The Underworld of the Champions Chess Tour Finals 2023. Sneak Peek Behind the Scene – Chess.com
Amidst the uneventful bustle of a Toronto hotel lobby, an unsuspecting visitor might glide through the cozy ambiance, oblivious to its underground world. But in that lobby, beneath your very feet, life is pulsating with the incredible energy of the Champions Chess Tour Finals 2023.
The only thing that gives this secret location away, is the intermitted appearance of Wesley So in the lobby.
Allow me to take you on a journey behind this exhilarating spectacle and much-anticipated event of the year. As a humble chess.com Top Blogger and a local Torontonian, I feel privileged and grateful to be invited to this remarkable behind-the-scenes operation by no other than Mike Klein, famously known as Chesskids FunMasterMike.
So. Our tour begins with a hidden stairwell:
As you descend, a crescendo of majestic chess vibes slowly rises up and up your body with every step you take into this ocean of anticipation, until you are fully submerged.
A friendly security personnel greets you with a smile and for a second you wonder if you will be let in. But with Mike by your side, you are an instant VIP!
Turn into the corridor and you are at the Golden Gate behind which all the magic happens.
Your eyes widen and you gasp! Magnus, Hikaru, Wesley, Fabi, Maxime, Alireza, Denis, Nodirbek, Danny R., James C., chess.com crew everyone, EVERYONE, is about to be behind that door, just a heartbeat away! For a moment you think you will faint but you try your best not to cause a scene, and compose yourself for what lies ahead.
And what exactly awaits us behind this mysterious portal? Lets unveil the curtain!Behold ... the hangout lounge!
This is where the players converge, chill, and get refreshed. Interestingly enough the live event broadcast in this room is exactly one minute delayed so that the players accidentally wouldnt hear an important commentary and speculation of their live games while taking, say, a bathroom break. But the mechanics of this delay during their walk back to the board remains a mystery. And youre too overwhelmed to probe Mike about it.
A corridor on the right lures you straight into a media hive that you never ever suspected would engage that many personnel working meticulously on every aspect of the broadcast.
Wow, just look at this technology! Its like an FBI command center!
And now, brace yourself the playing area!!
This is the battleground where the dreams are made and crushed, where the glory resides, and where the champions reign. Feel it! Its surreal.
Go, go ahead, take it all in.I know, never in a million years have you thought youd be here.
Your bliss is now gently interrupted by Mikes, Would you like to play a game? At the Carlsen and Sos table? Your mind goes foggy. This isnt happening but it is and you nod while screaming in your head: YES! A million times YES!
Mike asks a crew member to take a photo of you two and you smile your best humble smile. The crew member says, Oh, I know you. Youre MomOnaBreak. We know you here. And this time you definitely feel like fainting. You didnt know you were, uhem, famous. (Ok, dear readers, Im slightly exaggerating the affect).
Once the photo is shot, you forget all the etiquette in the world and with white make your first move 1.c4 and hit the clock. Meanwhile, Mike reaches out his hand for a handshake and your blood rushes to your face with embarrassment which you hope goes unnoticed by FunMasterMike, but it doesnt. He grills you on this mishap later with a twinkle in his eye. In your defense, you were just holding that handshake (for what seemed like forever) a few seconds earlier in front of a camera.
You start playing, 5 minutes each, and again your mind goes foggy. Just like with Hikaru. Except that you manage to hold your cool for a little longer this time and actually develop your pieces nicely with the Makagonov Variation. Suddenly you feel like youre in control. You know this variation despite the lack of practice. It gives white an edge. Do you stand a chance?
At this thought, you cant breathe. Its happening too fast. You hear that the crew is recording this scene for a trial run (or something) and your self-conscious kicks in
And you blunder
The slap in the face you needed so badly just one move earlier to come back to reality but now its too late. And you lose.
But not before Mike reaches for his phone and captures this immortal defeat on camera.
You dust yourself off and get off the stage. James and Danny are here now too and you, little Alice in Wonderland, stare! All these years they were always on your screen, or your imagination, unreal, and now they are live in front of you in flesh and blood.
