CircleChess

CircleChess is an Indian technology company focused on chess education and chess tournament management through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Founded in 2023, CircleChess provides AI-powered coaching tools, online classes, and digital infrastructure for organizing chess tournaments. Its goal is to make structured chess learning accessible to players of all levels via technology, expert mentorship, and comprehensive online tools. With the help of the AI applications, learners can study chess from anywhere, at any time, efficiently and accurately.

History

CircleChess was founded in 2023 by Kumar Gaurav and Swati Agrawal. Initially, the company developed an AI-powered chess assistant on the WhatsApp platform, which helped players from registration to participating in tournaments with real-time updates. This assistant's success led to the launch of the Caissa AI Coach, the company's primary learning application.

After the initial success, CircleChess expanded into the fields of formal chess education and tournament management, partnering with chess professionals and organizations to develop its offerings.

Products and services

Caissa AI Coach (Caissa App)

The Caissa AI Coach (also known as the Caissa App) is a chess training application that uses machine learning to provide personalized feedback and instruction, just like a real coach.

The application tracks training progress, performance statistics, and has a game review tool that imports and analyzes online games from third-party chess game-play platforms. Additional features include a position trainer for reviewing past positions, a calculation trainer for board visualization practice, parental monitoring, and an over-the-board module for analyzing uploaded scoresheets.

Caissa School of Chess

The Caissa School of Chess offers comprehensive all-around chess education for absolute beginners to professionals, which includes live online classroom sessions from experienced coaches like GM Swapnil Dhopade, GM Sundararajan Kidambi, GM Shardul Gagare, GM Swayams Mishra, GM Akash Ganesan, GM Srinath Narayanan, and GM Vishnu Prasanna. The curriculum includes structured courses that range from foundational lessons to advanced chess theory, including endgame techniques. The platform also features psychology sessions with experts, peer-to-peer activities, and engagement, personalized mentorship to offer a well-rounded learning experience.

Tournament Management Platform

CircleChess offers a powerful, end-to-end digital platform built to streamline the discovery, registration, and management of chess tournaments. Designed for organizers and players alike, the platform simplifies everything from event listings and online registrations to automated pairings, live standings, and result tracking - all in one seamless interface.

Beyond technology, CircleChess is also actively shaping the chess calendar with high-quality events, including the popular CircleChess Rapid Rating Open and the fast-paced Bullet Bash series. These tournaments (hosted both online and offline) cater to a wide range of formats and skill levels, helping build a vibrant and inclusive chess community across India.

Sponsorships and events

In 2024, CircleChess became the title sponsor for the "American Gambits" team in the Global Chess League, which demonstrates the company's commitment to promoting competitive chess at the highest levels. The Bullet Bash tournament series featured fast-paced chess with shorter time controls, attracting participants from all around the world. The Bangalore Rapid Rating Open 2024, organized by CircleChess on June 1, 2024 attracted approximately 640 participants and featured a total prize fund of ₹200,000.

Programs

The CircleChess Community Partner Program is an initiative designed to bring together passionate chess enthusiasts, players, coaches, and content creators to promote chess education and foster a vibrant global chess community. Through content creation, community engagement, and event collaboration, the community partners help to grow the ecosystem and get access to exclusive tools, rewards and services.

Partnerships

CircleChess has established partnerships with some of the most prominent figures in the chess world, including world champion Gukesh Dommaraju who serves as an advisor and ambassador for the platform.{{cite news , title=CircleChess onboards Gukesh to transform the chess learning ecosystem , url=https://www.business-standard.com/content/press-releases-ani/circlechess-onboards-gukesh-to-transform-the-chess-learning-ecosystem-124111400658_1.html , accessdate=2025-04-16

Recognition

CircleChess has gained recognition in several prominent Indian media outlets for its innovative use of AI in chess coaching and for expanding access to chess education. Publications such as ''The Hindu'', ''ChessBase India'', and ''Business Standard'' have highlighted the company’s efforts to modernize chess training and bring world-class coaching to a broader audience.

References

External links

Official Website

Indian companies established in 2023
Technology companies of India
Technology companies established in 2023
Artificial intelligence companies
Chess organizations
Online chess