The Aliens that Invented Chess

Levy Rozman ( @GothamChess ) joins us today to uncover the darkest, weirdest, and most unhinged stories from the history of chess. In this episode, we dive into psychological warfare on the board, matches against literal ghosts, an axe murder over a game in Antarctica, and the bizarre international chess president who claimed he was abducted by aliens. From secret hypnotists and yogic battles to prison rivalries, notorious killers, the mechanical Turk facing Napoleon, and Aleister Crowley’s occult obsession with the game, we explore how a simple 64-square board has pushed minds to the absolute edge. Welcome to Camp! 🏕️ Shoutout to our sponsors: MOD, GLD and Mars Men -Visit https://MOD.com for a free consultation, plus 10% off your first order and free shipping with promo code GAGNON. -Visit https://mengotomars.com and get 50% Off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, and 3 Free Gifts with Code 'CAMP' at Checkout. -New Customers get 40% OFF With Promo-Code: "CAMP" When They Visit: https://GLD.com Want the even WILDER theories? SIGN UP TO THE PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CampGagnon 👕🧢 Shop CAMP Merch: https://camp-rd.com/collections/ufo 🎟️ 🎫 Comedy Tour Tickets: https://markgagnonlive.com 🎩👽 Daily Dose Of History: https://www.dailytodayinhistory.com Timestamps: 00:00 - Gotham Chess 04:30 - The Morphy Number 09:26 - Elon Musk Beef 13:12 - Mechanical Turk vs Napoleon Bonaparte 20:19 - Aleister Crowley’s Chess Obsession 30:13 - Victor Korchnoi Hypnotized 34:26 - Chess Trash Talk 39:27 - Yogis Hired to Battle Hypnotist 42:30 - Match With a Ghost 54:53 - Grandmaster Murderer 1:11:03 - Antarctic Chess Axe Murder 1:13:02 - Dark Chess Stories 1:17:21 - Chess President Alien Abduction 1:24:08 - Chess Against God 1:26:08 - The Chessboard Killer 1:39:03 - Chess In Prison 1:40:46 - Check Out Gotham Chess #chess #alien