Checkmate: Chess Master Danny Rensch on Leaving the Church of Immortal Consciousness (Part 1)

This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp.

How do you go from barefoot kid to international chess master and co-founder of Chess.com? In this epic first installment, we sat with Danny Rensch to peel back the curtain on his wild journey growing up in the Church of Immortal Consciousness—a high-control Arizona collective commune led by a self-proclaimed trance medium guided by the spirit of "Dr. Duran." Danny shares what life was like growing up in a merged-finances, communal-living environment fueled by spiritual teachings, EST-style group processing, and just enough bathwater-sharing to make any outsider's eyebrows shoot up. 

From childhood freedom and chaos to early red flags, shifting loyalties, and the beginnings of his path out via chess, Danny’s story is a rollercoaster of agency, paradox, and hope. Expect deep dives into cult philosophy, spiritual skepticism, the lure of community, and how genius can bloom in the strangest soil—all before we even get to the chess part. Come for the cult tale and stay for the cliffhanger: part two is a pawn move away.

Whether or not you play chess you MUST check out Danny’s memoir, Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life. Also, follow him on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.

Also…let it be known that:

The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.

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CREDITS: 

Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames

Production Partner: Citizens of Sound

Co-Creator: Jess Tardy

Audio production: Will Retherford

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Writer: Sandra Nomoto

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