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The Brief
LATEST ASSESSMENT
RECON · 1d ago Building· 5 shipped events in 30d· medium confidence· as of Jul 26

Anichess is running Season 9 with daily free tournaments and paid Gambit nights (100 $CHECK buy-in, doubled prize pools). $CHECK token listed on Bithumb 2 days ago. Free tournament pathway to 100k $CHECK playoff seat available—top 64 from Honor Points qualify without paying buy-ins. Next major event: doubled prize pool Gambit night with 8k $CHECK on the board (specific date unclear but recent).

$CHECK token Bithumb listingSeason 9 free-to-play tournament ladderGambit night prize pool increases
EvidenceRead from 20 posts1 tracked handleWindow Jul 13, 2026 – Jul 24, 2026
About

Anichess is a Web3 chess game from Animoca Brands and Chess.com, endorsed by five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, that layers spell-casting mechanics onto classic chess.

Gameplay

Anichess keeps standard chess rules but adds a magic-formula system — spells that introduce unpredictability and help level skill gaps. Competitive series like Road to Magnus and the Magnus Cup let players earn a seat to face Magnus Carlsen directly.

Economy & Assets

In-game progress is tracked with M8 (Mate) points. The broader Checkmate Ecosystem is powered by the CHECK strategy token, which is rolling into Anichess in stages. Anichess is Base-native — its token, gas and contracts live on Base — while ownership of in-game items is recorded on-chain.

Team & Backing

Anichess is developed by Animoca Brands in partnership with Chess.com, with an endorsement from Magnus Carlsen. It surfaces in the Abstract ecosystem through Abstract Global Wallet support and an Abstract Portal listing rather than being Abstract-native.

Recent developments

  • 2026-06-05 — Anichess Opens Road to Magnus Event to All Players — Anichess, the Web3 chess game on Abstract, has opened its 'Road to Magnus' event to all players, with ties to Magnus Carlsen and the upcoming CHECK token. (@AnichessGame)
  • 2026-06-08 — Anichess Announces June 16 Event Where Players Face Magnus Carlsen — Anichess will let four players compete against Magnus Carlsen on June 16. Top two on Standard leaderboard get direct seats; others must win an open arena. (@AnichessGame)
  • 2026-06-09 — Anichess Opens Qualifier for Chance to Face Magnus Carlsen — Anichess is hosting an open qualification tournament on June 13 where top players can earn a spot to face world champion Magnus Carlsen on June 16. (@AnichessGame)
  • 2026-06-09 — Anichess Tournament Narrows 1,000-Player Field to Face Magnus Carlsen — Over 1,000 players competed in a GreenPawns tournament for a chance to face Magnus Carlsen; one advanced to the top 16, with the match set for next week. (@AnichessGame)
  • 2026-06-11 — Anichess Confirms June 16 Event With Magnus Carlsen — Anichess set a June 16 date for a special event featuring world champion Magnus Carlsen, following a qualification tournament. (@AnichessGame)
  • 2026-06-14 — Anichess Launches Road to Magnus Knockout Tournament — Anichess' "Road to Magnus" knockout is live: 16 players fight through a single bracket for four seats against Magnus Carlsen, streaming on the Anichess YouTube channel and OpenSea. (@AnichessGame)
  • 2026-06-18 — Anichess Hosts Magnus Carlsen Simul at FIDE World Team Championships in Hong Kong — Anichess organized a live chess simul with world number one Magnus Carlsen at the FIDE World Team Championships in Hong Kong, featuring AI and challengers … (@AnichessGame)
  • 2026-06-19 — Community Champion Defeats Magnus Carlsen to Win Anichess Magnus Cup — A community player won the Anichess Magnus Cup, beating Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen and Bortnyk to claim the title and 300,000 CHECK tokens. (@AnichessGame)
  • 2026-07-09 — Anichess Launches Pre-Season 9 of The Circuit With Free Daily Tournaments — Anichess begins Pre-Season 9 of The Circuit on July 9 with free daily tournaments and CHECK prize pools, running through Sunday. (@AnichessGame)
  • 2026-07-13 — Anichess Season 9 Launches With Daily Tournaments and Flexible Play — Anichess kicks off Season 9 with daily tournaments, allowing players to skip days without penalty. Free events and gambit nights rotate weekly. (@AnichessGame)

Coverage

Where it sits

Last verified Jun 11, 2026
Media · 1
Anichess — Competitive Spell Chess
The Record

$CHECK · deep market

Market Overview

Market Sentiment