He genuinely seems like a great guy; he never fronted or talked down to her, and acknowledged her skills as soon as he recognized them. His banter was super enjoyable, he clearly was enjoying himself and she was too. Delightful interaction.

He tried so many Gambits he should be in Xmen lol. Prolly the best player on the block given some of his moves,.. can't shake that GM confidence though lol

Chess players are generally pretty civilised individuals

They looked like the were having a great time.

My I’m just high, but the GM and her daughter seemed to be judging him hard. They seemed scared and hyperbolizing the things he said. Or maybe I’m judging him…. Shit. Chess mated myself…

"Oh she's a beast!" He sounded so pleasantly surprised. I bet that's the first time he's been properly challenged in years.

The fact that it takes a Grandmaster to properly challenge him and bring him that much joy in playing the game speaks to how great his own abilities are. I bet if you put him in the circuit, he would crush.

@TheeLaffingMan Go out, find him, put him out in the circuit. Or direct him how he can get to there!

@Neo154He’s gotta want that for himself. Some people find the spotlight a little… fickle.

I guarantee he fell in love with her after that

​@Neo154😊😊😊😊 3:51

That’s Big John! He played with my girls almost every day we were in NYC - easily the one thing we miss most! He’s the most wonderful person to play! Sending tons of love from South Africa!!

Is "my girls" a euphemism?

@Yegor Zakharov 💀

​@Yegor Zakharov I hope it is this and not where my mind went

what if he started violently swinging? could both of them be able to handle him?

@PrideNeverDies probably not. Odd comment.

He was quick to estimate her to 2300-2400, she might be ranked higher but still giving another player a 2300-2400 estmate after 1 game is a true sign of respect.

What number is a grand master?

@Jason Ricard Well, you need few things to be a GM, for example, you have to play lots of tournaments and get so called norms (favorable results) from min. 27 games in tournaments. Like performance rating has to be at least 2600, a third of all opponents has to be GMs, or 50% of players has to have some FIDE title (CM, WCM), opponents average rating has to be around 2300-2400. And you have to have a FIDE Rating of at least 2500 to be become a Grandmaster in Chess.

Thats what i was gonna guess he was

Can you explain? He estimated her level to be 1-2 levels below GM level and I thought that meant that she didn't play her best the first match, and that's why he thought she was very good, but not a GM

@Dee Pia's current (August 2023) FIDE rating in classic is 2452, and in 1990 it was higher than 2500 and she obtained her last GM norm in Bern. It's difficult to keep your rating > 2500 if you get older unless you're Viktor Korchnoi, who was still > 2500 when aged 80 years old. Unlike in Sumo you're not expected to retire when your ELO rating drops below 2500, because only your pride might get hurt, but you (usually) don't die when being crushed by an opponent.

Shes great..so is he...so awesome to watch!!!

ikr

Didn’t expect to see y’all on this video

​@larrydavid6656 same 😂 scrolled pst it then closed comments. My brained realized what I saw and was like wait had to coke back to double check 😂

Street beefs!!

Ay yo what

The grandmaster and her daughter are the hustlers in this video.

100%

Yep! But they both had a great time!

More like a relatively cheap Master Class with a GM.

He lasted that long against a grandmaster? He too, is a beast.

Definitely GM's that can checkmate in 5 moves or less so yes

Yeah. Or she just felt bad and didn’t want to embarrass the dude.

They’re all really good. I’ve played them a couple times and they’re good at assessing your level and will teach/compete accordingly. Also, a game is like 5 bucks, so it’s a good way to waste some time

@wittyn0550  I wouldn't guess some goofy shit like that but there's one way to find out. You play him. You play her. Post what happens.

Thank you its me Im him

Was expecting something totally different based on the title. What a nice dude. You can tell he just loves the game / isn't so overly concerned about winning or losing. Respect.

A lot of people get misled by the term 'hustler' in this context. In NY, chess hustlers just play a good game, and you pay them the same amount regardless of who won the game.

@hextree 🤔

“that’s okay, i know you’re gonna hurt me”. he acknowledged defeat and continued to okay. helluva competitor. bet that brightened his day

how many times you think he told chess friends about how he hung with a GM?

