PogChamps 4 Day 4: Tectone, JustaMinx Turn Tables; Boxbox Triumphs Tactically
The fourth day of PogChamps 4 presented by Coinbase brought an unparalleled mixture of drama and shock to the more than 30,000 concurrent viewers enjoying the show live on Twitch.
Tectone got his first PogChamps victory after defeating NickEh30, followed by an incredible win by JustaMinx against Harry Mack. The tactically sharp boxbox won the final match of the day against Sapnap.
- Tectone Pulls Off Unbelievable Win Against NickEh30
- Misunderstood Genius JustaMinx Vibes And Thrives
- Sapnap Plays Well, But Boxbox Prevails
Tectone Pulls Off Unbelievable Win Against NickEh30
Words cannot describe the first game of the match between Tectone and NickEh30. Hippos, blunders, and mouse slips were only a few of the elements present in one of the craziest games in PogChamps history.
Tectone started with his signature Hippopotamus Defense. After both sides played the customary blunders one would see in beginner's games, Tectone had to fend with a rook and bishop against Nick's queen. Nick found a winning tactic to win Tectone's rook, getting into a promising position.
At that point, tragedy struck: one mouse slip later, and Nick lost his queen, leaving Tectone with a bishop and multiple pawns.
After Nick's misfortune, Tectone's path to victory was clear. Nothing could stop the Hippo whisperer from scoring his first PogChamps win. Right?
The first game draw was a prelude to a close second game. Again utilizing a Hippo setup, Tectone took the battle to his side of the jungle. This time, he successfully took advantage of Nick's blunders to deliver checkmate and win the match.
"I think my strength is just having a lot of fun because chess, to me, is a blast," Tectone said in his post-match interview. "It's very therapeutic, it's very calming. I love it!"
Misunderstood Genius JustaMinx Vibes And Thrives
Another unbelievable match unfolded as JustaMinx defeated Harry Mack in the most unimaginable way possible.
The first game saw very few blunders for each side. JustaMinx won a piece during the beginning of the game but later lost the exchange. In the endgame, Minx shocked the world by going for a threefold repetition while up a full knight.
Those who saw the first game might've wondered if Minx had what it takes to defeat her higher-rated opponent. Harry Mack imposed himself during the game and took most of Minx's material except for a rook.
Still, JustaMinx was not phased. She kept confidently vibing to her music, confusing the audience. Commentators and viewers alike wondered how the streamer could keep her cool despite her terrible position. Until Minx's brilliancy shone through:
And the crowd stood speechless.
Sapnap Plays Well, But Boxbox Prevails
Boxbox and Sapnap played the most high-level chess of the day. The two strongest players of Group B played great games, but eventually boxbox emerged victoriously.
Sapnap intrigued his opponent in the first game after trapping boxbox's bishop in the opening. Cool as a cucumber, boxbox made the most out of the situation and performed a desperado sacrifice of his bishop to expose Sapnap's king. Sapnap eventually succumbed to the pressure and gave back a piece, after which boxbox's tactics sealed the deal.
Sapnap fought well during the second game. Despite the rating difference, Sapnap had many winning chances but unfortunately missed them. Boxbox once again saw a nice tactical shot to win material and had no trouble winning the game.
When asked about the secret to his tactical skills, boxbox did not hold back: "I did Chess.com puzzles every time I went to the bathroom for the last year. In terms of time spent on chess, it's ridiculously all in the puzzles."
PogChamps 4 continues September 2, with four more matches. Stay tuned!
All Games Day 4
PogChamps 4 started on August 29 and will run through September 12. You can read more information about the event here. Make sure to tune into the action on Chess.com/tv or Twitch, or on our Events platform!
PogChamps 4 is presented by Coinbase. Whether you’re looking to make your first crypto purchase or you’re an experienced trader, Coinbase has you covered. Earn crypto by learning about crypto with Coinbase Earn, power up your trading with Coinbase's advanced features, get exclusive rewards when you spend with Coinbase Card, and much more. Learn more at Coinbase.com/Chess.
Previous PogChamps 4 coverage:
Pedro Pinhata is the Writing Lead for Chess.com. He writes articles, feature announcements, event pages, and more. He has been playing chess since 2019 and lives in Brazil.
