Interview with Brian Karen, “I hope this interest continues to grow”

The chess world is vast and inside you sometimes find real treasures. Such are two Facebook groups, managed by the passionate chess fan Brian Karen. One of the groups is dedicated to the FIDE World Chess Championships and the other is specialized for Chess Book Collectors. Both groups have close to 150 000 members and are a civil and intellectual place for sharing valuable resources and having deep discussions.

Chessdom had the chance to speak to Brian Karen, founder and manager of both groups.

Join: FIDE World Chess Championships Facebook Group / Chess Book Collectors Facebook Group

The FIDE World Championship Facebook Group is one of the most valuable chess resources online. How and when was it created?

I had already established a successful Facebook group for chess book collectors, which now has 50K members and, in my opinion, the highest ‘Chess IQ’ of any group on Facebook. One day, I thought, “Why not create a similar group dedicated to the World Chess Championship?” I’ve been an avid follower of the World Chess Championships since the 1980s, so it made sense to start sharing articles and other resources I had collected with like-minded fans. This group was born from that idea, providing a space for fans to engage in discussions around the championship. My approach to creating groups is driven by my deep passion for chess. While I’m not a super-GM, I’m definitely a super chess fan. My love for chess began with devouring magazines like Chess Life, New In Chess, Inside Chess, and Chess Chow. As the internet grew, I engaged with online forums like the Rec.Chess forums, ChessCafe, and ChessBase. Nowadays, with the plethora of chess information, including Chessdom, I continue to stay deeply connected to the chess world, sharing the most intriguing content I find with the group. Over time, the group has expanded beyond just World Chess Championships and now serves as a general hub for chess enthusiasts. While most of the posts are from me, that’s not by design—I encourage and welcome members to contribute what they find interesting, though I generally filter out off-topic content.

The group currently has 97.3k members, just shy of the 100k mark! Are you excited about reaching this milestone?

Even if my groups had only 10 members, I’d be satisfied. As I mentioned earlier, my groups are an extension of my lifelong passion for chess. While it’s nice that we’re nearing 100K members, it won’t drastically change my life. However, I am glad the group is growing, as it means more contributions from like-minded fans, which is always a positive.

World Championships can be intense, but the discussions in the group remain civil. Is it difficult to moderate?

When I first started the group, I intended for it to be an open space where members could post freely. However, I quickly realized this approach wasn’t sustainable, as inappropriate or irrelevant content began to appear. Moderating the group became a challenge, so I decided to implement post-approval. I now approve most submissions, except for those that I find trivial or unrelated to the group’s focus. The group’s growth suggests that this approach has worked well, and I believe my judgment in moderation has been effective.

The upcoming championship will be the first to feature players from two Asian countries, both with the largest populations in the world. Will this boost viewership?

It’s quite possible. We have a significant number of Indian members, and I’ve noticed that posts about Indian players generate a lot of engagement in the form of comments and likes. I’m thrilled that two of the world’s most populous nations have embraced chess, and I hope this interest continues to grow.

Interesting: Anand – Carlsen 80 million viewers on DD Sport in a single round

Gukesh could become the youngest World Champion if he wins. In general, young chess players are becoming stronger compared to previous generations. Do you see many young members in the group? What is the estimated age distribution?

I’m not entirely sure. Nowadays, it’s possible to become very strong at chess by using computers to solve puzzles and analyze recent games, without necessarily engaging deeply with chess culture or following events. While younger members certainly exist in my groups, I believe the majority of our group members are older. Without specific data, my guess is that the average age of the group is over 30.

What is your level in chess?

I am a FIDE Candidate Master. Although I have a Masters in Social Work, I began teaching chess in the late 1990s. I thought it would be a side gig but it quickly expanded into a full, full time job. I enjoy teaching chess and I guess I am good at it as I have always had a full schedule even though I do not do much self promotion (except for now:)).

What is the easiest way to find your groups?

On Facebook search for chess book collectors. The group with >48K members is the one I organize. Then search for FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 to find the general chess events page that I organize with around 100K members. I will change the year as each new cycle is announced. So at some point it wont be 2024 but 2026, etc.

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