Duolingo Launches Gamified Chess Course to Attract New Players

Duolingo Takes a Bold Move into Chess with New Gamified Course

In a groundbreaking expansion, popular language learning app Duolingo is set to introduce a chess course, bringing its signature bite-sized lesson approach to one of the oldest games in history. This innovative course aims to demystify chess for beginners and attract a new generation of players who may have previously found the game intimidating.

Duolingo’s chess course is designed for users ranging from complete novices to those with a solid understanding of the game. The platform will guide learners through gamified exercises, helping them master the fundamentals of chess, including piece movements, tactical patterns, and strategic planning. Users will have the opportunity to apply their newfound skills in quick “mini matches” against Duolingo’s character, Oscar, with the bot adjusting difficulty levels based on the player’s performance.

Edwin Bodge, Duolingo’s senior product manager, emphasized the course’s focus on beginners. “Most chess products are built by advanced users for advanced use cases,” he explained. “We are targeting beginners and addressing a part of the market that hasn’t been previously addressed.”

This chess initiative marks Duolingo’s first foray into a new subject area since it expanded beyond languages to include math and music classes in 2022 and 2023. Since its launch in 2012, Duolingo has attracted over 37 million daily active users, revolutionizing language learning and appealing to a younger audience.

The development of the chess course has been notably swift, attributed to advancements in artificial intelligence. The product team pitched the idea to CEO Luis von Ahn in late August, and by November, the first engineer was already on board.

Starting Tuesday, Duolingo will test the chess course with a limited number of learners, with plans to roll it out to all iOS users in English in the coming weeks. Future expansions will include additional operating systems and languages.

“This is a game that’s been played for so long, and Duolingo is now carrying the torch to get more people interested in chess,” Bodge said. With this new offering, Duolingo is not just teaching a game; it’s fostering a community of players ready to embrace the strategic world of chess.