Owl to e4: Duolingo is teaching chess

Did you know that the word “checkmate” derives from a Persian phrase that translates to “the king is helpless”? That’s a fact you can learn from Duolingo — and soon, you’ll be able to use the app to learn how to find a checkmate, too.

The company known for its language-learning courses and its memetic owl mascot is expanding with a series of lessons that will introduce newcomers to the world of chess. The 550-year-old game has been enjoying a glow-up of late, and Duolingo wants to be part of the movement.

Revived interest in chess has been sparked by creators on YouTube and Twitch, who have introduced the game to a new generation of players. Chess’ recent introduction at the Esports World Cup came with a $1.5 million prize pool, and chess masters are striking gold by streaming the game themselves.

The increasing size of the internet’s chess community presents both opportunities and challenges for an upstart like Duolingo. The game’s tendency for deep analysis is a good fit for Duolingo’s step-by-step learning model, since students will be able to explore positions in search of powerful lines, combinations, and tactics.

At the same time, the chess community is already quite saturated, with players of all levels claiming millions of views on their videos. That’s where Duolingo’s cultural import comes in handy. The brand’s owl mascot isn’t exactly a grandmaster, but he’s a beloved figure

on the internet, and that counts for a lot in the world of chess. The list of the most-followed chess personalities includes super GMs like Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, but slightly lower-rated players like Levy Rozman, Anna Cramling, and the Botez sisters have arguably had a bigger impact among the internet’s chess aficionados. Duolingo’s lessons can slot into that niche.

Duolingo Senior Product Manager Edwin Bodge told Fast Company that the app’s chess product will indeed be marketed to new players. “For the most part, a lot of chess products out there are usually built by an advanced user for more advanced-use cases—someone who already is familiar with chess and is kind of trying to elevate their abilities even further,” Bodge said. “So we are more targeting beginners and think that we’re addressing a part of the market that hasn’t previously been addressed.”

Beyond its signature language courses, Duolingo has also expanded into subjects like math and music. Its foray into the chess world is beginning with a trial group, which will try out the courses before they are pushed to all U.S. users in the coming weeks. From there, Duolingo could go in many different directions. Like in a game of chess, the possibilities are nearly endless.