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Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life
In this “heart-breaking, hilarious, ultimately transcendent” (Jeannette Walls) memoir, International Master and Chess.com co-founder Danny Rensch describes his upbringing in an abusive cult – and how chess ended up saving his life
Born into the Church of Immortal Consciousness, Danny Rensch spent his childhood navigating the isolated confines of a cult. Despite psychological manipulation, physical abuse, and neglect, he persevered. An international chess master and world-class commentator, Rensch’s remarkable journey led him to being the face of Chess.com, one of the largest online gaming platforms in the world.
With unflinching honesty, Rensch recounts his life, starting from the moment he discovered chess in the summer of 1995, all the way up to being at the center of the most explosive cheating scandal in chess history.
He chronicles the traumas of being “special” in a cult that forced separation from his mother. Mentored by an alcoholic, Russian chess master, he found solace alongside suffering in his obsession for an ancient game, and chess became his only escape. Rensch rose through the chess ranks until a medical emergency nearly took him out of the game forever. And it almost did, until Chess.com came along.
Deeply heartfelt, keenly reflective, and haunting, Dark Squares is the never-before-told story of Danny Rensch’s resilience, survival, and his enduring love for the game that saved him.
Born into the Church of Immortal Consciousness, Danny Rensch spent his childhood navigating the isolated confines of a cult. Despite psychological manipulation, physical abuse, and neglect, he persevered. An international chess master and world-class commentator, Rensch’s remarkable journey led him to being the face of Chess.com, one of the largest online gaming platforms in the world.
With unflinching honesty, Rensch recounts his life, starting from the moment he discovered chess in the summer of 1995, all the way up to being at the center of the most explosive cheating scandal in chess history.
He chronicles the traumas of being “special” in a cult that forced separation from his mother. Mentored by an alcoholic, Russian chess master, he found solace alongside suffering in his obsession for an ancient game, and chess became his only escape. Rensch rose through the chess ranks until a medical emergency nearly took him out of the game forever. And it almost did, until Chess.com came along.
Deeply heartfelt, keenly reflective, and haunting, Dark Squares is the never-before-told story of Danny Rensch’s resilience, survival, and his enduring love for the game that saved him.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2025
91 people are currently reading
3335 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
September 28, 2025
As someone who grew up during the online chess boom, I devoured the inside story of chess.com from its development as a social media platform to the contemporary battle against cheating.
Additionally, unlike most executive memoirs, Rensch had a compelling backstory as well, having been a victim of one of America's many evangelical cults. That narrative, however, was let down by constant hyperbole and sentimentality. Like most mass market memoirs, a lot of the writing would feel at home on a motivational coffee mug.
Additionally, unlike most executive memoirs, Rensch had a compelling backstory as well, having been a victim of one of America's many evangelical cults. That narrative, however, was let down by constant hyperbole and sentimentality. Like most mass market memoirs, a lot of the writing would feel at home on a motivational coffee mug.
July 7, 2025
When one thinks of chess, one won't immediately think of cults, children taken from their parents, tithing and cheating. However, this memoir from the COO of chess.com, Danny Rensch, covers all these topics and more. It makes for one of the most interesting memoirs I have read in a long time.
Starting with Danny's love of chess after watching the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer", his story moves along quite slowly, but one cannot help but absorb every word Rensch writes about the leaders of the Collective (the name of the cult to which his family belonged) immediately saying his Purpose was to be a chess prodigy. As a result, he was treated somewhat better than other members, but it also led to him being taken away from his mother and placed in the family of one of the leaders - who happened to be his biological father who before this had no contact with him. If this all sounds convoluted - well, it is and it takes careful reading to figure it out.
Rensch then moves through his life of winning tournaments, finding his soulmate who would be his wife Shauna (blessed by the Collective, of course) and his later trauma of alcoholism, tinnitus and his trouble maintaining his grandmaster status until an unlikely encounter with the founders landed him at chess.com. From there, his life did improve, he did reunite with his mother, but there was another troubling aspect. It had to do with the game and the increased cheating by online players, including those achieving master status.
There are also good sections, written in italics on the Kindle version, on the game's history, the impact that machines made on the game, including the famous "Deep Blue" match with Garry Kasparov. Again, more than what any review could include, it's best to read the book. Danny Rensch has opened himself up and shared practically everything he could about not only his chess skills and his work at chess.com, but also an eye-opening look at life inside a cult.
I wish to thank Public Affairs for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
Starting with Danny's love of chess after watching the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer", his story moves along quite slowly, but one cannot help but absorb every word Rensch writes about the leaders of the Collective (the name of the cult to which his family belonged) immediately saying his Purpose was to be a chess prodigy. As a result, he was treated somewhat better than other members, but it also led to him being taken away from his mother and placed in the family of one of the leaders - who happened to be his biological father who before this had no contact with him. If this all sounds convoluted - well, it is and it takes careful reading to figure it out.
Rensch then moves through his life of winning tournaments, finding his soulmate who would be his wife Shauna (blessed by the Collective, of course) and his later trauma of alcoholism, tinnitus and his trouble maintaining his grandmaster status until an unlikely encounter with the founders landed him at chess.com. From there, his life did improve, he did reunite with his mother, but there was another troubling aspect. It had to do with the game and the increased cheating by online players, including those achieving master status.
There are also good sections, written in italics on the Kindle version, on the game's history, the impact that machines made on the game, including the famous "Deep Blue" match with Garry Kasparov. Again, more than what any review could include, it's best to read the book. Danny Rensch has opened himself up and shared practically everything he could about not only his chess skills and his work at chess.com, but also an eye-opening look at life inside a cult.
