Duolingo is looking to help you master more than language skills. The learning app now has a new course you can take: chess.
The app just announced it will soon launch a new chess course. It will use short puzzles, such as moving a knight to the correct spot to practice its L-shaped movement or checkmating a king that’s stuck in a corner, to help teach you the game.
Duolingo chess will also let you play “mini-matches” or full games against Duolingo’s Oscar character, who serves as your coach through the lessons.
Also Read | YouTube Might Finally Help You Stop Scrolling (Kind Of)
Duolingo’s approach to chess will be very similar to the way they teach us languages with a “make chess as accessible as possible,” approach for all users. The course will offer lessons for a wide range of skill levels so that people can jump in at whatever level of familiarity they already have for chess.
Chess is actually not the first skill Duolingo will be teaching outside of languages. The app already offers music and math curriculums.
Duolingo’s chess course is launching in beta testing on iOS in English, according to Monica Earle, Duolingo’s PR director. Earle estimates that in four to six weeks, more people on iOS will be able to try it, and then it will head to Android and be available in other languages down the line.
