Chess - Play and Learn Online

Chess needs no introduction, but this app is built for both playing it and getting better at it. You can play real-time games against friends or players around the world, with time controls from a single minute to thirty minutes or more, or take your time with correspondence games. Tournaments add a competitive edge, and a rating system gives you a clear sense of progress as you win, lose and learn.

Improvement is where the app earns its keep. More than a million puzzles are rated to your level, so the tactics you practise — forks, pins, discovered attacks, checkmates in one, two or three moves — stay challenging without becoming impossible. Puzzle Rush tests how many you can solve against the clock, while lessons and coaching, made by masters, walk you through openings, endgames and strategy in a step-by-step plan. Reviewing your own games with analysis shows where a move went wrong and what would have worked instead.

Variants keep things fresh when standard chess feels familiar: Chess960 shuffles the starting position, blitz rewards quick thinking, and bullet games compress a whole battle into a few frantic minutes. You can also play offline against computer opponents at different strengths, customise the board with different themes and 3D pieces, and track detailed statistics about your games, puzzles and lessons.

Chess - Play and Learn Online is free to play, with optional purchases, and it suits complete beginners as much as club players. Beginners can learn the rules and basic tactics at their own pace, while experienced players can study seriously and compete for a higher rating. If you have ever wanted to understand chess rather than just move the pieces, this is a well-rounded place to start.