Blitzstream: “Padel, a sport for lazy, middle-aged hipsters”

Known for popularizing online chess in France, Kevin Bordi, Alias Blitzstream, surprised part of his community by explaining why he had stepped away from chess competition (seen on Blitzstream Fan).
In a recent interview, he elaborated on a deeper feeling: a weariness with the pace of tournaments, the accumulated stress… and padel who comes out of nowhere.

For those who don't follow this creator, a brief reminder is necessary.

Who is Blitzstream?

YouTuber and streamer specializing in chess
Over 300,000 subscribers in total
Former competitive player, rated above 2300 Elo
Host of highly popular educational live streams
One of the influencers who contributed to the democratization of chess in France

He is now less present in tournaments, publishes less purely chess-related content, and devotes more time to sporting activities… including padel.

"I used to enjoy playing... but it wasn't bringing me anything anymore."

Blitzstream first explains that he loved the practice itself:

"I really enjoyed playing for real, both rapid and blitz. I really loved playing."

But over time, he felt that competition no longer brought him anything on a personal level:

"The thing is, it's useless... Back then it was completely pointless."

His aim is primarily to create a feeling of play for the sake of playingwithout any real positive impact on his daily life.

Interclub competitions: the breaking point

He says he tried to take over the interclubs, the team championship that structures the chess season in France.

"I played again, I played eight interclub matches. I thought to myself: okay, bye! Horrible."

For him, the model is exhausting:

entire weekend dedicated to travel and the game.
intense mental stress
physical fatigue due to constant tension,
and a return to work on Monday with the feeling of not having recovered.

"You come home on Monday morning, you're wrecked, even more tired than on Friday night."
Padel and chess: 2 similar games?

The central message: the difference between a physical sport and chess

This is where Blitzstream places its thinking in a more personal context.

He explains that alongside chess, he has discovered or rediscovered other activities – notably padel, a racket sport which is experiencing massive growth in France.

And the comparison is conclusive for him:

"You went to do sports, you exerted yourself, afterwards you want to do things.
"Fails are the opposite: you have the frustration of having stayed seated, you've put stress on your body."

His experience with padel, a social, dynamic and accessible sport, brings him:

physical activity
letting off steam
the pleasure of playing outdoors
social gatherings,
feeling of well-being after exertion.

Conversely, he describes chess as a discipline that can leave you "drained", or even demotivated, after an intense game.

A sport "for lazy forty-somethings": a deliberately provocative phrase

In a tirade typical of his humor, he declares:

« Padel"A sport for lazy, middle-aged hipsters. Exceptional. Brilliant."

An obviously ironic statement, which aims to defuse the perception that padel is an “easy sport”.
He also points out that everything depends on the available free time, and that everyone works within their own constraints.

The impact on personal life

One important point recurs in his speech:

"When you're in a relationship, you come home, you're less involved."

He explains that the stress accumulated during chess competitions leaves little energy for the rest of the day.
Conversely, a physical activity like padel, even a tiring one, gives him more motivation and energy.

A personal choice, not a rejection of failures

Blitzstream has not “abandoned” chess:

He continues to talk about it occasionally.
follows major events
sometimes comments on parts of the game.
and remains a major figure on the French-speaking scene.

But he now has a more balanced relationship with the game.
Padel now provides him with what competitive chess no longer gave him: a simple pleasure and a true disconnection.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.