Messi asks ChatGPT to teach him a chess opening

In a recent Instagram ad, Lionel Messi asks ChatGPT to suggest a chess opening that suits his style. ChatGPT suggests the GOAT Horns. It seems to know exactly who it is talking to! The opening starts with these moves: 1. e4 a6 2. d4 c6.

The opening did not stay in the ad. Inspired by it, Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura tried the same setup with Black, playing ...a6 and ...c6, at Chess.com's 3 0 Thursday event. He went on to win the event after tiebreaks! It was great to see a grandmaster copying a football player's moves!

Now that Messi has tried the GOAT Horns, we think he should try playing 1...c6 instead of 1...a6. This move starts the Caro-Kann Defence, a well-known and trusted chess opening. Many chess players have used it when playing Black and trying to win.

We have something to help him get started: Caro-Kann from Scratch, an interactive course by IM Sagar Shah. It costs just Rs. 36, and we think it would be a good place for him to begin.

We are truly excited that Messi has shown an interest in chess. We also simply love him. During the FIFA World Cup 2026, we even held a special livestream.

We have loved watching Messi play football, so seeing him try chess makes us happy. We have shared our suggestion, and now we want to hear yours. Which chess opening do you think Messi should try next?

Tell us in the comments!