How I Transformed a Small Lichess Team into a Thriving Chess Community

1. Activity First, Numbers Later

I realized something important early on:

A team with 50 active members feels better than a team with 500 silent members.

So instead of focusing on invitations or mass-joining, I focused on consistent activity:

• Weekly arenas
• Monthly league-style events
• Occasional themed tournaments (e.g., “No Castling Blitz Night”)

Once activity rises, members invite others naturally.

2. Communication Makes Everything Alive

A silent team is a dead team.
I began writing short updates, posting messages before events, thanking players after tournaments, and highlighting notable performances.
Even something simple like:

“Great job to everyone who played today — special shoutout to X for an amazing streak!”

This kind of communication makes players feel seen — and that feeling creates loyalty.

3. Creating Identity

One of the biggest turning points was giving the team its own identity.
I added:

• A meaningful team description
• A team motto
• A clean logo
• Clear goals (e.g., “We focus on rapid improvement and friendly competition”)

Suddenly, the team felt like a place, not just a list of usernames.

4. Events With Purpose

Anyone can create tournaments.
What makes a community grow are events with meaning.
Here are the formats that worked best:

• Weekly Training Arena: where we focus on a specific theme each week
• Team vs Team Matches: high energy, high engagement
• Simuls with stronger players: surprisingly motivating for beginners
• “Friendly Ladders”: long-term competition without pressure

Players stay where they feel they are improving.

5. Welcoming New Members Properly

Most teams accept members silently.
I decided to do the opposite.
Every new member received a short welcome message — nothing fancy, just a warm hello.
This small detail made retention skyrocket.
People join a team for content,
but stay in a team for connection.

6. Leading by Example

A community grows faster when the leader is active.
I participated in events, chatted politely, and kept everything positive.
When members see activity from the top, they mirror it.

7. Consistency Beats Everything

There were weeks with low participation and tournaments with only a few players — and that’s normal.
But the moment I became consistent:

• Events stabilized
• Engagement increased
• Members started inviting others

Consistency is the real engine behind community growth.

Conclusion

Building a thriving Lichess community is not about being a titled player or a famous streamer.
It’s about giving people a place where they feel welcomed, motivated, and part of something meaningful.
If you start with intention and keep going, even the smallest team can grow into something truly alive.
Thanks for reading — and see you in the next arena