IM Levy Rozman (GothamChess) is the most recent addition to staff BASILISK, the worldwide esports group. Rozman joins a staff that already consists of super-GMs Anish Giri and Vincent Keymer, although his position won’t be as a participant however because the Head of Chess—a place he in comparison with that of Chief Chess Officer Danny Rensch at Chess.com. That is the primary time Rozman has signed with an esports group, a milestone for each the YouTube star and the esports firm.
BASILISK wrote, “The signing highlights BASILISK’s long-term technique to help chess and its wider ecosystem all-year-round, in addition to its mission to generate followers of science by way of strategy-heavy titles.” Including Rozman, who has eight million subscribers on YouTube alone, to its roster, BASILISKwrites its complete attain extends to “greater than 20 million followers of the world’s hardest video games.”
Christopher Bothur, CEO of BASILISK, mentioned, “Levy has a uncommon skill to take one thing as advanced and intimidating as chess and make it accessible and genuinely entertaining for tons of of thousands and thousands if not billions of individuals around the globe.” Rozman mentioned within the press launch, “I’m dreaming large with what we are going to create collectively, the sort of content material that has by no means been made earlier than in chess… BASILISK is sort of a renaissance of nerds. We’re making nerdy video games and nerdy actions cool, and bringing them to the mainstream.”
I’m dreaming large with what we are going to create collectively, the sort of content material that has by no means been made earlier than in chess.
—Levy Rozman
Levy Rozman commentated alongside Tania Sachdev on the 2026 Esports World Cup. Picture: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.
Rozman spoke to Chess.com and answered questions on what the long run would possibly maintain for him, chess, and esports.
GothamChess Takes New Position
In contrast to typical esports signings targeted purely on aggressive play, Rozman’s position facilities on constructing the group’s chess presence, main content material initiatives, and driving artistic tasks that bridge chess and STEM. He defined:
I will be Head of Chess… what meaning helps construct the roster to clearly be aggressive in esports, but in addition put out good content material, whether or not it is brief or lengthy kind, and mixing chess and STEM for any venture that we will consider.
How does Rozman’s day-to-day schedule change with the brand new association? He defined that his yearly schedule is reduce into three, six, or 12-month deadlines, relying on varied tasks—like the discharge of his subsequent two books which are coming quickly.
He is planning on working BASILISK into his schedule within the following method:
I feel this partnership will add, at a minimal, planning on a month-to-month foundation varied activations and collaborations that we will do each inside chess with the staff—as a result of there’s additionally Vincent Keymer and Anish Giri—and in addition what we will do past that. A number of the companions of BASILISK are, for instance, the Planetary Society, which isn’t a regular partnership, however I want to faucet into issues like that. Over the following few months, we’re kind of going to map out the place we will incorporate chess or the place I may be activated when it comes to studying a brand new ability.
The work with BASILISK would not sound like an overhaul of what he is already doing. “So, that is in all probability the way it’s all going to vary, however it’s not a change—it is like including a vitamin or a complement to a great eating regimen and good sleep,” he added.
Why BASILISK? Alignment with STEM & Strategic Video games
BASILISK, in its mission assertion, focuses on the connection between video games and science, and Chess.com requested Rozman to speak about how chess suits into that imaginative and prescient. He cited different standard video games like StarCraft and Magic: The Gathering, and chess is simply one other sport that may fulfill the identical position. Rozman did not wish to make any sweeping, grand statements (is chess a sport, artwork, or science?), however he did say, “For me, it is simply people who prefer to suppose strategically, people who attempt, fail, attempt, fail, which is de facto what chess is about finally, and the identical may be mentioned in science.”
He additionally in contrast his position inside the area to science popularizers: “If Magnus Carlsen is chess’ Albert Einstein, I am chess’ Invoice Nye,” referring to the American educator and tv persona. “We serve kind of completely different roles.”
If Magnus Carlsen is chess’ Albert Einstein, I am chess’ Invoice Nye.
—Levy Rozman
Rozman carrying a contemporary, branded blazer. Picture: BASILISK.
Becoming a member of GMs Anish Giri & Vincent Keymer
Rozman clarified several times that his role is not coaching, but amplifying their success to a global audience. He said:
They play, they try to win trophies, and so on. I will not be playing. I thought it was cute that I was in Paris and some fans on the street thought I was playing in the Esports World Cup. I know what my role is: I will spread their games and their successes to the masses. I’m looking forward to working with them.
Super Grandmaster. 5x Dutch national champion. Tata Steel Chess champion. Over 10 years in the top 10.
Belief & Government Freedom: GothamChess on the Controls
To conclude, Chess.com requested Rozman if there’s something in regards to the deal that shocked him or might shock his followers. He mentioned that he appreciates the artistic freedom that comes with the position.
I am being trusted on the controls of this system… That is uncommon. Usually, everytime you do partnerships, folks attempt to kind of get you to do the factor that they wish to do, and on this case, it’s totally a lot the other… I am very candid and really frank with something from content material to signings to initiatives we wish to construct. In a day and age the place individuals are not all the time talking their thoughts, not all the time clear, and a little bit bit bizarre with this new growth of social media and so forth, I feel that may go a great distance.
Usually, everytime you do partnerships, folks attempt to kind of get you to do the factor that they wish to do, and on this case, it’s totally a lot the other.
Based in 2020 and primarily based in New York, BASILISK promotes itself as “science’s esports staff.” The group fields two top-10 chess grandmasters, StarCraft 2 world champions Serral and Reynor, and nine-time Evo champion Justin Wong. Its gamers have gained three world championships and quite a few premier tournaments carrying Science Victory on their jerseys. BASILISK helps scientific establishments and initiatives, together with partnerships with The Planetary Society and Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Info and Matter.
