Anichess is a community-driven, magical chess game on Abstract, incubated by Animoca Brands and the exclusive Web3 partner of Chess.com. It combines classical chess strategy with a novel spell mechanic and positions itself as the flagship title of the Checkmate Ecosystem, powered by the upcoming CHECK token.

What is Anichess

Anichess was founded by Animoca Brands and built in collaboration with Chess.com, bringing blockchain ownership and programmable game mechanics to competitive chess. It has attracted mainstream chess figures including world champion Magnus Carlsen and grandmaster Anish Giri, and has amassed over 100 million views across TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch. The project raised $3.3M since 2023 and is the Checkmate Ecosystem's anchor title.

Gameplay

Matches follow standard chess rules but layer in a spell system that lets players cast abilities at key moments — adding strategic depth beyond pure positional play. Games are played on Abstract, with on-chain settlement enabling verifiable outcomes and native wallet integration via Abstract Global Wallet.

Economy & Assets

Anichess anchors the Checkmate Ecosystem, with CHECK as the forthcoming utility token. No CHECK token is live on a tracked DEX as of this writing; the asset layer will be added once the token launches. The project was incubated by animocabrands and operates as the Web3 gaming arm of the Chess.com partnership.