Chess: играть онлайн бесплатно

It starts straight away in your browser on a phone or a computer, with no download and no account. If you would rather face a person, sit down together at one screen or send a friend a link and play chess online.

How strong is the computer at each level?

The lowest levels are for learning: the computer looks only a little way ahead and often misses the better move, so you can practise checkmates and simple tricks in peace. In the middle of the scale it starts playing proper openings and slips up less often. The top two levels play very solid chess, and level eight no longer makes deliberate mistakes. Strength depends mainly on how many positions the engine checks rather than on time, so level five is just as tough on an older phone as on a fast computer. The phone simply thinks a little longer. Wins go on the leaderboard, with more points for higher levels and a bonus for a quick mate.

What does the coach do, and isn't that cheating?

The coach only speaks up when your move is legal but very weak: you hang your queen, a rook or a piece, or you let your opponent force mate. You can take the move back or play on anyway. If you want to test yourself without help, switch the coach off in the settings. A game won without hints or undo counts as a clean win.

How do I see where I went wrong?

After the game you can run an analysis. It goes through every position, counts inaccuracies, mistakes and blunders, and shows a better move for each one. It is the quickest way to find the moment the game slipped away. You can also copy the game as PGN.

How do I play chess online with a friend?

Choose online play and you get a code and a link to send. You can also jump into a quick match. The host plays white, and colours swap for the rematch. Instead of chat there are ready-made reactions like "Good move!" or "Good luck!", so kids can play here safely too. Online wins count in a separate ranking. If you are sitting next to each other, two-player mode lets you share one device, and a single button flips the board.

Chess puzzles: mate in 1, 2 and 3

In puzzles you look for mate in a given number of moves, and each one has a single solution. There is also a daily puzzle, the same for everyone, and the game keeps count of how many days in a row you have solved it. If you get stuck, you can reveal the answer.

The rules people trip over most

The game enforces every rule and tells you why a move is not allowed: the piece is pinned, your king is in check, or castling is impossible because the king or rook has already moved. En passant and promotion to any piece are built in. A game is drawn by stalemate, threefold repetition, fifty moves without a capture or a pawn move, or when there is not enough material left to mate. You can offer the computer a draw, and it will accept after move twenty if the position is roughly level.

Boards, pieces and settings

You start with two boards and two piece sets, including 3D Staunton pieces. More wins unlock a tournament board, rosewood and ebony, plus boxwood and brass sets. In the settings you can highlight possible moves, promote to a queen automatically, turn vibration on or off, choose a light or dark theme, and set sound and music separately. An unfinished game against the computer is saved.