Chess is everything: art, science and sport. It is deeply rooted in our global culture. Accessible to all; a metaphor for strategic thinking; and a model of civilized conflict resolution.
It’s the ultimate mind battle – and arguably of the oldest strategy games in the world. The Game of Kings stands the test of time.
700CE
The earliest texts referring to the origins of chess date from the beginning of the 7th century. The oldest known chess manual was in Arabic and dates to about 840. The modern piece movement rules began to appear in intellectual circles in Valencia, Spain around 1475.
1886
Wilhelm Steinitz becomes the first official Chess World Champion in 1886.
1992
The Internet enabled a new medium of playing chess, with chess servers allowing users to play other people from different parts of the world in real time. The first chess server was developed in 1992.
2013
A young Norwegian grandmaster by the name of Magnus Carlsen becomes the new World Champion. His win over Vishy Anand starts a new era for Chess.
2020
Now
As we speak chess around the world is huge, but still rapidly growing. Read more about why we think that is.
Chess has a lot of positive attributes. We think chess is good for everyone.
The more you play chess, the more you develop your abstract reasoning, pattern recognition, and calculation skills.
The more you play chess, the more you develop your abstract reasoning, pattern recognition, and calculation skills.
To put it simply, chess is like a large puzzle, or a series of puzzles, capable of changing shape continuously throughout a single game.
To put it simply, chess is like a large puzzle, or a series of puzzles, capable of changing shape continuously throughout a single game.
Chess brings people of different cultures, ages, genders, and walks of life together, all around the world. Every game tells a story; it’s like a conversation or a dance between two minds. And it reminds us that to be human is to appreciate each person’s uniqueness, to learn, to have fun, to make mistakes, and help each other.
Photo by: FourCorner Club
The numbers prove it.
¹ Based on Ahrefs search data
² Based on YouGov data
³ Based on twitch data by Sullygnome / escharts.com
⁴ based on SimilarWeb data
From fashion to sports, from cinema to video games, people just can’t get enough of it.
Louis Vuitton: Virgil Abloh’s latest collection investigates unconscious biases instilled in our collective psyche by reimagining looks as pieces in a game of chess.
Sony’s Playstation live-action brand trailer is a city-wide game of chess.
In this McDonalds ad, customers are explaining what I’m lovin’ it means to them. To Imani, Shakira, and Trechelle from Chicago it means playing chess.
Defining the Future of Chess. Growing the sport, advancing entertainment, and enabling everyone to play their best game.
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