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Magnus Carlsen’s start-up Take Take Take takes aim at Chess.com with move into play and learn tools  Magnus Carlsen’s chess startup ‌Take Take Take announced on Monday it was pushing into the play ​and learning markets central to Chess.com’s core business, despite commercial ties preventing ⁠him from promoting the venture directly.Five-time classical chess world champion Carlsen is a major shareholder and co-founder of Take Take Take, which is expanding from a content platform into tools for playing and improving at ‌chess, long seen as the backbone of Chess.com’s dominance.Yet Carlsen will step back from promotion as part of an agreement when Chess.com acquired Carlsen’s Play ‌Magnus group in 2022, a deal that brought several leading products — including Chess24 — under ‌its ⁠umbrella and cemented its position at the centre of the online chess ecosystem.“Because ⁠my co-founder and the biggest shareholder is Magnus Carlsen, and he is also an ambassador for Chess.com. There are limitations to how Magnus can then promote Take Take Take because it’s in conflict with the agreement with ​Chess.com,” co-founder and CEO Mats Andre Kristiansen ‌told        Reuters.“It’s not a great situation to be in for either us or Magnus. I think for Magnus, it’s frustrating because he’s super excited about what we’re building,” he added.Take Take Take has sought to accelerate its entry into the market through a partnership with ‌Lichess, the free, open-source platform that has long positioned itself as a non-commercial ​alternative to Chess.com.ALSO READ | I don’t deserve this point: Vaishali on win against Tan in FIDE Candidates 2026, Round 7The tie-up gives the startup immediate access to an existing player base, avoiding the need to build a network from scratch.Take Take Take’s ⁠move marks a shift for a company that had until now stayed clear of confrontation with Chess.com.“My first meeting with Chess.com was in 2023… literally the first thing he (CEO and co-founder ‌Erik Allebest) ever said to me was, never enter play and never enter learn. That’s ours. And I found that quite intimidating,” Kristiansen said.Kristiansen stressed the aim was not necessarily to displace the market leader, arguing the competitive landscape could broaden.“First of all, our goal is not necessarily to kind of dethrone Chess.com. They are a great product and they’ve done a great amount of things for the chess ecosystem,” he said.PUSHBACKKristiansen stressed that Norwegian Carlsen intends to ‌respect the obligations he has with Chess.com, even if it limits how visibly he can back Take ​Take Take.“I think also Magnus has tremendous respect for Chess.com and the agreement and is going to honour their agreement, and that’s why he’s pulling out ⁠of … the promotional stuff for us. It’s hard to sort of silence Magnus Carlsen,” he said.The move ⁠comes as new ventures emerge across the chess ecosystem.Endgame.ai, promoted by American grandmaster Hans Niemann, is targeting performance and development tools, while ChessMonitor, backed by grandmaster Anish ‌Giri, is focusing on analytics and preparation.Kristiansen said Take Take Take would try to win users with products rather than personalities and expects Chess.com to respond.“I don’t expect ​Chess.com to kind of ignore this, and it will certainly come with a reaction on their side,” he said.Published on Apr 06, 2026  #Magnus #Carlsens #startup #takes #aim #Chess.com #move #play #learn #tools

Magnus Carlsen’s start-up Take Take Take takes aim at Chess.com with move into play and learn tools

Magnus Carlsen’s chess startup ‌Take Take Take announced on Monday it was pushing into the play ​and learning markets central to Chess.com’s core business, despite commercial ties preventing ⁠him from promoting the venture directly.

Five-time classical chess world champion Carlsen is a major shareholder and co-founder of Take Take Take, which is expanding from a content platform into tools for playing and improving at ‌chess, long seen as the backbone of Chess.com’s dominance.

Yet Carlsen will step back from promotion as part of an agreement when Chess.com acquired Carlsen’s Play ‌Magnus group in 2022, a deal that brought several leading products — including Chess24 — under ‌its ⁠umbrella and cemented its position at the centre of the online chess ecosystem.

“Because ⁠my co-founder and the biggest shareholder is Magnus Carlsen, and he is also an ambassador for Chess.com. There are limitations to how Magnus can then promote Take Take Take because it’s in conflict with the agreement with ​Chess.com,” co-founder and CEO Mats Andre Kristiansen ‌told Reuters.

“It’s not a great situation to be in for either us or Magnus. I think for Magnus, it’s frustrating because he’s super excited about what we’re building,” he added.

Take Take Take has sought to accelerate its entry into the market through a partnership with ‌Lichess, the free, open-source platform that has long positioned itself as a non-commercial ​alternative to Chess.com.

ALSO READ | I don’t deserve this point: Vaishali on win against Tan in FIDE Candidates 2026, Round 7

The tie-up gives the startup immediate access to an existing player base, avoiding the need to build a network from scratch.

