FIDE

Product Designer – Chess Platform for FIDE

Creating a modern chess experience to rival the industry’s best

FIDE Play is a premium digital chess platform developed for the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to compete directly with Chess.com and Lichess. I was responsible for product design and UI, I collaborated with another designer at Nagra to bring this to fruition, helping shape a seamless experience that blends competitive play, live streaming, and gamified learning into one cohesive platform.

This platform serves a global user base and focuses on premium memberships, high-quality broadcast experiences, and dynamic in-game features to engage both casual players and professionals.

My Role

• Jointly led product design for the home experience and key game journeys

• Designed a modular interface with clear prioritisation for live games, rankings, and events

• Worked closely with FIDE stakeholders to align business goals with fan experience

• Applied gamification principles to encourage player progression and engagement

• Balanced editorial content, live streams, and rankings in one unified layout

Key Features Designed

• Dynamic homepage surfacing live games, rankings, tournaments, and video replays

• Game mode selectors (Blitz, Rapid, Bullet) with seamless transitions

• Integrated FIDE player rankings and match results with real-time updates

• Live tournament blocks with active state, timing, and context-based callouts

• Clean dark-themed UI designed for extended viewing and mobile responsiveness

• Premium content zones for exclusive access, advanced training, and VIP events

Results

✅ Delivered a fully designed homepage and layout system aligned with FIDE’s global ambitions
✅ Created a design foundation for streaming-first UX with emphasis on clarity and speed
✅ Helped position FIDE as a tech-forward federation capable of building its own direct-to-fan product
✅ Established scalable visual and interaction patterns for future product expansion

This project gave me the opportunity to combine UI excellence with product thinking in a highly competitive space—reimagining how chess can be played, watched, and enjoyed in a modern, digital-first world.