Steve Nedoroscik, WolfeyVGC Lead In Toughest PogChamps Day Yet For Queens

[Edited on 4/30/2025:] Please note that DrLupo will be replaced in the Consolation Bracket, as per our announcement.

DrLupo has been closed for a fair play violation that occured during today’s Pogchamps event. He will be replaced in the consolation bracket before the start of tomorrow’s round.

We wish everyone the best tomorrow and remind them that receiving any help during a match is a…

— Chess.com (@chesscom) May 1, 2025

He also posted his own announcement.

Regarding @chesscom PogChamps tourney:

Had a ton of fun playing, but have decided to drop out of the event to help maintain competitive integrity for those involved, as well as the tourney organizers.

Having the main stream up on my left monitor over the course of the day today…

— DrLupo (@DrLupo) May 1, 2025

The group stage of PogChamps 6 is over, but there are still more pieces to be hung and games to be thrown, as we are now ready to move on to the knockout stage of the tournament. 

A festival of Botez Gambits like you've never seen before paved the way for WolfeyVGC, Steve Nedoroscik, and Finian to reach the Championship Bracket. Finishing in the bottom two and going to the Consolation Bracket were Sapnap and Hungrybox, along with Macaiyla, who is replacing DrLupo.

PogChamps 6 continues May 1 with the Quarterfinals of both brackets, starting at 12 p.m. ET / 18:00 CEST / 9:30 p.m. IST.

• Round 1: Chess Is Brutal, And So Are Steve And Wolfey
• Round 2: Filian Strikes Again, As Does Wolfey
• Round 3: The Wolf Leads The Pack
• Round 4: I Don't Even Know What To Say Here
• Round 5: Golden Boy Plays Golden Tactic, Shares Podium With Wolfey

Group B Standings

Round 1: Chess Is Brutal, And So Are Steve And Wolfey

The strength gap in Group B was not as big as yesterday in Group A. Proof of this was that today's first round saw only one sweep and also featured a tiebreak.

However, Hungrybox, the lowest-rated player in the group, was unlucky enough to be paired against the second-highest-rated player first. Steve showed no mercy and won both games, which didn't make Hungrybox happy:

Yes, Hungrybox. Chess is brutal.

Pog 5 participant Sapnap almost scored the first upset of the day against Wolfey but let his victory slip away after blundering a piece. Interestingly enough, Sapnap could still win if only he knew how to checkmate with a knight and bishop (could you do it?). However, Wolfey would not give Sapnap another chance and won game two to take the match.

A closer affair was the battle between Filian and DrLupo. Despite lacking the academic title of doctor, Filian was the higher-rated player, and it showed. With good positional understanding and solid calculation, Filian got a decisive advantage in the first game. She also demonstrated she dominates the art of checkmating, sharing solid advice whilst finishing off her opponent:

But it turns out that Filian's genius, like GM Vasyl Ivanchuk's, can be overshadowed by inconsistency. She threw game two in a one-move blunder, taking the match to a blitz tiebreak. 

In the tiebreak, DrLupo pulled ahead after winning a piece. He then cornered Filian's king and enjoyed a large advantage. In fact, his advantage was so large that only a disaster could prevent him from winning. And that's exactly what happened:

At the end of the first round, Wolfey and Steve were in the lead with three points, followed closely by Filian on two and DrLupo on one.

Round 2: Filian Strikes Again, As Does Wolfey

In round two, Wolfey showed that he was the one to be feared by winning his match against Steve with a clean 2-0 score. With this, he also became the first Pog player ever to defeat an Olympic gold medalist. Yes, that gold medal was for Steve's pommel horse performance and not chess, but still, that's certainly something cool Wolfey can brag about.

Sapnap got off to a great start in game one against DrLupo, but greatness would not go further than that for him. A greedy capture turned out to be a Botez Gambit, which pushed him to a loss. We've all been there, Sapnap.

On the other board, Filian also had reason to celebrate when she took Hungrybox's rook in game one. Granted, it would've been better if she had gone for the mate in two she missed while taking said rook, but one can't argue with her results. She won that game and the next to win the match 2-0.

Wolfey now led with six points, with Filian just behind him with five. Steve was in third with three, and Sapnap caught up with Lupo on two points each.

Round 3: The Wolf Leads The Pack

All eyes were on the match between the top two players in the standings, Wolfey and Filian, during round three. Filian's signature Cow Opening netted her a piece advantage in game one, which she later squandered by giving up a piece and then her queen.

Despite the tough loss, Filian was holding her ground in the second game. But it all went south when Wolfey struck again with a great tactic to win decisive material and then win the game.

In the Steve vs. Sapnap matchup, the gymnast completely overpowered his opponent, delivering a quick win in their first game. Sapnap was playing well in their second game, but another unfortunate queen blunder sent him spiraling toward a match defeat.

Chess players all around the world can relate to Sapnap's feelings after that tough loss:

Hungrybox continued his unfortunate series of mishaps and lost both games, the second with a painful Botez Gambit that DrLupo happily accepted.

Wolfey now had nine points, three more than second-place Steve. Filian and Lupo shared third with five points, while Sapnap lagged behind with two.

Round 4: I Don't Even Know What To Say Here

"Bro..."

That is perhaps the best way to describe what happened in round four. It all started with a stunning win by Sapnap in nine moves after he went for the cheese:

Some people might get discouraged after losing before the 10th move. But Hungrybox is not "some people." The god of melee turned into the god of chess to win his first game of the tournament. And although Sapnap ultimately prevailed in the tiebreaks, nothing will ever beat Hungrybox's game two celebration:

In the DrLupo vs. Wolfey match, DrLupo upset Wolfey, winning both games.

With this win, DrLupo climbed to the top three of the standings with eight points, just one point behind the leaders, Wolfey and Steve. Filian took fourth with five points, Sapnap fifth with four points, and Hungrybox, despite being last, could finally celebrate his first point.

Round 5: Golden Boy Plays Golden Tactic, Shares Podium With Wolfey

Followed by the high of his first win, Hungrybox found himself playing against the highest-rated player in the group. 

He devised a simple yet brilliant-sounding strategy: just copy everything the other guy is doing. Unfortunately, his strategy backfired, speeding up the process of his demise.

From the biggest to the lowest rating gap, we now move on to the Sapnap vs. Filian match. The players started with a mere one-point rating difference, but it was a tired Filian who faltered first, dropping another piece, another game, and finally another match.

On the last board, the winner of Steve vs. DrLupo would guarantee a spot in the Championship Bracket. And it was the pommel horse specialist who popped off, first outclassing his opponent with stunning tactics:

And then capitalizing on his opponent's mistakes to win a second game. 

At the end of the day, Wolfey and Steve finished with a shared lead after scoring 12 points each. DrLupo rounded off the top three on eight points, taking the last spot in the Championship Bracket. 

Sapnap, Filian, and Hungrybox ended the day on seven, five, and one point and will have to continue in the Consolation Bracket.