Chess.com Ventures Into Poker Space by Launching Poker Site

Poker may experience a boom among chess players as a popular chess website with millions of daily users launched a poker site and training program.

Gambit, launched by Chess.com, is a free-to-user poker software where players can play against bots, friends and other online users. They can also be walked through the basics for the game, take poker strategy lessons and track their poker stats.

Aimed at New Players

Gambit is specifically aimed at helping new players become introduced to the game without having to lose money or be pushed in-app purchases.

“Here’s what it is: a poker site built for learning,” Chess.com Chief Growth Officer Albert Cheng said in a May blog post. “No real-money gambling. No rake. Just the parts of the chess playbook that have made it work for millions of people, applied to poker.”

Gambit, which is available on desktop as well as iOS and Android, will be immediately familiar with Chess.com users as the two share the same interface and graphics.

The site gives players the ability to play cash games against bots, friends and other online users. There are also tournament offerings like Speedrun events with five-minute blinds and Gambit Cup events.

The site also offers Player of the Month leaderboards and displays the reigning champions, as well as all tournament results.

Connection Between Chess and Poker

Poker has long been connected to chess, with both being competitive strategy games.

High-stakes crusher Michael Addamo told PokerNews he discovered poker through chess, while retired poker legend Mike “Timex” McDonald went on to be an accomplished chess player.

Meanwhile, chess grandmaster and author Jen Shahade has had a successful career as a PokerStars pro, and chess streamers like Alexandra Botez have become regulars at tournament poker stops.

Magnus Carlsen, considered to be the best chess player of all time, has also dabbled in poker. PokerNews interviewed the chess champion at 2023 European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo, where he spoke about the parallels between the games.

“I think the similarities between poker and chess are more than people would think,” Carlsen said. “Of course, there is perfect information in chess, but still, you make a lot of decisions based on, like, imperfect calculation. So in that sense, it’s a little bit of the same.”

Connor Richards is a Senior Editor U.S. for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for three Global Poker Awards for his writing.