Chess AI
Play chess against a computer with four difficulty levels, challenge a friend on the same screen, or watch two bots battle on a wooden board, free in your browser.
About Chess AI
Chess AI is a relaxed, good-looking chess board with a wooden frame and smooth sliding pieces. Tap or drag a piece and every legal square lights up, while tiny icons on each tile show which of your pieces can reach it, so threats and captures are easy to spot at a glance.
The rules are complete: moves that would leave your king in check are blocked, castling, en passant and promotion (to a queen, rook, bishop or knight) all work, and the game recognises checkmate, stalemate, threefold repetition, the fifty-move rule and insufficient material. The computer opponent can play random moves, as in the original version, or think for real at Easy, Medium and Hard, and it does its thinking in the background so the board never freezes.
Play White or Black against the computer, hand the device to a friend for a two-player game, or sit back and watch a bot-versus-bot game at up to 20 moves per second. Undo takes back your last move, and your game and options are saved automatically, so you can close the page and carry on later.
How to play
Choose who you play in the options (White, Black, 2 players or Watch) and the computer's strength. To move, tap one of your pieces and then tap a highlighted square, or simply drag the piece there. Dots mark free squares and red rings mark captures. When a pawn reaches the last rank, pick the piece it becomes. Checkmate the enemy king to win; the game also ends in a draw by stalemate, repetition, the fifty-move rule or insufficient material.
Controls
- Tap / Click piece, then square
- Select a piece and move or capture
- Drag piece
- Move a piece by dragging it to a highlighted square
- Undo button / U
- Take back your last move
- Flip button / F
- Turn the board around (point of view)
- New game button
- Start again (tap twice during a game)
- You play / Computer / Speed
- Pick your side, the AI level and its moves per second
- Esc
- Cancel the current selection
Tips
- Watch the small piece icons on each square: they show which of your pieces can move there, and red icons mark the captures available.
- Start on Random or Easy to learn the moves, then move up to Medium and Hard when you start winning.
- Choose 2 players to play a friend on the same screen, taking turns with the pieces.
- Pick Watch and a speed of 20 to see a whole computer game play out in seconds.
Screenshots
FAQ
Is Chess AI free to play?
Yes. It is completely free and runs in your browser with no download or sign-up.
Can I play on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Tap a piece and then a highlighted square, or drag it. The board fills the screen in both portrait and landscape, and the options move to a pop-up panel on small screens.
How strong is the computer opponent?
You choose: Random plays any legal move, Easy makes beginner mistakes, Medium plays solid tactical chess and Hard looks several moves ahead. None of them is a grandmaster, so it is great for practice and casual games.
Is my game saved?
Yes. The current game and your options are stored in your browser, so you can close the page and continue later.
