Musk Declares Chess Will Be Solved
Elon Musk has found an unusual opponent for his latest online argument: Chess.com.
The dispute began on September 3, when Musk posted on X that the number of chess moves that are not “utterly stupid” is tiny and predicted that “chess will be fully solved one day.”
Rather than letting the statement pass, Chess.com responded with a blunt two-word jab: “Skill issue.”
That was enough to kick off a new round of online sparring between the billionaire and the chess platform.
Chess.com Fires Back
Musk responded that chess may be difficult for humans but is much easier for computers.
He argued that AI will eventually be capable of completely solving the game, comparing chess to checkers, which has already been mathematically solved.
“Chess is hard for humans, but not for computers,” Musk wrote, according to reports. He added that people could continue enjoying chess even after machines become vastly better at it.
Chess.com pushed back on Musk’s argument by highlighting just how enormous the number of possible chess positions and games can be.
The exchange eventually turned into a broader debate over whether Musk was talking about the number of possible games or the number of legal chess positions. Reports noted that Musk later clarified his argument was focused on legal positions rather than every possible sequence of moves.
This Feud Goes Back to 2022
The latest argument isn’t the first time Musk and Chess.com have clashed.
In 2022, Musk described chess as too simple to be particularly useful in real life, pointing to its fixed 8-by-8 board, lack of fog of war and other limitations.
Chess.com responded at the time with a lengthy article questioning Musk’s understanding of the game and pointing out variants and rules that addressed some of his criticisms.
The two sides eventually moved on — until Musk’s latest prediction brought the rivalry back to life.
The Billionaire vs. The Chess Account
The exchange became increasingly playful as Musk and Chess.com’s social-media account traded sarcastic replies.
At one point, Musk referred to the person running the account as an “intern.”
The account responded that it was actually run by a full-time employee, adding another layer to the increasingly humorous online battle.
The argument quickly attracted attention from other users on X, many of whom treated the exchange as entertainment rather than a serious disagreement over chess theory.
Could AI Actually Solve Chess?
Musk’s broader prediction reflects a long-running question in computer science: whether sufficiently powerful computing could eventually determine the optimal outcome of every possible chess position.
Modern chess engines are already vastly stronger than humans. Chess.com says its server-side analysis currently uses Stockfish 18, a modern chess engine with a full NNUE evaluation system.
But being extraordinarily good at chess is different from mathematically solving the entire game.
For now, the question remains theoretical — leaving Musk and Chess.com free to keep arguing over it.
An Unlikely Online Rivalry
What started as a comment about artificial intelligence has turned into another entertaining Musk internet feud.
This time, there is no rival CEO, politician or technology company on the other side — just one of the world’s biggest chess platforms.
And if the exchange has proved anything, it’s that the game of chess may not be solved yet, but arguing about it online certainly remains easy.