This gentleman is a VERY strong player. It has obviously been quite a long time since he lost a game. & he is so lovely in the way he interacts with you and your (amazing) mom. This was a great video, one of the best of these I've seen 💛

Big John taught me to love and appreciate chess after we played a couple games a few years back. I’ll always remember him and respect him for that. Such a pleasure to watch him enjoy these games with this GM. Sending my love, John!

This is one of the most respectful interactions I’ve seen in NYC recently

So you didn't look close to see where he cheated during the game? Nothing respectful about cheating.

The older folks usually know how to act right when they're around eachother

Get outside more

For every stereotype in NYC, there’s at least five people breaking them. It’s really an awesome place to live.

@Fluffy Bunny Where did he cheat?

That's not a hustrler. That's a honest, hardworking S-tier player, facing a Grandmaster who held #1 amongst women.

What's an s tier player?

@fd2blk78 above an A+ would be, an S or S+ in skill of a game means perfect

Really can't call him S tier since he's not at the level. A tier at best

The best and cutest part about this video is how proud the daughter clearly feels about her mom.

Dunno for me she was very interrupting. Why not let These two great players have the Stage...

I was thinking the same thing. She seems to be so happy watching them play and she talks up her mom. You can see how proud she is, it’s adorable.

Nah she was annoying and unnecessary

SO annoying!

She is an obvious GM but this guy stood his ground hard against a GM. He's really good.

Bro is the best. I played against him was I was 17 and he beat me 3 and tied once. He prides himself in teaching and it must have been a privilege for him to go to school for a change since he plays a lot of people who aren't really into chess.

I'm so ignorant at chess that I didn't know you could tie.

Dude, I've been pouring over these comments. And like everyone loves this guy It's amazing knowing this one chess player has touched the souls of so many people, and yet has remained so humble.

@Kelly Kintzley Yessir. You can either draw or stalemate.

I just love how mom is so mild and meek with her expressions, but vicious in her moves. She kills you with a smile.

The ease with which he said "23, 24" just showed he'd already been thinking about it, and the cordial way they acknowledged each other was so wholesome.

I’m not sure I’d label him as a hustler. He was gentlemanly. I’m sure he was honored on some level.

In this context “hustler” isn’t so much a bad thing as it is the colloquial term for the people who love to hangout and play chess all day in the park. Sure they’ll take your money if you are foolish enough to bet on a game without the skill to back it up, but it’s all in good fun.

You can literally look up the word and there's nothing positive about it. She could have said. Gentlemen or chest player.

@jestride have to get the clickbait title

Yeah it’s rude to call someone a hustler . Especially someone as respectful as this man

@jestrideThat gentleman is a chest player for sure! 😂

Let's face it - the real hustlers in this video are Pia and Anna. That cute little mother-daughter act, all lovey dovey with each other - they probably just met!, the fake Swedish accent, the "I need my glasses" granny bit, the knocking over of a few pieces to show her "nervousness," the pretend hesitations, etc. We're onto you, "Pia" and "Anna!"

💯

💯

😅😂🤣

But she didn't cheat in this game he did. @56 seconds he moved twice in one turn that's why he's a Hustler.

@Fluffy Bunny He castled. Pia did too. It's a completely legal move.

Honestly this was just a joy to watch. She’s a grand master but he’s obviously also very good

A grunge master.

Just observing the video briefly without any context up front, I could immediately tell this was some high level chess being played on both sides. It truly is such a fascinating game.

Great to see Pia Cramling still playing for fun. She was a star at her peak.

This is over 9 million views now. I'd say "IS" instead of was.

she is so proud and supportive of her mom this is just amazing. he was a great sport!

He's not a hustler, but a fellow professional. The gentleman was courteous, genuinely impressed and appreciative to play your mum. She even paused a few times, and played another game with him. Respect, on both sides.

Yeah, I hope she’s hearing the feedback with the use of Hustler in her title, Bc itd also be fair to say shes YT hustling with clickbait

He is a Hustler...and you have no right to take that away from him. He's earned that title from all the hard work he's put into it.