Take Take Take’s ⁠move marks a shift for a company that had until now stayed clear of confrontation with Chess.com.

“My first meeting with Chess.com was in 2023… literally the first thing he (CEO and co-founder ‌Erik Allebest) ever said to me was, never enter play and never enter learn. That’s ours. And I found that quite intimidating,” Kristiansen said.

Kristiansen stressed the aim was not necessarily to displace the market leader, arguing the competitive landscape could broaden.

“First of all, our goal is not necessarily to kind of dethrone Chess.com. They are a great product and they’ve done a great amount of things for the chess ecosystem,” he said.

PUSHBACK

Kristiansen stressed that Norwegian Carlsen intends to ‌respect the obligations he has with Chess.com, even if it limits how visibly he can back Take ​Take Take.

“I think also Magnus has tremendous respect for Chess.com and the agreement and is going to honour their agreement, and that’s why he’s pulling out ⁠of … the promotional stuff for us. It’s hard to sort of silence Magnus Carlsen,” he said.

The move ⁠comes as new ventures emerge across the chess ecosystem.

Endgame.ai, promoted by American grandmaster Hans Niemann, is targeting performance and development tools, while ChessMonitor, backed by grandmaster Anish ‌Giri, is focusing on analytics and preparation.

Kristiansen said Take Take Take would try to win users with products rather than personalities and expects Chess.com to respond.

“I don’t expect ​Chess.com to kind of ignore this, and it will certainly come with a reaction on their side,” he said.

Published on Apr 06, 2026

#Magnus #Carlsens #startup #takes #aim #Chess.com #move #play #learn #tools

Magnus Carlsen’s chess startup ‌Take Take Take announced on Monday it was pushing into the play ​and learning markets central to Chess.com’s core business, despite commercial ties preventing ⁠him from promoting the venture directly.

Five-time classical chess world champion Carlsen is a major shareholder and co-founder of Take Take Take, which is expanding from a content platform into tools for playing and improving at ‌chess, long seen as the backbone of Chess.com’s dominance.

Yet Carlsen will step back from promotion as part of an agreement when Chess.com acquired Carlsen’s Play ‌Magnus group in 2022, a deal that brought several leading products — including Chess24 — under ‌its ⁠umbrella and cemented its position at the centre of the online chess ecosystem.

“Because ⁠my co-founder and the biggest shareholder is Magnus Carlsen, and he is also an ambassador for Chess.com. There are limitations to how Magnus can then promote Take Take Take because it’s in conflict with the agreement with ​Chess.com,” co-founder and CEO Mats Andre Kristiansen ‌told Reuters.

“It’s not a great situation to be in for either us or Magnus. I think for Magnus, it’s frustrating because he’s super excited about what we’re building,” he added.

Take Take Take has sought to accelerate its entry into the market through a partnership with ‌Lichess, the free, open-source platform that has long positioned itself as a non-commercial ​alternative to Chess.com.

ALSO READ | I don’t deserve this point: Vaishali on win against Tan in FIDE Candidates 2026, Round 7

The tie-up gives the startup immediate access to an existing player base, avoiding the need to build a network from scratch.

Take Take Take’s ⁠move marks a shift for a company that had until now stayed clear of confrontation with Chess.com.

“My first meeting with Chess.com was in 2023… literally the first thing he (CEO and co-founder ‌Erik Allebest) ever said to me was, never enter play and never enter learn. That’s ours. And I found that quite intimidating,” Kristiansen said.

Kristiansen stressed the aim was not necessarily to displace the market leader, arguing the competitive landscape could broaden.

“First of all, our goal is not necessarily to kind of dethrone Chess.com. They are a great product and they’ve done a great amount of things for the chess ecosystem,” he said.

PUSHBACK

Kristiansen stressed that Norwegian Carlsen intends to ‌respect the obligations he has with Chess.com, even if it limits how visibly he can back Take ​Take Take.

“I think also Magnus has tremendous respect for Chess.com and the agreement and is going to honour their agreement, and that’s why he’s pulling out ⁠of … the promotional stuff for us. It’s hard to sort of silence Magnus Carlsen,” he said.

The move ⁠comes as new ventures emerge across the chess ecosystem.

Endgame.ai, promoted by American grandmaster Hans Niemann, is targeting performance and development tools, while ChessMonitor, backed by grandmaster Anish ‌Giri, is focusing on analytics and preparation.

Kristiansen said Take Take Take would try to win users with products rather than personalities and expects Chess.com to respond.

“I don’t expect ​Chess.com to kind of ignore this, and it will certainly come with a reaction on their side,” he said.

Published on Apr 06, 2026

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When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making  When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.  #Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

Nellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky Bhasker

Tiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T Natarajan

Published on Aug 09, 2026

#TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8  Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky BhaskerTiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026  #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

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