Let’s get the obvious one out of the way: Is it James or Dash—and what’s the story behind the name?

My given name is James. In the esports world, most people—especially in the early days—used their in-game names. My first gamer identity was much more childish: “Skippy”. In 2014, when I was put on air for the first time as the host of the League of Legends Championship Series, I needed something stronger. My dad came up with “Dash”.

Why?

He gave me two reasons. First, I was a runner—something not everyone knows about me. I ran competitively through college and even competed at the national level. So “Dash” connected to that part of my life. Second, he said I looked like Dash from The Incredibles—at least at the time (laughs). I loved it. And here we are, twelve years later.

Should we introduce nicknames in chess?

I’d be cautious about it, and kind of for the reasons we’re discussing right now. Don’t get me wrong: I love the name Dash. It’s part of my identity at this point. I’ve even adopted it professionally. On IMDb, for example, I go by James Dash. That’s how I’m known publicly now, and I’m happy with it. But I think there’s a risk when you create a secondary identity. It changes how the audience connects with you. Imagine if we suddenly stopped calling Magnus “Magnus” and instead referred to him as, say…

… “The Viking.”

Wouldn’t that feel strange? Not just for his current fans, also for new viewers coming in. If that nickname is their first point of contact, it creates confusion. It’s very different from what we see in traditional sports, where athletes might have nicknames, but their real names remain central. It helps with storytelling and makes athletes relatable. It’s something we’re starting to question in esports, too. That’s why I mentioned earlier that the whole nickname culture is kind of a relic of the early days.

What’s your chess story?

Similar to a lot of people’s. At some point, an adult figure in your life sits you down and teaches you the game. For me, it was my dad, I was about five years old. That’s the beauty of chess: On a high level, it’s complex, but you can be five years old and grasp the basics. We had a physical board at home, even with a timer, so my dad and I would play timed games together. But chess was never my main focus. I eventually leaned more into running and acting as I grew older, and by the time I was around twelve, chess had pretty much faded out of my life. I’d almost forgotten about it.

Here’s another beautiful thing about chess: Once you know how the pieces move, you never forget. Like riding a bike.

And so I found my way back into chess around the time of the first PogChamps. I was spending a lot of time on Twitch, and suddenly chess was popping up in my feed. I started watching. And from there, it was a natural progression: “Oh wow, chess.com is a thing now? You can just hop online and play anytime?” That was a game-changer. I had only ever played over-the-board at home. I never had the chance to play casually with others or build a network around the game. But now, my friends were signing up too. We were playing daily correspondence games, nothing too serious, just enough to get curious again. Then came the YouTube rabbit hole—GothamChess, Eric Rosen, Daniel Naroditsky, Hikaru… I got pulled right in. That’s what brought me back: the accessibility, the community, the content. Since then, I’ve logged thousands of puzzles and games.

With the goal to become better?

Has my rating improved dramatically? Not really. I’m probably a slightly better player now, but I’m not putting in the hours to become some high-level classical player. That’s not the goal, I just enjoy playing.

When and how did your path cross with Freestyle Chess?

Very recently, mid-December 2024. I was in Berlin, casting a different game entirely: Age of Empires II. A pretty old game by esports standards but still going strong. And funny enough, most people in that scene are huge chess fans. There were boards lying around, and we played chess off-camera all the time. While I was there, my agents reached out about this new chess venture co-founded by Magnus Carlsen and Jan Henric Buettner, called Freestyle Chess. They sent me a couple of bullet points, a rough description of the role, and that was it. As soon as I read it, my jaw dropped. I showed the guys I was working with—also big chess fans—and said, “Look at this. Is this real?” And they were like, “You’ve got to pursue this.” I replied to my agent within minutes: “Absolutely, I’m interested. Let’s find out more.” But I was honest with them. I said, “Let’s be clear, I’m a 1200 to 1400 rated player. If they’re looking for chess expertise, I might not be the right guy.” I couldn’t imagine someone with my level of chess knowledge fitting into a high-level chess broadcast. It had never really been done before. There wasn’t a model for it, so I was sceptical. Then I met Thomas Harsch in Berlin. He explained the goals, the concept, and where I might fit in.

