How to Play Chess

You play White by default against Stockfish, a chess engine that runs in your browser. Checkmate the computer's king to win. Drag a piece to a new square, or click the piece and then its destination. The squares it can reach are marked, and touch screens work the same way. To castle, move your king two squares toward the rook. A pawn that reaches the last rank opens a box where you pick a queen, rook, bishop or knight.

In the panel beside the board, Play as offers White, Black or Random, New game starts over and Flip board turns the board around. The bar next to the board shows which side the engine thinks is ahead, with a score such as +0.3 when White is slightly better.

Strength, Hints and Practice Options

Set the computer's level

The Strength slider runs from 1320 to 3190 Elo and starts at 1600. You can move it between games or in the middle of one. Get a hint asks Stockfish for its best move at full strength and draws it as a green arrow with its score, plus a second-best move and how much worse it is. Undo takes back your last move and the computer's reply.

Two players, endgames and game review

Choose the Both option under Play as to take turns with a friend on the same screen. It is pass and play, not a match against someone on another device.

The Endgame trainer holds 270 practice positions in seven groups, from pawn and rook endgames to puzzles such as Back Rank Mate. Each states its goal, to win or to draw, and the computer defends at full strength.

When a game ends, it is reviewed automatically. You get an accuracy percentage for each side, a count of blunders, mistakes and inaccuracies, and a graph you can click to jump to any move. The arrow keys step through the game. You can also paste a game in PGN format into the box under the move list and press Enter, or open the Opening book link and load any of its 3,733 named openings.

Chess Tips for Beginners

Fight for the center early with a pawn move such as e4 or d4.
Develop your knights and bishops before the queen, then castle to protect your king.
Before each move, ask what the computer's last move threatens. If the evaluation bar swings, look for what changed.
Check that a piece is protected before you leave it where it can be attacked.
Try your own idea first, then press Get a hint and compare. After a loss, read the review: the blunders it marks are the moves worth studying.

If you like planning ahead on a board, try Othello next; the Reversi guide explains the rules. Nine Men's Morris and Connect Four are quicker, and the board and card games page lists the rest.

Chess FAQ

Can I play chess against the computer for free?

Yes. It is free, runs in your browser and needs no download or account.

How do I play chess online with 2 players?

Pick the Both option under Play as and take turns on one screen. The game does not connect you to a player on another device.

How do I make the computer easier to beat?

Drag the Strength slider to the left. The lowest value is 1320 Elo. Hints, Undo and the evaluation bar help while you learn.

How do you play chess for beginners?

Rooks move in straight lines, bishops on diagonals, the queen in both ways and the king one square. Knights jump in an L shape. Pawns step forward and capture diagonally. You win by attacking the opposing king so it has no legal escape.

How does a chess game end?

Checkmate wins. The game calls a draw for stalemate, threefold repetition, insufficient material or the fifty-move rule. There is no resign button, so press New game to start over.