In the domain world, some purchases are smart — and then there’s the story of Chess.com, which stands in a league of its own.
Back in 2005, Erik Allebest, passionate about both chess and SEO, spotted a rare chance. The domain chess.com was owned by a company in serious financial trouble, saddled with 5 million in debt. The site was in shambles, but the domain itself was a gem.
When it hit the bankruptcy auction, Erik acted. For only $ 55,000, he bought the domain — no functioning business or income, just the name. In hindsight, it was a steal. But at the time, the auction flew under the radar. There were no bidding wars, no buzz — just Erik and a few others who even knew it was happening.
Back then, typing “chess” into a browser address bar would auto-direct users straight to chess.com — a built-in stream of traffic with no extra effort. That was Erik’s first strategic win.
But he wasn’t stopping at traffic. His bigger goal was to turn chess.com into a full-fledged community. Initially, the plan didn’t even include gameplay — just forums and user profiles for chess fans to connect.
Surprisingly, even in its early stages, chess.com was attracting 1,000 new sign-ups a day — all organic. For context, many startups struggle for months to reach that number at all.
From Forum to Global Chess Powerhouse
As the chess.com community grew, users began asking for more than just discussion—they wanted to play. In response, the team pulled together a simple online chess feature in just two days. It wasn’t flashy, but it worked—and it marked the beginning of a major evolution.
New features followed quickly: puzzles, lessons, and AI-driven game analysis. Gradually, chess.com shed its image as just a social platform and emerged as the destination for all things chess.
Then Chess Went Viral
For years, the platform saw steady 20–50% annual growth. But around 2018, momentum exploded. The World Chess Championship attracted global interest, Twitch streamers made chess trendy, and Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit sparked a pop culture chess boom. The pandemic further fueled engagement, as millions turned to chess during lockdowns.
By 2020, user numbers were surging—with 400,000 new sign-ups daily. Then came the 2022 Magnus Carlsen vs. Hans Niemann scandal, catapulting chess into global headlines once again.
Today, chess.com has grown into a $100M+ yearly business with over 150 million users and 100,000+ joining every day. It’s no longer just a platform—it’s a media empire, running live events, fueling influencer content, and dominating channels like YouTube and TikTok.
