Lately, Twitch has served as the primary medium for fans to observe and interact with some of the world's top chess players – and it's been awesome. Sure, this is nothing new, but things are heating up now that top chess personalities have demonstrated renewed interest in showcasing their skills on the platform. It seems that fans are more interested in the sport than ever before with associated YouTube videos, Twitch streams, and Twitter activity at an all-time high.
One of the most significant game-changers that led to this chess takeover was xQc's collaboration with Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura about two months ago. Fans were eager to see Hikaru run a coaching session with xQc, so the two made it happen. Since then, xQc has continually enjoyed chess on stream while Hikaru has rolled with the fresh exposure.
It could be argued that chess is flirting with the danger, slowly getting sucked into the black hole of Twitch-drama. There has been some light scuffles as of late, but nothing too serious yet. Hopefully, chess manages to avoid the platform's drama trap and remains wholesome. To recap, here are some key players on the board.
Hikaru Nakamura
A blitz chess specialist, Hikaru is an infectious personality. He runs a channel that is equal parts entertaining and educational; either way, his streams are highly-interactive and fun. Hikaru presents as a very open-minded player, willing to attempt some goofy activities and ready to collaborate with anyone.
The Botez Sisters
The Botez sisters bring a huge amount of energy to the game. The eldest, Alexandra Botez, is an Woman FIDE Master and 5-time Canadian National Girls Champion. The youngest, Andrea Botez, is also a competitive chess player (former Team Canada) with a big personality. Their channel also features Woman Grandmaster title-holder Qiyu Zhou, also a former Team Canada player.
Ben Finegold
Ben Finegold is another Grandmaster and veteran in creating chess-based media. He has recently been painted as the chess-scene villain due to some edgy remarks directed towards Hikaru and xQc's audience. Regardless, he has a loyal fanbase that vouches for his invaluable contributions to chess education.
Magnus Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen is the highest-rated chess player in the world, revered by any and all familiar with the sport. Hailing from Norway, Carlsen does't hide his confidence in playing chess and regularly dominates his competition in tournaments. Although he seems to have vocal disdain for streaming on Twitch, he might just be warming up to it.
Chess has risen on the platform so rapidly that Twitch itself has responded. Currently, a Twitch Rivals event is scheduled in July, adding to the overall hype. Its precursor event, PogChamps, has been scheduled for June. The collaboration will include hosts Alexandra Botez/Hikaru Nakamura, multiple Twitch streamers as competitors, and Chess.com as the medium.
Seeing chess personalities emerge on the platform is fantastic; fans get to see the sport from a more personal perspective. Consequently, many are actively attempting to stir up drama between them, but in reality they are all quite civil – even friendly. Sure, chess could just be the flavor of the month on Twitch, but I hope it's here to stay for a while.