Somewhere in this daydream you shake hands with Danny and introduce yourself as MomOnaBreak and Danny says he enjoyed your Why More Moms Should Play Chess article and even your blogs. No way!
Now well past the fainting point, you smile confidently and say thank-you and that you feel magic, indescribable magic when you write. Danny takes a note of this and jots something down that includes your email address. Now youre just floating two inches above the ground.
FunMasterMike loyally follows you, and out you go!
Next destination? The city tour with Mike, followed by a delicious vegan lunch.
This is our appreciation for all the [super-duper, awesome] blogs that you write for us, says Mike. Well, you assume your blogs are super-duper awesome because, uhm, you just want to feel great about yourself!
And you realize just how much your undeniable passion for chess transcends itself into your super-duper blogs and summons these unique experiences into your life.
***
This is where your, my dear chess friends, Champions Chess Tour ends.
But my chess adventure continues. I hand off my VIP pass to Mike and wait for him in the lobby while he continues his underground tactics for a bit longer. What amazes me the most, is that Mike keeps treating me like a VIP! Occasionally, he emerges from the underground with a fresh cup of tea brewed specifically to my liking (Yeah, I wish. It was a regular green but still), or with a much-needed cell phone charger.
Imagine if we all treated each other as VIPs? Our world would be so beautiful!
Mike also gives me a tip: Sit in front of the lobby, and you might catch some players!
Good point. I didnt meet the players. But I also didnt want to be a nuisance to them, an annoying fly buzzing in front of their eyes, buzz, buzz, buzz, in such important times. Once with Magnus was enough!
So who did I catch in the lobby that day? Hikaru, Denis, and Nodirbek. No photos. Just admiration.
FunMasterMike, MomOnaBreak, and Olga
At the end of the working day, Mike and I meet up with Olga Mushtaler, the VP of the CFC, and the three of us are headed to Cactus for dinner.
Oh, how much we laughed! Perhaps, I, of the three, the most and the loudest, for when Im that tired, I might be mistaken for a drunk but no. Mike is actually funny. Really funny! He has this insane ability to make people feel at ease and brings out the best in them. Talking to him is captivating and breezy although he insists we laugh at his jokes.
Our dinner conversation is lively and animated and we all say some silly things that maybe we shouldnt ha waaaaa! Maybe these parts of the conversation I will forever keep to myself and will secretly laugh at when Im 100!
But one thing is certain: when youre with FunMasterMike, you are a VIP!
Thank you Mike, thank you chess.com for this unforgettable day!
P.S. Next time I run into Wesley So in a random hotel lobby, I will be looking for hidden passages and underground existence.
P.P.S. And now check out my brief conversation with Norways commentator and new(ish) mom Kaja Snare and an ode to all chess moms in the world, here!!
Read the original:
The Underworld of the Champions Chess Tour Finals 2023. Sneak Peek Behind the Scene - Chess.com
- Viswanathan Anands grade for Gukesh after Norway Chess: Ill give him a B he deserved a D, but got a lot of answers correct - The Indian Express - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Acts of generosity emerge from crash in Wyoming and a chess tournament in Seattle - CBS News - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- 12-Year-Old Chess Master Is First Wyoming Girl Invited To National Tournament - Cowboy State Daily - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Magnus Carlsen and Gukeshs Zagreb event in numbers: World champion started with 0.3% chance of winning; world no 1 lost just twice in 27 games - The... - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Meet Renjith Balakrishnan: The man who left his job at Facebook to start his own chess ecosystem - ChessBase India - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Gukesh settles for pragmatic 3rd place; Magnus Carlsen shrugs and clucks his way to Zagreb victory - The Indian Express - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- THE WEEK IN CHESS 1600 7th July 2025 by Mark Crowther - The Week in Chess - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- A car accident leads to generosity and 2 brothers use chess to make a difference - CBS News - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Chess | 'My B-game is usually enough' - Magnus Carlsen takes a swipe at competitors after winning SuperUn - The Times of India - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- SuperUnited Croatia Rapid and Blitz 2025 - The Week in Chess - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- FIDE Women's World Cup: Everything you need to know! - Chess News | ChessBase - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- All you need to know about Ella Carlsen, chess superstar Magnus Carlsens wife - Indulgexpress - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- A 1979 Game Just Handed AI One Of Its Most Humiliating Losses Yet - Screen Rant - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Magnus Carlsen says he