Why is the Chess.com cat bot, Mittens, so popular?

In the past week, Chess.com's intelligent cat bot called Mittens has taken the chess world by storm. From the regular crowd to content creators, Mittens has the entire chess community in its paws. But intelligent chess bots aren't exactly something new and it also isn't the smartest bot ever invented. So what is it about Mittens that makes it so popular?

If you've never heard of Mittens before, you can go here to meet the cat and its feline friends. Their popularity, especially Mittens, is over the roof. So here is what we think made the innocent-looking cat bot take off in the world of chess. Let's first start with the obvious...

There is no greater strategy than having a cute cat at the forefront of your product. Chess.com knew what it took to appeal to the masses and it went down the"Puss in Boots" path. One cute kitten with sparkling eyes and the world is sold!

Cats are also arguably the most popular pet in the world. People tend to enjoy any content related to cats so combining paws and pawns together is definitely a brilliant formula.

Mittens not only has a cute cat avatar, but it also has a fun personality, something chess bots don't really have. It goes to the point that the cat bot has its own social media accounts such as Twitter and YouTube. And this personality makes it great meme material.

Firstly, Mittens has an undefined ELO but it also goes by 1 rating. This calls for fun memes: "I was beaten by a rated 1 kitten!" or "imagine losing to a cat with 1 rating." On the other hand, it also creates this mysterious narrative around Mittens and people are actively trying to figure out its real ELO.

But that's not its biggest meme point. This innocent-faced cat bot loves to taunt. While playing against Mittens on Chess.com, it will constantly pop up dialogues and try its best to annoy you. While the dialogues are often adorable, they also ooze mockery. And of course, people aren't actually offended by its corny dialogues, but it's cute and everyone plays along.

Mittens is not as powerful as Stockfish (the world's most powerful chess engine), and it is likely way below Stockfish's league. But that makes the 1-rated bot all the more fun.

While Mittens is incredibly strong, it also gives the idea of it being beatable. On the other hand, who wants to actually play Stockfish? You'll never outsmart a 3700-rated bot. But with Chess.com's cat bot, you might have a chance. And that is the lure that keeps on attracting players. Mittens is the Goldilocks of chess bots which gives you a "just right" difficulty and it keeps you coming.

All of the factors above make for incredibly great content and it is no surprise that top Chess streamers and content creators are abroad on the Mittens train. Names like Hikaru Nakamura and GothamChess, who both hold millions of followers, have been spamming Mittens-related content on their platforms, which further hypes the chess bot.

And look at these thumbnails.. who wouldn't click on them?

Right now, Mittens is the hot topic in chess and it's certainly a fun time for the community. Though just like any other trend, it might be short-lived. There are only so many Mittens memes and jokes we can experience until it finally loses momentum and drops out of sight. Of course, unless Chess.com brings in interesting changes to the cat bot. But right now, let it bask under the limelight.

Click here to play against Mittens and test your strength!

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