On January 12th, 2025, I took part in an incredible fundraising charity stream hosted by the ChessDojo and their very own IM Kostya Kavutsky. The event aimed to help the victims of the Southern California wildfires, and it was an honor to be involved. If you’d like to contribute, please consider donating at:https://tiltify.com/@chessdojolive/support. The link will stay open until January 15th—every bit helps!
During the stream, I had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play a blitz game against none other than Fabiano Caruana, the World’s #2 chess player. For someone like me, rated only 1221, it was an unreal experience. By move 20, I found myself close to equalizing against one of the world’s best! Little did I know at the time that Fabiano was casually chatting away with IM Kostya Kavutsky throughout our entire game (I discovered this only after watching the VOD). Their laid-back conversation made the experience even more surreal—he wasn’t even going full force, yet he was still playing moves of the highest caliber.
One dramatic moment was a frustrating mouse slip on my part. Thankfully, Fabiano showed true sportsmanship by offering me a takeback right away. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes about the kind of person (and champion) he is. The game itself taught me so much about staying focused under pressure, how much skill super grandmasters possess, and the importance of showing respect for your opponent. My heart rate soared to 110 BPM, and honestly, I’m pretty sure it was that high before the first pawn was even moved! I’ve put together a mashup video of both streams so you can experience the game—and the chatter—for yourself.Check out my YouTube video here!
A huge thank-you to Fabiano Caruana and the entire ChessDojo team for making this charity stream such a success. Let’s keep supporting each other and those in need! Don’t forget to donate if you can.
Until next time and happy chess playing! Yours, Jan
My (1221) Game of a Lifetime vs. World #2 Fabiano Caruana: almost equal at move 20 / heartrate 110.
https://youtu.be/4_dZe0Iga3w
On January 12th, 2025, I took part in an incredible fundraising charity stream hosted by the ChessDojo and their very own IM Kostya Kavutsky. The event aimed to help the victims of the Southern California wildfires, and it was an honor to be involved. If you’d like to contribute, please consider donating at: https://tiltify.com/@chessdojolive/support. The link will stay open until January 15th—every bit helps!
During the stream, I had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play a blitz game against none other than Fabiano Caruana, the World’s #2 chess player. For someone like me, rated only 1221, it was an unreal experience. By move 20, I found myself close to equalizing against one of the world’s best!
Little did I know at the time that Fabiano was casually chatting away with IM Kostya Kavutsky throughout our entire game (I discovered this only after watching the VOD). Their laid-back conversation made the experience even more surreal—he wasn’t even going full force, yet he was still playing moves of the highest caliber.
One dramatic moment was a frustrating mouse slip on my part. Thankfully, Fabiano showed true sportsmanship by offering me a takeback right away. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes about the kind of person (and champion) he is.
The game itself taught me so much about staying focused under pressure, how much skill super grandmasters possess, and the importance of showing respect for your opponent. My heart rate soared to 110 BPM, and honestly, I’m pretty sure it was that high before the first pawn was even moved!
I’ve put together a mashup video of both streams so you can experience the game—and the chatter—for yourself. Check out my YouTube video here!
A huge thank-you to Fabiano Caruana and the entire ChessDojo team for making this charity stream such a success. Let’s keep supporting each other and those in need! Don’t forget to donate if you can.
Until next time and happy chess playing!
Yours, Jan