GothamChess tests Michael Olise's chess, with Harry Kane watching

The Bayern Munich player's London System becomes a lesson in how to squeeze an opponent's pieces out of the game.

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GothamChess Story of November 9, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? 1,331,878 views so far, and here is what is inside it.

Michael Olise is a CHESS GRANDMASTER

Things we can learn from the video

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3:41Olise credits The Queen's Gambit with getting him playing, after learning the basics from his mother.
8:11Rozman explains Olise's London System opening and the strategic plans available to both sides.
16:20Black's kingside pawn expansion limits White's options; prophylactic moves prevent the opponent's intended counterplay.
18:30White's restricted knight gives Black opportunities to tighten the position and explore tactical sacrifices.
20:29The final attack uses a rook sacrifice and queen infiltration; trading queens would throw away the winning continuation.

"Have you reviewed my games?" Michael Olise asks Levy Rozman before their blitz encounter gets far. The footballer has a chess opponent to size up, and Harry Kane is beside the table to watch.

Rozman's Munich stop during his European book tour brought him face to face with both Bayern players. His video, "Michael Olise is a CHESS GRANDMASTER", pairs the hallway game with a detailed explanation of how he eventually breaks through Olise's defenses.

The title is playful, not an announcement of a chess qualification. Rozman says he would have estimated Olise's strength at around 1500 without knowing his rating. Kane offers his own assessment after the handshake: "You played super well, though, Mike. That was really good."

Olise credits The Queen's Gambit with getting him playing, while explaining that his mother had taught him the basics earlier. Against Rozman, he chooses the London System, an opening built around a familiar arrangement of pieces rather than an immediate scramble for exchanges.

Once Rozman returns to the digital board, the celebrity encounter becomes a practical attacking lesson. He shows how advancing Black's kingside pawns restricts White's options, and explains prophylaxis: anticipating an opponent's plans and preventing them before they become threats. Olise's cramped knight becomes a target as the position tightens.

The finish requires a rook sacrifice and an invading queen. Rozman also demonstrates why exchanging queens would spoil the attack rather than simplify the win.

There is one complication for a host known for loudly celebrating rook sacrifices: he is recording the explanation in a hotel room. "But you got to sacrifice the rook. Can't yell it in a hotel room."

Published on Trari

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What viewers say

Harry Kane saying that Olise is playing in a low block 4-5-1 😂😂😂
@docasxrs8164See it on YouTube
It's funny they made a real life board game from the app it's a good idea
@GuillaumeLefebvrePianoSee it on YouTube
Gotham doing everything with chess now I remember the days when he was just playing chess bots with restrictions
@RoadsterRocketLeagueSee it on YouTube

2 more comments

You should collab in football too. 1v1 against Olise
@flc689See it on YouTube
One of the most dynamic, creative footballers in the world, playing a very cultured London system. I wonder if he plays the French defence though
@adb9125See it on YouTube

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The facts

Channel: GothamChess
Subscribers: 8,510,000 ▲ 110,000 this week
Channel views, last 7 days: 106,643,189
Channel views, pace per day: 15,625,628 (on a normal day: 12,976,251)
Video published: November 6, 2026
Video views so far: 1,331,878 (3 days online)
Video views, pace per day: 314,101 (on a normal day: 581,943)

The numbers

The Olise encounter has drawn about 1.3 million views in three days. Its appeal is the football-meets-chess pairing and the game analysis, rather than an unusually fast start for GothamChess.

subscribers

8,510,000

▲ 110,000 in the last 7 days

total views

6,652,213,914

views per day

15,625,628

typical day: 12,976,251

the video

views

1,331,878

likes