Chess YouTuber Levy ‘GothamChess’ Rozman has called out a viral TikToker who claims to have used Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses to cheat during a public chess match, suggesting the entire video is questionable.
A creator known as SourGrape02 has been making waves online after posting a video showing himself playing chess against a woman in a public park while supposedly receiving assistance from AI.
The TikToker claimed to have barely played chess before, but says his glasses provided him with the best moves throughout the match, allowing him to eventually deliver checkmate.
The setup uses Meta glasses to capture the board, GPT to identify the pieces and Stockfish, a powerful chess engine, to calculate moves.
SourGrape02’s video quickly spread to numerous platforms like Instagram, YouTube, X, Reddit and even LinkedIn, resulting in millions of views. However, not everyone was impressed by the apparent demonstration, especially GothamChess.
In an October 21 YouTube Short, Rozman blasted the video and questioned why anyone would need such an elaborate setup.
“This is chess LARP,” he said.
He pointed out that similar glasses were created back in January 2025 by 17-year-old Eddy Xu, whose invention could provide players with powerful engine moves without their opponents knowing.
Xu’s technology was also demonstrated by chess creators the Botez sisters, making the concept far from new.
GothamChess then turned his attention to the actual match, declaring that the “video makes no sense at all.”
His first issue was that the TikToker appeared to be using a chess clock that wasn’t even switched on.
“Second of all, you don’t need to cheat to win this game,” he remarked, before explaining that the match featured the Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
The opening is known for a trap that can quickly checkmate inexperienced players who make the wrong moves, potentially ending a game in just seven or eight moves.
“Unfortunately, I’m not impressed,” Rozman concluded.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
