3 min readMar 29, 2026 03:19 PM IST
Matthias Blübaum carries enough of a ratio of wit to wisdom, playing chess and making it to the Candidates. The German, who also submitted his math master’s thesis and only became European champion last March, is revealing in the lack of pressure.
On being at the Candidates, he would tell Lichess.org, “A year ago if anyone told me I’d be at the Candidates, I’d have said try to think of a better joke. It’s not even that funny.”
However after his surprise qualification, finishing Top 3 at the World Cup, there was enough excitement in Germany, who had a Candidate after 40 years, though Vincent Keymer was expected to go ahead of Blübaum. But the math Master finally got himself a Second to help with preparations.
Blübaum on having a second now, told Lichess, “It’s nice to have a Second. If you come across an annoying line, there’s someone to tell you what to do. And you can just sleep off. But end of day, you have to play yourself,” he quipped.
The German federation scrambled into action, and did a fundraiser to collect preparation dough for Blübaum. And though it is some pressure knowing he needs to use funds well, he says it’s not ginormous enough to big him down. The amounts too might be a fraction of others’.
“Probably for every other participant funding is higher. I mean, okay, we’re here. I’m not sure how it works in China. But India is the biggest funding. I’m pretty sure they and Uzbekistan give easily higher numbers from government. So mine might be a lower number, but I’m grateful because of funding from German federation and fundraiser, I could prepare without thinking of money. But it’s nice people gave much more money that I expected. I’m thankful,” he would tell Lichess.org
Blübaum also joked about sharing the ‘underdog’ status with Andrey Esipenko, though Ian Nepomniatchi called his fellow Russian a dark horse. Blübaum said it was better to speak for himself and not on behalf of the 7th & 8th rated duo. Though Esipenko’s football affiliations meant, he had it coming, Blübaum joked.
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“I don’t want to drag him down too much. So maybe I’ll just put myself as outsider. It’s fine though, he supports Arsenal you know, so we can drag him down it’s fine. But I feel everyone else is like 2740 or higher so everyone is a serious shot.”
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