Leon Watson
@leonwatson.bsky.social
Editor-in-Chief at WorldChess.com. PR advisor to the English Chess Federation. Previously worked for Chess.com, Chess24, The Telegraph, MailOnline & The Sun. Cricket fan. Chess coach. Season ticket holder at Spurs. #COYS
English chess fans delight: GM Shreyas Royal is being anything but peaceful at the Tournament of Peace 2025 in Zagreb.
He is leading the field on 5.5/7 so far with a performance rating of 2752.
Go on Shrez!
He is leading the field on 5.5/7 so far with a performance rating of 2752.
Go on Shrez!
November 12, 2025 at 10:29 AM
English chess fans delight: GM Shreyas Royal is being anything but peaceful at the Tournament of Peace 2025 in Zagreb.
He is leading the field on 5.5/7 so far with a performance rating of 2752.
Go on Shrez!
He is leading the field on 5.5/7 so far with a performance rating of 2752.
Go on Shrez!
We'll see what happens to Mr Kramnik then.
November 11, 2025 at 7:24 PM
We'll see what happens to Mr Kramnik then.
🎵Oh, Mickey, you're so fine...
England's chess hero Michael Adams has started the FIDE World Cup with a trademark win.
C'mon Mickey!!!
England's chess hero Michael Adams has started the FIDE World Cup with a trademark win.
C'mon Mickey!!!
November 1, 2025 at 6:25 PM
🎵Oh, Mickey, you're so fine...
England's chess hero Michael Adams has started the FIDE World Cup with a trademark win.
C'mon Mickey!!!
England's chess hero Michael Adams has started the FIDE World Cup with a trademark win.
C'mon Mickey!!!
Emil Sutovsky, the FIDE CEO who usually has a lot to say, hasn't posted on X since October 22.
His last post was, at best, insensitive about Naroditsky.
His last post was, at best, insensitive about Naroditsky.
October 30, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Emil Sutovsky, the FIDE CEO who usually has a lot to say, hasn't posted on X since October 22.
His last post was, at best, insensitive about Naroditsky.
His last post was, at best, insensitive about Naroditsky.
World Chess, one of the other platforms out there, tackles cheating. Play on it here: worldchess.com
October 21, 2025 at 9:47 AM
World Chess, one of the other platforms out there, tackles cheating. Play on it here: worldchess.com
Daniel Naroditsky, the American chess Grandmaster, simply amazing commentator and all-round good guy, has died.
Heartbreaking news.
Heartbreaking news.
October 20, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Daniel Naroditsky, the American chess Grandmaster, simply amazing commentator and all-round good guy, has died.
Heartbreaking news.
Heartbreaking news.
This is crazy.
England's chess super talent Bodhana Sivanandan, 10, has just beaten former Women's World Chess Champion GM Mariya Muzychuk.
Amazing result.
England's chess super talent Bodhana Sivanandan, 10, has just beaten former Women's World Chess Champion GM Mariya Muzychuk.
Amazing result.
October 19, 2025 at 8:42 PM
This is crazy.
England's chess super talent Bodhana Sivanandan, 10, has just beaten former Women's World Chess Champion GM Mariya Muzychuk.
Amazing result.
England's chess super talent Bodhana Sivanandan, 10, has just beaten former Women's World Chess Champion GM Mariya Muzychuk.
Amazing result.
Crazy headline for a chess story:
October 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Crazy headline for a chess story:
FIDE really wants Magnus Carlsen back in the fold!
October 15, 2025 at 10:36 AM
FIDE really wants Magnus Carlsen back in the fold!
My 5-year-old did this.
September 24, 2025 at 9:04 AM
My 5-year-old did this.
Surrey are Nott the County Champions.
September 18, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Surrey are Nott the County Champions.
Won't be a chess match.
September 13, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Won't be a chess match.
Lots of talk about Stu's head in chat.
August 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Lots of talk about Stu's head in chat.
Michael "The Spider" Adams vs Stuart "The Fox" Conquest for the title! Rapidplay playoff.
Great finish to the British!
@englishchess.bsky.social
Great finish to the British!
@englishchess.bsky.social
August 10, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Michael "The Spider" Adams vs Stuart "The Fox" Conquest for the title! Rapidplay playoff.
Great finish to the British!
@englishchess.bsky.social
Great finish to the British!
@englishchess.bsky.social
Poised to send out a press release when we have a winner at the British Chess Champs.
It's a very exciting finish!
Watch the final throes here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJm...
It's a very exciting finish!
Watch the final throes here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJm...
August 10, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Poised to send out a press release when we have a winner at the British Chess Champs.
It's a very exciting finish!
Watch the final throes here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJm...
It's a very exciting finish!
Watch the final throes here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrJm...
Britain's youngest ever GM Shreyas Royal beat Britain's newest GM Matthew Wadsworth in R7 today to join Britain's greatest ever GM Michael Adams at the top on 5.5 points.
It's very close going into the final 2 rounds!
#BritishChessChamps
It's very close going into the final 2 rounds!
#BritishChessChamps
August 8, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Britain's youngest ever GM Shreyas Royal beat Britain's newest GM Matthew Wadsworth in R7 today to join Britain's greatest ever GM Michael Adams at the top on 5.5 points.
It's very close going into the final 2 rounds!
#BritishChessChamps
It's very close going into the final 2 rounds!
#BritishChessChamps
"He's going to be Adams-level when he's older - maybe stronger! Of course, we've had promising juniors before who haven't delivered on their potential, but he seems like the real deal."
Gormally on 11-year-old Supratit Bannerjee.
#britishchesschamps
Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbYt...
Gormally on 11-year-old Supratit Bannerjee.
#britishchesschamps
Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbYt...
August 8, 2025 at 3:52 PM
"He's going to be Adams-level when he's older - maybe stronger! Of course, we've had promising juniors before who haven't delivered on their potential, but he seems like the real deal."
Gormally on 11-year-old Supratit Bannerjee.
#britishchesschamps
Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbYt...
Gormally on 11-year-old Supratit Bannerjee.
#britishchesschamps
Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbYt...
The British Chess Champs are into R7 and set for a grandstand finish on Sunday. GM Mickey Adams, the eight-time winner, is half a point clear at the top. In R7 he's taking on the tricky, unconventional battler GM Daniel Fernandez.
You can watch it live now here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbYt...
You can watch it live now here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbYt...
August 8, 2025 at 2:32 PM
The British Chess Champs are into R7 and set for a grandstand finish on Sunday. GM Mickey Adams, the eight-time winner, is half a point clear at the top. In R7 he's taking on the tricky, unconventional battler GM Daniel Fernandez.
You can watch it live now here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbYt...
You can watch it live now here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbYt...
I'm feeling good because I just narrowly beat a 7-year-old while trying out @theworldchess.bsky.social
Yikes.
Yikes.
August 7, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I'm feeling good because I just narrowly beat a 7-year-old while trying out @theworldchess.bsky.social
Yikes.
Yikes.
Gutted that England lost. Build a statue for Woakes anyway.
But test cricket is just magical.
There's nothing like it in sport.
But test cricket is just magical.
There's nothing like it in sport.
August 4, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Gutted that England lost. Build a statue for Woakes anyway.
But test cricket is just magical.
There's nothing like it in sport.
But test cricket is just magical.
There's nothing like it in sport.
The British Chess Championships are underway at the magnificent St George's Hall in Liverpool!
July 31, 2025 at 6:54 PM
The British Chess Championships are underway at the magnificent St George's Hall in Liverpool!
July 30, 2025 at 4:31 PM