Cuban chess Grandmaster Lázaro Bruzón sparked laughter across social media when a regime-affiliated cyber warrior attempted to criticize him online but misspelled "chess" as "agedre."
On Saturday, Bruzón's Facebook post was a succinct yet cutting remark: "The level of these cyber warriors and their spelling is getting worse by the day... Misspelling chess like that is deeply offensive to me."
The comment that triggered this reaction was penned by a user named Humberto Saborit, who aimed to insult the chess player with a message full of errors: "You are out of the chess ranking and since you have never worked and now need to pay bills, social media is the easiest option." The defender of the Cuban revolution unintentionally handed Bruzón the perfect ammunition with his grammatically flawed attack.
Bruzón quickly responded with another comment that raised the stakes: "Sorry, but this one tops it. They should be sent back to first grade. These are the defenders of the 'revolu,'" joked the Grandmaster. The assailant's mistakes were glaring, including "save" instead of "sabe," "aser" for "hacer," and "talves" for "tal vez," with almost more errors than letters in each word.
Social media users eagerly joined in on the joke. One user cleverly summarized the situation: "Chess players are very vile (that's what I understood, more or less)." Another was blunt: "I didn't know 'agedre' could pay the 'viles.' Poor spelling." A third offered a sarcastic alternative: "Don't laugh, you know nothing. He wrote it in English, 'agedre,' pronounced eiyidri. Capiche or not capiche?" Another user concluded with a sharp comment: "Reading this reduces IQ per second. The Seboruco combatant."
Escalating Feud with Cyber Warriors
This incident is not an isolated one; it marks the latest chapter in Bruzón's ongoing confrontation with cyber warriors throughout 2026. Back in June, he had already challenged them with the phrase "Free Cubans speak from real profiles" and a symbolic "Checkmate, surrender already." On October 2, he reaffirmed his commitment to public denunciation, calling those who justify imprisoning young people for protest songs "miserable." Just days before this new episode, he posted a video on Instagram with a defiant message: "I will not be silenced, I will keep speaking about Cuba."
Impact of Poor Education
The spelling blunders of these digital combatants take on a more serious tone when considering the state of education in Cuba. The 2026-2027 school year has begun with severe teacher shortages, with the Education Minister acknowledging a shortfall of over 20,000 positions.
The previous academic year ended early in June due to power outages and fuel shortages. In September, a school sign that misspelled "welcome" as "biembenido" went viral, starkly illustrating the educational crisis plaguing the island. In this context, a regime supporter writing "agedre" instead of "ajedrez" is not just a joke but a symptom of a deeper issue.
Bruzón's Resilience
Bruzón, a six-time national champion of Cuba who has resided in Missouri since July 2018, has endured attacks from anonymous profiles for eight years without being silenced. As he noted in September about his home province: "My beloved province Las Tunas is a leader in informants and zealots."
At least in terms of spelling, the island's "vanguard" appears to be firmly established.
Understanding the Decline in Cuban Literacy
What triggered Lázaro Bruzón's criticism?
Lázaro Bruzón's criticism was triggered by a cyber warrior's misspelling of "chess" as "agedre" in an attempt to attack him on social media.
What does this incident reveal about Cuban education?
The incident highlights the declining quality of education in Cuba, as evidenced by widespread spelling errors and teacher shortages.
How has Lázaro Bruzón responded to cyber attacks?
Lázaro Bruzón has maintained a stance of public denunciation and continues to speak out against the regime's supporters, refusing to be silenced.