logo
England star Eberechi Eze WINS final of Twitch chess tournament – but takes home less than a day's wages

England star Eberechi Eze WINS final of Twitch chess tournament – but takes home less than a day's wages

The Sun03-05-2025

EBERECHI EZE is already king of the Palace.
But it was his queen to E3 that won him £15,000 in a chess competition on Friday night.
7
7
7
Eze, 26, was Crystal Palace's knight in shining armour as he fired his side into the FA Cup final.
The Eagles star scored a belting opener in last weekend's Wembley semi-final victory over Aston Villa.
But he showed plenty more quick thinking and tactical prowess as he soared to his chess tournament win.
Eze lined up in chess.com's 12-player celebrity PogChamps 6 which ran this week.
After coming through the round-robin stage, he earned himself a bye into the semi-finals where he beat Stephen Nedoroscik 2-0.
Then in Friday night's final, he saw off Sapnap by the same scoreline.
The final was live streamed on Twitch, with Eze sporting a white t-shirt and gaming headset at home - with a piece of artwork depicting him playing for England in the background.
The ten-cap Three Lions hero - playing under the username Ebz Eze with a rating of 1,147 - stormed to the title, closing out the win with his typical class and style.
He moved his rook to the top end of the virtual board, putting Sapnap in check and forcing him to bring his king up.
But that played perfectly into Eze's trap as the Palace man immediately moved his queen into position.
'Raiders of The Selhurst Park' - Bidding war for Geuhi and Eze imminient?
And it meant Sapnap had nowhere to move his king into safety and therefore found himself in checkmate.
When the screen flashed to confirm Eze's triumph, the footballer hilariously shouted "come on" then raised a fist in celebration as he smiled at the camera before bursting into laughter.
Ironically, despite earning almost exactly a day's wages with the £15k prize, the £100,000-a-week playmaker celebrated his chess glory more enthusiastically than his Wembley wonderstrike.
Earlier in the tournament, though, there was major controversy as one of the internet personalities was booted out for cheating.
YouTuber DrLupo admitted he "f***ed up" by reading the live chat to attain "information he shouldn't have had" against a higher-ranked opponent.
Eze, meanwhile, will be hoping for another win on Sunday when Oliver Glasner's side make the trip across the capital to face Tottenham.
But much of Palace's focus is already on the FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 17 - with the South Londoners hoping to win their very first major honour.
SunSport also revealed Eze could be allowed to leave Selhurst Park this summer alongside team-mate Marc Guehi to raise £130million for a squad overhaul.
He has two years left on his current contract but the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United may trigger his £60m release clause.
7
7
7
7

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Prince Harry and Meghan's single word that left late Queen fearing 'disaster'
Prince Harry and Meghan's single word that left late Queen fearing 'disaster'

