Game guide
Chess
Your goal
Checkmate the opposing king: attack it so that the opponent has no legal escape. Play Stockfish, a friend on one device or an online opponent.
How to play
- White moves first, then players alternate one move. Rooks move along ranks and files, bishops diagonally, queens both ways, and knights jump in an L shape. The king moves one square. Rooks, bishops and queens cannot jump over pieces.
- Pawns move one square forward, optionally two from their starting square, and capture diagonally. A pawn reaching the last rank promotes to a queen, rook, bishop or knight.
- You cannot leave your king in check. Respond by moving the king, capturing the attacker or blocking its line when possible. The king is checkmated rather than captured.
- Castling requires an unmoved king and rook with empty squares between them; the king cannot start in, cross or end in check. En passant is available immediately after the relevant two-square pawn move.
Controls
Computer
Click a piece, then a highlighted destination. Choose the promotion piece when prompted. Board rotation changes your view, not whose turn it is; offline games allow undo.
Phone or tablet
Tap a piece and a legal destination. Use the promotion choices when a pawn reaches the last rank. Online controls let you offer a draw or resign.
Progress and the end of a game
- Checkmate wins. Stalemate, insufficient material, threefold repetition and the fifty-move rule are recognised automatically as draws in this version.
- Online games give each player 10 minutes plus 5 seconds after each move. Watch your own clock; resignation also ends the game. Offline games can be resumed from their saved position.
Useful tips
- Before moving, check what your opponent attacks and whether your piece will be defended. Look for checks, captures and immediate threats for both sides.
- Develop pieces, protect your king and avoid moving the same piece repeatedly without a reason. A highlighted legal square is not necessarily a safe square.