I wish to thank Public Affairs for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
November 3, 2025
This book is a must-read. I couldn't put it down. It reminded me in some ways of Educated by Tara Westover. Both Danny and Tara manage to overcome so many challenges and change their lives. Also, reading about the rise of online chess and how that has impacted the game is fascinating.
October 1, 2025
This story is truly stranger than fiction but I guess anyone born into a cult has a head start with that. Being a chess prodigy doesn’t hurt, either. There are periods where the narrative gets carried away with sentiment that saps the energy from the driving force of the story but overall worth the time.
December 5, 2025
Dark Squares is a ln auto biography about Danny Rensch, one of the co founders of chess.com and a man who persevered through a rather unconventional life, and transcending both the character flaws and the outrageous circumstances of growing up ingrained deeply in a cult who’s leader happen to be a chess fanatic.
Dark Squares isn’t really just a book about chess, it’s more like a look at what happens when obsession, ambition, and technology all come to head. The book doesn’t give you easy villains. From Danny’s experience growing up in a cult to the scandal surrounding Hans Briman, where it keeps circling the question of whether cheating is just about bad actors, or if the whole system now almost invites it. When everything is online, tracked, optimized, and monetized, the line between fair play and survival gets blurry.
Danny’s story with Arizona’s Church of Immortal Consciousness is one of the strangest and most disturbing parts of the book. It seems almost off to the side at first, but it ends up echoing the rest of the story in an eerie way. Watching him peel himself out of a system built on absolute belief mirrors what’s happening in the chess world, where certainty is also starting to crack.
The last chapter on Hans Briman and Magnus Hanson Carlsen hits hard because it’s less about who’s “right” and more about how quickly suspicion can spiral out of control. Accusations float faster than proof, careers wobble on rumors, and even the idea of truth starts to feel unstable. The book doesn’t try to solve it—it just lets the unease sit there.
By the end, Dark Squares feels less like a book about chess and more like a book about trust, how it’s built, how it breaks, and how hard it is to get back once it’s gone.
I don’t read many auto biography’s but this is one I would recommend to anyone. Deeply fascinating and engaging, well written and charged with emotion.
Dark Squares isn’t really just a book about chess, it’s more like a look at what happens when obsession, ambition, and technology all come to head. The book doesn’t give you easy villains. From Danny’s experience growing up in a cult to the scandal surrounding Hans Briman, where it keeps circling the question of whether cheating is just about bad actors, or if the whole system now almost invites it. When everything is online, tracked, optimized, and monetized, the line between fair play and survival gets blurry.
Danny’s story with Arizona’s Church of Immortal Consciousness is one of the strangest and most disturbing parts of the book. It seems almost off to the side at first, but it ends up echoing the rest of the story in an eerie way. Watching him peel himself out of a system built on absolute belief mirrors what’s happening in the chess world, where certainty is also starting to crack.
The last chapter on Hans Briman and Magnus Hanson Carlsen hits hard because it’s less about who’s “right” and more about how quickly suspicion can spiral out of control. Accusations float faster than proof, careers wobble on rumors, and even the idea of truth starts to feel unstable. The book doesn’t try to solve it—it just lets the unease sit there.
By the end, Dark Squares feels less like a book about chess and more like a book about trust, how it’s built, how it breaks, and how hard it is to get back once it’s gone.
I don’t read many auto biography’s but this is one I would recommend to anyone. Deeply fascinating and engaging, well written and charged with emotion.
October 12, 2025
In a cult, the victims are the perpetrators, and the perpetrators are the victims.
I didn't know much about Danny Rensch and his life before reading this book. I was aware of him, as I love chess and play on chess.com, where Danny Rensch serves as Chief Chess Officer. This awareness sparked my interest in picking up the book.
Dark Squares positively surprised me. Danny's story is remarkable, and this memoir bravely delves into the troubling aspects of his life. If you're into chess, it's definitely worth picking up. But honestly, it's also just a great memoir.
I didn't know much about Danny Rensch and his life before reading this book. I was aware of him, as I love chess and play on chess.com, where Danny Rensch serves as Chief Chess Officer. This awareness sparked my interest in picking up the book.
Dark Squares positively surprised me. Danny's story is remarkable, and this memoir bravely delves into the troubling aspects of his life. If you're into chess, it's definitely worth picking up. But honestly, it's also just a great memoir.
October 15, 2025
Unfortunately too relatable and I shed more tears than I expected and wanted too. Though no regrets. Yes, I was going through an unrelated emotionally intense time though that doesn’t change the fact that this honest book came at the right time and gave me hope. I already spend a lot of time on chess.com though going forward I might be feeling a little less guilty about that as I know that the site are truly in the best hands, for the right reason and with the heart at the right place.
December 7, 2025
My neighbor works for chess.com and gave me this book to read. I had every intention of skimming the prologue and never finishing it (the list of books an amateur book lover wants to read remains as long as it is ridiculous). I even rehearsed how I would give the book back to my neighbor, eyes slightly downcast and politely demurring, a short statement on the busyness of life and my gratefulness for him lending it to me anyway.
BUT. I could not put this book down. I devoured it. It made me realize that I am a sucker for an escape-from-a-cult story. And then to learn so much about the storied game of chess in the meantime and never be bored. *chef’s kiss* Cheers to Rensch’s editors, as I learned in an interview my neighbor had with Rensch that the original manuscript was like three times as long as the end result. Said end result feels beautifully paced. It does leave you wanting to know more about everyone from the cult leaders to the alcoholic chess teacher to the other co-founders of chess.com to the two players at the center of a cheating scandal. There is never a lack in the cast of characters surrounding Rensch’s life, which makes his upbringing even more heartbreaking considering he spent so much of his childhood and adolescence isolated and without any support (outside of that towards his grand Purpose in life of bringing glory to the Church of Immortal Consciousness via earthly chess approbation).
