11th Blitz "Death Match" Player Announcement!
Grandmaster Robin Van Kampen and International Master Benjamin Bok have confirmed their participation in Chess.com's 11th Blitz Death Match, to be held Saturday, February 2nd 2013 at 9am PST - 1PM EST. The two players will be competing for the $1,000 cash prize as well as all the pride and glory of becoming the first Dutch champion!
Van Kampen and Bok have enjoyed a long-standing rivalry since their earliest days as two of the Netherlands' most promising young chess stars. Though the slight "on paper" favorite may appear to be Van Kampen (FIDE Rating of 2570, compared to Bok's FIDE Rating of 2522) - their previous record might suggest otherwise...
A tough, quick loss for Van Kampen at the hands of Bok...
IM Bok has a lifetime plus record against Van Kampen, according to a recent database search. Van Kampen separated himself somewhat from Bok when he recently became the youngest ever Grandmaster for any Netherlands-born chess player, earning the GM Title in 2011 (at the age of 16 years, 8 months and 17 days).
Although these two are friendly, we expect an epic "viking-like" showdown in February, and we hope all of Chess.com will join us on www.chess.com/tv for live coverage!
Danny Rensch is an international master and Chief Chess Officer at Chess.com. After a successful scholastic chess career, Danny joined Chess.com as a co-founder in 2009. He directs the company's content, media partnerships, and professional chess events. Danny is an accomplished commentator and broadcaster, which he used to establish Chess.com's streaming and creator programs. He has channeled his lifelong passion for playing and teaching chess to advance Chess.com's mission of growing the game and helping people enjoy their lives through chess. With over 200 million registered users, Chess.com is the leading platform for playing and learning chess.
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Read “Dark Squares,” Danny’s Highly Anticipated Memoir
Danny Rensch has released his highly anticipated memoir on September 16, 2025. Described as Educated meets The Queen’s Gambit, this powerful and deeply personal book dives into his upbringing in an abusive cult and how chess ended up saving his life.
