Chess.com Announces Chemmys Awards

The 73rd Emmy Awards is approaching fast, and chess fans have good reason to be excited about the ceremony. On September 19, chess enthusiasts will finally know how many awards will come from the 18 nominations The Queen's Gambit has received.

It's no secret that the Netflix miniseries that had chess as a central part of its story won the hearts of players worldwide. However, it also transcended the 64 squares and took over the homes of millions of people who never played the game before.

According to Netflix, 68 million households watched the show in less than a month, making it their most successful scripted limited series to date. The Queen's Gambit also made it to Netflix's top-ten list in 92 countries and ranked number one in 63 countries.

The miniseries' success outside of the usual chess circles led to an impressive boom in worldwide interest for the game. Google searches for "chess" and "how to play chess" peaked right after the show's release, chess sets sold out everywhere, Chess.com gained millions of new users, "Chess" became one of the most popular categories on Twitch... And the list goes on! Beth Harmon changed the chess landscape like few other players, real or fictitious, ever did.

Now, chess fans patiently await this year's Emmys ceremony, hoping to see their beloved show receiving the awards it truly deserves.

Will Anya Taylor-Joy earn the prestigious "Outstanding Lead Actress" award for her stunning performance as Beth Harmon? Will Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Moses Ingram be recognized for their incredible performance as Benny Watts and Jolene? Those are only a few of the statuettes we hope to see the show bring home.

To celebrate the accolades the miniseries have received, Chess.com will be running our own online ceremony, the Chemmys, and we want you to be a part of it!

In the upcoming days before the Emmys, we want to nominate and award the best chess content creators we all know and love. For nine out of the 18 categories in which The Queen's Gambit excelled, the chess community will have the power to nominate and vote for their favorite creators!

Nomination And Voting

This event is all about having fun while we wait for the Emmys, and you are an integral part of it! Share on Twitter which creator you think should be nominated for each category below and use the hashtag #Chemmys.

There will be nine different categories, following some of The Queen's Gambit nominations. They are:

Outstanding Lead Actress

Do you have a favorite female streamer? Show her your support by nominating her to this award!

Best Supporting Actor

Sometimes your favorite streamer is not playing chess but commentating on other people's games. If you love one of the many great male chess commentators out there, this is the category for them.

Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series

Whether they're speedrunning, teaching us about openings, or sharing advice on how to get better at chess, many creators have fantastic video or stream series. Nominate the person who came up with the best series here!

Voting will start on Sept. 9th on Twitter. Don't forget to check out Chess.com's official account to vote for your favorite creators who make it to the nominee's list!

Best Writing For A Limited Anthology Series

Ok, we know your content creator is probably not writing a limited anthology series. However, there are some creators out there who are great meme-makers or jokesters. You can nominate them for this category!

Best Cinematography

Do you appreciate watching a stream with great overlays? What about streamers and YouTubers who work with photography? Here's their category.

Best Period Costumes

Some creators go to great lengths to make their content even better for their audience. You can nominate creators who wear different costumes or get dressed up for their streams or videos for this category.

Best Music Composition

Yes, some creators do enjoy showing off their musical skills: flutes, freestyle rapping, and even remixes of grandmaster catch-phrases. The chess world has seen it all! And now it's time to nominate the best music compositors out there.

Best Music Lyrics

You'd be surprised if you paid attention to some of the lyrics written by chess creators out there. Maybe even positively so. Here's a category for the wittiest, funniest, or even most awkward lyricists in the chess world!

Main Title Design

If there's one thing good creators share, it's creativity. Well-written stream and video titles, eye-catching thumbnails, you name it! This category is for those who excel at the art of pulling you in to watch their content.

Chemmys Ceremony

Chess.com will host an official Chemmys ceremony on September 19, concurrent with CBS's 73 Emmys ceremony. Join the fun during our live broadcast with hosts Andrea Botez and QTCinderella on Chess.com/TV and on our Twitch and YouTube channels.