In addition.. there was a story embedded in the story that surprised me and that affects us all profoundly.
Chess.com was founded in 2007, and this book was written in 2025. When I started the book, I thought, 20 years? I can’t believe Rensch is writing this book after such a short time at chess.com, in the grand scheme of things.
But the meteoric rise of technology and the internet in the 20-year span from 2005-2025 is critical to this .com story. This book starkly lays out how insanely much has changed in these past two decades. We went from not being able to play live internet chess games because the connections were too slow to being able to live-stream and facetime from every nook and corner of terra firma. In two short decades. It is actually bonkers when you think about how it’s transformed everything about our lives. We talk often about species not being able to adapt quickly enough to climate change. I’d argue humans have not, in some ways, been able to adapt quickly enough to the rise of disconnected connectivity. Anywho, that’s a topic for a different forum.
Ultimately, this is a story about a boy who overcame a million odds to take control of his life and bring positive change to the world despite a childhood of neglect and hardship. It makes me sad for all the kids we are failing every day, but hopeful in resilience, in true community, and in love.
Rensch’s interview with my neighbor:
https://www.chess.com/article/view/da...
BUT. I could not put this book down. I devoured it. It made me realize that I am a sucker for an escape-from-a-cult story. And then to learn so much about the storied game of chess in the meantime and never be bored. *chef’s kiss* Cheers to Rensch’s editors, as I learned in an interview my neighbor had with Rensch that the original manuscript was like three times as long as the end result. Said end result feels beautifully paced. It does leave you wanting to know more about everyone from the cult leaders to the alcoholic chess teacher to the other co-founders of chess.com to the two players at the center of a cheating scandal. There is never a lack in the cast of characters surrounding Rensch’s life, which makes his upbringing even more heartbreaking considering he spent so much of his childhood and adolescence isolated and without any support (outside of that towards his grand Purpose in life of bringing glory to the Church of Immortal Consciousness via earthly chess approbation).
In addition.. there was a story embedded in the story that surprised me and that affects us all profoundly.
Chess.com was founded in 2007, and this book was written in 2025. When I started the book, I thought, 20 years? I can’t believe Rensch is writing this book after such a short time at chess.com, in the grand scheme of things.
But the meteoric rise of technology and the internet in the 20-year span from 2005-2025 is critical to this .com story. This book starkly lays out how insanely much has changed in these past two decades. We went from not being able to play live internet chess games because the connections were too slow to being able to live-stream and facetime from every nook and corner of terra firma. In two short decades. It is actually bonkers when you think about how it’s transformed everything about our lives. We talk often about species not being able to adapt quickly enough to climate change. I’d argue humans have not, in some ways, been able to adapt quickly enough to the rise of disconnected connectivity. Anywho, that’s a topic for a different forum.
Ultimately, this is a story about a boy who overcame a million odds to take control of his life and bring positive change to the world despite a childhood of neglect and hardship. It makes me sad for all the kids we are failing every day, but hopeful in resilience, in true community, and in love.
Rensch’s interview with my neighbor:
https://www.chess.com/article/view/da...
June 17, 2025
Possibly one of my best reads for the year. Danny Rensch, a master chess player and executive at Chess.com, recounts his life experiences growing up in a cult. Danny wasn't just a child on the fringes, though--he was front and center, the Collective (as it was called) taking advantage of his chess prestige. Everyone in the Collective gave their money back to the church, and no one had real property. Danny was shuttled between his parents and leaders in the church, eventually disowning his mother for more than ten years before reconciling with her. He fought addiction, disabling ear problems, and obsessive thinking while struggling to support his wife and family. Danny's story is redemptive, yet as he describes, he still has much to learn. He also recounts stories of the current cheating scandals in chess and how Chess.com rose meteorically during the pandemic. It is absolutely fascinating, and the way Rensch tells the story, it sounds like he's talking right to you. A triumphant and affecting memoir.
December 1, 2025
A story of abuse, agony, resilience, and acceptance. Danny Rensch became America’s top junior chess player despite growing up in a cult and being forcibly estranged from his mother as a child to live with an alcoholic Russian chess master to train nonstop.
At the precipice of becoming a top professional player, the unsustainable mental effects from his cult upbringing, coupled with life-long untreated ear conditions brought his chess career to a deafening stop, and left him broke, disabled, and with a failing marriage. How Danny went from this to building the most important chess infrastructure in the world in chess.com and arguably becoming the most important shepherd and arbiter of this thousands year game is detailed in Dark Squares. For both chess fans and those indifferent alike.
At the precipice of becoming a top professional player, the unsustainable mental effects from his cult upbringing, coupled with life-long untreated ear conditions brought his chess career to a deafening stop, and left him broke, disabled, and with a failing marriage. How Danny went from this to building the most important chess infrastructure in the world in chess.com and arguably becoming the most important shepherd and arbiter of this thousands year game is detailed in Dark Squares. For both chess fans and those indifferent alike.
September 27, 2025
This was one of those memoirs like Shoe Dog, The Sixth Man and The Storyteller where ai knew nothing at all about the author, but I enjoyed it like those others. It’s a niche subject but you learn so much about his life. I would recommend if you like memoirs like that.
December 12, 2025
A rare non fiction book for me, but I was still captivated the whole time.