defeated Gukesh by playing old-man chess; Garry Kasparov says Indian played some terrible games today - The Indian Express - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Chess | 'Shocking' - Magnus Carlsen takes another swipe at World Champion Gukesh - Times of India - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Chess Master at the park - The Advocate - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Its in her blood! Explaining the crazy story behind PinkPantheress viral chess picture - The Tab - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Science of Chess: Winning Streaks, Losing Streaks, and Skill - Chess.com - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- How Gukesh turned grindmaster to take 3-point lead at Zagreb after three days of rapid chess - The Indian Express - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Chess will never be ruled by a queen - The Times - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Whos a 'real' doctor? How Chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi vs The Liver Doc's viral war of words began... - The Economic Times - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- 'The Game Was Rubbish': Magnus Carlsen's Big Remark On Stunning Win Over Gukesh At Grand Chess Tour - Times Now - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- FIDE Womens World Cup: Everything you need to know! International Chess Federation - FIDE - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Magnus Carlsen says Gukesh is one of weaker players at Grand Chess Tour; Teenage world champion responds by claiming joint lead on day 1 - The Indian... - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Russians absent from world chess top 10 for first time since official lists began - The Guardian - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- I got soundly punished. D Gukesh found: Magnus Carlsen forced to eat his own words after Grand Chess Tour humbling - Hindustan Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Magnus Carlsen reacts to Gukesh defeat: Poor from me, got soundly punished but all credit to Gukesh - The Indian Express - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Checkmate: The rise of the Carolina Chess Club | UNC-Chapel Hill - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Winners crowned at FIDE World Cup Under 8, 10 and 12 International Chess Federation - FIDE - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- D. Gukesh beats Magnus Carlsen, wins fifth consecutive game to take sole lead after GCT Day 2 - Sportstar - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- D Gukesh stuns Magnus Carlsen again, takes sole lead at Grand Chess Tour after winning five games in a row - Hindustan Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Garry Kasparov explains why playing Gukesh is like playing a computer: Have to beat him 5 times, has many lives in each game - The Indian Express - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Susan Polgar on Gukesh: Some doubted his worthiness as World Champion written off as a bottom feeder at Zagreb - The Indian Express - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Opinion | Chess Records: Birthplace of an Alternative American Sound - WSJ - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- 'I Got Soundly Punished': Magnus Carlsen Reacts After Defeat To D Gukesh In Grand Chess Tour - Times Now - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- ChatGPT is no match for a 40-year-old digital Pocket Chess game, and I bet Garry Kasparov would be pleased - TechRadar - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Chess | 'In North India, we're trained thugs': The harsh truth behind the nation's North-South divide - Times of India - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- July 2025 FIDE Ratings: Praggnanandhaa Climbs To World No. 4, Indian No. 1 - Chess.com - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa in action at Croatia Grand Chess Tour: Indian Sports LIVE, July 2 - ESPN - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- 'He's playing a bit of chess': Pablo Torre on Mamdani's response to 'globalize the intifada' question - MSNBC News - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Check is in the Mail, July 2025: Reader's Games! - US Chess Federation - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Samay Raina Playfully Trolls Aamir Khan After Losing To Him In Chess, Sitaare Zameen Par Actor's Reaction Is Unmissable - MSN - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Greek Team Championship 2025 - All the Information - Chess.com - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- FIDE Ratings: Magnus Carlsen still reigns; Praggnanandhaa breaks into World Top 4 - Times of India - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Samay Raina Playfully Trolls Aamir Khan After Losing To Him In Chess, Sitaare Zameen Par Actor's Reaction Is U - Times Now - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Bullet Chess Championship 2025 | Main Event - All the Information - Chess.com - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Iran vs Israel and US, a chess match with real-world stakes - The Arab Weekly - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Spreading