I just watched the full launch presentation from Take Take Take, and honestly, this feels like one of those moments in chess where something quietly shifts on the board… and then suddenly everything looks different. At first glance, it’s “just” another platform launch. But it’s not. You can check it out yourself here: taketaketake.com
From watching chess to actually playing it
Take Take Take started as something very different. It was about watching chess — following tournaments, being a fan. Now they’ve taken a big step into something much more ambitious: a full chess platform with play, learning, and social features. And that’s where things get interesting, because entering “play” means stepping directly into the core territory of Chess.com and Lichess.
The Magnus Carlsen situation
One of the most striking parts of the video wasn’t even the product — it was the empty chair. Magnus Carlsen, co-founder, face of the brand, arguably the biggest name in chess, wasn’t there. The reason is complicated. Because of his ambassador role with Chess.com, he can’t actively promote a platform that now directly competes with them. That creates a strange situation: he helped build it, he still owns part of it, but he can’t really be part of its biggest launch. That’s not something we’ve seen before in chess.
The Lichess partnership — A smart move
Instead of building their own play server (which is incredibly hard), they partnered with Lichess. This might be the smartest decision they made. It gives them instant access to a working, trusted infrastructure, a large player base from day one, and the freedom to focus on what actually differentiates them. Because Take Take Take is not trying to win by being “better at chess servers.” They’re trying to win by changing how people experience chess.
The social layer — This Is the real bet
What stood out most to me is how much they lean into the social side of chess. You’re not just playing games — you’re posting them, sharing them, reacting to friends’ games, following progress. It feels more like Strava or Instagram than Chess.com. And I think this is where their real bet is, because let’s be honest: most people don’t quit chess because of bad features. They quit because it feels lonely.
Game review that actually explains chess
Another thing I liked: the way they talk about game review. Not just “this move is bad, here’s the engine line” — but “here’s what you were trying to do, and why it didn’t work.” That sounds simple, but it’s actually a big gap in current platforms. Most tools tell you what is wrong. Very few explain it in a way that feels human.
The Chess.com split — probably inevitable
You can feel some tension in the background. The collaboration around Title Tuesday is ending. They’re now direct competitors. And honestly, this was always going to happen. You can’t build a serious chess product and stay in the “safe zone” forever. At some point, you either stay a niche product or you go all in. They’ve clearly chosen the second option.
Where this could go
After watching everything, here’s my honest takeaway: Take Take Take is not trying to beat Chess.com at its own game. They’re trying to change the game itself. Instead of better engines, more puzzles, and faster pairing, they’re focusing on motivation, community, progression, and identity as a player. That’s a completely different angle.
Will it work? That depends on whether they can make people care more about their chess journey. Right now, the product isn’t finished and the risks are real. But the vision actually makes sense — because chess doesn’t necessarily need another place to play. It might just need a better reason to keep playing.Share
