Chess is the world's most played strategy game, with origins over 1,500 years old. The queen dominates open lines, the knight leaps over obstacles, and the humble pawn can promote to any piece.
Tips
Notation
Squares are named by file (a–h) and rank (1–8). Pieces use capitals: K, Q, R, B, N. Pawns are unmarked. e4 means a pawn moves to e4; Nf3 means a knight moves to f3. Captures use x (Bxe5); check is +; mate is #. Castling is O-O kingside or O-O-O queenside.
History
Chess emerged in its modern form in 15th-century Europe from the older Indian game chaturanga, which spread to Persia as shatranj before reaching Europe via the Islamic world. Piece movements were standardized during the Romantic era of the 19th century. The first official world championship was held in 1886; the Soviet school dominated the mid-20th century; computer engines surpassed human play in the late 1990s; the streaming and online boom of the 2020s brought the game to its largest audience ever.
Chess strategy splits into three phases. In the opening, develop minor pieces toward the center, contest e4/d4/e5/d5 with pawns, and castle within the first ten moves. Don't move the queen out early — opponents gain tempo by attacking it.
In the middlegame, look for tactical motifs: pins (a piece can't move without exposing a more valuable one), forks (one piece attacks two), skewers, discovered attacks, and double attacks. Material counts, but so do king safety, pawn structure (avoid doubled and isolated pawns), and piece activity.
In the endgame, technique replaces creativity. Memorize K+Q vs K, K+R vs K, the rule of the square in pawn endings, and the concept of opposition. The side with an active king and connected passed pawns usually wins.
Do I need an account to play?
No, solo vs AI works without signing in. Multiplayer requires an account so we can track your record and rating.
How strong is the AI?
Three difficulty levels. Strong runs a Stockfish-based engine deep enough to beat most club players. Weak plays principled but limited moves so beginners can build confidence.
How do I castle?
Click the king, then click two squares toward the rook. Standard rules apply: neither piece may have moved, the king is not in check, and the king does not pass through an attacked square.
What is the clock format?
Fischer increment by default — five minutes base time with three seconds added each move. The increment rewards consistent play and avoids time-pressure scrambles.
Can I take back a move?
No. Solo and multiplayer both commit moves on click. The design encourages thinking before moving rather than relying on undo.
What happens if I disconnect?
Your clock keeps running. Reconnect before your time expires and the game continues from the current position.
Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) — Same chess family with cannons, a river, and a fortified palace.
Checkers — Simpler rules, deeper than it looks. Forced jumps and king promotion.
Othello — Sharp 30-minute strategy game where every move flips the board.
Fox and Hounds — Asymmetric chase on a chessboard — one piece against four.