How to play
- Tap a piece to see where it can go, then tap a square. You can also drag it.
- Capture your rival's pieces by moving onto their square.
- Put the king in check, and if it has no way out, that's checkmate and you win.
- Stuck? Tap Hint for a suggested move, or Undo to take your move back.
Play chess free online against the computer on easy, medium or hard, or with a friend on one device. Full rules, hints and undo, on phone or computer.
About Chess
Chess is a strategy game for two players on a board of 64 squares. Each side starts with sixteen pieces: a king, a queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. The goal is to checkmate the other king, which means attacking it so that it has no way to escape. There is no luck at all. Every game is decided by the moves the two players choose.
The game grew out of chaturanga, played in India around the 6th century. It spread to Persia, where it became shatranj, and then through the Arab world to Europe. The modern rules, with the powerful queen and long-moving bishop, settled in Europe around 1500. India's link with the game is still strong today, from family games at home to world-class grandmasters.
Chess on Gamesupa
Play against the computer or with a friend on the same device. Against the computer you choose a level and whether you play White, Black or a random colour. Every move is saved on your device, so you can close the page and come back to the same position.
- Three levels. Easy makes mistakes on purpose and is good for learning. Medium plays sensible chess. Hard looks further ahead and punishes loose pieces.
- Tap or drag. Tap a piece to see its moves as dots, then tap a square. Or drag the piece where you want it. Rings show the pieces you can capture.
- Hint and Undo. Hint suggests a good move for you. Undo takes back your last move, and the computer's reply too.
- Full rules. Castling, en passant, promotion, check, checkmate and every kind of draw are built in, so the board only lets you make legal moves.
- Keyboard. On a computer you can use the arrow keys to move around the board and Enter to pick a piece and its square.
How to win
You win by checkmate: the king is attacked and no move can save it. If the player to move has no legal move but isn't in check, it's stalemate and the game is a draw. A game is also drawn when the same position comes up three times, after fifty moves in a row by both sides with no capture or pawn move, or when neither side has enough pieces left to give checkmate.
Quick tips
- Take the centre. Start with a pawn to e4 or d4 and bring your knights and bishops out early.
- Castle soon. Castling tucks your king into a corner and brings a rook into play.
- Check before you move. Ask what your opponent's last move attacks, and whether your move leaves a piece unprotected.
- Don't rush the queen out. She is easy to chase around, and every chase gives your opponent a free move.
- Count the trade. A pawn is worth about 1, a knight or bishop 3, a rook 5 and a queen 9. The +number next to the players shows who is ahead.
Learn more in Chess rules for beginners and 10 chess opening tips.
Chess questions
Can I play chess against the computer?
Yes. Choose Easy, Medium or Hard on the start screen, and play as White, Black or a random colour. Easy makes mistakes on purpose, so it's a good place to start.
Can two people play on one phone?
Yes. Choose "A friend" and take turns on the same device. Use Flip board to turn the board around for the player with Black.
Does it follow all the chess rules?
Yes. Castling, en passant, pawn promotion, check, checkmate and stalemate all work, and the game ends in a draw by threefold repetition, the 50-move rule or when neither side has enough pieces to mate.
How do I castle?
Tap your king and then the square two steps to the left or right, and the rook jumps over. You can't castle out of check, through check, or after the king or that rook has moved.
What happens when my pawn reaches the last row?
You choose a queen, rook, bishop or knight to replace it. Most players pick a queen.
Is my game saved?
Yes. Every move is saved on your device, so you can close the page and carry on later. Undo and Hint are always free.
Chess guides
- Chess 5 basic checkmate patterns for beginners Back-rank mate, Scholar's mate, the queen and king mate, the two-rook ladder and smothered mate, explained simply so you can spot them in your games.
- Chess Chess rules for beginners How every chess piece moves, plus check, checkmate, castling, en passant, promotion and draws, explained simply.
- Chess 8 common chess mistakes beginners make The mistakes that lose most beginner chess games, from leaving pieces undefended to ignoring threats, and simple habits that fix them.
- Chess 10 chess opening tips Simple principles for the first ten moves of a chess game: control the centre, develop pieces, castle early and avoid common traps.