September 20, 2025
In chess, you have to fight back from tough positions, and in this book, chess champion Danny Rensch shows us how he did the same in real life. This is a beautifully crafted and well written memoir that reminds the reader to lead with kindness and integrity, because we rarely know the full story of what someone else is going through. Case in point: I have known Danny in real life for decades but knew very little of him growing up in a cult, and his health struggles. I also think this book will be inspiring for people who are looking for a career breakthrough, or a career change, as alongside Danny's childhood story, it chronicles how he co-founded chess dot com, a billion dollar company, and the determination, work ethic and twists and turns along the way.
October 25, 2025
As someone who doesn’t know much about chess, I absolutely tore through this book on my 5+ hour flight. To be fair, I do live with a pretty big chess fan and online chess player, so I learned about this book through him… but I really did enjoy reading about Danny Rensch’s story. From growing up in a cult and being a chess prodigy, his vulnerability and transparency on his personal life was admirable and remarkable. I also really enjoyed the tidbits of chess facts and history threaded throughout his memoir. Honestly, a really great and memorable memoir.
+ Huge thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
+ Huge thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
September 25, 2025
Wow. Brilliant!
The best book I’ve read all year, possibly in the last 5 years. Honest, vulnerable, infuriating, and heartbreaking all at the same time.
I’ve been playing chess since I was a kid, starting with the chess program I retyped hex code by hex code out of a magazine into my Apple IIc, until modern day where I’ve been a paid Chess.com subscriber since Feb. 2012. Oddly enough, Danny Rensch has always been my favorite “personality” there. I’m certain that although I could have played chess anywhere, paying to stay at Chess.com has arguably been because of Danny and his larger than life sense of humor and casual “dude” way of presenting.
I loved Danny’s plain language here, he writes like he talks, and I love how he talks. “Bunch of homeless dudes “, “mangy kids “, “But the truth was simpler: we were in a cult.” There were so many Danny-isms in this book and I’m glad the editors didn’t butcher things too much.
It’s not even believable that the same man I see online is the same kid in this book. Heart wrenching at times, glorious at others, it felt as if I were physically inside the world this book from beginning to end. The scene of you “breaking up” with your Mom was so real, it felt like I was there witnessing it in person. Trina setting you up to meet with your mom, leading to a seven year silence between the two of you, heart wrenching.
Losing your mom like that was gut wrenching. As brief as it was, I’m so glad you were able to reconcile.
Danny you’ve turned into something amazing. And you wrote an amazing book. If I could provide one criticism, you mentioned Hans way too many times lol.
The best book I’ve read all year, possibly in the last 5 years. Honest, vulnerable, infuriating, and heartbreaking all at the same time.
I’ve been playing chess since I was a kid, starting with the chess program I retyped hex code by hex code out of a magazine into my Apple IIc, until modern day where I’ve been a paid Chess.com subscriber since Feb. 2012. Oddly enough, Danny Rensch has always been my favorite “personality” there. I’m certain that although I could have played chess anywhere, paying to stay at Chess.com has arguably been because of Danny and his larger than life sense of humor and casual “dude” way of presenting.
I loved Danny’s plain language here, he writes like he talks, and I love how he talks. “Bunch of homeless dudes “, “mangy kids “, “But the truth was simpler: we were in a cult.” There were so many Danny-isms in this book and I’m glad the editors didn’t butcher things too much.
It’s not even believable that the same man I see online is the same kid in this book. Heart wrenching at times, glorious at others, it felt as if I were physically inside the world this book from beginning to end. The scene of you “breaking up” with your Mom was so real, it felt like I was there witnessing it in person. Trina setting you up to meet with your mom, leading to a seven year silence between the two of you, heart wrenching.
Losing your mom like that was gut wrenching. As brief as it was, I’m so glad you were able to reconcile.
Danny you’ve turned into something amazing. And you wrote an amazing book. If I could provide one criticism, you mentioned Hans way too many times lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2025
Danny Rensch’s memoir looks at first like a book about chess, but that’s only partly true. Very quickly it becomes a story about a cult and the emotional collateral that comes with escaping it. For me, Danny’s cult journey was far more impactful than the story of how Chess.com was built.
The Chess.com parts focus mostly on user growth rather than the founding itself. They’re fun and interesting, but also a bit light on detail, and they are completely overshadowed by Danny’s break with the Collective and with his mother.
What surprised me is that this is not really a “how I learned chess” book at all. Even the most “chess-like” parts are not about tactics or openings, but about a coach, endless trips to tournaments, and the kind of quiet loneliness that comes with that life.
The chapter about Igor Ivanov is especially touching. It shows how a relationship formed on the edge of one’s life can stay bright for years afterward. Those pages feel small and quiet, but they linger.
Underneath everything, the mother–son relationship is the real thread running through the book. It appears in almost every corner of Danny’s life. It is both the question and the answer, and it feels like the key that unlocks his whole story.
By contrast, Danny’s father, Steven, comes across as almost painfully absent. The fact that Danny remembers only a single sentence from him says a lot. That one moment is treated as precious simply because there is nothing else, and that makes it feel more tragic than tender.
Finally, the section on Hans Niemann is genuinely fascinating. Seeing the whole saga from Danny’s angle pushed my opinion on the controversy in a new direction.
I would recommend this memoir even if you don’t care about chess or about cults. It’s really a book about loyalty, control, and the complicated love between a child and a parent.
The Chess.com parts focus mostly on user growth rather than the founding itself. They’re fun and interesting, but also a bit light on detail, and they are completely overshadowed by Danny’s break with the Collective and with his mother.
What surprised me is that this is not really a “how I learned chess” book at all. Even the most “chess-like” parts are not about tactics or openings, but about a coach, endless trips to tournaments, and the kind of quiet loneliness that comes with that life.
