Isaac Chiu and Janak Awatramani just won their second Bughouse Championship title. They beat the defending champions, GMs Jeffery Xiong and Awonder Liang, in the final match.
This is historic. Chiu and Awatramani are the first pair to win the Bughouse Championship twice. They're National Masters, not super-GMs. Xiong and Liang held the title from 2024, and on paper they looked like the favorites to repeat.
The match went three games. Xiong and Liang won the opening game. Chiu and Awatramani answered back with a second-game victory. The decider went to Chiu and Awatramani, giving them the crown.
Bughouse rewards creativity and communication in a way classical chess doesn't. Two boards play simultaneously, and captured pieces from one board appear on the other. It tests speed, tactics, and the ability to read your partner's intentions without talking. The super-GMs have stronger classical skills, but that doesn't always translate to bughouse dominance.
Xiong and Liang won't hang around in second place for long. Both are elite players working toward higher ratings and classical achievements. But for now, the National Masters own this title.