@noobslayer 69 i understand you trying to give dignity to the context but i highly doubt that was her intention

"Hustler" is merely someone that uses their Skill to earn money without needing employment or Business licensing. They make hundreds of Dollars a day on $15 & $20 games.. They are huslters on those boards.. Why? Because They know the CLOCk makes it harder and thats how they beat most people.. Slow chess games allow you time to Overveiw the last and next moves.. the clock takes that away.. either you know what to do right after your opponent moves... or you don't.. She would make Money down there because people would assume shes beatable because she a woman.. They'd be sorely mistaken lol

@Jains Outside Most of those highly experienced chess players like him down there in the park are hustlers. They make money off the games they challenge people to and most people don’t realize the trap is sprung till they’re in the game, all they see is a sweet old man or wily kid looking to play some chess. I used to sit and watch these guys run their games and it was very impressive. Most were respectful like the guy in this video, but they were also hustlers, kind of like pool sharks you might find in a billiards hall.

This goes to show you that experience will get you far. Education is worthless if you don’t use it. He’s not a grandmaster but he’s so experienced that he’s hanging with her. Great interaction

I love how humble she comes off. She doesnt even crack a smile, doesnt say a lot, she just focuses and brings her A game.

It’s so cool to watch your mom play so well. She’s humble as hell but a beast. Really awesome to watch.

That was an absolute joy to watch. I've never watched a match like this and know very little about chess but I found this to be enormously satisfying and entertaining. Good times and great sportmanship.

For the chess lovers, having her come through was something he delighted in, for sure, he probably torches everyone there, he finally met his match it’s pretty cool and I bet he told his family about it for sure

Once he knew he was outmatched, his entire persona changed into almost appreciation. Like we all know that guy would mop up 95 percent of the planet but here comes GM grandma and he doesn’t get mad but becomes almost happy. Fascinating to watch.

I learned long ago to become better at chess you must play those who are better than you. He shouldn't have been called a hustler. A hustler usually wants to play for money. He would beat just about anyone except a Grand Master. I loved watching Mom with 2 or 3 moves (maybe more) all the time. Great games.

Exactly and I guarantee he appreciated the losses. You don’t get better playing lesser opponents

Peobbaly hasn't lost a game in ages sometimes it's nice to lose and feel that you can strive to do better :)

I think most people who enjoy playing chess enjoy the form of it. The beauty in the mechanics of the game. When people stop to watch the sunset do they get mad that they can't control it, or do they appreciate the inherent beauty and welcome the coming of the night?

I used to be a magician. Magicians usually know 90% of what's going on in a magic trick, because many different effects use the same fundamentals. A magician is truly happy and impressed when they are tricked, because the magic becomes real again.

Of all the things I’ve been watching lately, this is the most wholesome, sweetest. The music the sounds the banter the tension and energy around a square foot table was just brilliant ❤

In game 2, The damage she did with just 2 rooks was INSANE.

I love how she cheered her Mom on… CLEARLY PROUD OF HER SKILL… I also loved how the two players interacted … He obviously respected her and was impressed ❤️

Much love to the Grandmaster Mom, and much respect to her opponent ❤

The fact that he gave her (a Grand Master) a very good second game speaks to his ability as a chess ♟️ player!

She was winning the whole time

@m1hs it was literally a draw most of the game until the endgame then he had no idea what to do

This guy is a regular there. I've seen him in other videos in the area. He knows what he is doing. In general, he quickly picks up on the quality of his opponent. Which says something of his skill level. My guess would be to put him just below or a couple steps below master level. That is a pure guess as I am not good at chess. It is based on his play against masters and grand masters I have seen videos of him playing.

And his ability to assess his opponent. I just looked the woman up, Pia Craminling. Her rating is 2452 (according to the site I checked). Which is pretty much dead on for what he predicted her strength to be.

She was toying with the guy, it was pretty obvious. The guy knew it as well. She didn’t want to embarrass him badly.

Everyone missed the best part of the video: the adoration and pride little girl has for Mom. Love it.

