Yoko Ono's 1966 conceptual chess piece becomes interactive digital bot on Chess.com
Chess.com has launched a playable Yoko Ono bot, translating her 1966 conceptual artwork Play It By Trust into an online chess experience with entirely white pieces and squares. Announced in February and promoted by Ono on X this week, the release coincides with her 93rd birthday and follows the online debut of the Oscar-winning animated short War Is Over! (2023), inspired by the music of John Lennon and Ono. The bot enables users to compete against a digital version of Ono using a monochrome board derived from her artwork, which Chess.com frames as both a gaming feature and an artistic encounter. Originally titled White Chess Set, the piece was first exhibited in 1966 at London's Indica Gallery, subverting the traditional black-versus-white dynamic of chess. The work has long been interpreted as a meditation on war, identity, and mutual recognition. The collaboration brings Ono's enduring conceptual practice to a digital gaming platform, timed to her birthday and recent cultural releases.
Key facts
- Yoko Ono's Play It By Trust (1966) is now a playable chess bot on Chess.com
- The bot features an all-white board and pieces
- It was announced in February and shared by Ono on X this week
- The release aligns with Ono's 93rd birthday
- It follows the online rollout of the Oscar-winning short War Is Over! (2023)
- The artwork was first shown as White Chess Set at London's Indica Gallery in 1966
- Chess.com presents it as both a game feature and an art encounter
- The piece is understood to reflect on war, identity, and mutual recognition
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Chess.com
- Indica Gallery
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
Sources
- Artsy —