Levy Rozman

{{Short description|American chess player and commentator (born 1995)}} {{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Levy Rozman | image = Levy Rozman at Collision 2024 (cropped).jpg | caption = Rozman in 2024 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|12|05}} | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | other_names = GothamChess, Gotham, The Internet's Chess Teacher | death_date = | death_place = | education = Baruch College (BS) | spouse = {{marriage|Lucy Rozman|2021}} | website = {{URL|https://chessly.com}} | module = {{Infobox chess biography|child=yes | title = International Master (2018) | yearsactive = 2001–2022, 2024–present | rating = [https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2039877 2318] (February 2026) | peakrating = 2421 (August 2018) | ranking = | peakranking = | FideID = 2039877  | show-medals = | medaltemplates = | medaltemplates-title = }} | module2 = {{Infobox social media personality|embed=yes | youtube_display_name = GothamChess | youtube_years_active = 2018–present | youtube_genre = Online chess | youtube_subscribers = 7.6 million | youtube_views = 5.2 billion | twitch_display_name = GothamChess | twitch_years_active = 2018–present | twitch_followers = 1.2 million

| stats_update = May 24, 2026 }} }}

'''Levy Rozman''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɛ|v|i|_|ˈ|r|ɒ|z|m|ə|n}}, {{respell|LEV|ee|_|ROZ|mən}}; Russian: Леви Розман, born December 5, 1995), known online as '''GothamChess''', is an American chess international master, entrepreneur, content creator, commentator, and author. Often referred to as "The Internet's Chess Teacher",<ref name="Gt3qM">{{cite news |title=The Internet's Chess Teacher |url=https://wgntv.com/morning-news/morning-news-guests/the-internets-chess-teacher/ |access-date=March 13, 2024 |work=WGN-TV |date=December 27, 2023 |archive-date=March 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313043458/https://wgntv.com/morning-news/morning-news-guests/the-internets-chess-teacher/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Forgrave" /><ref name="Chess.com 2021" /> he produces content on the online platforms Twitch, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Rozman began streaming on Twitch in August 2018. His YouTube channel gained rapid popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and the release of ''The Queen's Gambit'' in 2020. His YouTube channel became the first chess channel to surpass one billion views.

In 2018, Rozman earned the title of International Master and achieved his peak Elo rating of 2421. From July 2022 to April 2024, Rozman stepped away from competitive chess, before resuming pursuit of his goal to become a grandmaster.

== Early life == Levy Rozman was born on December 5, 1995, in Brooklyn, New York, to Russian émigrée Lina (née Zeldovich) and Ukrainian émigré Eugene Rozman.<ref name="Forgrave" /><ref name="chesscomBio" /> As a first-generation American, Rozman grew up speaking Russian at home and only started learning English in preschool.<ref name="Forgrave" /><ref name="JZ7HL">{{Cite web |last=Gotham Clips |date=March 14, 2022 |title=How Levy Learned English... |website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzWW9n5D0L8}}</ref> He lived back and forth between New Jersey and New York growing up.<ref name="VioYe">{{cite web |last1=Alostatz |first1=Steve |date=January 30, 2020 |title=International chess master coming to campus |url=https://www.thelantern.com/2020/01/international-chess-master-coming-to-campus/ |access-date=February 11, 2021 |website=The Lantern}}</ref>

Rozman was an energetic child, described by his mother as "a bit of a bruiser on the playground." At the age of five, his parents enrolled him in chess classes and noticed that the game had a calming effect on him.<ref name="Forgrave" /> Rozman entered his first chess tournament at the age of seven.<ref name="salon" /> In February 2008, at twelve years old, Rozman achieved a FIDE rating of 2000 but progress stalled for three years. After contemplating quitting chess, he returned to the game consistently at the age of 15.<ref name="Chess.com 2021" />

== Chess career == At the age of 16 in 2011, Rozman achieved the title of National Master through the US Chess Federation.<ref name="srBsp">{{cite web |title=12879834: Levy Rozman |url=http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?12879834 |website=US Chess Federation |access-date=February 11, 2021}}</ref><ref name="D'Anastasio" /> While attending Baruch College in Manhattan, he pursued a bachelor's degree in statistics and quantitative modeling, with plans to secure a "serious job" after finishing his involvement in playing and teaching chess. In 2014, a year into his degree, he approached local schools to propose running his own chess program that involved coaching kids for tournaments and secured city and state titles with the students.<ref name="Jones" />

