Chess is for Everyone

Chess is a language anyone can speak. Chess.com partners with communities worldwide to grow chess. Because when more people can play, the whole world wins.

Our Vision & Why It Matters

Chess has always been more than a game — it's a universal language that connects people across cultures, backgrounds, and generations. At Chess.com, we believe its benefits should be accessible to everyone.

Through Chess Is For Everyone, we work alongside educators, organizers, and community leaders globally to ensure that chess remains a powerful tool for learning, connection, and opportunity — no matter where you are in the world.

Our Guiding Principles

Expanding Access

We work to make chess more accessible to people around the world by introducing the game to new players and communities.

Promoting Inclusion

Chess has the power to bring people together across cultures, backgrounds, and generations. We aim to build a diverse and inclusive community that plays together.

Creating Social Impact

Chess can be a tool for learning, empowerment, and community development. We support initiatives that use chess to create a positive social impact.

Latest Events

April 2026

Barcelona–Tarragona

MBA League ESADE, Sant Cugat

On April 16, 2026, Chess Is For Everyone joined the Barcelona–Tarragona Final of MBA League at ESADE Business School in Sant Cugat — one of Spain’s largest educational entrepreneurship competitions, bringing together nearly 3,000 students from schools across the country.

The event challenges students aged 7 to 18 to develop and pitch real business projects connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. And what stood out most was simple: these children were not pretending to be entrepreneurs. They were thinking critically, solving problems, defending ideas, and building with remarkable confidence and clarity.

Through Chess Is For Everyone, alongside Chess.com and ChessKid, we participated as jury members and created a full chess activation throughout the event. Our team hosted open play areas, product demos, and interactive chess experiences for students, parents, and educators, while also offering Chess.com and ChessKid memberships as prizes for the winning teams.

The connection between chess and entrepreneurship felt natural throughout the day. Both require strategic thinking, resilience, adaptability, planning under uncertainty, and the ability to make decisions with incomplete information.

Hosted at ESADE Business School and supported by the Mayor of Sant Cugat, Josep Maria Vallès Navarro, the event reflected something deeply hopeful: a generation already thinking about sustainability, impact, and responsibility not as abstract concepts, but as a normal part of how they see the world.

At CIFE, we believe chess is more than a game. It is a tool to help young people develop confidence, focus, critical thinking, emotional regulation, and life skills that extend far beyond the board. We are proud to support initiatives that create environments where young people can think bigger, build boldly, and rise together.

Since 2002

Blantyre

Jacaranda School Program, Malawi

Since 2002, the Jacaranda Foundation in Blantyre, Malawi has provided free education to orphaned and vulnerable children, from preschool through secondary school. Today, the Jacaranda School serves 529 students and continues to create opportunities for young people facing extremely difficult circumstances.

Through Chess Is For Everyone, Chess.com has partnered with the Jacaranda Foundation to build and grow a long-term, sustainable chess program within the school. The pilot program currently supports 75 students and includes the hiring of a dedicated local chess coach.

Our support includes:

Chess.com Diamond memberships
ChessKid Gold memberships
Chessable courses and learning resources
Dedicated coach support and training
A Chess.com club for structured online sessions and global competition

Together we are building a model that is measurable, scalable, and sustainable — participation, progress, and tournament outcomes are tracked every trimester.

Learn more: jacarandafoundation.org

Feb 2026

London

She Plays to Win × SCC Finals

20 girls from the She Plays to Win Foundation attended the Speed Chess Championship. Two participated in the official press conference alongside professional journalists. One girl featured in a Chess.com content video with GothamChess. The SPTW founder appeared on the official broadcast. This is the most fully documented CIFE partnership to date.

2023–2026

Barcelona

Arrels × Chess.com — Chess in the Streets

Multi-year partnership using chess as a tool for social inclusion among people experiencing homelessness. Three documented editions.

DEC 2025

ONLINE

Super PogChamps × LIDÉ Haiti

4-day fundraiser with a Chess.com $10,000 kickoff donation. Partnership with LIDÉ Haiti, a program supporting at-risk girls in Haiti.

Jan 2026

Boston

7uice Foundation × Chess.com

Partnership with NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown's foundation. One-day chess activation at the 7uice Educational Fair engaging 350+ students through free play, a tournament, and community programming.

Kenya

Promoting Queens × ChessKid

Support for a women & girls chess initiative through ChessKid Diamond memberships and coaching support.

2023

Africa

Chess in Slums

Fundraiser to bring chess and education to 5,000 children in Africa. Well-known organization with strong public recognition.

How We Support Communities

Chess.com's Platform Ecosystem

Every initiative supported through Chess Is For Everyone is powered by Chess.com's three core platforms — giving communities the tools they need to learn, play and grow.

Chess.com

The world's largest chess platform — free memberships, tournaments, lessons, puzzles, community tools, and more.

ChessKid

A safe, kid-friendly platform designed for schools & youth programs. Making chess accessible to young learners everywhere.

Chessable

A platform for science-backed learning techniques that boost retention and improve your chess skills with guided courses.

OTB Club Support

Chess played in-person and over-the-board (OTB) is at the heart of many local communities. We provide dedicated support to clubs all over the world.

Events & Collaborations

We promote community initiatives during major chess events by amplifying local organizations and connecting them with a worldwide audience.

Charities

Chess.com collaborates with nonprofit organizations to raise funds, build awareness, and use chess as a force for social good.

Our Partners

We're proud to partner with incredible organizations who bring chess to life around the world.

Our Workplace

We are 650 humans from 65+ countries across the world

Work at Chess.com

Learn More

Stories Around The World

Jaylen Brown’s 7uice Foundation & Chess.com Bridge Opportunity Gap With Chess

How Chess Is Changing Lives And Giving Hope To Girls In Kenya’s Slums

SuperPogChamps To Start December 2 With Strongest PogChamps Field Ever

Carlsen's World Famous Jeans Auctioned For $36,100 After Bidding War

Chess In Prison Olympics Connects Inmates In Catalonia

Michael

MGleason

Years Playing 30+

Location Colorado, USA

Favorite Player Capablanca

Favorite Quote "If you see a good move, sit on your hands."

Bring Chess to Your Community

Organizations interested in receiving support through the Chess Is For Everyone initiative may submit a request through our application form. Requests are reviewed by the Chess.com team and evaluated based on program alignment and available resources.

Submit

Fill out our application form with your initiative details

Review

Our team evaluates based on alignment and resources

Connect

We follow up to discuss next steps and support

Program Selection Criteria

Alignment with the mission of expanding access to chess

Sustainability and long-term potential of the program

Geographic diversity and community needs

Community and social impact of the initiative

or email directly at chessisforeveryone@chess.com