For (relative) beginners like me there are many things to learn from a bunch of streamers, including Gotham Chess. However, the way that he lectures us on openings suggests that memorizing a few good opening moves is our only chance to win a game against a decent player. I think he must know that principles and strategy are more important at this level. Levy advises against the Ruy Lopez and most Sicilian variants, because these openings are deemed too complicated.... Well, they are not just too complicated for me. My opponents are always at my level, so they don't always see the best opening line either. We all have a good time playing, as we keep improving our game.
chess boom = low quality Gotham content?
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massimocucca wrote:
Marcyful wrote:
Can't help but agree unfortunately. Even as a fan who still watches some of his videos to this day, I can't help but notice the overall quality kind of just... dropped. Thumbnails and titles got more clickbaity, jokes don't make me crack up like they used too, analyses of games aren't as educational as they were, overdoes it with his self promotion, etc. I agree with @massimocucca in that he does have a unique style. Not a lot of people can pack the same amount of energy and enthusiasm into chess of all things, that's why I started watching his videos in the first place. But to appeal to a much bigger audience, he had to make changes to his content, few of which aren't received well by some of his old fans. It's a bit sad to see, but I understand success requires sacrifice.
I just watched his analysis of the 2nd round of the world cup, good game and good video. But also he himself said that he gets more views with 600 elo chess videos, so if we do the math i guess we are going to se a lot of dumb stuff on his channel, but he's still going give us something good to watch when there are important matches.
He did say that Magnus not being in the WC means that less people are interested in his WC recaps, so that might explain why his how to lose at chess videos did better.
The Washington Post is running a front page article on the sudden popularity of chess, especially among high school kids. They cover chess.com and Gotham Chess as well:
Teachers nationwide are flummoxed by students’ newfound chess obsession
I love how he makes fun of games, but sometimes he blabbers just too much to the point you can't follow what he's saying. He's still my favorite streamer, but to be honest I watch all his videos on 1.5 to 2x the speed because I don't want to spend a half hour on a chess video with endless ads, non stop babbling, spending 5 mins advertising middlegames courses...
Hot take: Gotham content was never good.
Apr 15, 2023
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#28
EndgameStudier wrote:
I love how he makes fun of games, but sometimes he blabbers just too much to the point you can't follow what he's saying. He's still my favorite streamer, but to be honest I watch all his videos on 1.5 to 2x the speed because I don't want to spend a half hour on a chess video with endless ads, non stop babbling, spending 5 mins advertising middlegames courses...
It's exactly the same thing for me.
Apr 15, 2023
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#29
for the level of commitment and difficulty ,masters dont have reliable sources of income.
Even if you can make 50 an hour coaching,, there is only so many hours during the day, people cancel on you, you can lose students all of a sudden etc. Its not a glamorous life, and more importantly if you have professional aspirations to go higher, coaching even 4 hours a day gets in the way of long training sessions and energy levels.
In developed country, forget it, you will at best make the salary of a starting teacher but if you dont wish to seriously improve, you will at least have more free time. If you can charge that and live in a cheaper nation where 1000-1500 a month is not bad money, you will be at least confortable, as an elite freelancer
kudos to Gotham for being a professional chess jester. Its one of the few ways to make bank if you not like a top 100 player. He knows there is more money being an entertainer whose gimmick is chess than a professional educator. And i say that without judgement.
654Psyfox wrote:
Hot take: Gotham content was never good.
No one ever says what it means. It means good streamers are left to wither.
Today's WaPo article suggests that Gotham Chess is having an impact with high school kids. Some of them will continue to play chess when they become adults, so Gotham deserves some credit. I understand he is making good money too.
Apr 20, 2023
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#32
h4java wrote:
Today's WaPo article suggests that Gotham Chess is having an impact with high school kids. Some of them will continue to play chess when they become adults, so Gotham deserves some credit. I understand he is making good money too.
Well, his impact would increase more if he keeps making good quality videos, if he uploads garbage, this benefit might slow down.
I just finished today's video about Round 8 of the WC and it was great
I watch Levy for his recaps of top-level games. He does a good job - keeping it short and sweet, with just the right touch of melodrama. His other content ("Guess the Elo", and whatnot) I don't watch.
I also watch Hikaru and Magnus (yes, Magnus is now a chess streamer) when I want to see some top-level blitz or bullet.
Hikaru's game recaps ("Welcome back, everyone!" - What's with the forced smile?) are rather dull to watch, compared to Levy's - though Hikaru does make up for it by analyzing some high level ideas ...
darkunorthodox88 wrote:
for the level of commitment and difficulty ,masters dont have reliable sources of income.
Even if you can make 50 an hour coaching,, there is only so many hours during the day, people cancel on you, you can lose students all of a sudden etc. Its not a glamorous life, and more importantly if you have professional aspirations to go higher, coaching even 4 hours a day gets in the way of long training sessions and energy levels.
In developed country, forget it, you will at best make the salary of a starting teacher but if you dont wish to seriously improve, you will at least have more free time. If you can charge that and live in a cheaper nation where 1000-1500 a month is not bad money, you will be at least confortable, as an elite freelancer
kudos to Gotham for being a professional chess jester. Its one of the few ways to make bank if you not like a top 100 player. He knows there is more money being an entertainer whose gimmick is chess than a professional educator. And i say that without judgement.
A realistic assessment. Outside of the world top 50, professional chess is decidely unglamourous and not well remunerated.
It's a hardscrabble life and there are always new and younger players coming along to knock you further down the perch. Levy is accessible and entertaining, and good luck to him.
Jul 14, 2023
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#36
I enjoy watching the Gotham Chess Videos..Having the teacher walk through moves and explaining why and what impacts or repercussions each move makes is very helpful and easy to visualize with the videos I can go back and replay of I dont understand. I have found most chess books useless, loaded with moves and sample games with such cryptic explanantions is of little learning value..The gotham teacher creates a friendly non threatening atmosphere that makes learning more effective..ever hear of meta-cognition learning process? he uses this whether its intentional or not I dont know but it works for me...Tina
massimocucca wrote:
It's getting worse and worse.
It’s okay, you won’t have to suffer much longer. His channel is dying. I saw him post a short on how to play the Englund Gambit trap earlier, obviously just to get some sort of content out. He’s desperate to get the last bit of juice he can before he’s forgotten.
he is just meting the demands plus his vids are becoming more frequent so you cant blame him for having less quality content