Anichess
Anichess is a Hong Kong-based Web3 chess gaming subsidiary of Animoca Brands, combining traditional chess with spell mechanics on the Base blockchain. It serves chess players and Web3 enthusiasts globally through a free-to-play platform, $CHECK utility token, and partnerships with Chess.com and Magnus Carlsen.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersHong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Anichess does
Anichess is a Web3 chess gaming platform that combines traditional chess mechanics with spell-based abilities, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands (HKEX: 1110). The company builds on the Base blockchain and offers a free-to-play core game, a single-player Anichess Mini Game, Ethernals NFT collectibles, staking mechanics, and a skill-based leaderboard. Its $CHECK utility token (1 billion fixed supply) enables tournament entry, staking for Mate Points, collectible unlocking, and governance participation following a November 2025 integration.
The company's flagship partnerships include Chess.com (100M+ registered users) and world #1 chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, alongside other official partner players. Anichess distributes globally via its web platform (anichess.com) and the Base App store, with social or blockchain-wallet login. Additional partnerships with the Play Magnus Group, Checkmate Foundation, and sponsorship of Team Scholastic Anichess at FIDE events support its chess-education positioning. Funding to date totals $3.3 million across a $1.5M seed (June 2023) and a $1.8M round led by Sfermion and Amber Group (April 2024), with investors including Aspen Digital, Fenbushi Capital, SNZ Holding, 708 Capital, Asymmetry Capital, Bing Ventures, GameFi Ventures, and Koda Capital.
Anichess monetizes through a freemium model: the core game is free to play, with optional paid tournament entry, collectible purchases, and staking mechanics driven by $CHECK. Go-to-market is product-led and community-led, relying on Discord engagement, seasonal content updates (e.g., Season 8: Overpowered), competitive tournaments such as the Road to Magnus Series ($50K prize pool), and cross-promotion through Chess.com. Customer segments include traditional chess players seeking novel gameplay and Web3/crypto enthusiasts interested in tokenized gaming economies, with over one million registered wallets reported as a scale indicator.
Anichess firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Anichess
- Legal name
- Anichess
- Website
- https://anichess.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Anichess is a Hong Kong-based Web3 chess gaming subsidiary of Animoca Brands, combining traditional chess with spell mechanics on the Base blockchain. It serves chess players and Web3 enthusiasts globally through a free-to-play platform, $CHECK utility token, and partnerships with Chess.com and Magnus Carlsen.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Anichess industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Web3 Gaming
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- GameFi Economies & Token Systems (tokens, staking, sinks/sources, inflation control) (FSAPAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- In-Game Asset Standards & Infrastructure (NFT items, marketplaces, royalties, asset registries) (FSAPAGAE), Play-to-Earn & Reward Platforms (questing, loyalty, airdrop mechanics) (FSAPAGAH), Player Wallets, Identity & Accounts for Games (embedded wallets, SSO, DID) (FSAPAGAF), Guilds, Scholarship & Player Networks (asset renting, delegation, communities) (FSAPAGAI)
Keywords
Where Anichess is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hong Kong
- HQ country
- Hong Kong SAR China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Anichess business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Token Ecosystem: Revenue generated through $CHECK token utility including tournament entry fees, collectible purchases, and staking mechanisms. Token serves as medium of exchange within the platform ecosystem.
- Free-to-Play Core Game: Core chess game is free-to-play with optional premium features, collectibles, and competitive entry fees for tournaments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free-to-play base game with optional token-purchased features |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Anichess product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Anichess develops and operates a free-to-play Web3 chess platform that combines traditional chess with proprietary spell-based mechanics (e.g., Parkour Mech piece transformation). The platform includes the main Anichess game, the single-player Anichess Mini Game, the $CHECK utility token, the Ethernals NFT collectibles, staking, and skill-based competitive leaderboards and tournaments such as the Road to Magnus Series.
Product overview
Anichess is a Web3-based chess platform developed in partnership with Chess.com and Magnus Carlsen, combining traditional chess with spell-based strategy gaming elements. The core offering is the Anichess chess game, supplemented by the Anichess Mini Game (a single-player puzzle experience), the $CHECK token ecosystem, staking features, Ethernals collectibles, and a skill-based leaderboard system. The platform is a subsidiary of Animoca Brands and is accessible via blockchain wallets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Anichess
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million registered wallets on platform
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Anichess
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Anichess technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Anichess partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Chess.comflagshipStrategic partnership with Chess.com (100M+ registered users) for Web3 chess game development. Chess.com is the leading online chess platform providing distribution reach, credibility, and integration for Anichess.
