That evening, after the broadcast, Instagram notifications poured in one after another: "Mr. Viktor, is that you on TV?!" – the students wrote. And the next morning, he was greeted at school like a star.

Viktor Sklyarov is a physics and mathematics teacher, chess player, streamer, and editor-in-chief of a national chess magazine. In 2021, he was named "Teacher of the Year," and in 2025, he was recognized as the smartest player in the 9th season of "The 1% Club" on channel 1+1 Ukraine. A game where only one in a hundred wins.

But for him, victory is not about chance. It's about consistency, training, endurance, and a little luck. In a conversation with LIGA.net, Viktor talks about how he combines teaching, streaming, and volunteering, why he wants to return to the game again – and how chess helps him avoid burnout.

Viktor Sklyarov (Photo provided by the press service)
Viktor Sklyarov (Photo provided by the press service)

How a physics teacher won "The 1% Club" and why he wants to return again?
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educationteacher of the yearintellectual gamesyouth motivation