Chess
About Chess
Chess is a classic two-player strategy game played on an eight by eight board. You take turns moving pieces such as pawns, knights, bishops, rooks, the queen, and the king. The goal is to checkmate your opponent's king, trapping it so it cannot escape capture, while defending your own king from the same fate.
How to play Chess
Each piece moves in its own pattern: pawns move forward and capture diagonally, rooks move in straight lines, bishops move diagonally, the queen combines both, knights move in an L shape, and the king moves one square at a time. Click or tap a piece to select it, then choose a legal square to move it to. Plan your moves to protect your king and threaten your opponent's.
Tips for playing Chess
- Move your pawns and pieces toward the center early to control more of the board.
- Keep your king safe by not moving too many pawns around it in the opening.
- Look for moves that threaten more than one piece at a time.
Chess screenshots
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic rules of chess?
Each player controls sixteen pieces and moves one at a time, trying to checkmate the opponent's king. Different pieces move in different patterns, and capturing an opposing piece removes it from the board.
How do you win a game of chess?
You win by checkmating the opponent's king, meaning the king is under attack and has no legal move to escape capture.
Can I play chess for free in the browser?
Yes, this version of Chess runs directly in your browser with no download required.