Between 2016 and 2019, Rozman committed himself to competitive chess.<ref name="LqDDX">{{cite news |last1=Echarri |first1=Miquel |title=Levy Rozman, the twentysomething who triumphed online with his chess advice |url=https://english.elpais.com/sports/2024-01-24/levy-rozman-the-twentysomething-who-triumphed-online-with-his-chess-advice.html |access-date=January 25, 2024 |work=El País |date=January 24, 2024 |language=en-us}}</ref> He obtained the title of FIDE Master in 2016 and International Master (IM) in 2018.<ref name="oXVyb">{{Cite web|title=Rozman, Levy|url=https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2039877|access-date=June 26, 2021|website=Ratings.fide.com}}</ref> In 2018, he reached his peak US Chess rating of 2520 and a FIDE rating of 2421.<ref name="Forgrave" /><ref name="chesscomBio" /> In July 2022, following a disappointing performance at the New York Summer Invitational tournament, Rozman announced his retirement from "competitive chess events" due to physical and mental stress.<ref name="dAZCP">{{Cite web |last=McGourty |first=Colin |website=chess24 |url=https://new.chess24.com/wall/news/chess-pain |title=Chess = pain? |access-date=July 20, 2022 |date=July 14, 2022}}</ref> He announced his return to competitive over-the-board chess in April 2024, with the goal of becoming a Grandmaster (GM).<ref name=":0">{{cite AV media |author=GothamChess |date=April 23, 2024 |title=Road to GM: Episode 1 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF4S9MfiJHM |access-date=April 24, 2024 |time=0:57 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

==Content creation== While working to attain the title of Grandmaster, Rozman began streaming on his own Twitch channel on May 19, 2018.<ref name="Forgrave" /> His streams mainly focused on instructional videos and chess commentary. Despite having only 10 followers at the time, he spent extensive hours online, sometimes streaming from 9pm to 4am. His first notable surge in viewership occurred in November 2018 during the World Chess Championship between Fabiano Caruana and Magnus Carlsen.<ref name="salon" /> Rozman expanded his online presence further by launching his YouTube channel a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar to many online chess personalities, he experienced a viewership surge during the pandemic, particularly following the release of the TV miniseries ''The Queen's Gambit''.<ref name="Forgrave" /> After leaving his role as a chess teacher, Rozman became a full-time streamer. By October 2020, his Twitch channel amassed over 100,000 followers, a significant increase from the just over 17,800 followers in early 2020. In January 2021, he ranked as the third-largest chess streamer on Twitch with 200,000 followers. Simultaneously, his YouTube channel saw substantial growth, reaching 379,000 subscribers.<ref name="w9OQQ">{{cite news |last1=Greenwald |first1=Morgan |title=This chess teacher quit his full-time job to become a streamer: 'It's become [the primary source of income]' |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/level-thanks-twitch-newfound-interest-140000887.html |access-date=January 5, 2024 |work=Yahoo Entertainment |date=January 27, 2021}}</ref>

In March 2021, Rozman gained international attention when he faced a loss in a Chess.com match against an Indonesian chess player, Dadang Subur (known as Dewa_Kipas online, translated as the "God of Fans"). Suspecting that his opponent was cheating, Rozman reported his account to the Chess.com Fair Play Team. As a result, Subur's account was closed due to cheating. This development, however, led to a backlash from Indonesian netizens, resulting in Rozman facing harassment on social media. To cope with the situation, Rozman opted for privacy by making his social media accounts private and took a brief hiatus from streaming.<ref name="D'Anastasio" /><ref name="hSCvo">{{cite web |date=March 9, 2021 |title=Indonesian Chess Player Beats Online Grand Master, Causes Backlash |url=https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/03/09/020507274/indonesian-chess-player-beats-online-grand-master-causes-backlash?page=all |access-date=March 9, 2021 |publisher=}}</ref> Subur later played a series of live matches against Indonesian IM Irene Kharisma Sukandar, losing 3–0, with an accuracy of less than 40%. Chess.com estimated his performance in the three games to be at an Elo rating of 1127; his online performance exceeded 3000 by their measurements.<ref name="BHb4x">{{cite web |last1=Doggers |first1=Peter |title=Cheating Controversy Results In Most-Watched Chess Stream In History |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/most-watched-chess-stream-in-history-dewa-kipas |access-date=July 15, 2021 |website=Chess.com|date=March 23, 2021}}</ref>

