Thinkers Publishing
Thinkers Publishing is a privately-held Belgian chess book publisher founded by GM Romain Edouard, producing grandmaster-authored instruction, opening repertoires, and biographies sold direct-to-consumer in physical and e-book formats worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersNevele, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Thinkers Publishing does
Thinkers Publishing is a privately-held chess book publisher headquartered in Nevele, Belgium, founded by GM Romain Edouard and Daniël Vanheirzeele. The company produces high-quality instructional chess literature covering openings, middlegames, endgames, tactics, strategy, psychology, and biographies, authored primarily by grandmasters and titled in English plus Spanish, French, German, and Dutch editions. Its products are sold as physical books (paperback and hardback, typically €16-€50 per title) and e-books (PDF), distributed through a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront and the ForwardChess e-book marketplace.
The company's technology footprint is intentionally lightweight: standard e-commerce infrastructure (Shopify), Google Analytics for behavioral tracking, and PDF-based digital distribution. There is no proprietary software platform, mobile app, or AI-driven product. Content production relies on the authors' expertise combined with engine verification of variations, and the editorial product is differentiated by its layout choices (diagrams at end of variations) and the depth of multi-volume repertoires such as the Modernized opening series and Ivan Sokolov's middlegame trilogy.
The business model is straightforward direct-to-consumer publishing: one-time unit purchases of physical or digital books, with multi-volume bundle promotions and frequent discounts to lift average order value. The customer base is a long tail of amateur and advanced chess players (FIDE ~1400-2000+), chess coaches, and tournament competitors, reached through organic social (Facebook, Instagram), email, and content marketing on the company's own website. The company is founder-led, privately financed, and operates without disclosed external investment or institutional ownership.
Thinkers Publishing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thinkers Publishing
- Legal name
- Thinkers Publishing
- Website
- https://thinkerspublishing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Thinkers Publishing is a privately-held Belgian chess book publisher founded by GM Romain Edouard, producing grandmaster-authored instruction, opening repertoires, and biographies sold direct-to-consumer in physical and e-book formats worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thinkers Publishing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Chess Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)
Keywords
Where Thinkers Publishing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nevele
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Thinkers Publishing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Physical Book Sales: Thinkers Publishing generates revenue primarily through the direct sale of physical chess books (paperback and hardback editions) via its own e-commerce website. Prices range from approximately €16 to €50 per title, with discounts common. Books are shipped to customers globally.
- E-book Sales: E-books are sold through the company's own website and through the ForwardChess platform, providing a digital distribution channel alongside physical sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Paperback format for standard titles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hardback (exclusive/premium) format |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Opening Repertoire Multi-volume Series |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bundle Promotions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Multi-volume Author Collections |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Thinkers Publishing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thinkers Publishing is a specialty book publisher that produces and sells chess instructional books and e-books authored primarily by grandmasters and titled coaches. The catalog spans the full chess lifecycle: opening theory (Modernized series), middlegame strategy, endgame technique, tactics, chess psychology, and biographies/memoirs. Physical books are sold in paperback and hardback editions through the company's own e-commerce website, with e-books also distributed via the ForwardChess platform.
Product overview
Thinkers Publishing is a chess book publisher founded by GM Romain Edouard and Daniël Vanheirzeele, specializing in high-quality chess literature for players of all levels. Their product portfolio consists primarily of chess books and e-books covering all aspects of the game: opening theory (Modernized series covering Ruy Lopez, Najdorf, Nimzo-QGD, Benko Gambit, Philidor Defense, Slav Defense, Petrov's Defense, Flank Attacks, Reti, Trojan Knight, Grünfeld, and more), middlegame strategy (The Essence of Chess Strategy series by Boroljub Zlatanovic, Chess Middlegame Strategies series by Ivan Sokolov, Supreme Chess Understanding by Wojciech Moranda), endgame theory (Bishop Endings, Rook Endings, Improve Your Practical Play in the Endgame, Mastering Complex Endgames, Bishop vs Knight series), tactics (The Tactics Bible, Your Jungle Guide to Chess Tactics, 700 Armenian Tactics), and chess psychology/biography (David Navarra's My Chess World, My Most Memorable Interviews, Gata Kamsky Chess Gamer series, histories of Najdorf and Planinc). They also offer training books (Chess Calculation Training series, Sherlock's Method, Thinkers' Chess Academy), chess improvement books, and books applying chess to business and life skills. Products are available as physical books (paperback and hardback editions) and e-books through their webshop and ForwardChess platform. Their books feature contributions from world-class grandmasters and trainers, with titles in English and other languages including Spanish, French, Dutch, and German.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chess Opening Theory Books
Companies that use Thinkers Publishing
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Thinkers Publishing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Thinkers Publishing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ShopifycoreThinkers Publishing uses Shopify to power its online store at thinkerspublishing.com. Shopify handles the e-commerce infrastructure including product listings, shopping cart, checkout, payment processing, and order management. This is the company's primary sales platform.
