The streaming service Twitch has banned chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, one of the probably nicest people on Twitch. He dared to show how the disgraced streamer, DrDisrespect, plays chess. This is strictly forbidden according to the platform’s rules. However, after protests, the ban was somewhat eased.
Who is the grandmaster?
- Hikaru Nakamura (34) is an American chess grandmaster. He achieved this title at the age of 15. Chess takes such matters very seriously: only those who meet strictly regulated conditions may call themselves grandmasters.
- Nakamura is known for his abilities in blitz chess; he is also a feared online chess player. Since 2015, he has been on Twitch as “GMHikaru,” playing chess and discussing it in front of an average of about 9,200 viewers. He is openly friendly and approachable, without any airs of superiority.
- Chess is a growing topic on Twitch: people like Hikaru Nakamura were pleased that jyoung streamers were enthusiastic about the game of kings and got their viewers interested in chess. The Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit” also contributed to the hype. Streamers like the “Botez Sisters” somehow managed to become “chess influencers.”
What did Nakamura do? Nakamura found it interesting that the two YouTube streamers DrLupo and DrDisrespect were playing chess against each other. He made a bit of fun of their so-called “Doctor” titles and streamed their match on his Twitch channel.
Both streamers originally built their careers on the platform but then switched to YouTube:
- DrLupo switched for “so much money that he set for life”
- DrDisrespect, however, had to switch, he was permanently banned from Twitch in 2020
Nakamura thus streamed the match of the two on his channel.
Neither DrDisrespect nor DrLupo had much experience with chess beforehand, so it was a matter where the two made rather wild moves and exchanged banter with each other (via youtube). When DrDisrespect moved a bishop aside, he referred to it as “Slide Canceling,” a term from shooter terminology.
DrDisrespect ultimately checkmated DrLupo in 30 moves.
Nakamura violates the “DrDisrespect” rule
Why was he banned? Twitch does not allow anyone to be shown live who has been banned from the streaming platform.
This rule is now known as the “DrDisrespect” rule, as Twitch tightened the rule again after streamers began to interact with the banned DrDisrespect during their live streams about “Call of Duty.”
This is also now prohibited. Since September 2020, Twitch has required its streamers to make an effort to remove banned streamers from a “conversation, mute them, or otherwise restrict their interaction with the stream.”
Anyone who dares to speak with or even show a “banned streamer” can and will be punished by Twitch. It is said that they are guilty of “circumventing a ban.” Twitch knows no friends: this even affects the biggest streamers on the platform.
This became the grandmaster’s undoing.
Twitch issued him a 3-day ban. This is the first ban that such a friendly grandmaster has received there.
Grandmaster says: Thought the matter was settled
This is what Nakamura says: He says the Doc tweeted that the matter with Twitch was resolved, but he must have been mistaken.
In fact, DrDisrespect merely stated that his lawsuit against the platform had been settled. Neither party admits to having made a mistake.
However, he remains banned, so he is regarded as the “bad guy” in the eyes of Twitch and cannot be shown.
Twitch unbans grandmaster early after criticism
Update 25.3, 10:30 AM: There are three new developments regarding GMHikaru:
- Twitch streamer Asmongold criticized Hikaru’s ban. Twitch applies double standards: Asmongold and others had extensively commented on the NFT scandal involving DrDisrespect or discussed the similarly banned streamer IcePoseidon: Nothing happened to them. Hikaru is being banned now for a “nuance.” This doesn’t seem fair (via dexerto).
- Upon hearing of the ban, DrDisrespect promised to send the chess grandmaster a bottle of his bourbon. The sly bearded man immediately seized the opportunity for a promotional campaign.
- Additionally, Twitch seems to have had a change of heart and found the whole thing rather silly: GMHikaru was already unbanned after two days, not after 3 days as announced.
The ban on DrDisrespect is one of the major gaming mysteries of recent years:
