Chess.com recently published some amazing news regarding a sizeable milestone – the popular online platform has surpassed a whopping 150 million members. In a data shot that was published to social sites like LinkedIn, Chess.com’s operators revealed that the player count sat at around 150,300,000 members and that in the 24-hour window, before the screenshot was taken, more than 107,000 new users had joined the service.

It’s a monumental milestone for any game, but it’s something special for Chess.com, as, in recent years, the platform has undergone a staggering boom in popularity. As chess became much more visible, thanks to social and streaming platforms, some content and esports organisations realised the value of the game. In the last year alone, we saw pro chess players signed to gaming organisations, $1 million tournaments air, and huge scandals hit social circles.

No Pawns, Only Kings and Queens

Image Credit: Chess.com

Last year, I wrote an exposé on the state of ‘chess esports’, talking at length about the massive growth of the online-focused side of the game. Since February 2021, the ‘Chess’ category on Twitch – arguably the most popular streaming platform in the world – has been undergoing a consistent rise in popularity, and it continues to grow today. In 2020, TSM made history by signing Hikaru Nakamura, one of the most talented chess players in the world, as a content creator.

It didn’t end there, though – COVID-19 caused a boom in online gaming, and Chess.com saw immense growth. Within a year, OpTic Gaming had signed the Botez Sisters, a content creation duo with roots in chess.

This summer, the ‘PogChamps 5’ tournament took place, and it was dubbed ‘the most exciting amateur event in chess.’ It featured a $100,000 prize pool and brought some of the world’s most popular streamers to the table – Tyler 1, Jinnyttyt, and xQc, for example.

Becoming Brilliant

In recent months, the ever-growing world of chess – which has become dramatically popularised and publicised – has seen a fair few scandals. For instance, there was a cheating controversy that was brewing between two legends of the game – Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann. Where competition goes, drama is sure to follow – and that’s what happened. Once upon a time, chess was somewhat stigmatised and was viewed as a game exclusively for ‘super smart’ people.

However, the mainstream success of Chess.com proves that absolutely anyone can get involved with the game. As some popular content creators have proven, there’s a lot of fun to be had with the game, and with Chess.com offering up a stable, reliable platform twinned with gamified leaderboards and challenges, there’s plenty to play for.

Congratulations to Chess.com for hitting 150 million members – here’s to the next milestone.