Magnus Carlsen’s Startup Take Take Take Enters Chess Market Amid Chess.com Ties
Magnus Carlsen’s Startup Takes Bold Step into Chess Market Amid Ties with Chess.com
In a surprising move that could reshape the online chess landscape, Magnus Carlsen’s startup, Take Take Take, announced on Monday its ambitious expansion into the play and learning sectors, traditionally dominated by Chess.com. This development comes despite Carlsen’s commercial ties with Chess.com, which prevent him from directly promoting his new venture.
Carlsen, a five-time classical chess world champion and a major shareholder of Take Take Take, is shifting the company’s focus from a content platform to tools designed for playing and improving at chess. This pivot is seen as a direct challenge to Chess.com, which has long been the cornerstone of online chess engagement.
“Because my co-founder and the biggest shareholder is Magnus Carlsen, and he is also an ambassador for Chess.com, there are limitations to how Magnus can then promote Take Take Take due to a conflict with the agreement with Chess.com,” explained Mats Andre Kristiansen, co-founder and CEO of Take Take Take, in an interview with Reuters. “It’s not a great situation for either us or Magnus. I think for Magnus, it’s frustrating because he’s super excited about what we’re building.”
The startup is looking to accelerate its entry into the competitive market through a strategic partnership with Lichess, a free and open-source platform that has positioned itself as a non-commercial alternative to Chess.com. This collaboration provides Take Take Take with immediate access to an established player base, allowing it to bypass the arduous process of building a network from scratch.
Kristiansen noted that this marks a significant shift for a company that had previously avoided direct confrontation with Chess.com. “My first meeting with Chess.com was in 2023… literally the first thing he (CEO Erik Allebest) ever said to me was, ‘never enter play and never enter learn. That’s ours.’ And I found that quite intimidating,” he recalled.
Despite the competitive nature of the chess market, Kristiansen emphasized that the goal is not to dethrone Chess.com but rather to broaden the competitive landscape. “They are a great product and have done a tremendous amount for the chess ecosystem,” he stated.
Carlsen, while stepping back from promotional activities, intends to honor his obligations to Chess.com. “Magnus has tremendous respect for Chess.com and the agreement and is going to honor their agreement, and that’s why he’s pulling out of the promotional stuff for us. It’s hard to sort of silence Magnus Carlsen,” Kristiansen added.
This strategic move comes at a time when new ventures are emerging across the chess ecosystem. Initiatives like Endgame.ai, promoted by American grandmaster Hans Niemann, and ChessMonitor, backed by grandmaster Anish Giri, are also targeting various aspects of chess performance and analytics.
As Take Take Take prepares to launch its new offerings, Kristiansen anticipates a response from Chess.com. “I don’t expect Chess.com to ignore this, and it will certainly come with a reaction on their side,” he concluded.
With Carlsen’s name and expertise behind it, Take Take Take is poised to make waves in the chess community, even as it navigates the complexities of its relationship with Chess.com. The chess world will be watching closely to see how this new chapter unfolds.