In a shocking turn of events that has stunned fans and the online chess community, popular streamer DrLupo has admitted to cheating during the $100,000 PogChamps 6 chess tournament. The confession came after days of speculation and controversy following a suspicious game against fellow content creator and YouTuber Wolfe “Wolfey” Glick.
DrLupo, known widely for his presence in the streaming world and his efforts in various gaming communities, was participating in the high-stakes PogChamps 6 tournament organized by Chess.com. The tournament featured a prize pool of one hundred thousand dollars and was designed to bring together celebrities, content creators, and amateur players in a competitive but fun chess environment. However, things took a dark turn when DrLupo, rated at only 650, played what many called a “suspiciously perfect” game against Wolfey, who holds a considerably higher rating of 1340.
The match took place on April 30. Early on in the game, DrLupo blundered by leaving his queen unprotected, a move that would typically spell disaster for any player, especially one with limited experience. But what followed was highly unexpected. After the blunder, DrLupo’s play shifted dramatically. He began executing a series of precise and powerful moves that seemed entirely out of character for someone of his skill level. Viewers noticed the sudden leap in performance and grew suspicious.
Online chess fans and spectators started to point out peculiar behavior during the stream. Many observed that DrLupo frequently glanced off-screen, especially during critical moments in the match. This led to speculations that he might be receiving help or referencing something on another monitor. Some suggested he could be reading chat for advice. Others speculated about the use of external software.
Initially, DrLupo denied the accusations. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Literally explained all of it on stream as I was playing. Didn’t cheat. Had a good game and got rolled the rest of the day.” This attempt to brush off the suspicions only intensified the debate. Chess enthusiasts were not convinced, and the discourse continued to escalate.
Shortly afterward, DrLupo announced that he was voluntarily dropping out of the tournament. He claimed his decision was driven by a desire to preserve the competitive integrity of the event and to support the organizers. “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,” he stated. While the announcement was framed as a personal decision, Chess.com later confirmed that he was removed due to a fair play violation.
DrLupo attempted to provide more context to his actions, admitting that he had the main tournament stream open on his left monitor during the match. According to his statement, this led to him receiving move information that he should not have had access to. “That’s on me and no one else. That’s my mistake. I apologize. You’d think I would know better, but here we are.” He also mentioned that chat was suggesting moves, and despite his better judgment, he couldn’t stop looking.
The situation escalated further when, in a subsequent stream, DrLupo openly admitted to using a chess engine during the match. A chess engine is a type of software that evaluates positions and suggests the best possible move at any given time. Using such a tool during a live game, especially in a tournament setting, is a serious violation of fair play rules. The confession was heartbreaking for fans, who had supported him for years.
DrLupo said, “I made a huge mistake. And I deserve all the criticism I’m getting. Using the engine to fix my own fragility is absolutely pathetic.” The emotional nature of his confession revealed the deep regret and shame he felt. He acknowledged that the cheating was not planned in advance. Instead, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision driven by panic and a desire to win.
Chess.com issued an official statement confirming that DrLupo had been closed for a fair play violation and would be replaced in the tournament’s consolation bracket. “DrLupo has been closed for a fair play violation that occurred during today’s Pogchamps event. He will be replaced in the consolation bracket before the start of tomorrow’s round. We remind everyone that receiving any help during a match is a violation of our fair play policy and will result in disqualification and account closure.”
DrLupo took to X once again, this time providing a full and heartfelt apology to his opponent Wolfey, the organizers, and his fans. He said, “I screwed up big time. The internet has been right basically since the beginning, and it’s taken me multiple waves of self-reflection and internal fighting to get to the point where I can fully admit fault without holding back. I lied to the internet, repeatedly. I cheated, and betrayed the trust of countless people that believed in me. Viewers, family, friends. Everyone. Myself.”
He confessed to lying directly to both Daniel Rensch, a representative of Chess.com, and Wolfey Glick. “I used him as a prop on stream. He didn’t deserve that. None of you did. I messaged him directly to apologize, and I’ll gladly do it on stream, too.”
DrLupo explained that between games, he had been told to only have one Chess.com window open. However, he used another monitor to access Lichess.org, a different chess platform, where he had been practicing. After blundering his queen during the match, he panicked and used the analysis tool to calculate the best moves. He continued doing this throughout the match.
He added, “I figured out the lines, but every time I panicked after that, I did it again. It wasn’t something that I planned on doing. I really did practice quite a bit leading up to the event.” The admission paints a picture of someone caught in the moment, overwhelmed by the pressure and the desire to perform.
Addressing the question of why he did it, DrLupo said, “I think I did it for a false sense of self-validation. To convince myself that I could win when clearly I shouldn’t have. It was disrespectful to the entire online chess community. I was stupid enough to not even consider the consequences of what I was doing.”
DrLupo reflected on how this incident would affect his career and how fans would view him moving forward. “I understand that people are going to question everything in my career now. I don’t blame them. I was the guy that vocally hated people who cheated in video games. And I did the most hypocritical thing I could do.”
He also discussed the mental health struggles he has been facing and how this event made him realize the need for professional help. “I talked about mental health on stream yesterday morning because that stuff is very real for me. I’m restarting therapy this afternoon. I clearly have a problem with honesty to myself and those that care about me. It sucks that it took something like this to blow up in my face, but I’m hoping that it results in me finally fixing problems with myself that I’ve had for years.”
DrLupo closed his lengthy post with a sincere and emotional apology. “I’m sorry. To everyone. My friends and family. People that watch me. Anyone that I associate with. I betrayed your trust. I hope one day people can forgive me, and I understand if they can’t. I hope one day I can forgive myself, too. I’m typically pretty hard on myself.”
As PogChamps 6 draws to a close with a twenty thousand dollar prize for first place, the scandal has left a dark shadow over the otherwise entertaining event. Other well-known streamers like Mongraal, Hungrybox, and Macaiyla have continued to compete, but the focus for many has shifted to the shocking actions of one of the tournament’s biggest names.
DrLupo’s cheating confession has sparked broader conversations about mental health, the pressure to perform, and the importance of integrity in competitive gaming. While he has accepted the consequences and taken responsibility for his actions, the road to rebuilding trust will be long and challenging.
For now, fans and the wider community are left to process the incident. Whether forgiveness will come in time remains to be seen, but DrLupo’s story serves as a powerful reminder of how even the most respected figures can falter under pressure. In the world of streaming and esports, where every move is watched and scrutinized, integrity remains the most valuable currency of all.