The Gift of Chess is a 501(C)(3) charitable organization transforming lives through our universal language of chess.
Join us as we donate 1 million chess sets globally by 2030, using chess as a simple, low-cost, and universally recognized tool to expand opportunity for all.
Countries Reached
Play Chess with Tunde Onakoya
We distribute chess sets globally, leveraging chess as a low-cost and high-impact opportunity catalyst, helping release human potential and creating meaningful connections across multiple layers of society. Our key initiatives include education, prison, and refugee outreach.
To date we have produced over 75,000 chess sets for global distribution. Our goal is to distribute 1,000,000 chess sets globally by 2030.
To date we have donated 1,000 plus chess sets to nearly 30 countries globally.
Each partner country has an assigned ambassador who is leading our micro distribution efforts (5 chess set gifts) across schools, orphanages, prisons, refugee camps, community centers and chess clubs.
We have also gifted 100 chess sets to each countries recognized federation.
Meet Susan Namangale.
The story of Susan Namangale. Learn how chess guided Susan’s journey, beginning as a young girl growing up in the small village of Chombo in Nkhotakota (Malawi), to becoming the 1st female president of an African Chess Federation, to being named The Global Head of The Gift of Chess.
Why Chess..
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Chess Sets and Access to Technology
The Gift of Chess distributes chess sets and access to chess technology, providing an equal opportunity to learn chess and benefit from the many life skills the game cultivates.
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Supportive Community
Each recipient of a chess set becomes part of a vibrant global community, pushing each other to new heights and creating a sense of belonging and inclusion.
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Expanded Opportunity and Connection
Chess is the great equalizer, a shared universal language that can help expand opportunities for all! Chess breaks down barriers and facilitates connection across age, race, gender and socioeconomic status. Heads of State can sit across the chessboard from children from slum communities and be perfectly equal.
The Gift of Chess initially launched in early 2021 as an effort to distribute 10,000 physical chess sets to public school students across New York City during the height of the pandemic.
After a successful launch in NYC, we have now expanded to three other initiatives globally - education, prison, and refugee outreach - with the ultimate goal of distributing 1,000,000 chess sets by 2030. You can learn more about these initiatives here.
If you would like to support The Gift of Chess we ask that you join us as a BUILDER.
We distribute chess sets globally, leveraging chess as a low-cost high-impact catalyst for opportunity. Our key initiatives include education, prison, and refugee outreach. Our goal is to donate 1,000,000 chess sets globally by 2030 through donating 1,000 plus chess sets to each country globally. We are asking 1,000 people globally to become BUILDERS and make a commitment to supporting us on a monthly basis.
$10 - Build a Chess Set (1 Set)
$50 - Build a Chess Program (5 Sets)
$150 - Build a Chess Community (3 Chess Programs)