Chess
Šachy.cz is a Czech e-commerce retailer founded in 2017, selling chess sets, clocks, software, and accessories to hobby players, chess clubs, and schools across the Czech Republic via a nationwide Zásilkovna delivery network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLiberec, Czechia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Chess does
Šachy.cz (legal entity: sachy.cz) is a Czech e-commerce retailer founded in 2017 and headquartered in Liberec, Czech Republic. The company operates a specialized online store at eshop.sachy.cz selling chess equipment including wooden, magnetic, plastic, and marble chess sets; digital and mechanical chess clocks (notably the DGT line and GARDE mechanical clocks); chess software (ChessBase 26, Fritz 21, training programs); electronic chess computers (DGT Centaur); chess books; and gift vouchers. The product range spans budget items (plastic tournament sets from 590 Kč) to premium collectibles (Man Ray chess set at 16,990 Kč), with all pricing denominated in Czech Koruna.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model with hybrid B2B/B2C positioning, explicitly serving chess clubs, school chess circles, and organized groups (with dedicated landing pages and bulk discounts) alongside individual hobby players. Distribution is nationwide within the Czech Republic via Zásilkovna's network of over 9,000 pickup points, complemented by free personal pickup in Liberec. The company employs 1-10 people, operates without disclosed external funding or parent company ownership, and supports same-day shipping for orders placed before 11:00. Customer engagement is supported through phone and email consultation, Heureka.cz verified reviews, and an online chess room at herna.sachy.cz.
The company monetizes through unit pricing on hardware, one-time/perpetual licenses on downloadable software, gift voucher sales, and affiliate-style bulk pricing for institutional buyers. There is no disclosed revenue, no AI capability, and no proprietary technology platform beyond a standard Shoptet-hosted storefront. Note: a partnership entry referencing Erling Haaland and Chess Mates/Norway Chess appears in the source data but relates to a separate chess tournament entity and is not attributable to Šachy.cz operations.
Chess firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chess
- Legal name
- sachy.cz
- Website
- https://eshop.sachy.cz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Šachy.cz is a Czech e-commerce retailer founded in 2017, selling chess sets, clocks, software, and accessories to hobby players, chess clubs, and schools across the Czech Republic via a nationwide Zásilkovna delivery network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chess industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Chess Equipment Retail
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Board Game & Puzzle Specialty Retailers (CRALALAA)
Keywords
Where Chess is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Liberec
- HQ country
- Czechia
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Chess business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chess sets and accessories |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Chess software (downloadable) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chess clocks |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift vouchers |
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Chess product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chess (šachy.cz) is a Czech e-commerce retailer of chess equipment, selling wooden, magnetic, plastic, and marble chess sets, digital and mechanical chess clocks (DGT 1002/1500/2010/3000 and GARDE), electronic chess computers (DGT Centaur), chess software (ChessBase 26, Fritz 21, training programs) with Czech localization, chess books and accessories, and gift vouchers. The company serves individual hobby players as well as chess clubs, school circles, and tournament organizers with bulk pricing and expert consultation, shipping orders placed before 11:00 the same business day across the Czech Republic.
Product overview
Šachy.cz is a Czech e-commerce retailer operating since 2017 that sells a comprehensive range of chess products. The product portfolio includes: (1) Chess sets in various materials (wooden, magnetic, plastic, marble), (2) Chess clocks including DGT digital and GARDE mechanical models, (3) Chess software such as ChessBase 26 and Fritz 21 for analysis and training, (4) Electronic chess computers like DGT Centaur, (5) Chess books and training materials, and (6) Gift vouchers. The company also operates an online chess room (herna.sachy.cz). The offerings target both club/hobby players and competitive/tournament players, with products ranging from budget travel sets to premium hand-carved wooden sets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chess Sets (Šachové soupravy) Complete chess sets in wooden, magnetic, plastic, and marble variants sold for club, tournament, travel, decorative, and gift use, including the standard Czech 'Česká klubovka' club set and special variants such as a three-player hexagonal set.
- Chess Clocks (Šachové hodiny) Digital and mechanical chess clocks for tournament play, including FIDE-approved DGT models and a classic mechanical GARDE clock in a wooden case, with volume discount tiers available.
- Chess Software (Šachový software) Downloadable chess software for analysis, training, and play, including ChessBase 26 databases, Fritz 21 engine, training programs (openings, middlegame, endgame), and Czech-language versions of children's chess programs.
- Chess Computers (Šachové počítače) Electronic chess computers such as the DGT Centaur that play against a human opponent at multiple difficulty levels.
- Gift Vouchers (Dárkové poukazy) Store gift vouchers in fixed denominations of 500 Kč, 1,000 Kč, and 1,500 Kč redeemable for any product in the e-shop.
