Get ready to sharpen your skills on the chessboard! Duolingo, the popular language-learning platform, is adding a brand-new chess course to its repertoire.

This innovative course will guide users through engaging puzzles—like maneuvering knights in their iconic L-shape or orchestrating checkmates against a cornered king—to master the fundamentals of chess. Plus, you can challenge yourself with "mini-matches" or full games against Duolingo’s lovable mascot, Oscar, who doubles as your personal chess coach.

In an exclusive demo, the Duolingo team showcased their vision to make chess more accessible to everyone. As Edwin Bodge, the group product manager, stated, they want to ensure that learners of all levels—whether you're a beginner or have some experience—can dive in and enjoy the game.

Chess isn't the only non-language topic Duolingo dabbles in; they've previously introduced lessons in music and math. When asked about the potential for future game-based courses, staff software engineer Sammi Siegel hinted at more possibilities, saying, “While we don't have concrete plans right now, we’ll see how this launch goes and take it from there.”

The chess course is set to roll out in beta version on iOS for English speakers soon, with Duolingo’s PR director, Monica Earle, estimating that a broader release is just four to six weeks away. Android users and other languages will follow soon after.

So, are you ready to make your next move? With Duolingo's chess course, you might find yourself declaring checkmate in no time!