The Botez Sisters – Alexandra & Andrea and the “Botez Gambit”

Alexandra (born 1995) and Andrea (born 2002) Botez are Canadian-American sisters famous for streaming chess together as “BotezLive.”

Alexandra started playing chess at age 6, while Andrea began competing in US tournaments at age 7.

Alexandra holds the Woman FIDE Master (WFM) title, achieved in 2013.

Andrea is a Woman Candidate Master (WCM) and has a peak FIDE rating of 1906 (June 2024).

Their Twitch channel, BotezLive, has over 1.3 million followers as of 2025, making it one of the largest chess communities online.

The BotezLive YouTube channel boasts over 1.8 million subscribers with nearly a billion views.

Their parents are Romanian immigrants, and the family lived in Vancouver, Canada, and Oregon, USA.

Alexandra is a five-time Canadian girls’ national champion; Andrea was British Columbia Women’s Champion at age 13.

Andrea won the U8 Girls Canadian Youth Chess Championship in 2010.

Andrea won this prestigious event in 2015.

Alexandra earned a full chess scholarship to University of Texas at Dallas but chose to attend Stanford instead.

Alexandra studied International Relations at Stanford and was the university’s Chess Club president.

Along with Hikaru Nakamura and others, the sisters helped popularize chess streaming.

In December 2020, the sisters signed with esports organization Envy Gaming.

In 2022, they signed with CAA to develop content and grow their brand.

They joined OpTic Gaming in 2022 after Envy’s brand retired.

The sisters made the 2023 Forbes list in the games category.

Listed among the top 20 creators in 2023.

They host a Twitch Original travel show where they stream in-person chess matches around the world.

Both have been commentators and coaches for multiple Chess.com PogChamps online tournaments.

Andrea competed in the Mogul Chessboxing Championship in 2022, earning a TKO win after a controversial fight decision.

Andrea fought YouTuber Michelle Khare in a charity boxing match in 2023.

Andrea has released singles and remixes as a DJ and electronic music artist.

Alexandra streams and competes in professional poker tournaments, including the World Series of Poker.

Alexandra became an ambassador for GGPoker in 2024.

Alexandra is coached by GM Jon Ludvig Hammer, who once seconded Magnus Carlsen.

A humorous term from their streams referring to accidentally losing their queen, embraced by the sisters themselves.

Known for an attacking and adaptive chess playing style.

Besides chess, Andrea is a DJ, streamer, and content creator with diverse talents.

Their channel grew exponentially during the 2020 COVID-19 chess boom.

They regularly collaborate with top streamers like Hikaru Nakamura and GothamChess.

The sisters actively advocate for more women and diversity in chess.

Alexandra serves on the board of the Susan Polgar Foundation.

They popularized many funny chess memes and catchphrases through their streams.

Both sisters teach chess concepts while entertaining, making chess accessible to millions.

Their “Botez Abroad” streams reached up to 36,000 concurrent viewers.

Alexandra began streaming while at Stanford; Andrea joined full-time in 2020.

The Botez sisters have amassed millions of followers across TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.

Alexandra represented Canada at three Women's Chess Olympiads (2012, 2014, 2016).

They co-founded a social media company, CrowdAmp, in 2017.

The sisters are often compared to Beth Harmon from "The Queen’s Gambit."

Alexandra has helped raise awareness for chess scholarships for girls.

They maintain active chat moderation to create a respectful online environment.

Won Best Chess Streamer at The Streamer Awards 2021; nominated multiple times thereafter.

Their streams are among the most-watched chess content worldwide.

Both sisters share a close bond, frequently joking and competing live.

They compete in online tournaments and events regularly.

BotezLive YouTube videos regularly surpass millions of views.

Alexandra has created chess courses teaching openings like the Sicilian Najdorf.

Both provide insightful commentary for events like the PRO Chess League.

They speak English and have Romanian heritage.

Appear at chess festivals and esports events worldwide.

Frequently engage with fans on social media and during streams.

Their streams blend chess with humor, puzzles, and lifestyle content.

Inspire many young girls to pursue chess and esports.

Andrea publicly shared her ADHD diagnosis in 2023, promoting awareness.

Collaborated with brands like Monstercat and Twitch.

Participated in fundraising events such as the Zoomers Play Chess initiative.

Produce original content beyond chess including podcasts and travel vlogs.

Played a major role in the 2020s surge of chess’s online popularity.

Alexandra graduated from Stanford University.

Played celebrity poker with Phil Hellmuth and xQc.

The channel grew from 50,000 followers pre-2020 to over 1 million in just a year.

Among the first to mix chess with streaming entertainment.

Andrea took part in chessboxing events hosted by Ludwig Ahgren.

Popular for witty and relatable commentary during streams.

The travel show amassed over 20 million views.

Featured in articles comparing them to pop culture chess icons.

Regularly play and stream fast-paced chess formats.

Their playful sibling competition is a highlight of their streams.

Both frequently provide joint commentary on major chess events.

Promote chess as an inclusive and enjoyable game.

Consistently ranked among the most popular women in chess streaming.

Active on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, and Twitter.

Attract viewers from gaming, chess, and esports communities.

Known for deep chess insights paired with fun personality.

Use jokes and memes to keep streams light-hearted.

Helped expand chess interest internationally among youth.

Credit their family for encouraging their chess careers.

Support educational programs and scholarships for girls.

Known for mastering and teaching popular openings on stream.

Occasionally organize and host online chess events.

Featured on CNBC, Dallas News, and other major outlets.

Have collaborated with Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura.

Both maintain solid FIDE ratings and continue competitive play.

From casual streamers to full-time content creators.

Incorporate chess puzzles, speedruns, and variety shows.

Known for creating welcoming and engaging stream communities.

Bridged chess with esports culture through streaming.

Popularized chess terms and memes like “Botez Gambit.”

Attend major chess and gaming conventions.

Engage in charity streams and COVID-19 relief efforts.

Shift easily between competitive play and entertainment.

Coached and inspired by grandmasters like Jon Ludvig Hammer.

Work with creators like GothamChess and Anna Rudolf.

Help modernize the image of chess through digital media.

Role models for women and minorities in chess.

Their community continues expanding yearly.

Andrea’s DJ career complements her chess streaming persona.

The Botez Sisters remain iconic figures in chess’s new digital era.