Chess guide

STEP BY STEP

1. Choose Play offline, Play online or Club ladder from the menu.
2. Pick a variant, an opponent and a time control.
3. Click or tap a piece, then a highlighted square, to move.
4. Use hints, takebacks and the move list while you learn.
5. Review finished games with analysis to see where they turned.

CONTROLS

• Mouse or touch: click or tap a piece and then a square, or drag it.
• Keyboard: Tab to the board, arrows to move, Enter to pick up and put down.
• Shortcuts: F flips the board, H shows a hint, U takes back a move, Escape opens the menu.

DIFFICULTY

Adjustable. Eight computer levels; puzzles and drills range from simple mates to tricky endgames.

STRATEGY

• Develop knights and bishops before moving the queen out early.
• In Chess960, look for weak squares the random setup creates.
• In Three-check, keep your own king covered — every check counts.

AVOID THESE MISTAKES

• Leaving pieces undefended after a capture.
• Moving the same piece repeatedly in the opening.
• Forgetting the clock in short time controls.

DEVICES

Playable on desktop, laptop, tablet and phone with mouse, touch or keyboard.

ACCESSIBILITY

Full keyboard play, board flipping, move hints and legal-move highlights.

CHANGELOG

• 2026-09 — Achievements linked to your TrySomeGames account; pop-ups also show in fullscreen.
• 2026-09 — Fullscreen button and a redesigned play bar.

GAME DATA

Scores and achievements are saved to your account only if you are signed in. Guests play without an account; nothing is stored beyond your browser.

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