Chess.com’s Bishop Joke Sparks Social Media Firestorm

The harmless joke that turned into a firestorm on Chess.com’s social media accounts has taken the internet by storm, racking up over 50 million views and becoming the most viral post ever for the platform. The post, which asked for new name ideas for the bishop piece in chess, sparked a wide range of reactions from users across various platforms.

While many users played along with the joke and offered creative suggestions for renaming the piece, others took offense to the idea of changing the traditional name. Some users expressed outrage at the perceived attempt to erase religious history, while others went as far as making hateful or antisemitic remarks in response to the post.

Popular figures in the chess community, such as IM Levy Rozman (GothamChess) and YouTuber Cr1TiKaL, weighed in on the controversy, with GothamChess calling the responses to the post a reflection of the current state of social media and the world at large. Cr1TiKaL mocked the outrage in a video on his channel, describing the post as a “catastrophic war-zone” that resulted in a meltdown among users.

Despite the backlash, Chess.com’s Chief Chess Officer, IM Danny Rensch, defended the post as a playful joke that was never meant to offend anyone. He assured users that the platform will continue to have fun and make light-hearted posts in the future, even hinting at similar jokes for the queen or king pieces.

Overall, the viral post on Chess.com serves as a reminder of the power of social media and the importance of interpreting content in the intended context. While some may have taken offense to the joke, others found humor in the playful nature of the post. As the online community continues to navigate sensitive topics, it’s essential to approach content with an open mind and a sense of humor.