The chapter about Igor Ivanov is especially touching. It shows how a relationship formed on the edge of one’s life can stay bright for years afterward. Those pages feel small and quiet, but they linger.
Underneath everything, the mother–son relationship is the real thread running through the book. It appears in almost every corner of Danny’s life. It is both the question and the answer, and it feels like the key that unlocks his whole story.
By contrast, Danny’s father, Steven, comes across as almost painfully absent. The fact that Danny remembers only a single sentence from him says a lot. That one moment is treated as precious simply because there is nothing else, and that makes it feel more tragic than tender.
Finally, the section on Hans Niemann is genuinely fascinating. Seeing the whole saga from Danny’s angle pushed my opinion on the controversy in a new direction.
I would recommend this memoir even if you don’t care about chess or about cults. It’s really a book about loyalty, control, and the complicated love between a child and a parent.
December 30, 2025
Yes I’m biased, and no, I do not care.
I loved the story of Danny’s struggles and how his story shaped him. No matter the origins of his cult he was able to find his own love in it. No matter what he thought his purpose was Danny found his own meaning of life that he hadn’t known he would. It truly is a beautiful tell of life and I do not regret a moment of reading it. As a person who is vaguely familiar with chess with only the knowledge of how the pieces work, Danny did an amazing job of bringing the reader not only though his upbringing in the cult, familial relations, and his passion for chess and the grit he had in realizing his dreams. I will part with my fav quote I loved near the end of the book. (I will not lie, the epilogue made me tear up)
“the hot stone of anger hurts the person holding on to it more than the person its thrown at.”(348)
It’s a reimagined version of a Buddhist saying along the same lines except you replace the ‘stone’ with ‘coal’
“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”
I feel this couldn’t be more true, and for Danny harping on himself for much of the book for his faults I truly am amazed by his forgiveness and ability to move on, as well as acknowledging that his mental scars had shaped him. If has If there ever were a prototype for showing humans can change, it would be Danny.
I loved the story of Danny’s struggles and how his story shaped him. No matter the origins of his cult he was able to find his own love in it. No matter what he thought his purpose was Danny found his own meaning of life that he hadn’t known he would. It truly is a beautiful tell of life and I do not regret a moment of reading it. As a person who is vaguely familiar with chess with only the knowledge of how the pieces work, Danny did an amazing job of bringing the reader not only though his upbringing in the cult, familial relations, and his passion for chess and the grit he had in realizing his dreams. I will part with my fav quote I loved near the end of the book. (I will not lie, the epilogue made me tear up)
“the hot stone of anger hurts the person holding on to it more than the person its thrown at.”(348)
It’s a reimagined version of a Buddhist saying along the same lines except you replace the ‘stone’ with ‘coal’
“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”
I feel this couldn’t be more true, and for Danny harping on himself for much of the book for his faults I truly am amazed by his forgiveness and ability to move on, as well as acknowledging that his mental scars had shaped him. If has If there ever were a prototype for showing humans can change, it would be Danny.
July 6, 2025
As a chess fan—of the game, of the streamers, of the human drama attached to the community—this was the chess memoir I've always wanted. I never knew anything about Danny Rensch's personal life, and I'm guessing most people who've played and learned on Chess.com are unaware that its cofounder's stepmother is the daughter of a cult leader, and that his wife's stepmother is...also a daughter of the same cult leader?!
I give huge credit to Rensch for opening up about his trauma, his physical disability, his flaws, and pain he's clearly still dealing with. It's of interest to me that chess as the majorly lucrative industry it currently is, where most of its games are played virtually, might not exist in its current form if Rensch had not become disabled. Before the pandemic hit and millions of isolated people turned to chess online, there was Rensch, alone and bedridden with his own afflictions, imagining how he could keep playing the game when over-the-board had been taken from him.
I loved getting an insider's look into the world of professional chess, and for those who are interested in the Magnus/Hans drama: Rensch writes two chapters sharing his experiences with Hans, and I personally came away from the book feeling I better understood what happened during that infamous Sinquefield Cup.
I've read 7 memoirs so far this year, and this is my favorite of them all.
I give huge credit to Rensch for opening up about his trauma, his physical disability, his flaws, and pain he's clearly still dealing with. It's of interest to me that chess as the majorly lucrative industry it currently is, where most of its games are played virtually, might not exist in its current form if Rensch had not become disabled. Before the pandemic hit and millions of isolated people turned to chess online, there was Rensch, alone and bedridden with his own afflictions, imagining how he could keep playing the game when over-the-board had been taken from him.
I loved getting an insider's look into the world of professional chess, and for those who are interested in the Magnus/Hans drama: Rensch writes two chapters sharing his experiences with Hans, and I personally came away from the book feeling I better understood what happened during that infamous Sinquefield Cup.
I've read 7 memoirs so far this year, and this is my favorite of them all.
November 13, 2025
Ugh, three stars for me is rare. That being said ...
So much of the book was just ... drama. The cult. The ears. The mom(s) and dad(s). I don't want to be unsympathetic and I do think those components were critical to Danny's upbringing and the impact they had on his life. I do get that. But all of that consumed so much of the story. I wanted more chess. I wanted to know more about the tournaments. I wanted to know more about the ups and downs beyond the external factors that he believed influenced it all.
I read business books. And I thought this would be more about chess and more about what took place at chess.com. That aspect, for me, just wasn't fulfilled.
The last few chapters were by far my favorite.
Danny's story is great. He's clearly overcome a lot. To me, that aspect of his life took over too much of the content of this book. And to be honest, I felt like there was just a lot of finger pointing by him for the things that had gone on in his life. I suspect some of that is justified. But it seemed like a lot, at least to me.
