On July 20th, chessboards appeared in front of the Portals in Dublin, Vilnius, Philadelphia, and Lublin, turning each location into a public square for spontaneous connection. Passersby and chess lovers alike were invited to sit down and play, meeting strangers across continents through the universal language of chess.
The boards, provided by ChessUp, were remotely synced, allowing moves made in one city to appear instantly on the opponent’s board in another. Each match was broadcast live on Chess.com, sharing these real-world encounters with a global online audience.
“International Chess Day is a good reminder that chess really is for everyone,” said Danny Rensch, Chief Chess Officer at Chess.com. “It brings people together across generations, cultures, and even language barriers. That’s why we loved teaming up with Portals. It’s another awesome way to connect people through the game.”
Portals are technology sculptures providing a realtime, unfiltered livestream between identical Portals worldwide. They share an invitation to meet fellow humans above borders and differences, and to experience our world as it truly is - united and one.
In that same spirit of unity, chess is a collective human treasure and a universal language allowing people to meet above labels and categories. Like music or dance - chess is a medium to connect and participate in a shared human experience.
“Portals emerge as more than technological sculptures. They are a collective artwork we co-create as humanity every day — through spontaneous connections, shared moments, and creative expressions, from online posts and paintings to memes and coordinated events. Our partnership with Chess.com is just one example of how Portals can be a platform for wholesome human experiences.” Benediktas Gylys, Founder at Portals.org
With over 200 million global members, Chess.com is the largest online community of chess players in the world. Its partnership with Portals reflects a shared belief in the power of simple interactions to foster empathy and understanding across borders.
The event was realized as a global initiative involving the local chess clubs Trinity College Club (Dublin), ASAP (Philadelphia), Tri-Bridges Chess Club (Philadelphia), Chess League (Vilnius), Towarzyszenie Szachistów Cebularz (Lublin) and with generous support from Collectiv in Dublin.
About portals.org
Portals share an invitation to meet fellow humans above borders and prejudices and to experience our home – planet Earth – as it really is: united and one. Based in Vilnius and Berlin, Portals.org partners with cities, governments, and private organizations to build Portals worldwide. Since their inauguration in 2021, Portals have grown into a global network that serves as a bridge to a united planet.
About Chess.com
Founded in 2005, Chess.com is the world’s largest chess website, with a community of over 200 million members worldwide and more than 10 million games played daily. Bootstrapped from the beginning and built entirely remote, Chess.com has cultivated a unique culture grounded in creativity, purpose, and a deep love for bringing chess to everyone. Chess is one of the most popular games globally and Chess.com is committed to growing chess as a positive influence in the world. Chess.com was recognized by Fast Company’s list of Most Innovative Companies in 2024, as well as included on TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies in 2023.
