IShowSpeed and Manny Pacquiao’s Chess Match Breaks Record, Impresses GM Hikaru Nakamura and GothamChess

The chess world was abuzz after YouTube sensation IShowSpeed and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao faced off in a highly anticipated match that shattered records. The unlikely pairing of a chess enthusiast and a boxing icon drew in over 250,000 viewers, making it the most-watched chess match of 2024.

Even renowned Chess pro Hikaru Nakamura was impressed by the match, praising IShowSpeed as an “extremely entertaining” player. He marveled at the massive viewership, highlighting the contrast with traditional chess events that struggle to attract attention.

GothamChess, another prominent figure in the chess community, dubbed the game as the “most-watched chess match of 2024” and found the collaboration between Speed and Pacquiao to be “fascinating.”

The significance of this match was further emphasized by comparing it to the FIDE Candidates tournament, which had 337,656 peak viewers spread across multiple channels. In contrast, Speed and Pacquiao’s match drew over 250,000 viewers from a single channel, solidifying its status as the most-watched chess event of the year.

The success of this unconventional match has sparked interest from GothamChess, who expressed a desire to team up with Pacquiao for a video project combining boxing and chess. The chess world eagerly awaits to see if this collaboration comes to fruition, further blurring the lines between sports and strategy.