- ForwardChesscoreForwardChess is an independent e-book platform for chess literature through which Thinkers Publishing distributes its e-book catalog. Thinkers Publishing products are listed on ForwardChess alongside other chess publishers, reaching an additional customer base of digital chess readers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Thinkers Publishing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ishi Press: Specializes in reprints and new editions of classic chess literature. Comparable as a specialty chess book publisher targeting serious players.
- Chess Stars: Bulgarian chess book publisher producing instructional books and tournament reportage. Comparable niche publisher in the same chess literature category.
- New In Chess: Long-established Dutch-based chess publisher producing books, magazines (New In Chess Magazine), and digital content. Directly comparable as a premium chess book publisher with similar distribution and audience.
- Everyman Chess: Major chess book publisher with a large backlist spanning openings, tactics, and strategy. Direct competitor with established distribution through bookshops and online retailers worldwide.
- Mongoose Press: US-based chess book publisher with a curated catalog of instructional and biographical titles. Comparable as a small specialty chess publisher focused on book formats.
- Russell Enterprises: US-based chess publisher producing instructional books and tournament books. Comparable niche publisher serving similar chess audiences.
- Gambit Publications: UK-based chess book publisher with a strong catalog of instructional titles. Comparable as a specialized chess publisher serving club and tournament players.
- Quality Chess: UK-based chess book publisher known for high-quality openings and middlegame titles by top grandmasters (e.g., the 'Grandmaster Repertoire' series). Closely comparable in catalog focus, author caliber, and target customer.
Emerging players
- Chessable: Digital chess training platform offering interactive courses and move-by-move opening repertoires. Comparable as an alternative learning format targeting the same chess improvement audience, with potential substitution risk for printed books.
Others
- Forward Chess: Independent e-book platform for chess literature that distributes Thinkers Publishing titles. Comparable as a distribution partner and as a digital chess content marketplace.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Thinkers Publishing social profiles
Digital presenceThinkers Publishing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thinkers Publishing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Thinkers Publishing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thinkers Publishing 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 Thinkers Publishing
What does Thinkers Publishing do?
Thinkers Publishing is a specialty book publisher that produces and sells chess instructional books and e-books authored primarily by grandmasters and titled coaches. The catalog spans the full chess lifecycle: opening theory (Modernized series), middlegame strategy, endgame technique, tactics, chess psychology, and biographies/memoirs. Physical books are sold in paperback and hardback editions through the company's own e-commerce website, with e-books also distributed via the ForwardChess platform.
Is Thinkers Publishing a public or private company?
Thinkers Publishing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Thinkers Publishing founded?
Thinkers Publishing was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Thinkers Publishing based?
Thinkers Publishing is headquartered in Nevele, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Thinkers Publishing make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Physical Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are E-book Sales.
Who are Thinkers Publishing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ishi Press, Chess Stars, New In Chess, Everyman Chess, Mongoose Press, Russell Enterprises, Gambit Publications and Quality Chess. Chessable is listed as an emerging player. Forward Chess is listed as an others.
Does Thinkers Publishing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thinkers Publishing.
What industry is Thinkers Publishing in?
Thinkers Publishing's product category is Chess Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAB, Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.). Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.