 "Samay Raina beats chess influencers to win SuperPogChamps, donates entire prize to charity: 'I don't want to")
Indian comedian and streamer Samay Raina enjoyed one of the biggest moments of his chess journey by winning the SuperPogChamps on Friday, December 5. The online tournament, hosted by Chess.com, featured 12 influencers from all over the world, including some big names in the chess world like Andrea Botez and Sardoche.
Samay Raina had a dream run in the tournament. He went 10-0 in the group stage, which not only showed his strong form but also gave him a direct entry into the semifinal of the Championship Bracket. In the semifinal, Samay beat Andrea Botez 2-1, winning the tiebreak after a close main match. He then faced Sardoche in the final and won 2-0.
Samay Raina is the first ever SuperPogChampion!!
— Chess.com (@chesscom) December 5, 2025
The superstar comedian made a CLUTCH comeback in game two of the finals to earn the win! Congratulations!! 🏆 @ReheSamay #PogChamps pic.twitter.com/SKd8Hm59Ii
By winning the title, Samay earned $10,000 (Rs 8.9 lakh approx), the top prize in the Championship Bracket. He donated all of it to the LIDE Haiti to help promote learning, health and well-being for Haitian girls. The victory for Samay was even more special because he defeated the highest-ranked player in the field.
Also Read: D Gukesh opens up on challenge of being chess world champion: 'For sure there is extra pressure'
Samay Raina reacts
“I’m feeling so, so good. I cannot believe what has happened,” Samay told Chess.com after the win. When asked if he would continue playing chess, the Indian comedian joked, “Look, I don’t want to be greedy. I’m happy, and now I want to keep this feeling for a another couple of months. I’m not going to play chess for the next three months, I just want to be a winner for some time.”
According to his Chess.com profile, Samay started playing chess in April 2017 and has played 21,571 games so far. His current rapid rating is 1765, with a peak of 1942 in August 2023. His blitz rating is 1454, and his best was 1629 in 2024.
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