- Czech Club Chess Set (Šachová souprava česká klubovka) Wooden chess set with hornbeam pieces and an improved construction, described as the most commonly used set in the Czech Republic and suitable for competitive play.
- Magnetic Travel Chess (Magnetické cestovní šachy) Compact magnetic chess set in Staunton style with hornbeam wood pieces, lead weights, and integrated magnets, designed for travel.
- DGT 1500 Chess Clock Digital chess clock with decimal digit display for tenths of seconds and a time handicap function, aimed at rapid and blitz play.
- DGT 2010 Chess Clock Professional FIDE-official digital chess clock with 22 preset options supporting both recreational and competitive play; sold with volume discount tiers (1-4 units at 1,340 Kč, 5-7 at 1,286 Kč, 8+ at 1,233 Kč).
- DGT 3000 Chess Clock Advanced professional digital chess clock fully compliant with FIDE rules and regulations, featuring a larger display and connectivity to DGT electronic chessboards.
- GARDE Mechanical Chess Clock (Mechanické šachové hodiny GARDE) Classic mechanical chess clock in a wooden case, marketed as the model used in the 1972 Fischer-Spassky World Championship match.
- ChessBase 26 Personal chess database program distributed as a downloadable, Czech-localized version for chess analysis and preparation, used by both world champions and amateurs.
- Fritz 21 Downloadable chess engine and training program with Czech-language support, targeted at club players and tournament-level players.
Companies that use Chess
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Chess technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Chess partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Chess MatescoreChess Mates was established by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Norwegian business leader Morten Borge to become a significant owner of Norway Chess and its Total Chess World Championship Tour. The company was created specifically for this investment partnership.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Chess competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Chess24: Major online chess platform offering play, training, and tournaments, with an equipment retail arm. A broader incumbent that intersects Šachy.cz's customer base at the software and event-merchandise layer.
- Chess.com: The dominant global online chess platform, also selling equipment and software alongside subscription training. Competes for the same serious-player wallet share that Šachy.cz targets, but on a vastly broader platform-and-content basis.
Others
- ChessBase: Publisher of ChessBase database software and the Fritz engine, both sold through Šachy.cz. A critical upstream content/supplier partner rather than a direct retail competitor.
- DGT (Digital Game Technology): Manufacturer of FIDE-approved digital chess clocks and electronic boards that Šachy.cz resells. Comparable as a chess hardware ecosystem participant, and a key supplier in the company's product mix.
Direct peers
- Chess & Bridge: Long-established UK-based chess specialty retailer selling sets, clocks, software, and books. Closely comparable to Šachy.cz as a dedicated single-category chess e-commerce specialist serving clubs and individual players.
- House of Staunton: US chess retailer and manufacturer of Staunton-style sets, clocks, and boards sold to clubs, schools, and individuals. Comparable as a vertically-inclined chess specialist serving the same club/school procurement use case.
- The Chess Store: US-focused online chess retailer with a broad assortment of sets, boards, clocks, and accessories for tournament and casual players. Directly comparable in product breadth and customer segmentation to Šachy.cz.
Regional players
- Europe Echecs: Leading French chess specialty retailer carrying sets, clocks, software, and books. Comparable assortment and target customer, but operating in a different national market with no direct Czech overlap.
- Schachversand Niggemann: One of Germany's largest chess mail-order and online retailers, serving clubs and individual players with a comparable assortment. Regional peer serving the DACH market rather than Czechia.
- Chessbazaar: India-based online chess retailer offering handcrafted wooden sets, boards, and accessories globally. Comparable in product category and direct-to-consumer model, but operating primarily from a different geography and supplier base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Chess social profiles
Digital presenceChess financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chess leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Chess funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chess 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 Chess
What does Chess do?
Chess (šachy.cz) is a Czech e-commerce retailer of chess equipment, selling wooden, magnetic, plastic, and marble chess sets, digital and mechanical chess clocks (DGT 1002/1500/2010/3000 and GARDE), electronic chess computers (DGT Centaur), chess software (ChessBase 26, Fritz 21, training programs) with Czech localization, chess books and accessories, and gift vouchers. The company serves individual hobby players as well as chess clubs, school circles, and tournament organizers with bulk pricing and expert consultation, shipping orders placed before 11:00 the same business day across the Czech Republic.
Is Chess a public or private company?
Chess is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chess founded?
Chess was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Chess based?
Chess is headquartered in Liberec, Czechia, in the Europe region.
Who are Chess's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Chess24 and Chess.com. Others are ChessBase and DGT (Digital Game Technology). Direct peers are Chess & Bridge, House of Staunton and The Chess Store. Regional players are Europe Echecs, Schachversand Niggemann and Chessbazaar.
Does Chess have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chess.
What industry is Chess in?
Chess's product category is Chess Equipment Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALALAA, Board Game & Puzzle Specialty Retailers. Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.