Mark Crowther Celebrates Anniversary: 'You Do It One Week At A Time, Then 30 Years Go By'

Mark Crowther, the founder of The Week in Chess (TWIC), single-handedly changed the chess landscape in the 90s and has provided an invaluable free resource for chess enthusiasts and professionals for 30 years. He has no plans of slowing down.

Since TWIC's launch on September 17, 1994, the 58-year-old from Bradford in Northern England has been a key figure in the chess world by publishing 1559 weekly issues of the game collection that contains a total of 4,081,840 games. With a few exceptions in the early years of the site, he hasn't missed a single Monday night update. 

Chess.com took the opportunity to do an interview with the living legend, who spoke passionately about his work with the site, his business model, and future plans.

Reflecting on the milestone, he said smilingly: "I found it very disorientating, to be honest. You do it one week at a time, and then 30 years go by." 

I found it very disorientating, to be honest. You do it one week at a time, and then 30 years go by.

—Mark Crowther

Crowther noted how the chess landscape has changed since Chess.com's Peter Doggers interviewed him five years ago. A seemingly never-ending chess boom has led to increased interest in the game, which also boosted the amount of tournaments and games being played, especially online. While that also means more work for the head of TWIC, he remains positive.

"This is my living now, and I’m going to have to work for another 15 years or so, but I feel quite positive about the anniversary. It feels like a line under a chapter."

TWIC’s early days were a far cry from the digital chess world we know today. Back in the mid-90s, before platforms like Chess.com existed, Crowther’s weekly updates were a lifeline for chess news and game collections. Famous GMs such as Peter Leko, Viswanathan Anand, and Nigel Short shared with Chess.com how getting the latest TWIC was an essential part of their career and became part of their Tuesday morning routine.

Another avid TWIC user, GM Peter Heine Nielsen, called for Crowther to be honored by the International Chess Federation for his work. 

Dear @FIDE_chess, Mark deserves recognition and honour for his work for chess.

30 years of serving the chess community, delivering chess games easy accessible and free to the chess community.#FIDE100 https://t.co/cmE98JXSun

— Peter Heine Nielsen (@PHChess) September 17, 2024

As Nielsen points out, the database has always been free, making it available for amateurs in countries with limited access to chess resources.

"I am sure I've contributed to young players coming through who don't have any money. It’s incredibly important that they have access to all this material for nothing," Crowther said.

I am sure I've contributed to young players coming through who don’t have any money. It’s incredibly important that they have access to all this material for nothing.

—Mark Crowther

While TWIC has been a beloved resource for the chess world for three decades, keeping it alive hasn't always been easy. Crowther has relied on advertising and donations to cover costs, but he has previously expressed concerns about the business model.

In his interview with Peter Doggers, he described it as a "fun business, but not very secure." He still receives donations, in particular from two generous sponsors, who helped him buy a new computer two years ago. That drastically sped up the process of compiling the database.

He now takes two 12-to-14-hour work days to complete every issue of TWIC. "I am saving hours. I have suddenly got more hours than I had a few weeks ago. It is insane."

Despite this, Crowther remains frustrated by the lack of direct support from some businesses that use TWIC’s database. While he provides an invaluable service, not all chess companies have offered compensation or advertising in return.

"TWIC material seems to be used by more and more businesses. I wish they did think about it and actually gave me some money... You are supposed to play fair in this space. If you wake up one morning and find that I’m not there, it might affect your business."

Crowther expresses regrets for not turning TWIC into a more comprehensive chess news outlet earlier, and said he wished he had shared news on his site rather than on social media platforms like X/Twitter. Now, he hopes to integrate these stories into TWIC’s main content.

“I want to do a kind of news ticker of one-line, two-line stories with games attached, running live.”

Crowther is also a keen player in local tournaments, something he intends to keep doing. And he wants to try to improve his chess, noting that he spends a lot of time on Chessable courses. Staying connected to the game is essential for reporting on it, he says:

"I don't think you've got any business reporting on chess if you don't play."

For Crowther, the next chapter of The Week in Chess looks promising, but also depends on continued support from the chess community and the businesses that use his database.

His commitment is unquestionable, and he has no plans of retiring just yet. "As long as I can make a living from it, I’ll continue. I’m happy to do this for as long as I can."

As long as I can make a living from it, I’ll continue. I’m happy to do this for as long as I can.

—Mark Crowther