Great work culture - werkgeversreview Senior Software Engineer bij Chess.com

- Generally relaxed work culture - Incredible flexibility due to remote work - 99% of people here are good people and fun to work with - Interesting though still niche product - Seeing incredible growth in recent years

- Below market pay (they are working on this) - Lack of clear strategy at times, feels reactive - Senior leadership hired externally has generally been terrible, with a couple exceptions (need more internal promotions/growth) - Lack of solid retention incentives for top talent (though this is slowly improving, a bit late however)

When I interviewed at Chess.com, I was told it might just be the best job of my life due to the flexibility of remote work and learning from people all over the world. At the time, I was skeptical, fresh off a rough corporate experience and not quite ready to believe the hype. But wow… a few months in, and I can honestly say this place has exceeded every expectation. The people here are genuine, kind, and consistently show up as their authentic selves, driven to do meaningful work and bring joy through the game and community. Which translates to feelings of excitement and joy internally every day. I also have to give major credit to our CEO and leadership team. They foster an environment where individuality, passion, and purpose are not only welcomed, but encouraged. Chess.com truly is a special place to work.

With the rapid growth over the past few years, naturally comes some growing pains. The team works hard to stay aligned, maintain an “anti-corporate” spirit, and still follow the internal processes that keep things running smoothly. At times, it can feel more like a startup, fast-moving, constantly evolving, and a bit messy. If you're not naturally curious or a self-starter, it might be a tough place to get your footing. The pay is generally a bit lower than big tech or SaaS -- but culture makes up for it.