Obviously others really connected with the book so I am clearly the exception in my interpretation. But if you look at my ratings for books I rarely rate a three. I either DNF (and don't rate at all) or go 4 or higher. That reflects how strongly challenged I was with this book.
So much of the book was just ... drama. The cult. The ears. The mom(s) and dad(s). I don't want to be unsympathetic and I do think those components were critical to Danny's upbringing and the impact they had on his life. I do get that. But all of that consumed so much of the story. I wanted more chess. I wanted to know more about the tournaments. I wanted to know more about the ups and downs beyond the external factors that he believed influenced it all.
I read business books. And I thought this would be more about chess and more about what took place at chess.com. That aspect, for me, just wasn't fulfilled.
The last few chapters were by far my favorite.
Danny's story is great. He's clearly overcome a lot. To me, that aspect of his life took over too much of the content of this book. And to be honest, I felt like there was just a lot of finger pointing by him for the things that had gone on in his life. I suspect some of that is justified. But it seemed like a lot, at least to me.
Obviously others really connected with the book so I am clearly the exception in my interpretation. But if you look at my ratings for books I rarely rate a three. I either DNF (and don't rate at all) or go 4 or higher. That reflects how strongly challenged I was with this book.
August 29, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advanced audiobook
Danny Rensch is best known as the face of chess.com. But his rise to being an international chess master and world-known commentator was filled with trauma: growing up in a cult, he was taken from his mother at 13 and rarely had an adult in his life that he could trust and was looking out for him. Despite that, his love of chess gave him a purpose and he helped make chess.com into the behemoth internet presence it is today.
Chess is one of those activities that feels open to everyone and also incredibly opaque, to the point of being exclusionary simply because of the difficulty level. While Rensch doesn't take the listener inside the chessboard he does a good job of explaining the ineffable quality that pulls people into the world of chess. More importantly, he describes how being inside a cult both facilitated and stunted his ability to succeed in chess. This is a fascinating listen (and Rensch does a great job of narrating; his impressions of people he grew up with are quite funny).
Dark Squares is out September 16, 2025
Danny Rensch is best known as the face of chess.com. But his rise to being an international chess master and world-known commentator was filled with trauma: growing up in a cult, he was taken from his mother at 13 and rarely had an adult in his life that he could trust and was looking out for him. Despite that, his love of chess gave him a purpose and he helped make chess.com into the behemoth internet presence it is today.
Chess is one of those activities that feels open to everyone and also incredibly opaque, to the point of being exclusionary simply because of the difficulty level. While Rensch doesn't take the listener inside the chessboard he does a good job of explaining the ineffable quality that pulls people into the world of chess. More importantly, he describes how being inside a cult both facilitated and stunted his ability to succeed in chess. This is a fascinating listen (and Rensch does a great job of narrating; his impressions of people he grew up with are quite funny).
Dark Squares is out September 16, 2025
November 13, 2025
Cults, Cheating and Chess the dark side of pushing kids too far while also not valuing them as people. As a former chess teach, I have vast experience with parents devaluing kids as no more than their achievements. Chess is amazing as many competitive sports are, but when we look at kids to fulfill our lost dreams instead of as people that need support, they can harmed in the process. This extreme story is heartfelt example of what can do wrong and how to learn from it.
This is dive into a complexe life of a neglected child that has matured into a man with morals and visions to help others. Lots of behind the scenes looks ate chess.com and religious extremism are shared with direct candor.
Highly recommended!
This is not all of chess, read Rebel Queen to see how a family can be support and care for their kids while pursuing chess.
I personally meet Danny once when he was recruiting YouTubers to Promote Chess.com. They helped me with marketing and branding assets when I was loosing money on YouTube. I am grateful for them believing in small creators.
5 Star Audio book, the author reads it with great skill and emotion!
This is dive into a complexe life of a neglected child that has matured into a man with morals and visions to help others. Lots of behind the scenes looks ate chess.com and religious extremism are shared with direct candor.
Highly recommended!
This is not all of chess, read Rebel Queen to see how a family can be support and care for their kids while pursuing chess.
I personally meet Danny once when he was recruiting YouTubers to Promote Chess.com. They helped me with marketing and branding assets when I was loosing money on YouTube. I am grateful for them believing in small creators.
5 Star Audio book, the author reads it with great skill and emotion!
December 13, 2025
A compelling book - as a Christian, a father and a chess.com paying member
On chess.com and elsewhere, Danny Rensch comes as a well-adjusted nice guy but this book gives the whole back story: growing up in a cult that wasn't that bad (well, not *that* bad) where he was pushed (more-or-less willingly) to becoming a very strong player - who might have hit the very top had it not been for ear problems in his late teens.
I didn't quite manage to track which households he got shipped to and when in the cult, but it was very unsettling. He became stronger and stronger at chess since that was all he had.
The latter part of the book talks about cheating in chess and the Nieman/Carlsen affair. I now have more sympathy for Carlsen, but Rensch is clear in where suspicion must be differentiated from conclusive evidence.
Rensch seems to have moved on from bitterness about those who affected his childhood, making him what he was today (and none was totally evil) - but he acknowledges that many of the cult members were damaged a lot - and are still living in great difficulties.
On chess.com and elsewhere, Danny Rensch comes as a well-adjusted nice guy but this book gives the whole back story: growing up in a cult that wasn't that bad (well, not *that* bad) where he was pushed (more-or-less willingly) to becoming a very strong player - who might have hit the very top had it not been for ear problems in his late teens.
I didn't quite manage to track which households he got shipped to and when in the cult, but it was very unsettling. He became stronger and stronger at chess since that was all he had.