What exactly was the idea for your role?

The core idea was to bring in someone who represents the average to slightly above-average chess fan—someone who speaks to the majority of players. Thomas shared a stat that really stuck with me: 95% of online chess players are rated 1400 or below. That means if you’re only building a broadcast for the top 5%, you’re capping your audience—and your potential. Freestyle Chess wants to change that. The goal is to make chess more mainstream, more accessible, more inviting. And that really resonated with me, because I’ve had the same frustrations watching chess. It often feels like you need a master’s degree in the game to understand what’s going on. That’s why PogChamps worked so well. It featured people like me—1200-rated players—so when commentators like Levy or Hikaru explained the games, they naturally simplified things. But when they cover something like Magnus vs. Fabiano, the commentary instantly becomes super high-level…

…naturally.

Yes, it makes sense. They’re grandmasters, and the concepts are complex. The challenge is: How do you keep those high-level games intact and still make the content welcoming to the other 95%? That’s what Freestyle is trying to do. For my role, they were asking for someone with a background in hosting, in live events, in esports. Someone who could bring broadcast polish, guide the show, make things flow, and—just as importantly—ask the right questions on behalf of the casual viewer. That, combined with my perspective as a mid-level chess player, was apparently exactly what they were looking for. So, it felt like a perfect fit. I left thinking, this is a broadcast I would want to watch. And if that’s the case, it’s probably one I’d be excited to help build.

Looking back at the eight days in Weissenhaus—were there moments that stood out to you personally?

The entire event is a great example of rapid progress. If you look at it day by day, you can clearly see how much everything improved every 24 hours. A big part of that is because it was our first event. Let’s not forget—I had never met Tania Sachdev or David Howell until the day I landed in Germany. That’s a huge ask: take three strangers, have them meet for the first time at dinner, and the very next morning, put them live on air in front of thousands of people. You could definitely sense some early awkwardness. We were still figuring each other out—what makes someone tick, what they’re passionate about, what topics they gravitate toward or shy away from. But as the days went by, everything started to click. The production got smoother, the tech issues got ironed out. And we as a team became more comfortable with one another. You saw more laughter, more natural conversation, more moments of genuine support. I remember the joy on Tania’s and David’s faces when I got something right—like they were excited that I was learning a new concept. It felt like we were growing together, achieving something as a team. By the end of the week, we weren’t just colleagues—we felt like an ensemble. There was real chemistry. That kind of connection can’t be faked; it has to be built. And we built it in front of the audience, in real time.

In a week, you can continue building.

I am incredibly excited for what’s ahead. The relationships we are developing are where the best content ideas come from. The understanding of what makes each other tick. I might bring up something just because I know it’ll get David fired up. But that’s good TV, right? That’s entertainment. People don’t tune in to see everyone agree all the time. They tune in for energy, contrast, personality—and I think we’re just scratching the surface of what this team can become.

Your view on Tania, David, Levy?

First of all, they’re all titans of the chess world. It’s a privilege to sit alongside the three of them. I’ll start with Levy, because he was the first I knew about—going all the way back to the PogChamps days. He’s one of the key people responsible for pulling me back into the chess world. His YouTube content makes chess feel approachable. On top of that, he’s just a phenomenal entertainer—and, honestly, he wears shirts I sometimes want to steal.

Tania?

Unmatched in her passion and energy, especially when it comes to storytelling in chess. She’s obviously deeply into the game, but what really stands out is how much she cares about telling the right stories—making sure the players are represented fairly, that the audience gets the key moments and the right context. In production meetings, it’s a joy to watch her drive the conversation. She’s committed to pushing the chess world forward—creating stars and making sure their accomplishments are celebrated the way they deserve. She’s also really skilled at explaining complex ideas in a way someone like me can follow. It’s a huge help.

David?

