How the cofounder of Chess.com went from being a child prodigy in a religious cult to building a 225 million player empire.

The article focuses on Danny Rensch, a chess champion and cofounder of Chess.com, detailing his unconventional journey from a childhood spent in a cult to leading one of the largest online chess platforms with over 225 million registered members. Rensch's early exposure to chess, influenced by the cult's leader and his own challenging upbringing, became a means of survival and success, culminating in his achievements as a national chess champion. Despite facing skepticism from investors when launching Chess.com, the platform thrived, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and following the popularity of the Netflix series "The Queen's Gambit." Rensch reflects on his past experiences and the ongoing process of reconciling his childhood with his current success. [Extracted from the article]