Watching streamers is a super fun way to learn chess, because it’s like having a friendly, exciting teacher who’s also playing cool games! They often explain their thoughts, share jokes, and show off amazing moves.
Here are some popular chess streamers whose content is usually great for kids and really fun to watch:
1. Hikaru Nakamura (GMHikaru) – The “Online Chess King”
- Who He Is: Hikaru is one of the very best chess players in the entire world, a real-life Grandmaster! But he’s also become a superstar streamer. He’s famous for being incredibly fast at chess, playing games where he only has a few seconds for all his moves!
- What Type of Content He Offers: Hikaru mostly streams live games, especially “blitz” (fast) and “bullet” (super fast!) chess. He plays against other top players and even viewers. While playing, he talks out loud about what he’s thinking, explains his moves, and reacts to funny moments. He also uploads “highlights” from his streams to YouTube, which are shorter and often focus on amazing moves or funny situations.
- Why Kids Will Like Him: He’s super energetic, incredibly fast, and his reactions are really entertaining (especially when he’s surprised or makes an amazing move!). He shows you how the best players in the world think and calculate quickly. He’s also really good at finding incredible tactical tricks!
- Examples of Content (Look for these on YouTube!):
- “Hikaru’s Best Blitz/Bullet Moments”: These are often compilations of his most spectacular wins or funniest reactions.
- (Search on YouTube: “Hikaru Nakamura best blitz moments”)
- “Hikaru Analyzing Beginner Games”: Sometimes he’ll look at games played by beginners and give helpful tips in a fun way.
- (Search on YouTube: “Hikaru Nakamura beginner review”)
- His “Speed Chess Championship” games: These are thrilling matches against other Grandmasters, often with exciting commentary.
- (Search on YouTube: “Hikaru Nakamura Speed Chess Championship”)
- “Hikaru’s Best Blitz/Bullet Moments”: These are often compilations of his most spectacular wins or funniest reactions.
2. Levy Rozman (GothamChess) – The “Explainer Extraordinaire”
- Who He Is: Levy is a really popular chess coach and content creator. He’s an International Master (IM), which is just below a Grandmaster, and he’s fantastic at explaining chess ideas in a clear, exciting, and often very funny way.
- What Type of Content He Offers: Levy offers a huge variety of content. He reviews games (both famous ones and ones played by his viewers), creates beginner lessons, analyzes funny chess situations, and plays games himself. He has a famous series called “Beginner to Master” which is perfect for learning!
- Why Kids Will Like Him: Levy is super enthusiastic and makes learning chess feel like a detective game. He uses lots of fun analogies and sometimes adds funny sound effects or memes to his videos. He’s great at breaking down complex ideas into easy-to-understand parts.
- Examples of Content (Look for these on YouTube!):
- “Beginner to Master” Series: This series is designed specifically to help new players understand chess from the ground up, with lots of great examples.
- (Search on YouTube: “GothamChess Beginner to Master”)
- “Guess the ELO” videos: Levy looks at games played by different people and tries to guess how good they are. It’s really fun to try and guess along with him!
- (Search on YouTube: “GothamChess Guess the ELO”)
- “Beginner Blunders” or “Worst Chess Moves Ever”: He humorously highlights common mistakes, which helps you avoid them in your own games!
- (Search on YouTube: “GothamChess beginner blunders”)
- “Beginner to Master” Series: This series is designed specifically to help new players understand chess from the ground up, with lots of great examples.
3. Anna Cramling (Anna Cramling) – The “Enthusiastic Guide”
- Who She Is: Anna Cramling is an International Master from Sweden (whose mom is also a Grandmaster!). She’s known for her super positive energy, friendly teaching style, and her love for chess. She’s a great role model, especially for girls playing chess!
- What Type of Content She Offers: Anna streams a lot of live chess games where she interacts with her chat, explains her thought process, and offers encouragement. She also creates educational YouTube videos, sometimes doing fun challenges or reviewing games. She’s great at making chess feel approachable and enjoyable.
- Why Kids Will Like Her: Anna’s enthusiasm is contagious! She’s always smiling and makes learning chess feel like a joyful journey. She explains things clearly and often plays against viewers, showing how everyone can improve.
- Examples of Content (Look for these on YouTube!):
- “Teaching Chess to Beginners”: She has several videos specifically aimed at new players, breaking down concepts simply.
- (Search on YouTube: “Anna Cramling teaching chess beginners”)
- “My Mom Beat Me?!”: Videos where she plays against her Grandmaster mom are always fun and show the family side of chess!
