Top-ranked chess GM caught throwing racist remarks during the Airthings Masters qualifier

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Grandmaster Baadur Jobava, with a rating of 2500, made racist comments about a Chinese Grandmaster after losing a qualifying match for the Airthings Masters tournament.

This article was first published in 2023 and has been updated to include recent information about Baadur Jobava following a previous incident.

Georgian chess Grandmaster Baadur Jobava is facing criticism after making racist comments during an online tournament. After losing a match against a Chinese Grandmaster with a similar rating on February 3rd during the Airthings Masters qualifier, Jobava accused his opponent of cheating and filed a complaint with Chess.com moderators that was considered offensive.

Jobava accuses Xiangyu Xu of cheating and said “Ban all these Chinese motherf***ers.”

The Champion Chess Tour began with qualifying rounds for the Airthings Masters, attracting many top-ranked Grandmasters hoping to earn a spot. Among them was Baadur Jobava, currently ranked #278 globally, a player with a strong track record who aimed to compete alongside stars like Carlsen and So. Unfortunately, he lost to Xiangyu Xu, a Chinese Grandmaster rated 2578, during the qualifying event.

The Georgian national champion, who has won the title three times, was very upset after losing and accused his opponent of cheating. He then sent Xu a highly offensive and abusive message, using a racial slur and a derogatory term.

He reported the issue to a Chess.com moderator, and a video of the conversation was later shared on Reddit.

Please ban him right away, don’t wait two hours. He ruined my tournament and made me play badly, so I’m going to lose several games in a row.

He demanded his rating points be restored and insisted all Chinese players be banned from the platform. After speaking with a moderator, he continued, frustrated, stating, “Out of one hundred players in this tournament, I found one cheater, and Chess.com doesn’t seem to take any action. It’s unbelievable!”

Jobava and Xu are evenly matched players, with identical ratings and rankings. Xu, a 23-year-old Chinese Grandmaster, plays for the Chinese Chess Olympic Team and is well-known in his home country. He helped his team – including Lu Shanglei, Bai Jinshi, and Li Di – win the FIDE World Team Championship.

Will he face punishment?

Despite claiming his opponent cheated, Baadur Jobava could face penalties for his offensive comments. Chessarena.com consulted a legal expert familiar with FIDE (the World Chess Federation) to determine what repercussions Jobava might face.

The FIDE Ethics Commission can investigate issues like this one, but only if someone files a formal complaint – either the person affected, their national chess federation, or an official FIDE organization. Those concerned can also contact the FIDE Council, which is the highest authority in chess. The Council can then refer the matter to the Ethics Commission for investigation. Currently, Baadur Jobava has not received any penalties.

Jobava banned from Chess.com for the rest of 2023

So, Chess.com finally addressed what happened. They really looked into it, talking to everyone involved – even Baadur Jobava himself. Ultimately, they decided to ban him from any tournaments with prize money for the rest of the year. It’s a pretty serious consequence, but they clearly felt he’d crossed a line.

We have zero tolerance for sexism, racism, or any kind of prejudice in our chess community. We expect all players, both professional and casual, to treat each other with respect on Chess.com and everywhere else our community gathers.

The decision against Jobava was fair, as honesty is essential in all aspects of chess. This extends to online betting sites that offer wagers on chess games as well.

What has Jobava been up to since his ban?

Since the incident with Xiangyu Xu two and a half years ago, Baadur Jobava has largely stayed out of the public eye, focusing on chess. He’s continued to succeed in the sport, becoming the Georgian National Chess Champion in 2024 and still actively competing in international tournaments.

The Jobava London, a popular opening developed by GM Baadur Jobava, has become a favorite among beginners, often chosen over the classic London System traditionally used by newer players. Jobava himself has created instructional videos detailing the opening, explaining how to play it and the key ideas behind the first ten moves.

It appears that both Baadur Jobava and the chess community have moved past the 2023 incident. Since receiving a one-year ban from Chess.com, Jobava hasn’t faced any further controversy. While he didn’t fully apologize, explaining he used strong language but not a racial slur, he’s avoided similar issues since.

Regarding Chess.com, Baadur Jobava is now allowed to participate in prize events on the platform again. In fact, Chess.com has been highlighting the Grandmaster in articles and training materials, suggesting that they’ve resolved their differences.

Hopefully, Jobava can stay out of hot water for the remainder of his chess career.

Stay tuned to Esports.gg for more chess news and updates!

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2026-02-13 07:42