YouTuber Levy ‘GothamChess’ Rozman Shines at Madrid Chess Festival, Defeating Two Grandmasters

by Pooja Chauhan · 15/06/2024

YouTuber and chess influencer Levy ‘GothamChess’ Rozman leads the Madrid Chess Festival, defeating two Grandmasters. This marks his first classical chess tournament in nearly two years as he renews his quest for the Grandmaster title.

Madrid , (Bollywood Fever): YouTuber and chess influencer Levy ‘GothamChess’ Rozman is making waves at the Madrid Chess Festival, having defeated two Grandmasters so far.

This tournament marks GothamChess’s first foray into classical chess in nearly two years. He is participating as part of his renewed quest to earn the Grandmaster title.

Rozman had previously stepped away from competing and pursuing the title, but he recently announced his renewed dedication to becoming a GM. He is now sharing content around his coaching sessions and journey.

As of July 13, GothamChess leads the standings for the 10-player event with 4.5/6 points. Despite being the lowest-rated participant at the Spanish event, with a FIDE rating of 2322, he has made an unexpected surge to the top.

GothamChess has secured three draws and victories over Tomás Sosa, Diego Macías, and Lelys Martínez. Both Sosa and Martínez are Grandmasters and among the higher-rated players at the event.

The festival has been an emotional experience for Rozman, especially following the controversial Clash of Claims tournament, also held in Madrid.

“My first classical chess game in 2+ years. My lowest elo in nearly 10 years. And I defeated a 2530 GM with the black pieces, the top seed. I’m so happy I could cry,” Rozman shared on social media after his match at the Madrid Chess Festival.

Rozman has been updating his audience on the event through his YouTube channel, providing game analyses and sharing his experiences.

The wider chess community has taken notice of GothamChess’s impressive performance, with even Hikaru Nakamura creating content around the event and analyzing Rozman’s games.