Chess.com Expands into Poker and Plans to Introduce More Classic Games

For nearly two decades, Chess.com has excelled in the realm of online chess, but now it’s branching out. The platform recently introduced its first companion site, Gambit, a free online poker platform that allows players to learn the game without the risk of losing real money. With its first livestreamed event on the horizon and collaborations with content creators in the works, Gambit is set to take off, and Chess.com has plans to explore even more gaming options.

Albert Cheng, Chess.com’s chief growth officer, explained that poker was chosen for this new venture because it shares learning and social aspects similar to chess. He emphasized that Gambit will never involve real-money gambling, stating, “Real money is the problem we built Gambit to get away from; the whole industry profits when beginners lose. We want to create a space where people can genuinely learn.”

Gambit’s interface will feel familiar to Chess.com users, featuring a similar design and various play modes, including matches against bots, games with friends, tournaments, a review mode for analyzing past games, and a dedicated learning mode. The platform even incorporates Chess.com’s bot characters, maintaining consistent skill levels—players will recognize “Martin,” the lowest skill level bot from Chess.com, who also appears in Gambit.

Cheng also revealed that Gambit has its own Elo-style rating system, which serves as a key motivator for players to improve. “You’re not gambling your own hard-earned money, so the stakes are lower, but you need something to care about that keeps the ecosystem engaging and ensures the quality of poker on Gambit remains high,” he noted.

This rating system is also integral to Gambit’s subscription model, which mirrors Chess.com’s approach. “Our primary business model is a subscription, but most users engage with Chess.com for free,” Cheng explained. “They subscribe for unlimited access to game reviews, puzzles, lessons, and more.” A solid rating system helps players track their progress, potentially encouraging them to invest in premium features.

Looking ahead, Chess.com is eyeing expansion into other classic games like go, backgammon, and mahjong. Similar Elo-style rating systems are being developed for these games as well. While Cheng didn’t specify launch dates, he mentioned that “development is moving quite rapidly,” following the same strategy used for Gambit.

AI has played a significant role in enabling Chess.com to diversify after nearly 20 years, according to Cheng. He and one other team member brought Gambit from concept to launch in just a year, aided by AI primarily for coding tasks. “The biggest advantage has been the ability to analyze our existing codebase and design system, applying consistent patterns to develop a new platform quickly,” he said.

However, Cheng acknowledged that AI has limitations, particularly in brand and feature design. “The best use of AI is a blend of human creativity and machine efficiency,” he remarked, adding that the current version of Gambit has “zero or close to zero” AI-generated assets, which were only used in early prototypes.

Without AI assistance, launching another site would have required a larger team or disrupted the ongoing development of Chess.com. Now, a “small, scrappy” team can rapidly establish new platforms, paving the way for Chess.com to explore additional games, starting with poker.

As Chess.com strategizes its next steps, Cheng emphasizes a focus on games that possess both timeless appeal and a strong community, much like chess. With Gambit now live, he’s leaning into the community and social aspects of the platform, following Chess.com’s example and engaging content creators. On August 31st at 12 PM ET / 9 AM PT, Gambit will host its inaugural livestream event, the Gambit Cup, on Twitch and YouTube, featuring Chess.com co-founder Danny Rensch and chess content creator Alexandra Botez.