Play Chess Against the Computer: Free, No Sign-Up
Play free chess against the computer with big, clear pieces and a calm board. There is no login and no clock pressure. You pick the difficulty and your color, and you can take back moves as often as you like. The game is made for tablets, but it works great on phones and computers too.
How to play
- Tap one of your pieces. Dots show the squares that piece can move to. Tap a square to move there. You can also drag the piece with your finger or mouse.
- The computer answers on its own after a moment. The last move is highlighted in yellow, so you can always see what just happened.
- The goal is to checkmate your opponent's king. That means the king is under attack and has no way to escape.
- Stuck? Tap Hint and the game will show you a good move. Undo takes back your last move and the computer's reply.
How the pieces move
- The king moves one square in any direction.
- The queen moves as far as she likes, straight or diagonally.
- The rook moves as far as it likes, horizontally or vertically.
- The bishop moves as far as it likes diagonally and always stays on squares of the same color.
- The knight moves in an L shape: two squares one way and one to the side. It can jump over other pieces.
- The pawn moves one square forward, or two from its starting row, and captures diagonally. When it reaches the last row, it is promoted, usually to a queen.
The game also knows the special rules like castling and en passant. You can only make legal moves, so you never have to worry about doing something wrong.
Tips for beginners
- Control the center early with your pawns and knights.
- Castle early to keep your king safe.
- Before every move, check whether any of your pieces are under attack.
- Start on Easy, and use Undo to try a different idea when a move goes wrong.
Frequently asked questions
How strong is the computer?
On Easy, the computer only looks one move ahead and makes mistakes on purpose now and then, so it is a good practice partner. On Medium, it thinks two moves ahead and calculates captures to the end. On Hard, it thinks four moves ahead, so you really need to watch your pieces.
When does the game end in a draw?
The game is a draw by stalemate, when the player to move has no legal move and is not in check. It is also a draw when the same position has happened three times, when 50 moves have passed without a capture or a pawn move, and when neither side has enough pieces left to checkmate. The game keeps track of all of this for you.
What do the letters in the move list mean?
The move list uses standard algebraic notation. K is king, Q is queen, R is rook, B is bishop and N is knight. Pawn moves show only the square, for example e4. An x means a capture, + means check and # means checkmate. O-O is castling kingside and O-O-O is castling queenside.
Is my game saved?
Yes. Your game is saved after every move on this device, so you can close the page and pick up right where you left off. Your stats for games won, drawn and lost are also saved only on your device.