I’ve seen various comments on this subreddit arguing against Sam being considered the chief hero, based on Tolkien's letter 131. While I agree Tolkien wasn’t diminishing Frodo’s heroism, I don’t agree we should cast out Sam as the chief hero only because the larger context of the letter wasn’t about heroism.
The debated section from letter 131.
Since we now try to deal with 'ordinary life', springing up ever unquenched under the trample of world policies and events, there are love-stories touched in, or love in different modes, wholly absent from The Hobbit. But the highest love-story, that of Aragorn and Arwen Elrond's daughter is only alluded to as a known thing. It is told elsewhere in a short tale. Of Aragorn and Arwen Undómiel. I think the simple 'rustic' love of Sam and his Rosie (nowhere elaborated) is absolutely essential to the study of his (the chief hero's) character, and to the theme of the relation of ordinary life (breathing, eating, working, begetting) and quests, sacrifice, causes, and th