joy in the world of chess: Anish Giri turns 31 years old today - Chess News | ChessBase - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Drama! FIDE slams Vladimir Kramnik's defamation lawsuit against David Navara: 'Brings a lot of harm to ch - Times of India - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- 'Rare gem in the chess world': Praggnanandhaa gets big welcome from Magnus Carlsen as he joins Team Liquid - Firstpost - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- FIDE says way Vladimir Kramnik presents his points (on cheating in chess) brings a lot of harm to the community - The Indian Express - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Praggnanandhaa interview: I dont think Im trying to prove anything to anyone. I just like playing chess - The Indian Express - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Bullet Brawl June 28, 2025: Nakamura Surges To 42nd Bullet Brawl Title Ahead Of Terry, Hansen - Chess.com - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- World Chess Championship wins Singapore's Sports Event of the Year - Chess News | ChessBase - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- "Train the Mind. The Body Will Follow" - Chess and Basketballl - Chess News | ChessBase - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- We cant keep suing each other: Aronian urges Kramnik to drop feuds, pens emotional plea in open letter to his chess parent - The Indian Express - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Chess prodigies: The worlds youngest chess phenoms of 2025 - Times of India - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- D Gukesh's withdrawal from Las Vegas expected, says Freestyle Chess CEO: Performances have not been that good' - Firstpost - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Ill take LEGAL ACTION against EVERY Slanderer: Kramnik escalates chess feud after Aronians emotional appeal - The Indian Express - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Firepower from the flanks: Why 1.f4, the Birds Opening, deserves your attention - The Indian Express - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Big blow to Indian chess as Freestyle Chess Tour India event cancelled due to lack of sponsors: 'India will not happen' - Firstpost - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Chess Lover Introduces Game to Malawis Prisons, Schools and Street Kids - The New York Times - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Four tiebreaks, three titles: Story of Praggnanandhaas barnstorming 2025 - The Indian Express - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Chess: Carlsen finally achieves 2900 rating as Niemann aims to be Las Vegas party pooper - The Guardian - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- D Gukesh really unhappy due to Norway Chess 2025 campaign: One thing about Magnus Carlsen is that - Hindustan Times - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Updated: Tickets Now on Sale for Broadway's Chess, Starring Aaron Tveit, Lea Michele and Nicholas Christopher, at the Imperial Theatre - Broadway... - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Brooklyn teacher who built nationally renowned chess team retires after 50 years - CBS News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Who is Aarit Kapil, 9-year-old from Delhi, who almost beat Magnus Carlsen - Times of India - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- 9-Year-Old Indian Prodigy Shocks Magnus Carlsen, Makes National Headlines - Chess.com - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Praggnanandhaa Hits Back To Win UzChess Cup After Losing "Game Of The Year" - Chess.com - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Svitlana's Smart Moves - How to play against the King's Gambit! - Chess News | ChessBase - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- 'Dear Vladimir Kramnik, forgive me ...': Levon Aronian writes after chess grandmaster files defamation la - Times of India - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- DIYer shares photo after repurposing old chess set into useful household item: 'What a creative idea' - The Cool Down - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Chess players of all ages participate in tournament - Sentinel and Enterprise - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- The Silent Teacher: Why Chess Is the Ultimate Mental Gym for Young Minded - Vocal - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Brooklyn teacher Eliot Weiss retires after 50 years, dozens of chess team wins - CBS News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- D Gukesh has not been that good at any Grand Slam: Freestyle Chess CEO brutally claims Las Vegas absence expected - Hindustan Times - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- The Lyric Where Yes Took a Chess Metaphor to Prog Rock History - American Songwriter - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- R Praggnanandhaa thanks Vishy Anand after overtaking D Gukesh: This one felt special - India Today - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Chess | Magnus Carlsen lost to 9-year-old Indian? All you need to know - Times of India - June 26th, 2025 [June 26th, 2025]