Almost 30 and I'm finally starting to learn how to play chess...so I gotta say...I appreciate everything about this video!! From the gameplay to the moments of interaction between the two...I love it

A very sweet exchange between two chess pros. That was so refreshing to watch. Good gaming to you both!

Im not a chess guy but what a nice match between these 2 folks. Just a cool video to watch how 2 different ppl come together and play a game not knowing each other but also sharing a pcful moment in everday life.

I really enjoyed watching these games. He called your sweet natured mom a Beast! Too much fun. Shes awesome!

Let’s not forget to give this gentleman the respect he deserves for hanging with a grand master 😳

He cheated and if you slow the video down you'll see it. I don't respect cheaters

@Fluffy Bunnyexplain

@Redeyesin another comment said he moved twice at 00:56 but it looks like he just castles. But this guy is just scrolling down comments to say the guy cheated, I’m not sure where, I may have missed it too.

​@iM Coachyep, that's a legit move, most people don't know you can do that.

@Fluffy BunnyI dont respect people who speak before knowing what theyre talking about. Like you.

This was so beautiful, in so many ways. And Anna smiling all the way watching the game. Loved it.

Love seeing Anna being so proud of her mother 😊

This guy is my spirit animal lmao I feel him. Whenever I meet someone who rival or go beyond my skill at the things I’m great at, I always appreciate the experience and try taking something away from it to improve myself. If I can have a good time and still learn a thing or two, I’m all in.

I just love all the appreciative comments everyone has left here. Y'all are all giving me hope for the world. And of course much love to the respectful competitors in this video, they are both a complete joy to witness.

I don’t really know the game very well, but there is something so compelling about watching these two play

The fact he can play a Grandmaster that well speaks to his ability.

You clowns have no clue! The dude plays chess every single day! What do you think he's gonna suck?

No, but if I played music every day that wouldn't make me a Mozart no matter how much time I dedicated.

Chess is the ultimate set piece, anyone can reach a certain level if you put in enough time

Dude is 2100 at best. Just an average hustler.

@George Are you calling me a clown that's rude.

Anna is the best of the new generation of wimxn chess content creators. She doesn't vamp herself out and her personality is one of youthful exuberance. Truly delightful. Her video of herself pouring a beer is her best video.

Love how this dude takes the loss with grace and respect. They both seem to be great people.

Love her humbleness ❤ he‘s amazing, too. Nice watch!

Your mum has style and is on another level with it just dancing around the board showing off her dominance and with style its just so hypnotizing to watch so much flow with the board and pieces ahh :D

He actually did really well and was a super humble and genuine dude. Ggs

i found the interaction quite charming, competitive and respectful of each other, i hate chess but find the clip inspiring

~1700 level he knows a few openings and a few traps but I'm disappointed in Cramling's endgame precision.

Chess is nothing compared to e-sports like fighting games- Let's see these people get into that scene or the ultimate version of chess-Starcraft II.

@Kombat Kastle "Chess is nothing compared to e-sports like fighting games.........." Jeezus🤦‍♂

@Coxy_Wrecked i'm sure that was a joke.

The two seemed like such great spirits. I didn’t understand anything I was seeing but it was still fun to watch!

She’s so proud of her mom❤️ I can only hope my kids will be proud to have me as a father as she is her mother🥹

It's really sweet how obviously proud of her mom Anna is

The human interaction between these two strangers was lovely to watch 🥰

It's amazing how this guy is probably better than 98% of players, and Pia still wipes him out. So many fast, accurate moves from both of them, but that GM vision takes it up a level.

He actually did make some blunders I don't think he is above 1500

he also seems like a cool nice guy

GMs are absolutely next level. There's an IM, not even a GM, in my chess club who always gives everyone free material at the start of blitz games and still crushes them. The second strongest player is a 2200 national master and the IM can just play e4 Nf6 e5 Ne4 d4 Nxf2 against him and still beat him like 80% of the time. Against me he just plays a4 e5 Ra3 Bxa3 Nc3 giving up a full rook for nothing and still I'm yet to beat him once. And I'm like 1800.

