Duolingo adds chess to its educational courses!

Duolingo, widely known for revolutionizing language learning through gamification, is expanding its educational reach once again — this time into the strategic world of chess. The company has announced that chess lessons will soon be added to its app, joining its non-language offerings alongside music and math.

The new course is expected to launch in beta in mid-May, initially rolling out exclusively on iOS devices. According to Senior Product Manager Edwin Bodge, the goal is to make chess more approachable for newcomers and intermediate players alike. “We’re catering more to a beginner to medium-level player,” Bodge told CNET, underscoring the company’s mission to break down barriers to traditionally complex subjects.

Duolingo’s chess course will begin by assessing each user’s familiarity with the game. For total beginners, lessons will start with basic mechanics, including how each piece moves. As users advance, they’ll tackle interactive mini-puzzlesdesigned to reinforce piece movement and game logic. In these scenarios, players will face off against Oscar, one of Duolingo’s animated characters, attempting to capture specific pieces using designated pieces like a rook or bishop.

What sets Duolingo’s approach apart is its adaptive hint system. If users repeatedly try to make an invalid move, the app will provide visual guidance, including large directional arrows showing valid movements. However, it won’t penalize players for making suboptimal moves — instead, it will offer suggestions on better choices via a banner prompt. This aligns with Duolingo’s low-pressure, learning-focused philosophy.

Beyond mini-puzzles, learners can play full games against Oscar, with difficulty scaling based on user proficiency. At launch, players won’t be able to compete against one another — but Duolingo has confirmed that it’s exploring the possibility of player-vs-player functionality in future updates. That feature, however, won’t be included in the initial beta phase.

Duolingo also plans to expand access beyond iOS. Android support and additional language options are already in development and expected to roll out in the months following the beta launch. This aligns with Duolingo’s ongoing efforts to globalize its educational tools across platforms and demographics.

The chess course will be available in beta on iOS in mid-May, with broader access expected later in 2025.