By mid-2021, Rozman's YouTube channel reached one million subscribers, and in September 2021, he became the largest chess creator on YouTube, surpassing Agadmator.<ref name="chesscomBio" />

Amidst the increasing popularity of chess on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, coupled with the Carlsen–Niemann controversy in late 2022, Rozman's YouTube channel continued to grow at a rapid rate, accruing over 300 million views in January 2023, according to Rozman. Shortly after, his YouTube channel became the first chess channel to amass over one billion views.<ref name="Jones" /><ref name="FqaYR">{{cite news |last1=Svensen |first1=Tarjei |title=GothamChess On Success, Carlsen Message, World Championship Match |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/gothamchess-perpetual-chess-podcast |access-date=January 5, 2024 |work=Chess.com |date=April 5, 2023}}</ref> By November 2023, his YouTube channel had garnered 4.3 million subscribers and 1.8 billion views.<ref name="aRK2t">{{cite news |last1=Gawthrop |first1=Alice |title=How to win chess, according to International Master Levy Rozman |url=https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/inspire/life/how-to-win-chess-according-to-international-master-levy-rozman |access-date=January 5, 2024 |work=Reader's Digest |date=November 3, 2023 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> On November 28, 2023, Rozman was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 2024 under the "Games" category.<ref name="09XNs">{{cite web |last1=Rodgers |first1=Jack |date=November 29, 2023 |title=GothamChess Announced In Forbes 30 Under 30 |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/gothamchess-announced-in-forbes-30-under-30 |access-date=November 30, 2023 |website=Chess.com}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

In November 2025, Levy Rozman defeated over 225,000 players in an organised "Levy Rozman vs The World chess match" on chess.com.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Binh |first1=Xuan |title=How The World Lost To GothamChess: Inside the Largest Chess Match Ever Played |url=https://www.attackingchess.com/how-the-world-lost-to-gothamchess-inside-the-largest-chess-match-ever-played/ |access-date=5 March 2026 |work=Attacking Chess |date=30 November 2025}}</ref> In it, he sacrificed a rook, which is associated to him as an internet meme.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Team (CHESScom) |first=Chess com |date=2025-11-07 |title=GothamChess Sacrifices 'The Rooook' Vs. World |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/gothamchess-sacrifices-the-rooook-vs-world |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life== Rozman has a younger brother named Leo.<ref name="Chess.com 2021" /> He met his wife Lucy in November 2015.<ref name="Forgrave" /><ref name="Chess.com 2021" /> Rozman is Jewish.<ref name="Ohf4w">{{Cite web|url=https://stljewishlight.org/news/news-local/young-jewish-chess-players-develop-matchless-life-skills/|title=Young Jewish chess players develop matchless life skills |first=Bill |last=Motchan |date=December 31, 2020 |access-date=December 11, 2023 |website=St. Louis Jewish Light}}</ref> His family is originally from Kazan.<ref name="ksXEYud3RKk">{{cite AV media |author=GothamChess |date=October 26, 2025 |title=I Won A Chess Tournament In Dark Times|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksXEYud3RKk |access-date=October 26, 2025 |time=7:23 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

Rozman authored the book ''How to Win at Chess: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners and Beyond'', which was released on October 24, 2023. It reached fourth on The New York Times Best Seller list in the category "Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous".<ref name="gD1fT">{{cite news |last1=Svensen |first1=Tarjei |title='GothamChess' Releases New Book, Immediately Tops Three Amazon Lists |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/gothamchess-releases-book-immediately-tops-amazon-lists |access-date=January 6, 2024 |work=Chess.com |date=November 5, 2023}}</ref>

On October 14, 2021, Rozman announced the Levy Rozman Scholarship Fund, through which he is donating $100,000 to elementary-, middle-, and high-school chess programs. ChessKid, a subsidiary of Chess.com, administers the fund, and schools can be awarded between $5,000 and $15,000 to pay for the costs of training, tournament fees, and travel expenses.<ref name="Uxl53">{{cite web|website=ChessKid|title=IM Levy Rozman Announces Chess Scholarship Fund|date=October 14, 2021|access-date=October 14, 2021|url=https://www.chesskid.com/article/view/levy-rozman-scholarship-fund}}</ref>

