Chess
A familiar board. A fresh challenge every time.
How to play
Checkmate your opponent’s king — attack it so it has no legal way to escape capture.
How a turn works
- White moves first. Click or tap one of your pieces and every square it can legally move to lights up.
- Click a lit square to move there. Landing on an enemy piece captures it and removes it from the board.
- If your move attacks the enemy king, that is check — your opponent must answer it on their very next move.
- A pawn that reaches the far row is promoted and you choose what it becomes: queen, rook, bishop or knight.
- Pass the turn. The game ends at checkmate, resignation, an agreed draw, or one of the automatic draw rules.
Key rules
- You can never make a move that leaves your own king in check, which is why only some squares light up when you select a piece.
- Castling moves the king two squares toward a rook and the rook to the other side of the king. It is allowed only if neither piece has moved, the squares between them are empty, and the king is not in check and does not pass through or land on an attacked square.
- En passant: if an enemy pawn advances two squares and lands beside your pawn, you may capture it as though it had moved one square — but only on the very next turn.
- Stalemate — the player to move has no legal move and is not in check — is a draw, not a win.
- Threefold repetition, fifty moves without a capture or pawn move, and insufficient material to checkmate (for example king against king) all end the game in a draw.
Glossary
- Check
- A king under direct attack. The player in check must escape, block or capture the attacker immediately.
- Checkmate
- Check with no legal reply — the game ends and the checkmating player wins.
- Castling
- A special move that tucks the king away and brings a rook into play in a single turn.
- En passant
- A special pawn capture, available for one turn only, against a pawn that has just advanced two squares.
- Promotion
- What happens when a pawn reaches the far row: it is replaced by a queen, rook, bishop or knight of your choice.
- Stalemate
- No legal move while not in check. The game is drawn.
Click or tap a piece, then a destination. Arrow keys navigate; Enter selects.
Questions
How long does a game of chess take?
As long as you like by default — a casual game ends only at checkmate, resignation, or one of the automatic draw rules. For a faster game, create a private room with a clock: 3 min + 2 s, 5 min, 10 min + 5 s or 15 min + 10 s each.
Is chess hard to learn?
The rules are quick to pick up — every legal move is highlighted the moment you select a piece — though chess takes a lifetime to master. A beginner can play a full legal game within minutes.
Can I play chess against a computer?
Yes — Practice with computer plays simple tactical moves with no opponent or connection needed, and a short guided tutorial advances as you make real moves.
Strategy guide
Chess Strategy for Beginners — Practical chess strategy for new players: opening principles, safe development, simple tactics to spot, and how to finish a won game with checkmate.
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