Maverick Chess Podcasts

I’m 21, and I’ve decided it’s time to solve chess. In this birthday special, I take a look at the current state of chess and propose some ambitious ideas for fixing the game, from changing the rules to allow the king to be captured, bringing back the legendary Linares tournament as a pathway to the Candidates Tournament, creating a centralised chess viewing platform, improving chess broadcasting,...

The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan has come to an end, with Uzbekistan winning Open gold on home soil, India taking silver and Germany claiming bronze, while China won the Women's Chess Olympiad ahead of Kazakhstan and India. In this video, I review the biggest stories from the Chess Olympiad, including the team and individual medals, the performances of Gukesh and Javo...

The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026 is coming to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, bringing together more than 200 nations for the biggest team chess event in the world. Running from September 16 to September 27, 2026, the Open section features 11 rounds of classical chess, with the United States, defending champions India, hosts Uzbekistan, China and Germany leading the starting list. In this video, we previe...

Levy Rozman, better known as GothamChess, may not have won a World Chess Championship or reached grandmaster status, but his impact on chess is almost impossible to ignore. With more than 8 million YouTube subscribers, millions of followers across Instagram and TikTok, billions of views, and Chessly helping players improve their game, Levy has become one of the most influential figures in modern c...

The FIDE World Amateur Chess Championships 2026 are coming to Klang, Malaysia from November 4–13, 2026, giving amateur chess players under 2300 FIDE rating the opportunity to compete for a World Championship title. But how much does it actually cost to play in an international chess tournament? In this video, I break down the true cost of playing chess overseas from South Africa, including flights...

The Gauteng University Chess Championship 2026 is almost here, and I’ll be representing the University of Johannesburg Chess Club at Wits Sturrock Park on Saturday, 22 August. UJ is entering three teams into this CHESSA-rated university chess championship, with Team A featuring Amukelani Hlatshwayo, Vuyani Kula, Mandilive Mpofu, Lindokuhle Ndlovu and myself. The tournament uses a five-round Team S...

The Esports World Cup 2026 Chess Finals are coming to Paris from August 11–15, bringing together Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja, Arjun Erigaisi, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Hans Niemann and many of the world's strongest chess players. In this EWC 2026 chess preview, we break down the qualification path, Play-In, Group Stage, Playoffs, tournament format, $1.5 million main-event prize fun...

FIDE has officially announced that the 2026 World Chess Championship between reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Challenger Javokhir Sindarov will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from November 25 to December 15, 2026. In this video, we cover the historic venue announcement, why FIDE selected neutral ground despite bids from India, the United States, and Cyprus, the 14-game match format, a...

The Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2026 is finally here, bringing together eight of the world's strongest chess players for one of the strongest classical tournaments of the year. In this video, I preview the event, explain the format, prize fund, schedule, and why the tournament is so important for the FIDE Circuit. I also discuss the star-studded lineup featuring World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju,...

This is an important update about the future of Maverick Chess. After creating more than 420 videos, 81 Shorts, 87 livestreams, 45 podcast episodes, 61 community posts, and building an amazing chess community, I've decided to take a short break from YouTube. In this video, I explain the reasons behind the decision, including university exams, burnout, stress, imposter syndrome, and the need to...

The Esports Nations Cup 2026 is set to bring together the world’s best chess players in a massive international online chess competition featuring a $600,000 prize fund, regional qualifiers, wildcards, and national representation. With players qualifying through the Champions Chess Tour, Titled Tuesday Grand Prix, and regional events across the globe, the Esports Nations Cup could become one of th...

The Chess.com Open Playoffs bring together top players like Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Javokhir Sindarov in a high-stakes knockout event with a $250,000 prize pool and qualification spots for the Esports World Cup, making this one of the most competitive online chess tournaments of 2026.WATCH NEXT:▶️ Play in 1→ https://youtu.be/kKxl62xR6UQ▶️ Play in 2 → https://youtu.be/NMeKBmIkt4g🔗...