The latter part of the book talks about cheating in chess and the Nieman/Carlsen affair. I now have more sympathy for Carlsen, but Rensch is clear in where suspicion must be differentiated from conclusive evidence.
Rensch seems to have moved on from bitterness about those who affected his childhood, making him what he was today (and none was totally evil) - but he acknowledges that many of the cult members were damaged a lot - and are still living in great difficulties.
October 26, 2025
Like Danny Rensch, I was mesmerized the first time I watched "Searching for Bobby Fisher."
I can break this book into 2 parts: the first deals with Rensch's traumatic upbringing. I understand that there were aspects that he thoroughly enjoyed, but the mental anguish he experienced cannot be downplayed. The second part deals with his work for Chess.com and the development of the company. I found the first part to be a bit of a slog. After the first couple of examples of what he experienced during a "Process" I started losing interest. I found the investigation into the cheating scandals to be the most interesting parts even though Rensch took a defensive tone about his actions during the Hans Niemann cheating accusations.
I wish Rensch documented some of his important victories with the plays he made instead of simply telling the reader that he won a tournament.
I'm grateful for Rensch's vision in developing Chess.com into the amazing website/app it provides to users.
I can break this book into 2 parts: the first deals with Rensch's traumatic upbringing. I understand that there were aspects that he thoroughly enjoyed, but the mental anguish he experienced cannot be downplayed. The second part deals with his work for Chess.com and the development of the company. I found the first part to be a bit of a slog. After the first couple of examples of what he experienced during a "Process" I started losing interest. I found the investigation into the cheating scandals to be the most interesting parts even though Rensch took a defensive tone about his actions during the Hans Niemann cheating accusations.
I wish Rensch documented some of his important victories with the plays he made instead of simply telling the reader that he won a tournament.
I'm grateful for Rensch's vision in developing Chess.com into the amazing website/app it provides to users.
November 13, 2025
This book has a large focus, particularly in the second half, on the issue of cheating in chess in the age of computers. We spend a chapter or two talking about Hans Niemann for example and the allegations surrounding him.
However, this book came out shortly before the death of the great GM Daniel Naroditsky. As such it missed an opportunity to dive into the effects that false cheating accusations can have on people whose entire lives are spent on this game.
If Chess.com has a responsibility to safeguard chess and protect it from cheaters, what responsibility does Chess.com also have in protecting against false cheating allegations? How can we as a community protect players in the future? I guess just something to think about.
Apart from all this, Danny’s story is really interesting. Cults are fascinating.
However, this book came out shortly before the death of the great GM Daniel Naroditsky. As such it missed an opportunity to dive into the effects that false cheating accusations can have on people whose entire lives are spent on this game.
If Chess.com has a responsibility to safeguard chess and protect it from cheaters, what responsibility does Chess.com also have in protecting against false cheating allegations? How can we as a community protect players in the future? I guess just something to think about.
Apart from all this, Danny’s story is really interesting. Cults are fascinating.
September 25, 2025
A wonderful memoir that captures many known and unknown facets of Danny Rensch’s life. From his notoriety as a chess commentator and the face of chess dot com to his traumatic childhood growing up in a cult in Arizona and many things in between. If you are at all familiar with Danny Rensch as a chess commentator then you will know that he is incredibly dynamic and personable in front of the camera - his writing follows suit. This book was incredibly readable and hard to put down. I am a chess player and somebody who is interested in the inner workings of the chess world but I think this book could appeal to many readers who aren’t. Danny writes about family, health, relationships, and business extensively as well - chess is really just the icing on top.
October 17, 2025
Overall 3.5/5
Narrative and authenticity is 5/5.
Where to start. It is a book about reconciling one's trauma, ego and emotional wounds, letting go the narrative and identity that both shapes and breaks you at different point of life. It is also a start-up story, a successful one, not without sweat and tears.
I am saddened by the author's childhood and self-discovery journey. As I am closing the book, however, I couldn't help but admire and cheer for his optimism, resilience and radical candor.
I would recommend it to anyone on the journey of self-discovery and/or even remotely interested in chess :)
Side note. Netflix shall consider making a modern day 'Queen's Gambit' sequel based on Danny's story. It would surely be another hit drama series.
Narrative and authenticity is 5/5.
Where to start. It is a book about reconciling one's trauma, ego and emotional wounds, letting go the narrative and identity that both shapes and breaks you at different point of life. It is also a start-up story, a successful one, not without sweat and tears.
I am saddened by the author's childhood and self-discovery journey. As I am closing the book, however, I couldn't help but admire and cheer for his optimism, resilience and radical candor.
I would recommend it to anyone on the journey of self-discovery and/or even remotely interested in chess :)
Side note. Netflix shall consider making a modern day 'Queen's Gambit' sequel based on Danny's story. It would surely be another hit drama series.
October 31, 2025
It's a chess memoir where chess is honestly the less interesting part in the shadow of the really messed up cult and terrible stuff that happy to Rensch while in it. Chess permeates the book, but it's the Collective and its impact that drives the narrative and it's a great read even for people who aren't chess.com fans.
The back end of the book, detailing the rise of chess.com and how to battle cheating doesn't feel like it ties in with the rest of the book, but as an avid player and a follower of chess new and some influencers, the chance to glimpse inside the gears of the biggest chess website was enjoyable. If you're not a Chess.com fan or familiar with some of the names and news of the game in the 2020s, this section can probably lose you.
The back end of the book, detailing the rise of chess.com and how to battle cheating doesn't feel like it ties in with the rest of the book, but as an avid player and a follower of chess new and some influencers, the chance to glimpse inside the gears of the biggest chess website was enjoyable. If you're not a Chess.com fan or familiar with some of the names and news of the game in the 2020s, this section can probably lose you.
