How Chess.com scaled a massive community

Erik Allebest, Chess.com

Nobody thought the old game of chess could turn into a real business in a world with internet. Frankly, there was a time when Erik Allebest, Chess.com’s founder, didn’t think it would and even tried turning his attention to a bigger, sexier market.

But through constant cranking away, Chess.com became huge business. This is the shocking story of how that happened.

Erik Allebest

Chess.com

Erik Allebest is the founder of Chess.com., the world’s largest chess community.

Andrew: Hey there, freedom fighters. My name is Andrew Warner. I’m the founder of Mixergy, where I interview entrepreneurs about how they built their businesses for an audience of real entrepreneurs. And joining me is, is a guy who created my fricking obsession. The only thing I’m addicted to, uh, Eric alabaster is the founder of chess.com.

I I’ve had a membership for, well over 10 years, I rediscovered it about a year ago. And here’s why I got really addicted. I discovered that after each game, and by the way, the beauty Eric of your site is no matter what my rating is. I can hit, I want to play a game. I want to do five minute game with five minutes, five seconds added for each move or 15 minutes, whatever it is.

I will find someone at my level that I could play with like that within like 30 seconds, 30 seconds is too much within five seconds. Right.

Erik: Yeah.

Andrew: And then here’s the part that got me addicted....

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