At her peak in the 80s, Pia might have been the strongest female player in history up to that point. Nona Gaprindashvilli, Vera Menchik, and Maia Churbanidze also have a claim to being the strongest pre-Judit Polgar woman chess player

There's levels to this shit. She'd be wiped out by most male GM, they'd be wiped out by superGM, and they'd be wiped out by Carlsen. Except maybe Ding.

I suck at chess but i love to watch the strategic thinking behind the moves! Out of curiosity, what would you guys guess this gentleman’s rating would be based on this small sample?

Wish I learned to enjoy chess when I was younger, watching your mom lay waste and he realized he was licked in the first game I watched all the way through, this was so wholesome and just legendary.

I love watching the mother-daughter chess interactions between you two!

Your mother is a great champion!!! Congratulations!! I started following your channel with great love!! I like chess very much!!!

You knew when he started singing “Go ahead, go ahead and save me” that he was indeed in trouble! 😂😂😂

The ability to see the board the way they both do is incredible, she's a move or two ahead at all times but he appreciates it as he tries to counter her. Pretty awesome video

Agreed.. he's definitely a master player. To even hold out against a grand Master after 15 moves apiece is b unimaginable for 99% of people

Especially when he sees what she's done two or three moves ahead and immediately recognizes what's happening...

​@joshy the hand and he went into the match not knowing she was a grand master

Oh.. I think she's at least 5-6 moves ahead and he was close.. Maybe 3-4 moves behind especially at the speed they were playing.

I agree. He takes pleasure in seeing someone else play beautiful chess. It says a lot about his character.

In an age dominated by digital games. It is so wonderful to see people enjoying and promoting the quintessential strategy game. I hope this gains even more traction, the world needs this.

The vibes are amazing! The area seems so chill. Idk why seems really relaxing and nostalgic like before the internet and phones.

What impresses me the most is the fact that that man was humble enough to acknowledge he was in the presence of greatness.

the daughter talks so highly of her momma, lovely ❤

I loooooove your mom. She’s the nicest, sweetest lady that goes on to destroy anybody that sits across a chessboard from her.

We can just give that man a big round of applause. He handled that so incredibly well, and with humor. He didn’t hesitate to go for another round with her either. Bravo to him. His little “Nope” and “ugh such a troublemaker” made me giggle. What a good spirited man he is.

Yep, he's all goodness. I like his face. Sweet guy. You just know you can rely on him. Strong player, too.

His name is Big John he’s a legend in Union Sq

I was impressed by him too - what a pleasant gentleman. Three lovely people enjoying some spirited fun. Lovely Lovely Lovely... 😊

He wanted to play again and learn from the first game, you have to respect that attitude and drive. Also it's easy to show class when you win, to show it when you lose is the real test of character and he passed with flying colours.

I think the first subtitle is off... it's "I know you gonna hurt me" on the dropped pawn. He assessed her at around 40 seconds and probably knew she was not a normal player very early on. That is one of the fun part of these table games.. when you meet someone that you know has a deeper playbook than you and while you put up a fight, its more about learning just how they approach it. That relentless attack she was putting down entertained him for sure and the subtle smack talk was cute as well... I love playing games with experts and will try to figure out what they see by watching their eyes.... and always thank them for the lesson after my butt whopping.

The way her daught is just so proud of her mom is beautiful

I absolutely adore Mom!🖤 She’s unequivocally brilliant,no wonder Anna is so magnificent!🖤

Give him his respect. The timing, the vocals, the sweet banter. THEYRE THE HUSTLERS. Coyly knocking over pieces, smh

It looked like they had a lot of fun playing a game they loved. Because of my anxiety I've never really played anyone beyond a handful of times, but this doesn't seem scary at all.

These hustlers are amazing players. Always impressive. Even while losing he was quick to notice what was happening. I love the lifestyle and community feel too. Not a bad way to spend life if you have any skill.

Honestly, kudos to that dude. He clearly is an talent himself, and i'm glad he can make some extra cash doing something he clearly enjoys.

he's literally a professional chess player.

