A Riot Games games vet will help chess become the next big esport

With more than 250 million users worldwide, Chess.com has become the most popular destination for online chess matches. The platform’s growth has breathed new life into a 1,500-year-old game, turning scores of streamers into chess aficionados.

The rising profile of chess among gamers creates opportunities to develop new esports events and competitions. Chess.com wants to be at the forefront of that new era, and it has made a key hire that will invigorate its programming arm. Chris Roberts, formerly of Riot Games, has come on board as Chess.com’s VP of Media and Content.

In his new role, Roberts will oversee channels like video production, social media, editorial, and broadcast. A press release describes him as the “connective tissue” between content, partnerships, and events.

“What’s always driven me is turning a community’s passion into something bigger than the content itself,” Roberts said in a statement. “Chess.com already has one of the most engaged communities in gaming, and getting to help build its story around a game I genuinely love is one of the most exciting opportunities so far in my career.”

On YouTube alone, Chess.com’s official channel reaches nearly three million subscribers. Popular videos have featured notable personalities from the chess world — including Hikaru Nakamura, Levy Rozman, and Anna Cramling — as well as top creators like Mark Rober

. In the channel’s most-watched video, Moist Cr1TiKaL checkmates xQc in six moves.

The tournament that gave us the Moist Cr1TiKaL Scholar’s Mate is called Pogchamps, and it represents the future of chess programming. By pitting influencers against one another and turning their blunders into teachable moments, Chess.com grows the game while improving the average viewer’s rating. The most recent edition of Pogchamps, which was described as the “6 7” version of the event, was noted for including Jynxzi in the midst of his journey to become a better chess player.

If Chess.com wants to do more events like Pogchamps, Roberts is the right man for the job. At Riot Games, where he served as Global Head of Marketing Events, Roberts led fan experiences and campaigns for popular esports titles like League of Legends and Valorant.

Chess players have abundant choices for platform-based play. They can check out free sites like Lichess, explore variants like Chess 2, and even receive lessons from the grandmaster known as the Duolingo Owl. Even in that competitive scene, Chess.com is ahead of the pack as the ambassador for the chess renaissance. The company’s latest hire will keep the checkmates coming.