Chess.com’s Print Publishing Operations Merge with Quality Chess: New Era for New in Chess and Everyman Chess
Chess.com’s print publishing operations are undergoing a major transformation as New in Chess and Everyman Chess split off from Chess.com and merge with Quality Chess. This move creates a group of strong and independent print publishing companies in the chess world.
The deal, announced today, involves the transfer of operations, assets, and intellectual property related to print rights, liabilities, and employees of New in Chess and Everyman to Quality Chess. In return, Chessable, owned by Chess.com, has acquired the digital rights of Quality Chess’ extensive catalog of over 200 titles. This collaboration aims to enhance the digital content available on Chessable and Chess.com.
Dmitri Shneider, Chess.com’s Vice President of Global Operations, expressed excitement about the partnership with Quality Chess, stating that the chess community highly regards Quality Chess’ content. He looks forward to expanding the offerings of Quality Chess on Chessable and Chess.com in the near future.
Jacob Aagaard, CEO of Quality Chess, will now own the three publishing houses but operate them as separate entities. Aagaard mentioned that New in Chess will continue as usual, while the future of the Everyman brand is uncertain due to trademark issues. However, he assured that there will still be a publisher catering to club players and newcomers to chess.
New in Chess, a leading chess magazine with readers in 116 countries, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Everyman Chess, known for its extensive portfolio of books and ebooks, has contributions from 140 authors. Both brands were acquired by the Play Magnus Group in 2021 and became part of Chess.com in 2022.
The creation of the new combined print company allows Chess.com and Squared Thinking Group, the parent company of Quality Chess, to focus on their strengths and better serve the chess community. Shneider highlighted that this move ensures there will be an independent company dedicated to covering chess events with a unique editorial perspective.
With the print publishing operations now in the hands of Quality Chess, Chess.com can dedicate more resources to expanding its digital initiatives. Expect new video content based on Quality Chess books from renowned grandmasters to be released in the coming weeks, enriching the digital chess experience for enthusiasts worldwide.