Chess.com is thrilled to announce the next player to take on the world: international master and YouTube star Julien Song will face the global chess community in Julien Song vs. The World. The creator will kick off the match with the white pieces by playing the game’s first move on May 4!
Following GM Vishy Anand, GM Magnus Carlsen, IM GothamChess, and GM Judit Polgar, it’s now the turn of the most popular French-speaking content creator in the chess world to take up the challenge. With more than one million followers across all platforms, Julien has become a staple of the French chess-playing community. A coach, player, and storyteller, Julien has built a passionate community around his vision for the game through his accessible, ambitious style.
Julien left a career in strategy consulting to return to his first love, dedicating himself entirely to chess—a bold decision that allowed him to make a living from his passion while sharing it with the world. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the game, interviewed stars like basketball player Victor Wembanyama, coached Inoxtag at PogChamps, and proven that chess can captivate millions of people well beyond traditional circles.
In his match against the world, Julien will play with the white pieces, making one move per day. It will be up to you to vote on each move for the opposing side, with guidance from Chess.com’s coaches. So get ready to bring your best game, because Julien won’t hesitate to crush you mercilessly if you give him the chance!
The “vs. The World” series has already set a series of historic records: it began with Anand, who broke the record for world participation set by GM Garry Kasparov 25 years ago. Carlsen then broke the record again when he drew more than 143,000 players, who collectively cast more than 500,000 votes. Then, it was Levy’s turn to break the record yet again, with more than 225,000 players gathering to challenge the world’s biggest YouTuber. Now, will enough players show up to break the current record?
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Julien Song beat the entire world?
While the world could hold Carlsen to a draw, we’ve since changed the match format so players can’t see other players’ votes before casting their own. This format change has proved to bring the world’s playing strength closer to an actual average of every player’s strength. Considering Julien is a very strong player who’s way above average, it’s very likely that he’ll win. Still, the world can always surprise us all and deliver an upset. But regardless of the result, participating in these matches is always exciting!
How does Vote Chess work?
In a Vote Chess match, a team of players votes on the next move, and the game proceeds with the move that got the most votes by the end of the voting period. In this case, the voting period lasts 24 hours. Julien will play with White, which means the community will vote for the moves of the black pieces.
Do I have to vote for every single move?
No, you don’t have to vote on every move to participate in this match. Voting once will put you on the list of people who played in the match. So, even if you’re too busy to play the entire game, you can still be a part of history by voting only when you have time to do so!
Do you think The World can beat Julien Song? Let us know in the comments!