==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Ceremony ! Year ! Category ! Result ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | rowspan="3" | The Streamer Awards | 2021 | rowspan="3" |Best Chess Streamer | {{nom}} | <ref name="rhsqi">{{cite web |last1=Miceli |first1=Max |title=All nominees for QTCinderella's Streamer Awards |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/all-nominees-for-qtcinderellas-streamer-awards |website=Dot Esports |publisher=GAMURS Group |date=February 22, 2022}}</ref> |- | 2022 | {{Won}} | <ref name="5DR2u">{{cite web |last1=Polhamus |first1=Blaine |title=All 2023 Streamer Awards nominees |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/all-2023-streamer-awards-nominees |website=Dot Esports |publisher=Gamurs |date=February 20, 2023}}</ref> |- | 2023 | {{nom}} | <ref name="2L5OK">{{cite news |last1=Taifalos |first1=Nicholas |last2=Cale |first2=Michael |title=Streamer Awards 2024: All results and winners for every category |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/streamer-awards-2024-all-results-and-winners-for-every-category |access-date=February 18, 2024 |work=Dot Esports |date=February 18, 2024}}</ref> |}

=== Listicles === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! scope="col" |Publisher ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Listicle ! scope="col" |Result ! class="unsortable" scope="col" |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- ! scope="row" |''Forbes'' |2024 |30 Under 30: Games |Placed | align="center" |<ref name=":1" /> |}

==References== <references> <ref name="Forgrave">{{cite news |last1=Forgrave |first1=Reid |title='Starting Soon, Nerds': Levy Rozman Wants to Teach You Chess |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/magazine/chess-levy-rozman.html |access-date=January 5, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=December 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240225160140/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/magazine/chess-levy-rozman.html |archive-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref> <ref name="chesscomBio">{{cite web |title=Levy Rozman |url=https://www.chess.com/players/levy-rozman |website=Chess.com |access-date=February 11, 2021}}</ref> <ref name="salon">{{cite web |last1=Stevens |first1=Ashlie D. |title=How "The Queen's Gambit" is inspiring a wave of new chess fans, especially women |url=https://www.salon.com/2020/11/13/queens-gambit-chess-interest-online-women/ |website=Salon |access-date=February 11, 2021 |language=en |date=November 13, 2020}}</ref> <ref name="Chess.com 2021">{{cite AV media |date=November 26, 2021 |title=GothamChess: How Levy Rozman Became The Internet's Chess Teacher |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5X-_Ya8efI |access-date=January 5, 2024 |publisher=Chess.com |via=YouTube}}</ref> <ref name="D'Anastasio">{{Cite magazine |last=D'Anastasio |first=Cecilia |title=A Bird-Feed Seller Beat a Chess Master Online. Then It Got Ugly |url=https://www.wired.com/story/bird-feed-seller-beat-chess-master-online-harassment/ |magazine=Wired |language=en-us |issn=1059-1028 |access-date=March 16, 2021}}</ref> <ref name="Jones">{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Ralph |title='It exposes your every flaw': Chess's YouTube king GothamChess on the game he loves |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/oct/17/levy-rozman-youtube-chess-gothamchess |access-date=January 5, 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=October 17, 2023}}</ref> <ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Forbes 30 Under 30 2024: Games |url=https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2024/games/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> </references>

==External links== * {{commons category-inline}} * {{official website}} * {{FIDE}} * {{Lichess player}} * {{Chess.com player}} * {{Twitch|GothamChess|name=GothamChess}} * {{YouTube|handle=GothamChess|user=|title=GothamChess}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rozman, Levy}} Category:1995 births Category:21st-century American chess players Category:American Jews Category:American chess writers Category:American gaming YouTubers Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent Category:American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent Category:American sports commentators Category:American Twitch (service) streamers Category:Baruch College alumni Category:Chess International Masters Category:Chess players from Brooklyn Category:Jewish chess players Category:Living people Category:Streamer Award winners Category:Writers from Brooklyn Category:YouTubers from Brooklyn Category:Chess YouTubers