Deal closed on December 16th, 2022
On December 16, 2022, Chess.com, the world’s largest chess website, announced the successful acquisition of Play Magnus Group, a leading chess entertainment and education company. This acquisition includes popular brands such as Chess24, AimChess, New In Chess, Chessable, GingerGM, Everyman Chess, MagnusAcademy and iChess.net. With this acquisition, Chess.com solidifies its position as the go-to destination for all things chess and furthers its mission to make the world a smarter place through the game of chess.
The proposed acquisition was initially announced on August 24, 2022, and was unanimously recommended by Play Magnus Group’s board. After receiving regulatory and shareholder approval, the acquisition officially closed on December 16, 2022. By sheer coincidence, on the same day, Chess.com reached an impressive 100 million members, another major milestone in the site’s history.
What is Play Magnus Group?
Play Magnus Group, founded in 2013, has the goal of making the world a smarter place through chess. They established the popular Champions Chess Tour and a suite of entertainment and learning chess products. With this acquisition, Chess.com and Play Magnus Group will continue to work together to promote the game of chess and make it accessible to more people around the world.
As part of the acquisition, Magnus Carlsen, widely considered the world’s greatest chess player, has signed on as a Chess.com ambassador. He will be competing regularly in Chess.com events such as the Speed Chess Championship. On December 18, 2022, Carlsen contested the 2022 Speed Chess Championship Final, which was a thrilling, down-to-the-wire performance against Hikaru Nakamura. More than 200,000 viewers tuned in to watch this highly anticipated matchup.
In addition to the 2023 Speed Chess Championship, Carlsen is also expected to compete in the PRO Chess League, Bullet Chess Championship, regular Titled Tuesdays, and more. Chess.com is thrilled to welcome the world’s greatest chess player to the 2023 Chess.com tournament season.
Chess.com the world’s largest chess site
As the world’s largest chess site, Chess.com has a community of more than 100 million members from around the world playing more than 10 million games every day. With the addition of Play Magnus Group, Chess.com continues to provide a platform for players of all skill levels to improve their game, connect with other players, and participate in exciting tournaments and events.