any cost, whether in a chess game, your financial game, your career game, or whatever game you play.
I’ve always hated it, and I still do.

At the same time, I’ve seen many people who are very nice but haven’t realized their potential in life.
I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t like it either.
And I thought it was a choice that one should make.

With Karen I learned that it’s possible to go up and forward, while at the same time staying true to your values, humble and nice.

I’m trying to be that way…

Now he is not with us physically. But he left behind lots of seeds.

He had a big impact on many lives.

I’m just one of them.

Today, April 24, is Karen’s birthday. He would be 44 years old and I miss him.

[Wonders of The First @WondersCCG]

🚨 Our Kickstarter launches April 30th! 🚨⁠
⁠
Head to the pre-launch page and click "Notify on Launch" to make sure you're set to take advantage of all our incredible 1st day Pledge bonuses!⁠

https://t.co/nVGM0NPV1O

[FRΞNCHIΞ @ethFRENCHIE]

I’d love to invite you to watch this. If you want to learn how truly unique and innovative @WondersOTF is (and the game mechanics mind behind it).

Comment below 🎯

https://t.co/nQTSBVwjxg

[EsotericPA @EsotericPA]

@mikehoffmann course

[EsotericPA @EsotericPA]

Took my nephew to see his all time favorite @CodyRhodes at #WrestleMania40 @WWE and needless to say, happiest day of this kids life. You wouldn’t believe how many compliments he got on the jacket. Thanks for keeping it real for the fans and see you next year!

[Multiversᕽ @MultiversX]

UX so smooth you forget you're on Web3.

Rich ecosystem, intuitive design, seamless transactions.

The way crypto should be. Fast. Inexpensive. Secure. Scalable.

Join 3M+ other users on #MultiversX, powered by $EGLD.

https://t.co/HRYyxuF9eT

[EsotericPA @EsotericPA]

@ericwhiteback @cryptopunks Marry the two. Check out @Blokpax with @ethFRENCHIE at the helm.

[FRΞNCHIΞ @ethFRENCHIE]

First public play test for Wonders of The First @wondersotf CCG (Collectible Card Game - sometimes called a TCG - Trading Card Game).

These people have no vested interest or bias.

They have no idea these Wonders are “on the blockchain” or that members of our community hold Character Proofs and decentralized IP rights. But they will when they chase their own bite of that apple in physical card packs with digital redemption inserts for a Character of their own (very limited - rare rare hit).

We are working to raise (3) 🦄 🦄 🦄 over here in the @blokpax ecosystem.

All 3 are born. Now we work 🧱 by 🧱 to build the 🏠.

Wonders and @CollectHTH are first on the tee box for big developments (for each in the weeks/months ahead). Don’t sleep on our little Bantam guys either. I’m juggling bandwidth over here but I’m equally bullish on the road ahead for them too.

1/2

[EsotericPA @EsotericPA]

@ethFRENCHIE @Blokpax Love it ❤️