Anichess has launched Season 7 with the introduction of Gambit mode. This competitive format requires a 100 $CHECK buy-in per match and distributes over 1,000,000 $CHECK in total seasonal rewards. Described as the first Anichess mode where players wager on their own game, Gambit runs alongside M8 Arena and Standard Mode. All three reward tracks operate on weekly reset cycles throughout the season.
What’s New
- Gambit mode is now live, marking the first Anichess mode to require a per-match $CHECK buy-in from both players.
- Spells are randomly assigned to both players each match in Gambit mode, and three specific spells (Shot in the Dark, Juke, and Shift) are disabled.
- A daily three-hour Peak Hours window offers 2x leaderboard points for Gambit matches.
- New referral system: Referrers earn 10% of their recruited player’s platform fees (starting from the recruit’s third match). Recruited players unlock escalating fee rebates (up to 20%), M8 rewards, and cosmetics based on match milestones.
- Players who complete at least two Gambit matches this season earn Season 7 cosmetics (Chess Pieces, Chessboard, and Background) for free.
- Season 7 is confirmed as the third qualifier for the quarterly playoffs.
Dates and Rollout
- All leaderboards except the Standard mode ranking leaderboard reset every Monday at 0:00 AM UTC.
- Week one of Gambit features a special 125 $CHECK loss rebate (this changes weekly).
- Peak Hours run daily from 13:30 to 16:30 UTC.
Numbers and Rules
- Each player pays a 100 $CHECK buy-in plus 15 $CHECK platform fee per Gambit match.
- The total prize pool across Season 7 exceeds 1,000,000 $CHECK.
- Gambit Leaderboard (ranked by total buy-ins): Top 50 players split 250,000 $CHECK each week. Requires 15 or more matches to qualify.
- In Week 1, first place earns 30,000 $CHECK and positions 10 to 50 each earn 2,500 $CHECK.
- Each week, 50 players are randomly selected for the M8 Arena (minimum 500 $CHECK), with odds increasing based on match volume.
- Referrers earn 10% of recruited players’ platform fees; recruited players receive escalating rebates, M8, and cosmetics up to 150 or more matches.
Sources:
Medium Article (Mar 10, 2026) +
Official Animoca Brands announcement (Mar 18, 2026)