December 29, 2025
Listened to this audiobook while shopping for Christmas and working on a holiday paint by number. Not the most on-theme book for the season, but it kept me engaged all the same. I've always been fascinated by cults and have watched a lot of cult documentaries over the years. Also, my oldest son is a chess kid, so the topic of this book is right up my alley = chess kid + cult story. I really enjoyed the way Danny Rensch shared his personal journey alongside the history of chess and rise of chess.com. It was heartbreaking, inspiring, and thought-provoking. I'm not sure who I'd recommend this book to, maybe a fellow chess mom who also finds cults fascinating? I'd give it a 3.5 stars if I could.
November 27, 2025
The co-founder of Chess.com puts out an autobiography - one would assume it would be about his journey into creating the world's largest online Chess platform (and a large contributor to how large online chess has become, professional and non-professional wise), perhaps following the standard high-school-dropout finds an incredible idea and makes big bucks getting a startup with no VC funding, etc.
But this wasn't quite like those stories, and I had a great time with it. This follows Danny's journey in a cult called "Church of Immortal Consciousness" and how he essentially grew up being passed around the community members within the cult, was manipulated into thinking that his "purpose" was chess, and emotionally (and physically) abused by the adults around him.
Apart from the recounts of his experience within the cult, I found his account of the Hans Niemann scandal particularly interesting. With my very limited (and perhaps biased) knowledge of the scandals recounted by a few chess YouTube personalities, it seems that Danny is very firm in his stance that Hans did indeed cheat and has a history of cheating.
In light of the recent death of Daniel Naroditsky, I kind of hoped that the book could've touched on that topic as well. Especially that Daniel has been outspoken about being selected to be proctored by Chess.com and has mentioned how some of these playing conditions had led him to unfair playing conditions. It really does seem like cheating is going to be dominating the conversations within chess communities for the foreseeable future, and frankly, I don't really know how the issues could be resolved.
Overall, I recommend this book, but I did wrongly assume that it would've been more focused on Chess.com's formation. It definitely did touch on that but the majority of the book is centered on Danny's journey (understandably so), and even when he was focusing on Chess.com matters, the Niemann v. Carlsen scandal took up the majority of the word count.
But this wasn't quite like those stories, and I had a great time with it. This follows Danny's journey in a cult called "Church of Immortal Consciousness" and how he essentially grew up being passed around the community members within the cult, was manipulated into thinking that his "purpose" was chess, and emotionally (and physically) abused by the adults around him.
Apart from the recounts of his experience within the cult, I found his account of the Hans Niemann scandal particularly interesting. With my very limited (and perhaps biased) knowledge of the scandals recounted by a few chess YouTube personalities, it seems that Danny is very firm in his stance that Hans did indeed cheat and has a history of cheating.
In light of the recent death of Daniel Naroditsky, I kind of hoped that the book could've touched on that topic as well. Especially that Daniel has been outspoken about being selected to be proctored by Chess.com and has mentioned how some of these playing conditions had led him to unfair playing conditions. It really does seem like cheating is going to be dominating the conversations within chess communities for the foreseeable future, and frankly, I don't really know how the issues could be resolved.
Overall, I recommend this book, but I did wrongly assume that it would've been more focused on Chess.com's formation. It definitely did touch on that but the majority of the book is centered on Danny's journey (understandably so), and even when he was focusing on Chess.com matters, the Niemann v. Carlsen scandal took up the majority of the word count.
If you’re interested in the book, you can check it out here. I earn a small commission if you purchase through this link, at no extra cost to you.
If you'd like to see some of the references for the above, visit my blog here: https://rhuijin.cc/
November 14, 2025
Truth is stranger than fiction, and Danny Rensch’s memoir proves it. I picked up Dark Squares to learn more about a chess commentator I’ve seen countless times on ChessCom, but I had no idea about any of this, least of all his upbringing in an abusive cult. I expected it to be chess-focused, but this is a book for anyone. The writing style is straightforward and well-crafted, making it accessible without sacrificing depth. Danny ambitiously tries to balance parallel narratives of his chess career, his broader cult life, and also chess history from its Indian origins to the current (AI) engine era.
If anything, I was most captivated by the non-chess elements: his life in the Church of Immortal Consciousness and the psychological manipulation he endured. While the details are often unsettling, what impressed me most was the self-reflection throughout. Danny seems to have researched cults in general from a psychological perspective and provides a brutal yet nuanced examination of how his upbringing shaped his life and relationships.
After Danny’s health issues and distancing from the cult, the book shifts focus to his life at ChessCom, with heavy emphasis on cheating in the modern chess era that culminate in the Hans Niemann/Magnus Carlsen saga. I found this harder to take at face value, even though Danny tries to explain the different sides of it, though it was still fun to read. Overall, Dark Squares is a compelling and unexpectedly universal story of resilience that transcends the chess world.
If anything, I was most captivated by the non-chess elements: his life in the Church of Immortal Consciousness and the psychological manipulation he endured. While the details are often unsettling, what impressed me most was the self-reflection throughout. Danny seems to have researched cults in general from a psychological perspective and provides a brutal yet nuanced examination of how his upbringing shaped his life and relationships.
After Danny’s health issues and distancing from the cult, the book shifts focus to his life at ChessCom, with heavy emphasis on cheating in the modern chess era that culminate in the Hans Niemann/Magnus Carlsen saga. I found this harder to take at face value, even though Danny tries to explain the different sides of it, though it was still fun to read. Overall, Dark Squares is a compelling and unexpectedly universal story of resilience that transcends the chess world.
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