- (Search on YouTube: “Anna Cramling Mom vs Me”)
- Her game reviews and “Play with Me” streams: These show her thinking process in a clear and friendly way.
- (Search on YouTube: “Anna Cramling game review”)
- “Teaching Chess to Beginners”: She has several videos specifically aimed at new players, breaking down concepts simply.
A Note for Parents: While these streamers are generally considered very child-friendly and focus on chess, it’s always a good idea for an adult to watch a bit of their content first to ensure it perfectly matches your family’s preferences, as live streams can sometimes have unexpected moments.
Have fun watching these amazing chess players and learning from their exciting adventures on the board!
4. ChessKid.com (FunMaster Mike & Friends) – The “Kids’ Chess HQ”
- Who They Are: ChessKid.com is actually a whole website and a YouTube channel specifically designed for kids learning chess! Their main host is “FunMaster Mike,” who is a super friendly and enthusiastic coach. They often feature talented young chess players too.
- What Type of Content They Offer: This is 100% created for children! They have tons of animated lessons, puzzle challenges, game reviews, and even live shows where kids can play against each other or against FunMaster Mike. They cover everything from how pieces move to advanced tactics and strategies, all explained in simple, fun ways.
- Why Kids Will Like Them: It’s made just for them! The lessons are easy to understand, the graphics are bright and colorful, and FunMaster Mike has a very encouraging and playful style. They often feature other kids, which is really inspiring!
- Examples of Content (Look for these on YouTube!):
- “FunMaster Mike’s Lessons”: Short, animated lessons on specific chess topics like “How to Fork” or “Pawn Promotion.”
- (Search on YouTube: “ChessKid FunMaster Mike lessons”)
- “Kids vs. Stars” or “ChessKid vs. Streamers”: Fun events where talented ChessKids play against famous streamers or even Grandmasters!
- (Search on YouTube: “ChessKid vs Streamers”)
- “Puzzles of the Day”: Quick videos where they present a puzzle and then show the solution.
- (Search on YouTube: “ChessKid puzzle of the day”)
- “FunMaster Mike’s Lessons”: Short, animated lessons on specific chess topics like “How to Fork” or “Pawn Promotion.”
5. Eric Rosen (Eric Rosen) – The “Calm & Clever Strategist”
- Who He Is: Eric Rosen is an International Master (IM) from the USA. He’s known for his calm voice, clear explanations, and his love for finding clever, sneaky moves, especially “traps” in the opening!
- What Type of Content He Offers: Eric streams live games where he explains his thoughts clearly, often engaging with chat. He has popular YouTube series where he explores unusual openings, looks for tactical “swindles” (tricky ways to win when you’re losing!), and reviews interesting games. He always keeps his content very family-friendly.
- Why Kids Will Like Him: He has a very soothing and kind voice, which makes learning feel calm and enjoyable. He’s famous for his catchphrase “Oh, no, my queen!” when he’s trying to trick his opponents into falling for a trap. He shows that chess isn’t just about big attacks, but also about clever, subtle moves.
- Examples of Content (Look for these on YouTube!):
- “My Queen is Hanging!”: Videos where he sets up a trap that looks like he’s hanging his queen (leaving it to be captured), but it’s actually a brilliant trick!
- (Search on YouTube: “Eric Rosen My Queen is Hanging”)
- “Opening Traps Explained”: He shows you cool, sneaky ways to win quickly in the opening if your opponent isn’t careful.
- (Search on YouTube: “Eric Rosen opening traps”)
- “Road to GM” or “Playing for Perfection”: Series where he tries to play very accurately and explains his thoughts.
- (Search on YouTube: “Eric Rosen Road to GM”)
- “My Queen is Hanging!”: Videos where he sets up a trap that looks like he’s hanging his queen (leaving it to be captured), but it’s actually a brilliant trick!
6. Daniel Naroditsky (Daniel Naroditsky) – The “Speedrun Professor”
- Who He Is: Daniel Naroditsky (often called “Danya” by fans) is a Grandmaster from the USA and is also an incredibly talented chess coach and commentator. He’s known for being super fast at chess and incredibly clear in his explanations.
- What Type of Content He Offers: Danya’s most famous content is his “Speedrun” series, where he starts with a very low rating and tries to climb up to Grandmaster level, explaining every single thought process along the way. He also does game analysis and answers viewer questions. He keeps his language clean and focused on chess.
