How Erik Allebest Built $150 Million+ Chess Empire
How a 1,500-Year-Old Game Became an Online Sensation
It started as a simple idea in 2005—a hub for chess enthusiasts to connect, chat, and share their love for the game.
Erik Allebest and Jay Severson, two college buddies with a shared passion for strategy, had just purchased the domain Chess.com for $55,000.
Initially, it was a forum, but then the demand for online play began to soar.
In 2007, they launched the first subscription-based version of Chess.com.
Within a few years, the platform began to gain members and marked its place as the go-to site for chess lovers.
In 2023, it hosted the…
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