King Duo arrives in Jakarta to challenge learners to real chess matches
Duolingo, the world’s leading learning app, announced the launch of its Chess’s Player-vs-Player mode (PvP) on Android. Following the successful IOS debut in late 2025, the Android rollout of Duolingo chess course has given millions of learners access to beginner-friendly chess lessons designed to build critical thinking and strategic skills. The player-vs-player (PvP) mode allows learners to test their skills against real opponents in real time.
In a study involving Indonesian students, 75% of respondents said they felt more motivated and engaged when learning through gamified experiences, highlighting growing demand for playful, interactive education formats.
Built on the Duolingo Method, which emphasizes learning by doing rather than memorization, the Chess course brings this gamified approach to one of the world’s most iconic strategy games, making it more accessible, especially for beginners.
“We’ve seen strong early engagement from learners exploring Chess PvP mode on iOS, and bringing the experience to Android allows us to reach even more people, especially in mobile-first markets like Indonesia,” said Irene Tong, Regional Marketing Manager, Southeast Asia. “One product insight we’ve observed is that playing against another person can feel intimidating. Looking ahead, we’re working on a range of updates to make PvP feel more welcoming and enjoyable – especially for players who are just starting out. At its core, chess is about connecting with others and strengthening your critical thinking skills. We want to help make that experience more accessible and empowering for our learners.”
With the Duolingo Chess course, learners start with the basics, like how each piece moves, and build their skills by solving puzzles and playing mini matches guided by Oscar, Duolingo’s in-game chess coach.
About 75% of the course is puzzle-based, giving learners hands-on practice with core tactics. The rest features mini and full games that help them apply what they’ve learned. With personalized practice and lessons that gradually become more challenging, learners progress from guided moves to solving checkmates on their own, all in fun, bite-sized lessons.
To access PvP mode, learners can visit the Matches tab and tap “Play a Person” to be paired with an opponent of a similar skill level, applying what they’ve learned in a more social and competitive setting. “One thing we’re especially excited about is that bringing PvP mode to Android adds significant “liquidity” to PvP matches. In practice, that means shorter wait times globally—especially for higher ELO players.” – Tong said.
Duolingo is currently working on a number of meaningful updates to Chess designed to strengthen the overall learning experience. These include enabling play with friends, introducing game review features, expanding Chess to the web platform, and developing more advanced content. Together, these efforts aim to make Chess more accessible, engaging, and supportive for learners at different stages of their journey.
Bringing the experience beyond the screen to Indonesian learners, Duolingo has been hosting the first ever Chess pop up activation at Taman Literasi Blok M in Jakarta from 6 to 13 February. The area has been transformed into an interactive learning zone featuring a giant chess board, where visitors can meet Duolingo’s mascot, King Duo, and take part in chess challenges inspired by the in-app course. Visitors can also enjoy live puzzles, mini lessons, and rewards.
Duolingo’s Chess course is free to access on Android and is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.
