Coffeehouse Blunders

A weekly chat with Chess International Master Danny and Coffee Snob Motz on all things coffee, chess, tech, & the lives of these two adorable besties.

About the show

Join Daniel "Danny" Rensch and James "Motz" Montemagno each week on Coffeehouse Blunders as they discuss the latest in chess, coffee, tech, and anything else happening in their wonderful lives and around the world. Danny's life as an International Chess Master collides with Motz's mobile development and public speaking background for absolutely adorable and astonishing conversation.

Episodes and Blog Entries

  • Amateur Hour with John Urschel (The Best Podcast Episode Ever)

    Episode  |  April 19th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  45 mins 46 secs
    amateur hour, blunders, championships, chess, coffee, deep thoughts, family, john urschel, nfl, stories, tech, twitch, urschel

    While Motz is away, Danny chats coffee, blunders, and tech with... John Urschel. That is correct, the legendary mathematician and former NFL player John Urschel fills in for Motz on this amazing Blunders episode to talk the U.S. Chess Championships, Amateur Hour, and the Adoption of Hansen.

  • The New eSports: Chess & Zuckerberg

    Episode  |  April 12th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  46 mins 20 secs
    chess, coffee, cspan, french press, fun, kids, politics, pro chess league, senate, work setup, zuckerberg

    Danny is back from hosting the epic conclusion to this year's Pro Chess League and dishes out all the details. Motz has plenty of input on chess, coffee, but also Zuckerberg's 4.5 hour long senate hearing! We discuss all this and more.

  • 50 Shades of Nonsense

    Episode  |  April 5th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  42 mins 39 secs
    chess, coffee, contest, lil, pro chess league, ready player one, travel

    That is right 50 episodes! We did it!!!! We reflect on the last year, what brought us to this point, and why we love each other so much. Motz breaks down Ready Player One with his full review, Danny is heading off to the Pro Chess League, and family stuff happens again!

  • The Struggle Is Real

    Episode  |  March 29th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  52 mins 34 secs
    apple, candidates tournament, chess, ipad, pay wall, pro chess league

    Motz and Danny chat about Apple's new initiative to get the iPad into more schools, we break down the Pro Chess League and praise the hometown hero Caruana as he heads to take on our boy Carl!

  • Nothing is Impossible

    Episode  |  March 22nd, 2018  |  Season 1  |  30 mins 21 secs
    candidates tournament, chess, coffee, comedy, family, pro chess league, shia labeouf

    It has been a week and Motz has watched Actual Cannibal Shia Labeouf about 100 times, the Candidates tournament is in full swing, and the Pro Chess League is getting ready to enter the finals. We break down all of this and more.

  • #BulletJournal with Shia LaBeouf

    Episode  |  March 15th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  42 mins 36 secs
    bullet journal, candidates, chess, coffee, hamilton, ikea, shia labeouf, smart car

    The candidates tournament has officially kicked off and Danny gives his full impressions. We sidetrack to talk about Ikea trips, Hamilton, coffee drinking, and our love for Shia LaBeouf.

  • The 2018 Candidates Predictions

    Episode  |  March 8th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  38 mins 36 secs
    2018 candidates, black panther, candidates, chess, coffee, magnus carlsen, movie, review, tech

    This week we go the deepest into chess than on any other episode as we sit down and give our predictions for the 2018 Candidates!

  • Impress Your Partner Or Get Out

    Episode  |  March 1st, 2018  |  Season 1  |  32 mins 26 secs
    bachelor, bachelor winter games, chess, coffee, costa rica, crazyhouse, dad, get out, keanu, movie, olympics, soccer

    That is right! Motz finally sat down and watched Get Out! Danny is heading off to Costa Rica and we sip our buttery smooth cups of coffee.

  • Black Panther and Digestible Pleasures

    Episode  |  February 22nd, 2018  |  Season 1  |  41 mins 29 secs
    being an uncle, black panther, chess, coffee, family, fundraising, gifts, key lime pie, pie, pumpkin pie, thanksgiving

    Motz makes the world's most expensive key lime pie, Danny recalls a thanksgiving to remember, we reflect on the new Mario movie, and Danny breaks down his thoughts on Black Panther.

  • Happy Heavy Falcon Landing Day

    Episode  |  February 15th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  38 mins 23 secs
    blue bottle, booster landing, chess, coffee, dates, dinner, heavy falcon, spacex, tesla, v-day, valentines day

    Love is in the air and boosters are landing themselves back on earth! This week we discuss what we have done and will be doing for our loved ones, how amazing the SpaceX landing was, and how Danny is the happiest man on earth with his new coffee subscription!

  • Sports Ball Solo Bowl

    Episode  |  February 8th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  44 mins 52 secs
    a star wars story, amazon, chess, chess960, coffee, costco, crazyhouse, hawaii, magnus, nakamura, party, receipts, shop local, solo, star wars, super bowl

    That is right! There is a new Star Wars movie and we absolutely have to talk about it. Solo: A Star Wars Story we are coming for you. We don't stop there as we break down big upcoming chess tournaments, drinking local coffee, and review our super bowl stories.

  • I'm Sore Right Now: Old Man Stories

    Episode  |  February 1st, 2018  |  Season 1  |  32 mins 24 secs
    back pain, chess, coffee, cross fit, insanity, pulled muscles, working out

    Motz pulled all of his lower back muscles and could barely move, Danny looks back at when he fumbled and got schooled by a pre-teen, and we discuss proper at the office coffee.

  • You Were The Chosen One

    Episode  |  January 25th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  45 mins 29 secs
    chess, coffee, last jedi, movies, review, star wars, stranger things, tech, the last jedi

    It took us a month, but we are finally ready to discuss all things The Last Jedi! In this spoiler cast we discuss the ups and downs of the latest Star Wars epic.

  • Ballistic Missile Dodgeball

    Episode  |  January 18th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  43 mins 13 secs
    ballistic missiles, boggle, chess, coffee, hawaii, magnus carlson, nakamura, pro chess league, star wars, werewolf

    That is right! Motz took a 48 hour surprise trip to Hawaii only to be surprised by a ballistic missile crisis! Danny talks Werewolf and the Pro Chess League and a whole lot more.

  • Ready Player AlphaZero

    Episode  |  January 11th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  36 mins 20 secs
    ar, baseball, ces, chess, coffee, football, ready player one, tech, virtual reality, vr

    Motz is still getting into the swing of things in 2018 & Danny tries to tackle his first cold of the year.

  • The Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Bag

    Episode  |  January 4th, 2018  |  Season 1  |  48 mins 24 secs
    airplane, ball drop, boggle, chess, christmas, holidays, lost bag, magnus, new year, new years, scc, scramble, speed chess, speed chess championship

    Both Danny and Motz snuggle up at home playing board games while they wait for the New Year ball to drop. Motz has a grand adventure attempting to find his long lost checked bag all while Danny tries to figure out how to interview chess players.