Daily Mirror

time13 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Prince Harry and Meghan's single word that left late Queen fearing 'disaster'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle never intended to leave royal life altogether, but one word in their sensational statement lead to an ultimatum from the Palace, according to insiders Prince Harry and Meghan Markle completely quitting their royal roles came down to the use of a single word, according to an insider. Now five years on from them sensationally stepping back as full-time working royals, the Sussexes appear to have left their former lives well and truly behind them. The pair have both been focusing on their commercial endeavours with Meghan sharing more and more of her life behind the scenes on Instagram, including a recent video of her twerking alongside Harry as they awaited the birth of their daughter Princess Lilibet. However, when they first announced their intention for change more than five years ago, it seemed that they did not want to quit royal life completely, instead saying that they intended to "carve out a progressive new role within this institution". ‌ ‌ But it appears a throwaway, single word in that very statement paved the way for an ultimatum that there would be no half-in, half-out arrangement for them. In the statement announcing their stepping back, the Sussexes said at the time: "We will continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties." And according to the Daily Mail, the word 'collaborate' is what raised eyebrows, with a source telling the publication: "No-one 'collaborates' with the Queen. This is not one of those 'Kate Moss Top Shop tie-ups'." And with the Sussexes, most notably Meghan, forging a very different path compared to the one she had in the Royal Family, the insider added: "This is exactly why Queen Elizabeth knew this whole half-in, half-out version of royalty they were lobbying for was never, ever going to work. "Harry and Meghan were a law unto themselves from the start, pushing and pushing the envelope to their own professional and financial advantage. Her Late Majesty was nobody's fool and knew that the chances were, it would all end in disaster." In the dancing clip from last week, a heavily pregnant Meghan twerks to the Starrkeisha song Baby Momma, lifting her skirt above her knees, raising her hands in the air and wiggling low with her hands on her hips and legs. Meghan shared the clip on Lilibet's fourth birthday, saying: "Four years ago today, this also happened. ‌ "Both of our children were a week past their due dates… so when spicy food, all that walking, and acupuncture didn't work – there was only one thing left to do!" And for royal expert Jennie Bond, she believes it is an "astonishing video on any level" and reveals what the King would have thought of it. The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror: "The hours before you give birth are some of the most personal, intimate and private in the lives of any couple. "And women are perfectly entitled to do whatever they feel like to get through the waiting, and the pain. Giving birth is a serious business, and anything to lighten the mood is welcome. ‌ "However - to share those scenes with the world is utterly bizarre and, in my view, takes away all the magic of the moment. I cannot imagine why she chose to release it. Maybe show it one day to your nearest and dearest— but to anyone and everyone who wants to click on it? ‌ "If the King has watched it, which I doubt, though he can't have missed the headlines I'm sure he would be horrified. Royalty has to carry with it some measure of dignity." But she added: "Having said all that, there's no doubt that videos like this connect in a very real way to young people. And perhaps that's what Meghan is trying to do. "My own daughter thought the video humanised both Meghan and Harry and was light-hearted and hugely relatable. It reminded her of her own pregnancies and labour and she thought it was rather charming."

Rodgers speaks after Tierney's Celtic return is made official
Rodgers speaks after Tierney's Celtic return is made official

The Herald Scotland

timean hour ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Rodgers speaks after Tierney's Celtic return is made official

Tierney made 170 appearances in his previous Celtic spell, winning 11 major honours. Read more: He departed in 2019 for a then-record-breaking move to North London but now finds himself back in Glasgow's east end. Rodgers spoke out after Tierney's return was made official on Tuesday afternoon: "We are delighted to welcome Kieran back to Celtic," he told the club's official website. "He is such a talented, high-quality player, and he will be a massive addition to our squad. "Kieran has always had Celtic in his blood, and he is excited to be coming back to the place he loves. "He is someone who has given so much to Celtic already, and I know he is so motivated and hungry to help the club bring more and more success to our fans. "We are so pleased to bring such an elite player back to the club, and I look forward to working with him again and the rest of the squad, as we face the many challenges ahead at home and in Europe." In total, Tierney played 144 times during his six years at Arsenal. He won an FA Cup and two Community Shields with the club, and also spent a year on loan at La Liga side Real Sociedad.

Rodgers speaks after Tierney's Celtic return is made official
Rodgers speaks after Tierney's Celtic return is made official

The National

timean hour ago

  • The National

Rodgers speaks after Tierney's Celtic return is made official

The left-back has penned a five-year deal at the Parkhead club after his contract expired at English Premier League outfit Arsenal. Tierney made 170 appearances in his previous Celtic spell, winning 11 major honours. Read more: He departed in 2019 for a then-record-breaking move to North London but now finds himself back in Glasgow's east end. Rodgers spoke out after Tierney's return was made official on Tuesday afternoon: "We are delighted to welcome Kieran back to Celtic," he told the club's official website. "He is such a talented, high-quality player, and he will be a massive addition to our squad. "Kieran has always had Celtic in his blood, and he is excited to be coming back to the place he loves. "He is someone who has given so much to Celtic already, and I know he is so motivated and hungry to help the club bring more and more success to our fans. "We are so pleased to bring such an elite player back to the club, and I look forward to working with him again and the rest of the squad, as we face the many challenges ahead at home and in Europe." In total, Tierney played 144 times during his six years at Arsenal. He won an FA Cup and two Community Shields with the club, and also spent a year on loan at La Liga side Real Sociedad.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store