GothamChess addresses viral drama over Emil Sutovsky's tweet: 'It should change.. now I look like an egocentric idiot'

Time of India

21-06-2025

(Image via YouTube/GothamChess)
A major controversy in the chess community has sparked discussions this week, putting International Master Levy Rozman in hot water after he made a comment about his fame. It further escalated when Emil Sutovsky, FIDE CEO, weighed in, leading to a feud.
The entire drama involved perceptions of players' fame in the game and online creators' influence. Rozman now has stepped forward with the pointed response, clarifying his stance on this escalating situation.
GothamChess
claims misrepresentation of the post, calling it out of context
Levy Rozman has finally addressed the ongoing drama which was ignited after a critical tweet by Emil Sutovsky. It's asserted by him that his non-controversial statement that was made on the global chess recognition was ripped from its original context, leading to a widespread misinterpretation.
"This image and quote is quite out of context, which is annoying, but understandable,"
Rozman stated as he expressed his frustration at how his words got spread online.
GothamChess further clarified his intention, which was not self-aggrandizement. He explained,
"My quote was a reference to... speaking to an athlete (casual chess fan) who could only name myself, Magnus, and Hikaru as chess."
My Response To The Allegations
The International Master further emphasized he was trying to highlight a problem. He said,
"I was simply making the point that it's unfortunate if someone can only name us 3 as chess players, and it should change.
But of course, now I look like an egocentric idiot."
He conceded this label might at times fit, but he argued it was definitely undeserved in the instance.
Discussing the original comment that sparked the entire drama
'That's Not My Fault' – GothamChess Fires Back in Chess Drama!
The ongoing controversy can be traced back to the interview Rozman gave during one of his recent European tours. An individual reportedly expressed difficulty following up professional chess and claimed familiarity with only 3 figures worldwide:
Magnus Carlsen
Hikaru Nakamura, and
Levy Rozman
Rozman presented the anecdote not as a boast but as evidence of some significant accessibility gap that exists within chess.
The core argument of the player, before the quote gained traction, was actually centered on the struggle of the game to promote a diverse array of top players to a mainstream audience, much beyond dedicated fans. He even saw the limitation within recognition as a barrier to a player's broad growth.
Emil Sutovsky challenged the streamer's perfection and influence
The drama escalated when Emil Sutovsky, the CEO of the global governing body of chess, shared Rozman's isolated quote on social media. Posting the image, he questioned the fans,
"Do you agree with that? I don't - but maybe that's because my bubble consists of hardcore chess fans."
He even directly critiqued Rozman's viewpoint as
"extremely US-centric,"
reflecting regional bias.
Further, Sutovsky even cast doubt on YouTubers' and chess streamers' current impact, suggesting their significance has decreased compared to the previous years. He stated, "
I also feel, that in general streamers/youtubers impact on the game is much less significant than it used to be few years ago,"
acknowledging he
"might err."
His comments prompted a flood of reactions, debating chess popularity's true drivers today.
Chess Community reacts to Emil Sutovsky's stance
Sutovsky doubled down in the follow-up tweet that quite subtly compared Rozman to Sagar Shah (ChessBase India), suggesting that Shah's content creates
"hardcore chess fans"
and not just some casual viewers. It further sparked more debates on whether chess's popularity should be measured by the mass appeal or its dedicated engagement.
Rozman did fire back and defended content creators and their roles within growing chess. He argued that without any accessible figures, including himself, there would be many fans who would not engage with the game at all. On the other hand, Shah took a diplomatic stance, praising creators and FIDE for pushing the game of chess forward.
The entire drama highlights a very deep divide between whether or not chess requires mainstream influencers or any traditional ambassadors to thrive. For now, the debate is still raging without any resolution. But hopefully, it will soon come to an end.
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