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I recommend (when available) GM Gata Kamsky's daily commentaries on the World Cup games.
He's on Twitch (whatever that is), but sometimes (today, for instance) simulcast by chess.com.

Not the most charismatic, but tremendous chess knowledge and experience.

Thanks for the ling Geeker, I haven't seen any of his FIDE World Cup commentary but when I put his name into YT one of the first things that came up was "Gata Kamsky's meltdown" which, obviously, I had to watch - it was a blitz game and apparently his opponent did something that he didn't like, i couldn't make out what it was but he he goes off on one and ends up saying "I'm a famous f***ing legend, a former candidate and some pr**k is flagging me with rook versus rook" - love to know from you guys what is was that caused him such ire.

On another topic, I love the game of chess, everything about it - reading about and examining various openings, watching and replaying games from the old masters like Morphy and Tal right up to modern times - you get the picture. But you also know I am not a good player, not by any stretch of the imagination, that's not false modesty but just how it is, so apologies in advance if this sounds like a stupid and naive question:-

Is tempo or a tempo (I'm never sure which it is) overrated? I often hear commentators referring to it and, given that White wins more often than Black by virtue of moving first, I suppose it must be, but is gaining or losing a tempo really "that important"? I ask because I remember watching Stockfish play on YT - I can't remember the precise game or even who or what it was against and can't find a link to it because it was years ago and has vanished from my YT history. But I do distinctly remember, at some point, Stockfish making 3, 4 or 5 consecutive moves with the same piece, and the commentators said something to the effect of "well, so what if it's losing tempos, if it's the right move - it's the right move"! Are they wrong?

Also, and I only ask this because it's been driving me crazy for the last hour, but in this blitz game between MC and Fabi,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HsEggXYRE8&t=635s

there is a point where Magnus moves his Rook to a6 (it's at about 4.23) and James says it's to "hit this piece" referring to Fabi's Bishop on b6 and continues "and now (Fabi's other) Bishop drops back to defend it and kicks the Rook out" - but one of Fabi's own Rooks is on b8 and so had MC taken the Bishop couldn't Fabi have immediately retaken it with his b8 Rook whether the Bishop dropped back or not - clearly I'm missing something, but what?

Brendan, the Kamsky "FFL" goes back to a very early chess24 online blitz tournament. Kamsky's lower-rated opponent "dirty-flagged" him, whereupon Gata "rage quit" the tournament after going on an epic rant about "this prick" who flagged him. IIRC the rant concluded with something to the effect that "he should have more respect "because I'm a famous f**g legend".

Currently, Kamsky is infamous for reporting numerous chess.com "Titled Tuesday" opponents on grounds of suspected computer cheating. The guy is definitely quirky (not unusual in the chess sphere), but that can be part of the entertainment and his purely chess comments are worthwhile.

In the opening phase, e.g. when evaluating gambits, I like the rule of thumb that three tempi are approximately worth a Pawn. It's a chess cliche that "No rule of thumb is universal". For instance: In a totally blocked (drawn) position a tempo is worth zero, and in many endgame (esp. Pawn endings) and Zugzwang (esp. mutual Zugzwang) positions it can have infinite value.

In this computer era, Stockfish and the NNUE engines have made the game much more "concrete" (popular buzz word). If the engine says a paradoxical or unexpected move is best, than so be it, and hang the rule of thumb (or heuristic).

You're right about the clip: the Bb6 was protected. But IMO James was saying "the Rook hits the Bishop", not that it was "threatening to take it" / "the Bishop is en prise[/]", etc. Likely he was noting the potential move repetition / implied draw offer. As you noted, that repetition would not have been forced, but an option if the players were mutually amenable to a draw.

Excuse the "than" / "then" solecism and italics gaffes. No coffee yet this morning!

Thank you so much Geeker for taking the time to give such a thorough and detailed response, it really is appreciated:-)

Not proud to say I spent some time watching the bizarre "Pogchamps 5 championship".

But it was worthwhile in a way, because I got to witness live one of the funniest cheapo swindles I've ever seen!

Video here, apologies for some of the obnoxious commentary:

https://clips.twitch.tv/AgitatedInnocentPangolinVoteNay-WGUdM1iLm6UmtvuQ

That was good fun Geeker,

I even quite enjoyed the exuberance of the commentary - much better than Simon Williams on Chess24 with his faux cockney pronunciation "there's a fret on b6 I fink" - NO COCKNEY TALKS LIKE THAT!! Plus he's from Surrey! Nigel Kennedy anyone?

It's a real shame because I love Tania's contributions.

I take it Black was laughing because he thought White had just blundered his bishop - beautiful K/Q fork though

Brendan: thanks, I had no idea Simon Williams was fudging an accent! I've learned to tolerate SW...originally mistrusted him because his main claim to fame is flogging repertoires based on dodgy gambits, but he's more likeable than expected. I do think SW is in a bit over his head covering super-GM tournaments, though.

Greatly prefer David Howell. Leko/Howell and Leko/Tania are both excellent. Howell is so modest that the modest Leko sometimes throws in compliments on his ability! Tania is a quick analyst: she had an awesome result at the last FIDE Olympiad. Jovanka Houska deserves attention as well.

The chess.com guys Naroditsky and Hess are also good: articulate, quick on their feet and comprehensible to non-experts.

Brendan, what's really funny about that clip is that "Ludwig" (streamer personality), the obnoxious shouter who predicted the swindle in advance, is a weak player, roughly at the same level as the two competitors. I suspect Ludwig would lose to Connor (White) but have a good chance of beating Frank (Black).

It was truly an ingenious cheapo (or cheapolito as Leko says). Very blitz-oriented, I'd never have thought of it.

I loved the way Connor slammed the Knight down on f6. Would have been even funnier if he executed a "Smyslov screw"...the great V. V. Smyslov, my favorite player, apparently liked to twist pieces into the board as he moved them, though that may have been related to poor eyesight.