BruvsChess Media

07/09/2025

Are Top Chess Players Getting a Free Pass?

French Grandmaster Romain Edouard isn’t pulling any punches. He’s calling out the special treatment given to the world’s top chess players, who get to stay in their elite bubble without facing new challengers.

He argues that while other sports force their stars to fight for their spot, chess protects its top names in closed events.

This creates a comfort zone where the same faces play each other, shutting the door on hungry, young talent who could shake things up.

The question is, are we coddling our champions?

Is it fair that the chess elite are shielded from the fierce competition that rising stars have to endure? Or is this system necessary to maintain the highest level of play?

What do you think? Is it time to end the special treatment and open up the top tier?

06/09/2025

Tough Round 4 Opponents for Wafa and Nassr

In round 4 of the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2025 Women, WGM Shrook Wafa (2202) faces a big challenge as she takes on IM Carissa Yip (2458) with the White pieces.

WIM Lina Nassr (2059) also has a difficult pairing, playing Black against IM Klaudia Kulon (2361).

Both Wafa and Nassr will need to be at their best as they go up against higher-rated opponents in this round.

06/09/2025

Round 4: Africans in Focus at the Grand Swiss 2025 (Open)

In round 4 of the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2025, Bassem Amin (2636) and Olisa, Tennyson Ewomazino (2287), both have White in the Open section.

Amin faces GM Divya Deshmukh (2478), aiming to bounce back after a tough previous round.

Olisa takes on GM Sanan Sjugirov (2627), looking to build on his solid draw from round 3.

06/09/2025

Topsy-Turvy Round 3 for Amin, Olisa, Wafa, and Nassr

In the Open section, GM Bassem Amin (2636) had a tough pairing with GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2741). Playing Black, Amin was unable to hold off his higher-rated opponent and suffered a defeat.

Olisa, Tennyson Ewomazino (2287), also played Black against GM Abdimalik Abdisalimov (2488). Despite the rating gap, Olisa managed to secure a hard-fought draw, marking a noteworthy result for him in the tournament.

In the Women’s section, WGM Shrook Wafa (2202) was matched with GM Mariya Muzychuk (2484) and played Black. Wafa put up resistance but ultimately lost to the experienced grandmaster.

WIM Lina Nassr (2059) had the White pieces against WGM Anna Shukhman (2420). Nassr faced a challenging game and was unable to score, ending the round with a loss. Both Wafa and Nassr will look to regroup and prepare for the next round.

06/09/2025

Chess[.]com Data Breach Exposes Thousands of Users’ Personal Information

Hackers exploited an external system connected to Chess[.]com’s network, exposing the personal data of 4,541 users across the United States.

The breach took place on June 5, 2025, but wasn’t discovered until June 19, highlighting the sophisticated nature of the attack.

Nearly three months later, on September 3, Chess[.]com notified those affected, following legal requirements but raising concerns about the delay.

To help protect impacted users, Chess[.]com is offering 12 months of free identity theft protection, including credit monitoring and fraud alerts.

The company has not shared details about any new security improvements since the breach. Users are encouraged to watch for suspicious account activity and take advantage of the identity protection services provided.

The incident underscores the ongoing cybersecurity risks facing online gaming platforms and the need for strong security across all connected systems.

05/09/2025

Bassem Amin and Shrook Wafa Score Wins for Africa in Round 2 of FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2025

GM Bassem Amin, Africa’s most decorated grandmaster, faced GM Abdimalik Abdisalimov. Amin played with confidence and secured a win. His experience and tactical skill were clear throughout the game. This victory moves him forward in the tournament standings.

Tennyson Ewomazino Olisa, representing Nigeria, was paired against GM Robert Hovhannisyan. Olisa fought hard but lost the game. Playing against a higher-rated grandmaster was a tough challenge. Despite the result, Olisa’s participation at this level shows his commitment and determination.

In the women’s section, WIM Lina Nassr faced a tough challenge in round 2. Paired against top seed and former World Champion GM Tan Zhongyi, Nassr fought hard but ultimately lost the game. Despite the result, playing against such a strong opponent offers valuable experience for Nassr as the tournament continues.

WGM Shrook Wafa, rated 2202, scored an impressive win in round 2 of the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2025 Women. She defeated Grandmaster Elina Danielian, who holds a much higher rating of 2405. Wafa’s victory against a stronger opponent stands out as one of the highlights of the round and shows her potential to make an impact in the tournament.

