Magnus Chess Academy Operations To Transition Back To Its Original Founders

Chess.com has announced an agreement with the founders of Silver Knights Chess, Adam and Daniel Weissbarth, to transition Magnus Chess Academy to them.

The deal will see one of the leading scholastic chess coaching providers in the U.S. rebranded under its former name while maintaining the same internal structure and operations. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

“This deal will allow Chess.com and the new owner to focus on their respective strengths in the online and in-person areas,” explained Dmitri Shneider, Vice President of Global Operations at Chess.com, adding “While Chess.com believes that Magnus Chess Academy is one of the best in-person programs in the world, ultimately, Chess.com is a digital business and we are doubling down our efforts on opportunities in those areas.”

Shneider said the deal aligns with Chess.com’s broader strategy to streamline its operations and concentrate on its core digital offerings, such as ChessKid.com, the popular platform for kids to learn and play chess. He expressed his admiration for the academy’s growth since partnering with Play Magnus in 2021.

"The number of schools and students served was at a record high as of year-end 2023," Shneider noted.

The Weissbarth brothers, who founded Silver Knights Chess in 2006, will continue to lead the academy. All student services will continue without interruption. This includes the academy’s popular online program, which has allowed kids to take their next step. The program has previously featured superstar grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, Judit Polgar, Anish Giri, former U.S Champions Yasser Seirawan and Stuart Rachels, and many other famous players. “The future is bright! We are getting back to our roots and continuing to teach chess every week to 6,000 kids in afterschool programs in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC,” Adam Weissbarth said.

Silver Knights Chess began as a small, local chess initiative by the Weissbarth brothers, who grew up with a passion for the game and a desire to share it with young learners. Over a decade, they grew the program into a robust educational institution before partnering with the Play Magnus Group in 2021. This collaboration helped expand their reach and impact, bringing the total number of kids taught since inception to over 120,000, including more than 50 state and national champions, across the United States and beyond.

Daniel Weissbarth said about the former world champion's impact on the academy: “With someone like Magnus, you know how he performs in a high-stakes chess game, but you really don’t know what he'll be like with a bunch of kids. He’s been amazing!" 

“With someone like Magnus, you know how he performs in a high-stakes chess game, but you really don’t know what he'll be like with a bunch of kids. He’s been amazing!

—Daniel Weissbarth, co-founder of Silver Knights Chess

Adam Weissbarth, a National Master with a USCF rating of 2255, serves as the president of the academy, while Daniel oversees operations. Both have personally taught thousands of students and have always emphasized a fun approach to learning chess—a value shared by Carlsen himself.

When asked about their future plans, the Weissbarth brothers expressed their excitement about the plans to grow the online program that provides high-quality chess education to students in North America, adding, “We’ve started to have regular meetups with all of the students that come to major tournaments like nationals and state championships, and those are amazing. It’s great to see the kids that have been learning and practicing together for years get to meet in person!”

Silver Knights Chess, which formally will transition its name away from Magnus Chess Academy within the next nine months, will continue to inspire a new generation of chess enthusiasts.