The Great Gambit is a hands-on, card-based simulation tool that brings the history of German society in the pre-World War I era to life. Through strategic decision-making, critical thinking and collaboration, students discover how peaceful societies can transform into ones where people end up killing each other - both between nations and within themselves.
Through play, students step into the daily lives and decisions of factory workers, political leaders, civilians, and colonial administrators. As they navigate pre-World War I Germany, they witness how industrialization, technological progress, and changing social structures affected real people's choices and relationships. For both teachers and students, this opens a window into perspectives rarely found in history books – revealing how individual decisions and broader social forces together transform societies, then and now.
We've finally launched our official website with all the needed information - https://www.thegreatgambit.com/
Learn More
Each article reveals a different aspect of our project:
History Teacher's Perspective - See how the project addresses real classroom challenges and prepares students for today's world.
What Does The Great Gambit Teach Us About Ourselves? - Learn about the educational value of this historical simulation.
How To Play? - See a quick overview of gameplay and how it fits into your curriculum.
I Want to Test ‘The Great Gambit’—How Can I Start? - Learn about flexible ways to try the educational tool, from student-led sessions to after-work gatherings with colleagues.
What Students Say About The Great Gambit
'it was a different kind of learning and it was fun because you really think about how it was and you had to put yourself in the shoes of someone who lived in that time'
'It made it all more immersive and removed the feeling of disattachment that can be quite easy to get when learing about history.'
These are just some of the insights from over 100 students who tested our game. Except numbers, you will find plenty of authentic student comments without filtering for 'only positive feedback'. Check out What Students Say About The Great Gambit
Our Story
It all started with a simple bowl of pasta around a bonfire. That’s how the two of us – Zhenya and Anders – met one evening in Gothenburg in September 2022. What began as a chance encounter quickly turned into long conversations about education, history, and how students connect (or don’t) with what they’re learning. From those talks, an idea was born: to find a better way to bring history to life in the classroom.
Who We Are
I’m Anders, a history teacher here in Sweden, and for years I’ve seen how tough it can be to get students excited about topics like World War I. Standard lectures and textbooks often miss the mark, especially when it comes to complex subjects. I knew there had to be a better way to engage students – something more immersive, something that made them think and feel like they were part of the historical process.
And I’m Zhenya, a game developer with a background in animation, VFX, 3D modeling, and programming. I’ve always believed that education doesn’t have to be a struggle if you can find the right way to engage with it. I studied at Brest State Technical University in Belarus, where I realized the power of “learning how to learn” – a mindset I’ve carried into everything I do.
Together, we created The Great Gambit as a way to combine our passions and skills. It’s not just a tool for teaching history – it’s a way to immerse students in the decisions and events that shaped the world, making learning more engaging, interactive, and meaningful.
Our Vision
We believe education should do more than transfer knowledge – it should build understanding, develop critical thinking, and prepare students for active citizenship. Through tools like The Great Gambit, we're creating educational experiences that transform how students engage with history and understand society.
Why Support Us?
Your support helps us:
Develop interactive reflective lessons that spark meaningful discussions about conflict and society through engaging activities, while saving valuable preparation time for teachers
Help more schools discover and implement The Great Gambit in their history curriculum
Support teachers currently using The Great Gambit with resources, training, and ongoing assistance
Build a community of teachers interested in gamification and innovative teaching approaches
Expand language availability beyond English and Swedish to make the game accessible to more students worldwide
Create analytics tools to study patterns in group decision-making and social dynamics - contributing to our understanding of how different social roles interact under pressure and how groups navigate between individual and collective interests
Every donation, big or small, moves us closer to making education more interactive and meaningful for students everywhere. If you believe in our mission, we’d be grateful for your support.