- Why Kids Will Like Him: He’s like a super smart, calm professor who can also play lightning-fast chess! His explanations are incredibly detailed but easy to follow, making you feel like you’re learning directly from a GM. He rarely uses slang and is very focused on the educational aspect of chess.
- Examples of Content (Look for these on YouTube!):
- “Danya’s Speedrun” (especially the lower ELO segments): Watch him start from the beginning and explain how he beats players at every level. It’s like a step-by-step guide to getting better!
- (Search on YouTube: “Daniel Naroditsky Speedrun [your ELO range, e.g., 500-1000]”)
- “Chess Principles Explained”: He breaks down big chess ideas into simple rules you can use.
- (Search on YouTube: “Daniel Naroditsky chess principles”)
- “Analyzing Student Games”: Sometimes he’ll review games played by people learning chess, which is helpful for seeing common mistakes and how to fix them.
- (Search on YouTube: “Daniel Naroditsky student game review”)
- “Danya’s Speedrun” (especially the lower ELO segments): Watch him start from the beginning and explain how he beats players at every level. It’s like a step-by-step guide to getting better!
7. BotezLive (Alexandra & Andrea Botez) – The “Energetic Sister Duo”
- Who They Are: Alexandra and Andrea Botez are two sisters who are incredibly popular chess streamers and content creators. Alexandra is a Woman FIDE Master (WFM) and Andrea is also a strong competitive player. They’re famous for their lively personalities, friendly banter, and entertaining chess content.
- What Type of Content They Offer: The Botez sisters stream live chess games, often playing against each other, other streamers, or sometimes even random people they meet in public (like their famous “street chess” videos!). They also create YouTube videos where they review games, do fun chess challenges, and sometimes incorporate other games or vlogs. They have a very high-energy and engaging style.
- Why Kids Will Like Them: They are super enthusiastic and make chess look incredibly fun and social. Their playful rivalry and natural humor are very entertaining. They show that chess can be cool and exciting, and they’re great role models for showing how fun it is to play with friends or family. They are generally child-friendly, though as with any live content, parental discretion is always a good idea.
- Examples of Content (Look for these on YouTube!):
- “Giving Kids $100 if They Beat Us at Chess…”: These videos are very entertaining as they play against young challengers and react to unexpected moves.
- (Search on YouTube: “BotezLive Giving Kids $100 if They Beat Us”)
- Their “Street Chess” videos: Where they play chess against people in public places, often leading to funny and surprising moments.
- (Search on YouTube: “BotezLive Street Chess”)
- “Alexandra Botez Teaches Chess”: They have some specific educational content where Alexandra breaks down chess concepts.
- (Search on YouTube: “Alexandra Botez Teaches Chess ChessKid”)
- “Giving Kids $100 if They Beat Us at Chess…”: These videos are very entertaining as they play against young challengers and react to unexpected moves.
9. Ben Finegold (GM Ben Finegold) – The “Grumpy Old Chess Grandpa” (with a heart of gold!)
- Who He Is: GM Ben Finegold is a very experienced Grandmaster from the USA, known for his unique, often grumpy-but-funny teaching style. He runs a chess club and streams regularly. While his humor is dry, it’s generally clean and very endearing, making him feel like a lovable, slightly strict chess grandpa.
- What Type of Content He Offers: Ben streams long sessions of live chess, often playing against viewers or just playing high-rated games. He’s constantly talking, explaining his moves, correcting mistakes (his own and others’), and telling funny stories. His YouTube channel features highlights from these streams, focusing on funny moments, cool tactics, and clear explanations.
- Why Kids Will Like Him: His “grumpy” persona is actually very charming and often hilarious. He doesn’t sugarcoat things, but he’s genuinely passionate about teaching chess and seeing players improve. He shows that chess can be funny and that even Grandmasters can have funny reactions or make mistakes sometimes. He’s very focused on fundamental principles.
- Examples of Content (Look for these on YouTube!):
- “Ben Finegold Blunders” / “Ben Finegold Funny Moments”: These compilations show his personality and often funny reactions.
- (Search on YouTube: “Ben Finegold funny moments”)
- “London System” Tutorials: He’s famous for teaching a solid opening called the London System, which can be great for beginners.
- (Search on YouTube: “Ben Finegold London System”)
- His lectures/lessons: He breaks down chess concepts very clearly, often with a humorous twist.
- (Search on YouTube: “Ben Finegold chess lesson”)
- “Ben Finegold Blunders” / “Ben Finegold Funny Moments”: These compilations show his personality and often funny reactions.