Chess.com Returns To MIT Sloan Conference With AI Panel, Guess The Elo, Chessboxing

Chess.com will return to the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston this weekend, once again bringing chess to one of the world’s premier gatherings of sports executives, analysts, and innovators.

As chess continues to grow, the annual gathering of experts, industry leaders, and passionate enthusiasts from across the sports world provides an excellent opportunity to introduce the game to a wider audience.

Chess.com has become a regular presence at the event, hosting a panel discussion for the eighth year. Last year’s panel explored how chess can evolve and what lessons it might borrow from other sports.

This year’s chess program will kick off on March 6 with a discussion titled What Chess Teaches Us About a Superhuman AI World. The panel is moderated by IM Danny Rensch and will feature GM Eric Hansen, Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey, along with Google DeepMind’s Meg Risdal and Federico Barbero.

They will explore how chess offers insight into a world increasingly shaped by superhuman AI, and what lessons the game may hold for fields ranging from sports analytics to scientific research.

Chess.com will also host several chess events throughout the conference, including Guess The Elo, a Hand & Brain match featuring GM Aman Hambleton and Morey against WGM Jennifer Shahade and Bill Chen, the quantitative analyst, poker player, and software designer.

"Hand and brain is a personal favorite because it reveals the two major parts of any decision: coming up with options, and actually picking one. And I'm finally going to try chessboxing, though I promised my husband and son I'd be participating in the non-combat version!" Shahade said.

And I'm finally going to try chessboxing, though I promised my husband and son I'd be participating in the non-combat version!
—Jennifer Shahade, two-time US Women's Chess Champion

The chessboxing session will feature Matt Thomas, the first American Chessboxing World Champion, FM James Canty III, the reigning heavyweight chessboxing world champion, and FM William Graif, in addition to Shahade and Rensch. The workshop will combine demonstrations with insights into the mental and physical preparation behind the hybrid sport.

"I'm thrilled to be bringing chessboxing back to MIT alongside multiple newly minted gold medalists from Team USA,” said Thomas. "In addition to putting on a great show, we'll be sharing the neuroscience of chessboxing and how principles from our crazy hybrid sport can affect state change management in every walk of life."

The 2026 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference will take place at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston on March 6-7. All details and the full schedule are available on the official website. Follow Chess.com's social media for updates during the event.