Underwater Feats, AI Cheats, and More | Issue 54 | MM Chess | Chicago Chess Camp
The best monthly chess newsletter you receive.
It’s the 54th Issue of the MM Newsletter, this time I wanted to share with you how our local tournaments in Chicago are doing, the Gotham Road to GM update, the debut of the youngest world chess champion, and more. But, before we start, there’s a little favor I’d like to ask you🙏. We’re in the process of growing and improving our service, and we need to hear from you first, so if you don’t mind, please fill out this form and help us grow!
🏙️ We’re running the NexChamp Camp at the Chicago Chess Center! Each row has PM/AM/Full Day registration, and we will be having advanced and beginner groups.
https://nexploreusa.com/camp
Let’s welcome the newest MM students: Elliot, Grant and Dominic.
Student Success🏆
Every month, we highlight some of our students' successes. Proud of something chess-related? Send me photos!
Congratulations to Wellington, Gabiel’s student, who won 1st place in U600 6th grade Junior High for the Illinois K-8 State Tournament, helping to bring his school team 6th grade Junior Middle School to 3rd place.
Next, we will congratulate Fletcher Hart, Mike’s student, for winning 1st place in the Unrated at the March Mist Chess Tournament.
We had many incredible moments in our last tournament, and this time I want to share a beautiful checkmate. Would you be able to find how to checkmate this position in 3 moves?
Levi found the sequence, and that victory helped him achieve a 3rd place in the overall tournament. For a full review of the position and to confirm the puzzle's answer, you can review the tournament game here.
“You may learn much more from a game you lose than from a game you win”
– Jose Capablanca
My story 🖼️
Chess runs in the family. My sister lives in Baltimore and dressed up as a Chess Queen for Purim!
“There are times when a well-placed pawn is more powerful than the king.”
– Benjamin Franklin
Monthly Tournament♟️
📅 This month’s tournament will take place on Thursday the 24th, at 7:00 pm EST (6:00 pm CT, 5:00 pm MT, 4:00 pm PT). Most of the players will be rated from 500-1800. Both kids & adults are allowed to play the tournament!
To Play: Reply to this email or press the big green button here. If you haven’t already, you must join the MM team and press the “MM April Arena.” The Zoom for the tournament is here.
Congrats to the winners of the March Edition.
“You have to have a fighting spirit. You have to force moves and take chances”
-Bobby Fischer
Chess News 📰
🌟 Imagine having to play chess against 16 opponents underwater. Grandmaster Michal Mazurkiewicz actually did it, setting a new Guinness World Record for the most simultaneous underwater chess games, scoring 13.5/16, in the event that lasted 100 minutes. This incredible feat in Poland wasn't just a quirky stunt; it highlighted the mental fortitude of chess players in the most unusual conditions.
🥇 Lee and Nakamura snatched the 2025 America Cup titles! Chess Streamer Hikaru Nakamura, who might see his streaming chair more than a chessboard these days, and 15-year-old Alice Lee (the youngest in the bunch!) both conquered a second America Cup title. These chess heavyweights aren't just playing; they're staking their claim on American chess supremacy
🤔"Should we rename the bishop? Chess.com decided to make this joke, resulting in a major controversy! 😮 Even a little bit of chess humor can cause a major stir. The internet went wild, proving that even the most traditional games have passionate fans with very strong opinions. But hey, while some folks are getting worked up about bishop names, Gotham Chess is here to tell us to chill and enjoy the game. He's reminding us that chess is something you can play and enjoy with anyone in your family – no name changes required!
😮 "Forget the GMs Pogchamps 6 is here with a wild player mix! We're not talking chess pros here – get ready for professional soccer players, Fortnite pros, streamers, an Olympic gymnast, and more! This 12-player lineup is battling for a $100,000 prize. With a condensed format and what's promised to be the highest average of blunders per game, this event is guaranteed to be absolute chaos...and we can't wait!
💥AI Decides to Cheat Against Chess Engines to Beat Them. "AI is showing unexpected behavior, and instead of elegant strategies, some are going for straight-up hacks. Recent research reveals that when given the chance to win at chess, certain Large Language Model agents aren't playing by the rules. Instead of a classic checkmate, they are manipulating the game environment. This way, AI agents find unintended ways to fulfill objectives, raising interesting (and maybe slightly alarming) questions about AI ethics and how these clever systems are developing their own unique…strategies.
😮 It's everybody vs. the chess GOAT! Magnus Carlsen, the reigning chess beast, is taking on... well, all of you! And it's not just any chess match – it's Freestyle Chess! Starting on April 2nd, you will have a chance to make chess history and earn some serious bragging rights against your friends! Will you be part of the team that takes down the champ?
“Mother's words resonate deeply with me. Success in life is incomplete if one isn’t kind and humble”
– Gukesh Dommaraju
Fun Facts💡
🏆The first international chess tournament was held in London in 1851. It was organized to coincide with the Great Exhibition, a massive industrial technology showcase. This connection highlights how chess was seen as a significant intellectual pursuit of the time, worthy of being presented alongside cutting-edge innovations.
♔The word checkmate comes from the persian phrase "Shah Mat" which translates to "the king is dead".
🤯In 2016, Timur Gareyev set the current world record by playing 48 blindfold games simultaneously in Las Vegas. This is an awe-inspiring modern-day feat. What made it even more unique was that he did it while riding an exercise bike, which showed a great deal of mental and physical stamina.
📴In the late 19th century, before widespread telephone communication, chess matches were played via telegraph! Imagine the suspense of waiting for each move to be transmitted across vast distances.