I called him a professional. :)

That was fantastic - both are excellent players. And the speed at which they play is just as impressive

Great match to watch with nice friendly interactions. First time watching a chess channel that i instantly want to subscribe to. I'm also inspired to start playing again

Anna, it was nice to see your mother again. Long time since I saw her in any mass media although her name and career have always been in a corner of my head.

I've never seen a game of chess being played this fast! Now I want to see more!

There’s Bullet which is 60 seconds

I love these two player together!! Wonderful respect for each other.

Let's appreciate that he guessed her rating fairly well

I'm guessing he was informed of her skill level before they actually started filming. Otherwise I don't think he would have probably considered it good for his image, since he's a fairly well-known chess player to the people who play chess in Union Square, to wipe out somebody's mother who doesn't know anything about chess and have it spread all over the Internet.

@Mark maybe not, guessing her rating is easy considering those hustlers are usually 2000-2100, after she won the first game, he must’ve thought she has to be 2300-2400 just because 2500+ is extremely rare to see in those places, even though Pia is well known, it looks he didn’t know her.

@David Augusto Oh ok. You know more about it than I do. About all that rating stuff. That's all Greek to me. I tried to learn chess and I tried to teach my son and I was never good at it. Probably would have helped me in life. Seems like life is just a big chess game and you have to make the right moves and not let your emotions get in the way...... ...

@Mark he played her again after he already lost. So I don’t think it really matters to him

​@AyoAnt- imo he seemed honored to be defeated like that. And you can see it in his eyes during the first game he was surprised and caught off guard. Probably the dudes favorite 2 matches he's played. He seems like a real one

What an awesome, respectful, fun interaction. Honestly, I know very little about chess. I understand what each piece does, and how to play, but not anything regarding strategy and tactics. Not sure why this video came into my suggestions. However it was really cool to watch a daughter cheer on her mom (they look so much alike!), the gentleman truly enjoy himself and the fun bantering!

She sounds so proud of her mom. I love this

You can tell you were very proud of your mom 😊

Glad to see he’s still out there after so many years.

Two pros having fun, respecting and complimenting one another. What a wonderful interaction.

This dude is awesome. I’m not very good at chess but I’ve seen this man in many videos, so my first time in New York I looked for him and lo and behold, he was there with a free table! He played easy on me and even gave me hints along the way, making sure the game didn’t end too quick. This dude is awesome

That’s fantastic. Thanks for sharing that.

I live in NYC and want to take my boyfriend to play him, but do you have to pay them to play? I never understood “the rules,” of the “chess hustlers,” lol.

This is amazing.

He’s not really a hustler you can play for free

These two are just wholesome and adorable and I’m here for it

Dude seemed chill AF., and yes, she's a damn beast. Good games

Beautiful! The gentlemen showed a high level of respect, this was really nice to watch. Bravo to you both.

Both games have been great! Congratulations!

Had to call him a hustler, he’s out there just enjoying the game.

No one else chuckled when he says “oh so you’re just being mean for no reason”? Totally loved watching these two. I saw humility, respect and grace from two professionals. Amazing sportsmanship from them both!

Such a troublemaker. I enjoyed the hater muchly.

He's great, made me laugh several times - calling her a troublemaker, and saying "you're right, I'm wrong" especially! 😂

This dude is amazing, kinda sad you see him as a hustler.

I love how much you admire your mom!

What a gentleman! Loved this interaction. A talented, jovial player coming across a talented grandmaster.

game two was amazing to watch. this was a masterclass on how to play two rooks for a queen I would never want to play that line

See, mutual respect between total strangers is as easy as that, “c’mon people now, smile on your brother.” ❤

He could play 50 games and win them all and not learn anything new, but losing twice to a Grand Master he would have learnt loads. This is why I always tell my kids you learn more by losing than winning, and if you lose, if at least you've learnt something it's all good.

I love that he wanted "one more." He knew how strong she was after the first match and was still eager to test his mettle against her a second time. Good dude.

Research shows the best learning in many forms of 1:1 competition is when you are losing about ¾ of the games. Challenged but not overwhelmed. But how many have the character to aim for that kind of performance?

Yes, I bet he would love to play her again!

I love your comment

Wow that so extremely accurate!