Chess.com launched a poker site and is planning even more classic games

<figure> <img alt="A screenshot of a bot match on Gambit" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Gambit" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/chess-com-gambit-launch-bot-match.png?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Chess.com has done one thing, and one thing very well, for almost 20 years, but now it's going beyond its domain name. The biggest name in online chess quietly launched its first companion site in beta back in May: <a href="https://www.gambit.com/">Gambit</a>, a free online poker website where players can learn the game without risking any real money. Now Gambit's ready to really get the ball rolling with its first livestreamed event and collaborations with content creators, and Chess.com is planning to branch out into even more games from here.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Chess.com's chief growth officer, Albert Cheng, told <em>The Verge</em> the company chose poker for its first companion site because, like ches …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/games/986302/chess-poker-expansion-gambit">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>