GothamChess calls SourGrape02’s viral Meta glasses chess video “chess LARP”
A TikToker says smart glasses fed him winning moves; Levy Rozman says the clock was off and the opening is a known trap.
The tea in 3
- TikToker SourGrape02 says Meta glasses, GPT and Stockfish helped him win a park chess game; Dexerto reports millions of views.
- GothamChess called it "chess LARP" in an Oct 21 YouTube Short, saying the chess clock wasn't running.
- He also said the opening was the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, a known trap, and similar glasses date to January 2025.
A TikToker who goes by SourGrape02 says he used Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses to beat a stranger at chess in a public park. According to Dexerto, the clip has racked up millions of views, and chess YouTuber GothamChess has now called it “chess LARP” in a YouTube Short.
LARP means live-action role-play. In other words, Levy “GothamChess” Rozman thinks the whole thing looks staged.
What the video claims
Per Dexerto, SourGrape02 posted a video of himself playing a woman in a park. He said he had barely played chess before and that his glasses fed him the best move all game, until he delivered checkmate.
The setup he described has the Meta glasses capture the board, GPT identify the pieces and Stockfish, a powerful chess engine, calculate the moves. Dexerto reports the clip spread to Instagram, YouTube, X, Reddit and even LinkedIn.
The setup has not been independently tested, and SourGrape02 has not publicly answered GothamChess.
This guy used Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, AI, and a MacBook to cheat at chess game.
What GothamChess said
In an Oct 21 YouTube Short titled “Cheating At Chess?”, Rozman questioned why anyone would need such an elaborate setup.
This is chess LARP.— GothamChess, YouTube Short, Oct 21
Dexerto says he made three main points:
- The idea is not new. Similar glasses were built in January 2025 by developer Eddy Xu, and chess creators the Botez sisters demoed that tech.
- The chess clock in the video appeared not to be switched on, so the “video makes no sense at all.”
- You would not need to cheat to win this game: it was the Blackburne Shilling Gambit.
Why the opening matters
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit is a known trap. Dexerto describes it as an opening that can end in checkmate in seven or eight moves if a less experienced player picks the wrong replies.
That is Rozman’s point: if the game followed a well-known trap, a beginner did not need an engine in his glasses. He wrapped up with “Unfortunately, I’m not impressed.”
Watch it
Smart glasses that can read a board are real, and so is the debate over fair play. Whether this particular game was genuinely engine-assisted is the part GothamChess disputes, and one video does not settle it.
Where it stands
The clip is still circulating, and the argument is now about whether it is a cheating stunt or just content. SourGrape02 has not publicly answered the criticism.
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