An incredible teacher. I’m so grateful he’s often the one sitting next to me, driving the board and drawing the arrows. He gives me permission to say the dumbest things on air, because I know he’ll catch me in the best way possible. He’ll say, “I love where your head’s at—it doesn’t quite work, but here’s why,” and then guide me through it. He’s the kind of person who hears your intention. You might be thinking about king safety, and your move is flawed, but he’ll recognize the goal and say, “That’s a great mindset—here’s a better way to do it.” That’s powerful teaching. It’s never about making you feel wrong—it’s about showing you how to get it right. So yeah, each of them brings something special. They’re wildly different personalities, but together they form an amazing team. And they’ve been incredibly generous in helping me find my place.

In Paris, will you just pick up where you left off in Weissenhaus? Anything new, any changes?

There’s actually a lot we’re planning to change. Most of it is behind-the-scenes stuff—things the average viewer probably wouldn’t notice directly, but that will definitely improve the experience. For starters, I’m arriving a day earlier. That gives me more time with the production team to rehearse, prep, and make sure the tech works as it should. It’s simple, but it matters. We’re also tweaking the set and the graphics. Visually, things will feel different—cleaner, more focused. These changes are based on feedback from both inside the team and from the viewers. That’s one of the things I really love about working with Freestyle Chess: nothing is sacred. The entire team is open to change. If something doesn’t work, we throw it out and try something better. One big theme this time is clarity. That might not sound sexy, but it’s crucial. When someone tunes into the broadcast, we want them to instantly understand what’s going on. If you’re seeing Hikaru vs. Fabiano, we want you to know: is this their first game? What’s the time control? What round is it? What are the standings? Who’s in danger of being eliminated? We’re also restructuring the broadcast a bit. There will be a more defined pre-show. We want to take time to reflect on the previous day, highlight key matchups, and preview what’s coming. That kind of structure makes the whole thing feel smoother and more engaging.

Will the viewers notice it’s Paris?

Weissenhaus was beautiful but isolated—we lived, ate, and worked all in one place. Paris will be different. It’s a big, dynamic city, and I’m excited to see how that changes the energy of the event. Part of our job is to capture that—show off where we are, celebrate the fact that this global series is taking us to these amazing locations. That’s something we want to lean into more: making the host cities part of the experience. Each place should feel unique and present in the broadcast. That’s the goal.

Let’s talk players. In Weissenhaus, we had a surprise winner.

After what Vincent Keymer showed, how can you not be a fan? He played incredible chess, stayed calm under pressure, and showed real humility in every interview. Because he kept winning, I probably spoke to him more than any other player on the broadcast. He just has this quiet intensity. He’s so grounded for someone that young, with that much talent. I’m very curious to see if he becomes the guy in Freestyle Chess—the one everyone else is chasing. Or was Weissenhaus just a one-off? Will Magnus come back with a vengeance and reassert his dominance? That’s one of the big storylines I’ll be watching.

How about your off-camera interaction with the players?

On a personal level, I had a great experience with all of them. Beating Magnus at poker? That was a highlight for me—not for him, maybe (laughs). Fabiano was another standout. In the evenings, he’d host board game sessions in his suite. Imagine that: after a full day of top-level chess, the guy wants to relax by playing more strategy games. And he’s such a gracious host—funny, welcoming, deeply thoughtful. He creates this really open, friendly space. I loved spending time there. But the person I got closest to over the week was Levon Aronian. What a fascinating human being. He’s a walking library of stories, full of insight and warmth. We shared long dinners, talked about everything from books and movies to life and philosophy. He’s been everywhere, read everything, seen so much—and still has this playful, curious energy. I genuinely consider him a dear friend now. I hope he feels the same way. And his wife Annie? An absolute gem—warm, kind, and incredibly talented as a singer.

Sounds like you can’t wait to get back.

I’m counting the days. As we’re talking now, it’s less than a week until I fly out. I love Paris—it’s one of my favourite cities in Europe. But more than that, I’m just excited to keep building something that feels truly new in the chess world. And that’s rare. Chess is centuries old, but somehow, this feels fresh. That’s what makes it so exciting to work on.