Kia ora, dear competitors and spectators!

It is time to announce who will be the four semifinalists (and consequently, medalists) of BlogChamps Season 8!

Once again, we had no forfeits, which means no one had an easy free pass to the next round, and all participants had to submit the best blog they could to get through. Of course, the judges and I are always happy to have this "good" headache trying to decide who deserves to be in the Final Four! Thank you so much for your efforts in getting your entries in on time and keeping this great season running smoothly and remarkably!

Thanks also to the judges @AstroTheoretical_Physics, @JustGettingThisOffMyChess, @KevinSmithIdiot, @nbrasington, and @NMChessToImpress for their quick and honest decisions!

Overall, we had eight amazing entries, and while I understand that life can sometimes get in the way and prevent us from giving our 100%, it is also true that all the competitors did what was possible to submit the best blog they could.

But I will not keep you waiting any longer. Below is a summary of each matchup and their final results. The comments in the announcement will focus on the positive aspects, and more detailed feedback for each blog will be posted in a separate forum.

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Group A: PokeGirl93 vs. 2000Knights

@PokeGirl93 has done some great "field research" on her former chess students during the pandemic to understand how much learning it has affected their behaviour at home, at school, and, of course, in her judo classes. The blog is well written, detailed, and above all, very interesting and enlightening. Are you curious about how our beloved game can change children? Check it out! - The Impact Of Chess On Children's Education - Field Research

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@2000Knights almost gave me a heart attack with his last-minute submission, but it was worth it! His blog was an excellent exploration of the origins and history of chess, from its beginnings in India and Persia to the amazing variations played in Asian countries and on to the first official world champion in Europe. Learn more about its development in this well-organised and structured text! - The Long Path to Modern Chess

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A great clash between a rookie who has shown all her potential and an old club member who has again delivered what is expected of experienced BlogChampers. But this deep, dark forest is only wide enough for one to come out. The winner of Group A is:

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Group B: Alina_Bakhtina_24 vs. emateu26

@Alina_Bakhtina_24 has not disappointed, posting a great blog about lesser-known players who have made significant contributions to their countries and federations despite not being in the spotlight. Find out more about each of them, discover their stories, and gain an understanding of their legacy and potential by reading her marvellous blog, which is, as always, very well edited! - Chess Map of the World: Five Countries – Five Stories

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@emateu26 has written a fantastic blog promoting the 41st Andorra International Chess Open! But if you think it was just advertising, read the article and you will see how completely wrong you are! Not only has he highlighted some key points about the next edition, but he has also done an amazing recap of last year's event, covering the exciting battle for the title round by round! Brilliant! - 🎉 Registration is Open: Welcome to the 41st Andorra International Chess Open!

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So who will go on? The two-time knockout rounds participant, who regularly submits amazing articles, or the newest Top Blogger who is competing for the first time? After analyzing both blogs, the judges have decided that Group B goes to:

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Group C: JugadaBrillante vs. ChocoCaramelPawn

Are you ready for El Clásico? @JugadaBrillante is supporting FC Barcelona in their race to win the UEFA Champions League 2025. Just like Raphinha, his first BlogChamps season wasn't that brilliant, but he just needed to be given time to show his worth. Meanwhile, @ChocoCaramelPawn is a fan of Real Madrid CF and wants to prove that he can also win the blogging community's biggest competition, just as his club has done so many times in football.

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@JugadaBrillante and his creativity have once again not disappointed his fans! This time we had the pleasure of playing a chess version of the famous show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?. By reading and playing, you will not only have a great opportunity to learn more about chess, but you may also become a few thousand (or million) euros richer! Try your luck! - Who Wants to Be a Chessllionaire?

