Chess.com expands beyond chess: poker site launches, go and mahjong to follow
Chess.com has launched a free poker platform called Gambit and plans to build similar sites for other classic games. The company says AI helped it expand for the first time in nearly 20 years.
For almost two decades, Chess.com has been known for one thing: chess. Now the company is stepping outside that lane. Back in May, it quietly launched Gambit in beta, a free online poker site where users can learn to play without wagering real money.
Chess.com's chief growth officer, Albert Cheng, told The Verge that poker was chosen as the company's first companion product because, like chess, it combines gameplay with learning and social interaction. Cheng also stressed that Gambit will never offer real-money gambling, arguing that the wider industry profits when beginners lose, whereas Chess.com wants to build a place focused on learning instead.
Gambit mirrors Chess.com in look and feel, offering bot matches (including the same bot characters and skill tiers), games with friends, tournaments, a mode for reviewing past games, and interactive lessons. The company also built its own Elo-style rating system for Gambit, which serves both as a motivator for players to improve and as the foundation for a paid subscription unlocking premium learning tools — the same business model Chess.com already uses.
More classic games on the way
Cheng said Chess.com is now developing platforms for other classic games, including go, backgammon, and mahjong, each with its own Elo-style rating system built using the same approach as Gambit. He did not give a launch timeline but said development is moving quickly.
According to Cheng, artificial intelligence played a major role in finally allowing Chess.com to branch out after nearly 20 years focused solely on chess. Gambit went from prototype to launch in under a year, built mainly by Cheng and one other employee with AI assistance, primarily for coding tasks. He noted, however, that AI still struggles with areas like brand and feature design, so the company expects a blend of AI and human work going forward.
On August 31st at 12PM ET, Gambit will livestream its first Gambit Cup tournament on Twitch and YouTube, featuring Chess.com co-founder Danny Rensch and content creator Alexandra Botez.
