Announcing Major Additions to Streaming on Chess.com

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a chess streamer like Hikaru, GothamChess, or the Botez sisters? Or simply want to grow your audience online through chess? Well, we're making it easier than ever to get started! The all-new Chess.com Community Streamer Program lets you start streaming directly on the world’s biggest chess platform.

Even if you're not planning to become a streamer, but enjoy interacting with the community and following your favorite chess players on Twitch, we've got some upcoming changes that will make your life easier and more fun. Read on to find out!

What is the Community Streamer Program?

It’s exactly what it sounds like. Members of the Chess.com community are now able to livestream themselves playing chess games, solving puzzles, and more. You’ll be easily discoverable on the Chess.com platform, meaning that anyone will be able to start watching you beat your Puzzle Rush record, hit new rating heights, or blunder your queen.

While we can’t guarantee that you’ll be the next Benjamin Bok, it’s a great way to get more eyes on your stream and start establishing yourself as a regular part of the online chess community.

How does the Community Streamer Program work?

Getting started as a Community Streamer is simple. Connect your Twitch account to your Chess.com account in your Chess.com settings, make sure your category is set to ‘Chess’ on Twitch, and start streaming. You’ll then instantly show up on our list of live streamers, and your stream will be accessible to anyone who clicks on it.

What are the benefits of becoming a Community Streamer?

We want to support all chess streamers, whether they’re established superstars or just starting out. That’s why you’ll get some cool benefits from becoming a Community Streamer.

While actively streaming, you’ll receive:

• A listing on Chess.com/streamers and other places on the website
• An embed of your Twitch stream directly on your Chess.com profile
• A notification when a subscriber with a connected Twitch account challenges you
• A completely ad-free experience on Chess.com

You’ll also receive a special banner on your Chess.com profile showing that you’re a Community Streamer (this will be there even when you’re offline).

Additional changes and improvements for non-streamers:

We've also implemented some new features that make it easier than ever to follow and engage with all of your favorite streamers:

• Our new 'Streamers' widget can be found in lots of places (including Chess.com/TV, Chess.com/Play, and more) and tells you exactly who's live at any given time.
• The integration of online streamers with our Play menu makes it easier than ever to challenge chess streamers who you're subscribed to.
• When you're playing against someone who's streaming (or even watching a game in which a streamer is playing on Chess.com), you'll get a notification banner letting you know.
• Even if you're not a Community Streamer yourself, you can connect your Twitch account to your Chess.com account and get an ad-free experience (note: you must be subbed to the primary Chess.com Twitch channel) for this to work!

Community Streamer FAQs:

How do I get started?

Connect your Twitch account to your Chess.com account in your Chess.com settings, make sure your Twitch category is set to ‘Chess’, and start streaming.

I don't know how to stream, but I'd like to start... where should I begin?

Check out this article, which provides guidance, including video tutorials, on how to set up for your first stream.

Do I need to be a popular streamer already?

No! This program is open to everyone who’d like to share their love of chess with an online audience.

Can I play something other than chess?

Sure! Just make sure you switch your Twitch game category from chess to the appropriate game first.

Does this mean I’m a member of the Chess.com Streamers' Program?

The Community Streamer program is accessible to everyone, and is different from the Chess.com Partner Streamers' Program. With that being said, if your channel turns out to be the next big thing, you should consider filling out an application.

Questions? Comments? Do you have additional ideas for anything you'd love to see? Let us know!