- Magnus CarlsenflagshipWorld #1 chess grandmaster as official partner player. Provides strategic input on game development and serves as primary ambassador. Quote: 'Anichess is bringing innovation to chess with spells and strategy gaming elements that provide a refreshing chess experience.'
- Play Magnus GroupcoreInitial partnership for decentralized chess game development. Play Magnus Group brings chess expertise and tournament experience.
- Checkmate FoundationcoreAnichess is the initial launch partner of the Checkmate Foundation and first to adopt the $C token to empower its ecosystem.
- Official Partner PlayerscoreGrandmasters including David Antón Guijarro, Sopiko Guramishvili, David Howell, and Anish Giri serve as official partner players alongside Magnus Carlsen.
- Animoca BrandsflagshipHong Kong-based Animoca Brands is the parent company of Anichess. Fortune Crypto 40 company, Deloitte Tech Fast winner, providing strategic direction, funding, and portfolio synergies.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Anichess competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gods Unchained: Gods Unchained is a Web3 trading card game built on Immutable with NFT card ownership. It is comparable as a strategy-based Web3 game with token and NFT economies, also under the Animoca Brands portfolio.
- STEPN: STEPN is a move-to-earn Web3 game with a token economy (GMT, GST). It is comparable as a token-driven Web3 gaming peer whose user base similarly depends on crypto market cycles and token economics.
- Lichess: Lichess is the leading open-source, ad-free online chess platform serving tens of millions of players. It competes for the same online chess community as Anichess, though without spell mechanics or Web3 tokenization.
- Chess24: Chess24 is a major online chess platform offering play, lessons, and broadcasts (now merged with Chess.com). It competes in the same online chess market Anichess targets, though without spell mechanics or blockchain features.
- Axie Infinity: Axie Infinity is a pioneering Web3 play-to-earn game with token and NFT economies. It is comparable as a category-defining Web3 gaming peer with token-based monetization, though in a different genre (creature battling vs. chess).
Broad incumbents
- The Sandbox: The Sandbox is a Web3 virtual world and game-creation platform with a strong token (SAND) and NFT economy. It is a fellow Animoca Brands portfolio company and a comparable Web3 gaming/metaverse peer.
- Chess.com: Chess.com is the world's leading online chess platform with 100M+ users and Anichess's strategic partner. It is the dominant incumbent in chess gaming; Anichess targets the same player base with a Web3-enabled variant and spell mechanics.
Emerging players
- Sorare: Sorare is a fantasy sports NFT game combining collectible cards with token-based rewards. Comparable as a token-and-NFT-driven gaming peer with tiered competitive play and real-world sports partnerships.
- Illuvium: Illuvium is an open-world RPG built on Immutable with NFT creature collection and token rewards. Comparable as a high-budget Web3 gaming peer with token and NFT economies targeting strategy-oriented gamers.
- Gamee (by Animoca Brands): Gamee is a mobile casual gaming platform by Animoca Brands with token rewards (GMEE). It is comparable as a sister Animoca subsidiary focused on Web3-enabled casual gaming with token utility.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Anichess social profiles
Digital presenceAnichess financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Anichess leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Anichess funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors11 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Anichess M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Anichess
What does Anichess do?
Anichess develops and operates a free-to-play Web3 chess platform that combines traditional chess with proprietary spell-based mechanics (e.g., Parkour Mech piece transformation). The platform includes the main Anichess game, the single-player Anichess Mini Game, the $CHECK utility token, the Ethernals NFT collectibles, staking, and skill-based competitive leaderboards and tournaments such as the Road to Magnus Series.
Is Anichess a public or private company?
Anichess is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Anichess founded?
Anichess was founded in 2023. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Anichess based?
Anichess is headquartered in Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China, in the Asia region.
How does Anichess make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Token Ecosystem is the primary driver. The others are free-to-Play Core Game.
Who are Anichess's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gods Unchained, STEPN, Lichess, Chess24 and Axie Infinity. Broad incumbents are The Sandbox and Chess.com. Emerging players are Sorare, Illuvium and Gamee (by Animoca Brands).
Does Anichess have an API?
No public API is recorded for Anichess.
What industry is Anichess in?
Anichess's product category is Web3 Gaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPAGAG, GameFi Economies & Token Systems (tokens, staking, sinks/sources, inflation control), with a secondary code of FSAPAGAE, In-Game Asset Standards & Infrastructure (NFT items, marketplaces, royalties, asset registries). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7990.