Kasparov Relaunches Online Platform
22 years after trying for the first time, GM Garry Kasparov repeated a bold move. The 13th world champion has announced the relaunch of KasparovChess, described as "a new multimedia content platform for chess lovers of all skill levels."
The platform intends to serve chess players of all levels with puzzles, online matches, tutorials, articles, documentaries, and an exclusive masterclass by Kasparov himself for premium members. The site will charge $13.99 monthly or $119.99 for a yearly subscription.
For the new platform, Kasparov has partnered with global media company Vivendi (through its subsidiary Keysquare), owner of e.g. Canal+ and Daily Motion. The chess world knows Vivendi as the main sponsor of the annual Paris Rapid and Blitz Grand Chess Tour event.
Although according to Kasparov it has been several years in the making, the launch of yet another chess platform is also a sign of the times. The global pandemic, but even more so the Netflix series The Queen's Gambit, has caused a boom previously seen only with the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match.
"Chess is entering a renaissance in pop culture and is becoming a fabric of the mainstream," said Louis Germain, CEO of Keysquare. "Our goal is to present Garry Kasparov’s legacy in a way that can inspire others and equip them with the tools they need to build their own legacy."
"We are showing the world that there is so much more to chess than strategy and tactics," said Kasparov. "It is a way of life and a way of looking at the world. I hope to bring all people into this experience, even if they’ve never played before because chess can help them become everything that they want to be."
We are showing the world that there is so much more to chess than strategy and tactics.
— Garry Kasparov
Kasparovchess is Kasparov's second attempt at an online chess platform. In 1999 he launched Kasparov Chess Online together with a group of Israeli investors. Although its content was of high quality, the site had no real traction. The company never achieved profitability and ceased to exist in 2002 at the end of a period that is known as the Dot-com bubble.
In 2017, Kasparov created a chess course for the company MasterClass. Via his Kasparov Chess Foundation, he promotes chess as a cognitive learning tool and supports teaching programs in the U.S., Europe, and Africa. Meanwhile, Kasparov remains active as a political activist and strong opponent of Vladimir Putin.
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