♟️ Pawn stars: 'People pay to watch me play chess'

Chess has seen a surge in popularity in the past year, and a group of young, charismatic chess players has built huge audiences online by streaming games.

Three of the world’s top chess streamers told the BBC about their new lives as chess “celebrities”.

They say that even for those who have played at a high level, competing in the international Chess Olympiad, it has still been hard to earn a living from chess – until recently.

Video by Yanita Georgieva

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