Through play, students step into the roles of various social groups in pre-WWI German society – factory workers, political leaders, civilians, and colonial administrators. As they navigate this pivotal historical period, 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.
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.
What is The Great Gambit?
For Teachers:
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Creates common ground between you and your students through shared experience
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Deepens historical understanding as students live through events rather than just reading about them
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Covers the critical period from 1871-1914, including key events like the Scramble for Africa, the Naval Arms Race, and many more
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Offers flexibility with a complete four-lesson course (80 minutes each) or individual modules to enhance your existing curriculum
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Requires minimal technology (one laptop per group) and works offline
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Includes ready-to-use materials for both gameplay and reflection sessions
For Student:
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Transforms abstract historical events into experiences with emotional investment
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Builds critical thinking by connecting individual choices to broader social outcomes
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Develops perspective-taking across different social groups and historical contexts
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Encourages collaborative problem-solving and strategic thinking
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Creates willingness to discuss and analyze - not "some history" but their own experiences
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Helps recognize patterns in social dynamics that remain relevant in today's world
How Does It Help?
Each turn, the teacher presents a historical event that sets the context, while students, representing different social groups, respond by making decisions based on their goals and current situation. These decisions affect all groups and accumulate over time to determine the outcome.
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The game offers two modes:
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Powder Keg (Contest Mode), where groups compete for influence
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​Butterfly Effect (Cooperation Mode), where they must balance individual goals with the collective aim of preventing war
Here is a quick overview of The Great Gambit:
How to Play: Video Tutorials for Students and Teachers
How to Play?
In "The Great Gambit," students take on roles as distinct social groups in pre-WWI German society – Political Leaders, Colonial Administrators, Civilians, and Workers – making strategic decisions each turn to gain influence. The ultimate goal is to prevent the outbreak of World War I by creating a more stable society where all groups have a meaningful voice (influence) in shaping their future.
I Want to Test - How Can I Start?
The Great Gambit is designed as a flexible 4-lesson course, but its components can also be used as standalone modules to supplement your existing curriculum. You can implement the game sessions, reflective discussions, or both based on your teaching needs.
We understand teachers may be hesitant to integrate new tools without testing them first. That's why we've created several low-stakes options that make it easy to try The Great Gambit before committing to full implementation.
The Great Gambit is completely free for educational purposes and cannot be used for commercial purposes. All we ask in return is your anonymous feedback to help us improve the experience and educational value.
This educational tool aims to encourage discussion about how societies function and change. It should be used alongside comprehensive historical materials, recognizing that historical events involve greater complexity than any simulation can capture. Our goal is to promote thoughtful engagement with historical understanding while acknowledging the limitations of any educational tool.
We invite educators and students to join us in this exploration, not to simplify history, but to understand its complexity. Through this understanding, perhaps we can better appreciate our own role in shaping tomorrow's world.
Click below to explore both the educational principles behind The Great Gambit and how our unique game elements bring these insights to life in your classroom.
Educational Value
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."
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.
I’m Anders, a history teacher 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.
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.
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.
Contact Us
For Teachers
Have questions or need support? Join our Facebook Group for discussions with colleagues, technical help, or implementation ideas. This is the quickest way to get answers, as you'll benefit from both our team's expertise and the experience of other teachers.
Don't have Facebook? You can reach us directly:​​​​
Zhenya (Developer) - For game design, technical issues, tutorials, and game rules
Anders (History Teacher) - For curriculum integration and teaching strategies
We're happy to help through email, though responses may be a bit slower than in our Facebook community.
For Partenrships and Collaborations
greatgambitedu@gmail.com