Quick match
Paired with someone near your rating. Quick-match games are rated with Glicko-2 and count on the leaderboard.
Chess960 · Play online
Every game
starts fresh.
Chess960 shuffles the back row into one of 960 setups, so there's no opening theory to memorise. It's just you, your opponent and a position neither of you has seen.
Free. No sign-up.
Live now
Games being played right now
Setup #518(#518 is the classical setup)
How it works
960 ways to start
The pawns stay where they are. The pieces behind them are shuffled, with three rules that keep the game fair:
- 1
Bishops on opposite colours. One bishop on a light square, one on a dark square, as in classical chess.
- 2
The king between the rooks. So you can still castle on both sides.
- 3
Black mirrors White. Both armies start from the same setup, so neither side has an edge.
Castling works as you know it: the king ends on the g- or c-file with the rook beside it. To castle here, move your king onto your own rook.
Four ways to play
Find a game in seconds
Play the computer
Three levels, from a beginner to Stockfish held back to expert strength. Nobody to wait for, and nothing rated.
Invite a friend
Get a five-letter code or a link, and your friend joins in their browser. These games are casual and don't change your rating.
Watch live
Follow any game in progress, move by move, while you wait for yours.
Coming soon to iPhone
Take it with you
The iPhone app is on its way to the App Store. It will play online with the same players and the same rating, against the computer at three levels, on one phone with a friend across the table, and with someone nearby over the local network.
- Sounds and haptics for every move, capture and check
- Four board themes, and dark mode
- Join a friend from their link or a five-letter code
Questions
Good to know
What is Chess960?
A version of chess invented by Bobby Fischer, also called Fischer Random. The rules are the same as classical chess; only the starting position of the pieces behind the pawns changes, to one of 960 setups. Knowing openings by heart doesn't help, so the game is decided by play, not preparation.
Do I need an account?
No. Play as a guest: the first time you play, your browser or phone gets a random key that identifies you, with no email or password, and you can pick a name. An account is optional: with an email and a password it keeps your rating and games on any device, and they're not lost if you clear your browser's data. Create one any time; the guest's rating and games come with you.
Is it free?
Yes. There are no ads and no in-app purchases, and the iPhone app will be free too.
How do ratings work?
Quick-match games are rated with Glicko-2, starting at 1500. Your rating moves faster while it's provisional (shown with a question mark) and settles as you play. Every time control counts towards the same rating. Games with a friend's code and rematches are casual and don't change it, and neither does a game that ends before both players have moved.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes, at three levels. Easy and Medium think in your browser; Hard is Stockfish, the strongest chess engine, running on our server and held back to expert strength. Games against the computer aren't rated.
Is there a clock?
Yes, as on Lichess. Pick a time control in the lobby, from 1+0 bullet to 30+20 classical, eleven in all: the first number is minutes each, the second the seconds added after every move. Clocks start once both players have made a first move, and each has a short time for it, or the game is called off with no result. Running out of time loses, unless your opponent couldn't possibly checkmate; then it's a draw. A short network delay isn't charged to you. Or choose No clock: then a player who doesn't move for five minutes loses. In any game, a player who disconnects has a minute to come back.
Who are the other players?
People playing on the web. So there's always something to watch and someone to play, there are also house players: regulars run by the server, who come and go and play each other around the clock. If nobody's free for your quick match after about 10 seconds, one of them takes the seat; that game counts for your rating like any other. House players are on the leaderboard too.
Can I play classical chess too?
Yes. Switch the variation to Classic before you start a game.