Coffee Chess

Coffee Chess is a YouTube channel where a group of friends drink coffee, play blitz chess, and talk relentless trash. Founded in 2017, the channel has grown to 387,000 subscribers and accumulated over 176 million views across more than 3,000 videos.

The format is simple but effective: recurring characters like The Great Carlini, Boston Mike, Brooklyn Dave, Mark The Duck, and Thug Doug sit down for speed chess with a running commentary of banter and roasts. The chess itself is strong for a casual setting, and the trash talk is what keeps viewers coming back. Coffee Chess even invented its own rule called Clock Move, where making an illegal move while in check and hitting the clock means your opponent can capture your king outright.

The creator behind Coffee Chess has stated the mission is to make chess mainstream again, with a vision of chess communities forming in every coffee shop around the world. The channel spends 35 or more hours per week on production and is supported by a Patreon community of over 300 members. Notable chess personalities, including GM Hikaru Nakamura, have appeared on the channel.

Coffee Chess proves there is a real audience for chess content that feels like hanging out with friends rather than studying for a tournament. For viewers who want entertainment first and improvement second, it is one of the most consistent channels in the chess YouTube space.