--- title: "The teen’s gambit: Chess is cool again - The Hustle" description: The “Queen’s Gambit” moment may have passed, but for millions of young people, the game is still only heating up. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/526307545-19-News-Brief_2023-04-26T230205.629Z.webp --- # The teen’s gambit: Chess is cool again ![Sara Friedman](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/HubSpot%20Media/Blog%202021/Images/Nav/Optimized/TheHustle_Icon_Dark.svg) [Sara Friedman](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/sara-friedman) [Sara Friedman Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/sarafriedmannn) Published: April 27, 2023 Updated: October 11, 2023 Did you log on to [Chess.com](https://www.chess.com/) after watching Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit” just to make sure you weren’t an undiscovered chess prodigy? ![chess](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/526307545-19-News-Brief_2023-04-26T230205.629Z.webp?width=595&height=400&name=526307545-19-News-Brief_2023-04-26T230205.629Z.webp) Us, too (we weren’t, so we’re still writing this newsletter). But, according to [*The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/24/science/chess-games-adolescents.html), the youths persevered with the hobby long after we toppled our queens. #### **And we’re not just talking a handful of nerds** Since November, the number of Chess.com daily active users has surged from 5.4m to 11m+. - The biggest growth came from players ages 13-17, and 549k of them used the site in January and February (18-24 is the second-fastest-growing age group). - A site record of [31.7m](https://www.chess.com/blog/CHESScom/chess-is-booming-and-our-servers-are-struggling) chess games were played on Jan. 20. While Chess.com lets users play for free, [paid plans](https://www.chess.com/membership) ranging from $4.17 to $10/mo. offer features like educational videos, unlimited lessons and puzzles, and game reviews. #### **What’s driving the surge?** It started how most trends do — with influencers. In 2020, the site began hosting tournaments with prominent influencers like [xQc](https://www.twitch.tv/xqc), [Ludwig](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrPseYLGpNygVi34QpGNqpA), and [MrBeast](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX6OQ3DkcsbYNE6H8uQQuVA). Then came the chess streamers: [GothamChess](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQHX6ViZmPsWiYSFAyS0a3Q), [GMHikaru](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCweCc7bSMX5J4jEH7HFImng), and [Alexandra Botez](https://www.twitch.tv/botezlive) have millions of followers who watch their live Twitch streams for [thousands](https://www.twitchmetrics.net/channels/viewership?game=Chess) of hours each week. And, in December, Chess.com acquired the [Play Magnus Group](https://www.playmagnus.com/en), a chess company founded by world champion Magnus Carlsen. #### **Plus, the chess tea is piping hot** There’s Hans Niemann’s [butt controversy](https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/chess-sex-toy-cheating-scandal-explained-world-no-1-magnus-carlsen-hans-niemann-in-wild-sports-controversy/), the ongoing [beef](https://abcnews.go.com/US/cheating-allegations-100-million-lawsuit-false-rumors-inside/story?id=98693499) between him and Carlsen, and the [World Chess Championship](https://www.chess.com/events/2023-fide-world-chess-championship#broadcast), happening in Kazakhstan right now. And, of course, [Mittens](https://www.chess.com/terms/mittens-chess) the cat. If all of that’s not enough to blow your mind, we present to you: [chess boxing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_boxing). Topics: [Games](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/games) ## Follow us on social media Pop up for Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Get the 5-minute news brief keeping 2.5M+ innovators in the loop. Always free. 100% fresh. No bullsh*t. JOIN FREE ### 100% Free CRM Nurture and grow your business with customer relationship management software. 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