Messi asks ChatGPT to teach him a chess opening

by ChessBase India
10/25/2026 – Lionel Messi's appearance in a recent OpenAI advertisement has produced an unexpected crossover between football and chess. After ChatGPT suggested the “GOAT Horns” opening with 1.e4 a6 2.d4 c6, Hikaru Nakamura tried the same setup with black in an online event and went on to win the tournament on tiebreaks. The episode offered a light-hearted example of Messi's growing interest in chess. | Screenshot: OpenAI
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By Rasika Ratnaparkhi

In a recent Instagram ad, Lionel Messi asked ChatGPT to suggest a chess opening that matches his style. ChatGPT suggested the GOAT Horns. It clearly knew who it was talking to! The opening goes 1.e4 a6 2.d4 c6.

Messi asks ChatGPT to teach him a chess opening | Video: OpenAI

This opening did not stop at the ad. Inspired by it, GM Hikaru Nakamura tried the same ...a6 and ...c6 setup with black at chess.com's 3 0 Titled Thursday event. He went on to win the event on tiebreaks! It was lovely to see a grandmaster copying a football player's moves.

Hikaru shows how to win with Messi's GOAT opening | Video: GM Hikaru

We are genuinely 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 him play football, so seeing him try chess makes us happy.

A watch-along of the FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain with GM Harshit Raja | Video: ChessBase India Clips

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Topics: AI, Lionel Messi
ChessBase India is currently the biggest chess news portal and chess software distributor in India. We have daily reports about tournaments in India, profiles of the best talents and information about players performing admirably at the international level. Our motto is “Powering Chess in India”. Apart from news, we provide all the services that are required to ease the life of a chess player.
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