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01/09/2025

Congratulations to Fashinu Tolulope!

Tolulope has been a consistent voice in chess reporting in Nigeria, contributing richly to BruvsChess Media and the wider chess community.

With over 20 published articles on our platform and more than 40,000 confirmed reads across platforms (a reach we estimate closer to 60,000), his work has informed, inspired, and shaped conversations in Nigerian chess.

We celebrate this milestone with you, Tolu.

Thank you for your dedication and for helping to grow chess media in Nigeria.

Here’s to many more milestones ahead!

You can check out Tolu’s publications at:
https://bruvschessmedia.com/author/toluene/

31/08/2025

Tennyson Olisa heads to Uzbekistan tomorrow for the *FIDE Grand Swiss*.

His manager Anthony Olisa said on national TV that the trip would cost ₦54 million.

Meanwhile, Delta State through the sport commission has released ₦49 million for the prodigy and he does not even know about it.

Should athletes be kept in the dark about funds meant for them?

31/08/2025

Super Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, Golden State NBA Star, Stephen Curry and Nigerian Star, Candidate Master Charles Campbell are playing in the 2025 Louisiana State Chess Championship.

31/08/2025

After ten long years, Gauri Shankar finally made it. Two days ago, he won the game that pushed his FIDE rating over 2400, earning him the title of International Master.

The journey was filled with highs and lows. He earned eleven IM norms, proving he had the talent, but the rating was always just out of reach. He came close many times, and the repeated disappointments were tough.

There were times he felt like giving up, but he never did. He kept trying, and this time, he finally broke through.

He had conquered the challenge he set for himself a decade ago, but now a new, even bigger one was waiting.

Photo Credit: Chessbase

31/08/2025

Kirill Shevchenko:

From a celebrated chess prodigy to a sanctioned player, the story of Kirill Shevchenko is a tale of exceptional talent overshadowed by a significant fall from grace.

Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 2002, Kirill Shevchenko’s aptitude for chess was evident from a young age. His ascent through the ranks was swift. He earned the title of International Master in 2016 and, in 2017, at just 14 years and 10 months old, he became a Grandmaster, placing him among the youngest in history to achieve the feat.

Shevchenko quickly made a name for himself in top-level chess. By June 2020, he was ranked the best under-18 player in Ukraine and the seventh-best in the world in his age group. His notable achievements include winning the prestigious Lindores Abbey Blitz tournament in 2021, finishing ahead of renowned players like Fabiano Caruana. That same year, he was part of the gold-medal-winning Ukrainian team at the European Team Chess Championship. At his peak in June 2023, he reached a rating of 2694, ranking 39th in the world.

The turning point in Shevchenko’s career came in October 2024 during the Spanish Team Championship. Now representing Romania, the 22-year-old was accused of cheating after his opponents reported his unusually frequent and long trips to the restroom. An investigation uncovered a mobile phone hidden in a private bathroom, leading to his disqualification from the tournament.

Initially, Shevchenko denied using the phone to cheat, though he admitted to hiding it. However, he later confessed to using the chess application Lichess on the device. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) launched an investigation into the matter.

In March 2025, FIDE’s Ethics and Disciplinary Commission found Shevchenko guilty of violating the disciplinary code and handed him a three-year ban from all FIDE-rated events, with one year suspended.

In a more severe ruling in August 2025, FIDE also revoked his Grandmaster title, making him the highest-rated player to be sanctioned for cheating during a tournament.

In his defense, Shevchenko’s legal counsel pointed to his cooperation with the investigation, his clean prior record, and his disturbed mental state due to threats against his family related to the war in Ukraine. While an analysis found no conclusive evidence of engine use in his games during that specific tournament, the act of attempting to cheat was deemed a serious offense. The FIDE commission stated, “Cheating is an existential threat to chess competitions and must be dealt with severely”.

A celebrated chess prodigy’s brilliant career was undone by a single mistake, leaving his future as the biggest puzzle of all.

Photo: Patricia Claros, Spanish Chess Federation

16/08/2025

Listen to our fireside chat with Ferdinand Tersee Nyuima, Nigeria’s youngest ever national chess champion, hosted by National Arbiter Olawale Peter Oyeleye on the Nigeria Chess Community Discord Server.

Hear how he made history and what it takes to win under pressure.

Tune in now:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bc44DRiCFn636rW4WmD6P?si=caWCpTJFQrCxWHcjUfODgQ

TALKING CHESS · Episode