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Chess.com launches poker platform Gambit and plans expansion into classic games

The company utilized AI prototyping to build its new free educational poker site with a two-person team, setting up future sites for go, backgammon, and mahjong.

The short version

  • Chess.com quietly launched a free educational poker site named Gambit in May, featuring play without real money risks.
  • The platform plans to expand into other classic games, including go, backgammon, and mahjong, utilizing Elo-style rating systems.
  • Development was accelerated using AI for coding tasks, allowing two employees to build the prototype for launch within a year.
  • Gambit has gathered 75,000 members who have played nearly 20 million hands, and is launching daily tournaments with live commentary.

Key facts

  • Chess.com launched Gambit, a free educational poker platform designed to help users learn the game and build an Elo-like rating without real-money stakes.[Slashdot]
  • Chief growth officer Albert Cheng stated that he and one other employee brought Gambit from prototype to launch within a year by utilizing AI primarily for coding tasks.[Slashdot]
  • Chess.com plans to launch additional sites for classic games including go, backgammon, and mahjong featuring Elo-style ratings.[Slashdot]
  • Gambit has accumulated 75,000 members who have completed 100,000 lessons and played nearly 20 million hands.[Slashdot]
  • The live version of Gambit contains zero or close to zero AI-created assets, which were primarily restricted to early prototyping phases.[Slashdot]

What remains uncertain

  • Chess.com has not yet announced specific launch dates for its planned go, backgammon, or mahjong platforms.[Slashdot]

Sources