Ever browsed through YouTube or Twitch and found some chess commentator who made you laugh while showing you chess openings?
You probably have stumbled upon GothamChess, aka Levy Rozman! 👑
With over 5.7 million YouTube subscribers and over 1 million Twitch followers, Levy has become a household name in the online chess community.
What he does is not just teaching chess, but changing people’s concepts of the game by making millions take up the pieces and start playing. ♟️
Let’s see his journey to becoming the number one chess content creator on YouTube!
Levy’s Journey From Chess Prodigy To International Master
Source: Pexels
Levy Rozman was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 5, 1995.
Like most chess players, he learned to play at a very tender age. 👶
At age 5 years, his parents signed him up for chess lessons, and at age 7, he began playing in tournaments.
All the hard studying of openings, tactics, and endgames paid off pretty fast.
Having become a National Master with a rating of 2200 in just 16 years was a big breakthrough among chess players. 😲
Anyway, Levy’s journey did not end here.
He wanted more than just being recognised on a national basis, and for that, he gradually took part in international tournaments to earn the title of International Master.
In 2018, Levy finally obtained the title of International Master, with his highest FIDE rating of 2421. ♟️
While Levy aspired to the very respected Grandmaster title, he set his eyes on his real passion: teaching and sharing chess with the world.
Enter GothamChess: A Content Creator Is Born
Levy launched his YouTube channel, GothamChess, in 2018, featuring tutorials and game analyses.
(GothamChess was named after his love of New York, otherwise known as Gotham.) 🦇
But what made him so different was that he made chess accessible.
He added humour to his good advice, which was relatable for beginners and advanced players alike.
His charisma and teaching style quickly gained him a loyal following, and his channel began to grow exponentially. 📈
One iconic series he does is “Guess The Elo”, whereby he analyses games from his subscribers and then has to guess their rating based on how strong they played. 💪
The Twitch Boom: GothamChess Streams to a Global Audience
As Levy’s Twitch streams started to build up steam, they reached a legendary status, full of moments still talked about to this day.
One of the memorable examples is his hilarious live commentating where in one game, Levy blundered his queen in a completely winning position.
Levy’s over-the-top reaction-complete with facepalms and exaggerated disbelief-left the chat roaring with laughter. 😂
Another iconic moment was his “speedrun to a certain rating” series, whereby he tried to play the most unorthodox moves to climb up the chess ladder.
These streams were fun and instructive since viewers witnessed how Levy adapted his play to outwit opponents of various skill levels. ♟️
The Chess Boom During The COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t just a health crisis; it sparked a huge interest in online games, and chess saw a massive resurgence. ♟️
Stuck in their homes, everybody sought some new hobby, and thus chess appeared to be just what both beginners and pros were looking for.
Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit has stormed the world, inspiring millions and contributing to the chess boom.
Levy Rozman seized the opportunity to create educational and entertaining content for the newfound chess enthusiasts.
His collaboration with chess giants like Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura elevated him to the position of one of the main influencers in the world of chess. 🌍
The Drama With Dewa Kipas: The Cheating Incident
His rise to fame wasn’t without its viral moments.
One of the most controversial incidents involved an online game with an Indonesian player, Dewa Kipas, accused of cheating. 😡
Levy could immediately tell that Dewa was cheating, with each of Dewa’s turns taking 7-10 seconds to be played.
When Chess.com banned Dewa Kipas, an online feud erupted, with millions of fans rallying behind each side. 🌐
In an attempt to clear the air, a match was arranged between Dewa Kipas and Indonesian Women’s Grandmaster Irene Sukandar.
The result was decisive – Irene Sukandar demolished Dewa Kipas in a series of games, showcasing the immense gap between real chess Grandmaster and a cheater.
This incident brought unprecedented attention to GothamChess, skyrocketing his subscriber count and cementing his reputation as a professional and engaging chess figure. 🚀
GothamChess’ Social Media Influence
Levy Rozman’s YouTube channel has a total of 5.81 million subscribers and 2.3k videos.
To date, he has amassed almost 3.2 billion views.
On his Instagram, Levy is verified with a follower count of 1.4M and 613 posts.
He is also active on his TikTok page, where he boasts 1.5M followers and 79.4M likes
With chess popularity still on the rise, the sky’s the limit for GothamChess.
So, next time you watch a GothamChess video, remember: you are not just learning chess, you are part of a movement that’s changing the game! ♟️
Related to GothamChess:
Who Is Jake Paul: From Youtube Fame to the Boxing Ring
Who Is Li Ziqi: Chinese YouTuber Who Rose To Fame And Achieved a Guinness World Record