The 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament delivered one of the most dominant performances in modern chess history as Javokhir Sindarov secured victory with a record-breaking score, while Vaishali Rameshbabu won the Women’s Candidates to earn a World Championship match against Ju Wenjun. In this video, we break down the key moments, biggest turning points, standout games, and what this means for the futu...

In this video, I share my full thoughts and review of the Netflix documentary Untold: Chess Mates, which dives into the controversial cheating scandal involving Magnus Carlsen, Hans Niemann, and Chess.com. This breakdown covers the key moments of the documentary, the accusations of cheating, the Sinquefield Cup drama, online vs over-the-board controversies, and whether the film presents an accurat...

PogChamps 6/7 is back with a brand-new format, bigger stakes, and some of the internet’s biggest creators battling it out for a $100,000 prize pool. Featuring stars like Jynxzi, StableRonaldo, and Agent00, this celebrity chess tournament delivers chaos, blunders, and unforgettable moments. With a fast-paced group stage and knockout format, PogChamps 6/7 promises high-energy entertainment while int...

In this video I give a full preview of the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026, the event that will determine who challenges the reigning world champion in the next title match. I explain the format, schedule, prize fund, and introduce all eight qualified players including Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, and Anish Giri, breaking down their chances and the key storylines he...

In this video I preview the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026, the event that will determine who challenges reigning Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun. I break down the format, schedule, prize fund, and all eight participants including Zhu Jiner, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Divya Deshmukh, and Anna Muzychuk, analyzing their chances, head-to-head records, and key storylines ahead of the double...

In this video I share my reaction and analysis of the trailer for Untold: Chess Mates, the upcoming Netflix documentary covering the famous chess controversy between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann. The documentary revisits the dramatic events surrounding the Sinquefield Cup in 2022, where Niemann defeated Carlsen in a game that sparked one of the biggest cheating controversies in chess history. I...

In this chess news roundup I analyze several of the biggest storylines in elite chess in 2026, starting with the difficult start to the year for world champion Dommaraju Gukesh after tournaments like Tata Steel Chess Tournament and the Prague International Chess Festival. I also look at the impressive performances of Nodirbek Abdusattorov in Prague, the strong form of Fabiano Caruana during events...

In this video I outline my full 2026 chess plans, beginning with a preview of my first classical tournament of the year, the JMC Trinityhouse Little Falls B Section, where I aim to set the tone for the season. I discuss my preparation strategy, rating goals and competitive mindset for over the board classical chess, as well as my ambition to join the University of Johannesburg chess team. I also e...

Magnus Carlsen defeated Fabiano Caruana 2.5-1.5 to win the 2026 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship, claiming his 21st world title and adding Chess960 to his list of world championship victories. In this full recap and analysis, I break down the dramatic turnaround in game three, the tense final game, key time scramble moments, and how Carlsen survived a dead-lost position to stun Caruana in t...

The inaugural FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship brings Chess960, also known as Fischer Random, fully under the official FIDE world championship structure with a $300,000 prize fund and an elite eight-player field including Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Levon Aronian, Hans Niemann, Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Javokhir Sindarov, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. In this video, I break down the...

The Speed Chess Championship Finals bring together four elite grandmasters with completely different approaches to fast chess, as Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja, and Denis Lazavik prepare to battle in London. With games played at five minute, three minute, and one minute time controls, each finalist relies on a unique balance of speed, premoving, time management, and positional...

Nodirbek Abdusattorov has finally won the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2026, defeating Arjun Erigaisi in the final round to clinch the prestigious Wijk aan Zee title with 9 out of 13 points after years of near misses. As Abdusattorov completed his redemption story at the “Wimbledon of Chess,” Andy Woodward captured the Tata Steel Chess Challengers with 10 out of 13, edging out Vasyl Ivanchuk to qualif...

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2026, often called the Wimbledon of Chess, returns to Wijk aan Zee with one of the strongest classical lineups of the year. Featuring the Tata Steel Chess Masters and Challengers, this legendary round-robin event brings together world champions, elite grandmasters, rising stars, and future prodigies competing under classical time controls from January 17 to February...