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@ChocoCaramelPawn has taught us how to create a new chess variant! Have you ever had an idea for a variant that you thought would be cool? Do you dream of having your own version of chess being played by GMs in the future, just like Bobby Fischer? Join him on this amazing journey and discover all the galaxies and planets that offer us this true universe of possibilities! Have fun! - Make your own chess variant! | Full guide for beginners

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Two competitors who were very positive additions to the club! Thanks for your amazing engagement in the competition. The bad news is that only one can advance. The judges have decided that our third semifinalist is:

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Group D: squirtle vs. RookMindset

@squirtle published an awesome guide to the popular yet controversial Scandinavian Defence, focusing on its main line 2. exd5. However, the blog does more than just provide a technical explanation; it also explores the origins of the defence, which date back to the Middle Ages, and its most famous model games. Would you like to add it to your arsenal? This is the right blog for you! - If You Can't Win, Just Draw! The Scandinavian Defense for Black

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@RookMindset conducted the Turing Test with some of our BlogChamps friends and asked them (including me) to guess whether they were playing against a human or a bot. The blog reveals some fascinating and occasionally surprising results, alongside amusing anecdotes and observations from this entertaining experiment. Check out the article and try the test for yourself at the end!  - Can You Tell if You're Playing a Bot?

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Will our favorite Kanto starter be able to beat another gym opponent? Or will last season's bronze medalist prevail? Well, what I can say is that both delivered what we expected and gave us serious problems having to decide the winner, but the final decision is that the last spot goes to:

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Congratulations to the 4 semi-finalists! And to those who were knocked out, don't take it badly - you've come a long way in one of the toughest seasons BlogChamps has ever seen! I hope you enjoyed competing. Unfortunately, we have to make decisions, but you are all winners and should be proud of such an amazing performance. I look forward to seeing you come back even stronger in Season 9!

Below, you can find the updated bracket:

If you are qualified, please confirm your participation in the Final Four by writing a short comment in this announcement or sending me a DM.

And here is the link to the closed forum with all the detailed feedback (qualified and non-qualified). As always, feel free to drop me a DM if you need more details or tips:

Season 8 Elite Eight Feedback Forum

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FINAL FOUR KICKOFF 

Now it is time to separate the men from the boys, the wheat from the chaff, the kiwis from the eagles! These lucky (and very competent) bloggers are now only two blogs away from the highest glory of the chess blogging universe, which will bring them a Top Blogger recommendation from me, and also the mega-incredible prize of $25 and a one-month Diamond Membership! (Elon Musk has confirmed that he will participate in the next season after seeing this.)

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The Final Four is officially open, and the rules are again very simple: 

• You have until May 15th 23:59 EST (Eastern Standard Time) to submit your blog in the following forum: Submission Forum - Season 8 Final Four

• I'm giving you 18 days again. Make good use of them. In the meantime, try to work on your blog little by little to make the most of it. I am sure the result will be much better than if you procrastinate and decide to lock it in too close to the deadline. Once again, I urge you to do your best to submit on time. If, for some reason, you need an extra day or two, please send me a DM, and we can try to negotiate, but only if necessary and with reasonable notice.

• Also, it is never too much to remind you: Please don't forfeit. It is my most sincere request. Especially now that we are so close to the finals, the last thing we want is for someone to get a free pass, right? Even if it is not perfect, make your opponent sweat if they want to beat you! Also, this is one of the best seasons BlogChamps has ever had, so out of respect for the competition and everyone who organizes and participates in it, please keep the spirit alive and submit the best blog you can! 

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FAQ 

1) I was not qualified. Should I be a good sport and congratulate my opponent for the healthy competition, or should I whine that the judges robbed me for absolutely no reason?

I don't really need to answer that, do I? Remember that everything here is friendly, and this competition is just for fun. Get the most out of your participation, be happy for your opponent, and come back even stronger next time!

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2) I'm qualified, but I've lost the motivation and don't want to write anymore. Would it be too bad if I just didn't submit?

Yes, it would! Please try your best to submit a blog, even if it can't be perfect. The main idea of this competition is... well, to compete. I'm sure you'd hate to go to the stadium to watch your favorite sport and find out that one of the teams simply didn't show up. No one forced you to join, but now that you are in, I kindly ask you to play until you are eventually knocked out (or win). So, please submit a blog!

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3) If I am not competing, should I continue to follow the Season, or am I no longer welcome and should stop talking about it?

The more viewers, the better! You are welcome to make predictions (forum coming soon), read the submitted blogs to learn with them, pick your favorite blogger, and follow all the announcements to see who will be crowned in the end!

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That's all, folks! As always, I'm open to questions in the comments or via DM. And if you're one of the 4 remaining contestants, get ready because I'll be sending you some reminders soon.  

Good luck to you all, and I'll see you back with the Final Four results and Season 8 Awards!