On September 4, 2022, Hans Niemann and Magnus Carlsen, the reigning chess world champion, competed in an over-the-board game. In a shocking upset, Carlsen lost to Niemann, resulting in Carlsen’s withdrawal from the tournament the following day. After his withdrawal, he posted a video to Twitter, now known as X, refusing to comment on the matter. In their next game, Carlsen resigned after playing only a single move against Niemann at the Julius Baer Generation Cup, sparking further drama. The apparent scandal received national attention from several renowned newspapers, including The New York Times and The Washington Post. Consequently, many online chess websites, such as Chess.com, saw a rapid increase in their users. More people were playing the game than ever before amidst the drama—but this wasn’t the first time this had happened.
Chess has long been a popular pastime; its earliest origins date back nearly 2500 years. It began its slow but inevitable rise around the 13th century in Europe. After the development of Chess.com in 2007, a revolutionary step in the sport’s popularity, chess grew even faster. The idea that you could play someone other than your family member, from anywhere in the world, completely changed the accessibility of the game.
The second rise of chess began after the 2020 debut of the hit Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit, causing many people to now recognize chess in connection to the iconic show. The COVID-19 lockdown coincided with the launch of the show, and with people stuck at home and unable to go to the park to hoop or kick a soccer ball, they found a new hobby in chess. During this time, YouTubers also contributed to the growing trend, featuring epic checkmates and funny games in their videos. Even chess boxing became a fad, where competitors play games of chess in between rounds of boxing.
After the drama subsided, Carlsen reverted back to his old ways, demolishing chess opponents. On the other hand, Chess.com banned Niemann but later reinstated him. In addition, the first Chinese chess world champion, Ding Liren, was crowned, inspiring millions of people around the world. Interestingly, headlines aside, the most significant peak in chess occurred late last year, when Chess.com saw its users spike to 100 million, a significant milestone.
Chess’s growth over the past year has been meteoric but is no coincidence. Chess has even reached Saint Francis High School, where last year, the Lancers started their very own chess club!
