Arturs Neiksans on Quitting Chess, Coaching Levy and Moving On

Few grandmasters have a path as crooked as Arturs Neiksans’. In a long ChessBase interview recorded during his first visit to the company’s studio, the Latvian covers a childhood in the small town of Valka, a long break from the game, and a return that ended with the title.

A late-blooming route

Neiksans discovered chess at age nine. The conversation touches on Latvia’s tradition, including the influence of Mikhail Tal and Alexei Shirov, and on what first fascinated him about the game. One chapter is titled “Loving chess versus loving to win”, a distinction that seems to run through his whole story.

The early part of his career included a breakthrough that sent him to a World Championship, followed by what the interview’s chapter list calls dealing with expectations and a major setback. A further chapter describes how failure became important for his chess career. He also recalls his first FIDE rating and a lesson about setting bigger goals.

The break

Then he stepped away. He explains why he took a long break from competitive chess, and how he studied public relations while searching for the right career. He also discusses how he became so fluent in English, a skill that later matters a great deal in his work as a commentator and streamer.

The detour, he says, ultimately brought him back to the game. He returned and became a Grandmaster. That sequence is unusual: most players who step away for years do not come back and finish the job.

Coach, then 2631

Coaching became part of his life, and the interview marks the point where he reached 2631 himself. Coaching and playing strength going up together is not a given, since time spent preparing students is time not spent on your own openings. Here the two seem to have fed each other.

Among his students was Levy Rozman, known online as GothamChess. Neiksans discusses coaching him on his road to the GM title.

He also speaks about a complicated relationship with Alexei Shirov, one of the figures who shaped Latvian chess. The interview gives it its own chapter, and it is worth watching for anyone interested in how the two relate.

Commentary and the Olympiad

Neiksans explains how he became a chess commentator, and why he decided to skip the 2026 Olympiad. He also takes up whether he might return for the 2028 edition.

Skipping an Olympiad is a notable choice for a player who has represented Latvia, and it fits with what he says about shifting his focus from professional play toward commentary and content creation.

That shift is gradual rather than final. The closing chapter asks directly whether he is stepping away from professional chess. Given that he has already walked away once and come back, it would be rash to treat any exit as permanent.

He also reflects on perfectionism, self-criticism and taking responsibility, and on the future of Latvian chess.

During the studio visit he also recorded three ChessBase opening courses. For the full conversation, the video runs just over an hour and is divided into timestamped chapters, so readers can jump to the Shirov or Olympiad sections directly.