Chess
Chess
A weekend game with family — learn and play chess right in your browser.
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1... Qh2# The black queen goes to h2 with check, protected by the pawn on g3. h1 is covered by the queen, f1 holds White's own rook, and f2 and g2 hold White's own pawns. Checkmate.
From: Damiano's Mate
Learn chess
How to playKing, queen, rook, bishop, knight and pawn each move in their own way. Learn them all from the diagrams.›
Openings33 common openings, each with diagrams, the main ideas and the traps, so you can practice them against the computer.›
TacticsFork, pin, skewer, discovered attack… the 16 most common tactics. Learn to spot them and you'll stop dropping pieces.›
StrategyWhat do you do when there's nothing to take? Pawn structure, passed pawns, isolated pawns, outposts, open files and the bishop pair: learn to read a position and make a plan.›
CheckmatesBack-rank mate, smothered mate, Scholar's mate… the 10 most common checkmate patterns. Learn them and you'll see mates at a glance.›
EndgamesQueen mate, opposition, the Lucena position… 14 essential endgames, every verdict checked against a tablebase.›
PuzzlesMate in one, mate in two, tactics and endgames. Over a hundred puzzles, all checked by an engine, so you'll lose a lot fewer games.›
About ChessHow ratings work, how computers play, the finer points of the rules and the story of chess. The things worth knowing beyond the board.›
Popular lessons
- OpeningsItalian GameThe bishop aims at f7, you develop fast and castle early. The best first opening for a beginner.
- OpeningsSicilian DefenseBlack trades the c-pawn for White's d-pawn. The position is unbalanced and both sides can play to win. A favorite of strong players.
- OpeningsQueen's GambitWhite offers the c-pawn to trade off Black's center pawn. It is not a real sacrifice, and it is the most classic 1. d4 opening.
- OpeningsLondon SystemBishop to f4, pawns to e3 and c3, and the same setup whatever your opponent plays. The White opening with the least to memorize.
- TacticsForkOne move attacks two pieces, and your opponent can only save one. The most common, most useful tactic.
- TacticsPinA piece stands in front of the king or queen, and if it moves, the piece behind gets taken. A pinned piece is half dead.
- CheckmatesBack-Rank MateThe king hides behind three pawns, but nobody guards the back rank, and one rook or queen sweeping in is mate. The most common mate after the opening.
- CheckmatesScholar's MateThe queen and bishop aim at f7 together and mate in four moves. The most common way beginners get mated, and the easiest to stop.
How to play
- White moves first. Each piece moves in its own way; capture by moving onto a square held by an opponent’s piece.
- Put the opposing king in check with no way out — checkmate — to win.
- A game is drawn by stalemate, threefold repetition, the fifty-move rule, insufficient material or agreement.
Frequently asked questions
Is this site really free?
Yes, completely. No sign-up, no download: open your browser and play the computer. There is nothing to buy.
Do I need to download an app or create an account?
No. It runs in the browser on phones, tablets and computers. The first game against the computer downloads its model once; after that it starts quickly.
I've never played chess. Can I still play?
Yes. Read the how-to-play guide to learn how the six pieces move, then pick the Beginner opponent — it plays like someone new to chess.
What is the difference between the four levels?
Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced are played by AI trained on a huge number of human games, so they move like people. Master is played by Stockfish, one of the strongest engines in the world.
Is any money or gambling involved?
No. The site is for learning and fun only. Game results have no real value and must not be used for betting of any kind.