Arcadópolis
Chess
Free online chess against the computer
Free chess in your browser, with nothing to download and no account: play against the computer on Easy, Normal or Hard, as white, black or random. Drag the pieces or tap them to move.
You can also play two players on the same device or solve the daily puzzle, a mate in 2 with a single key move, the same for everyone, that keeps track of your streak. Every rule is there: castling, en passant, promotion and draws by stalemate, repetition, the 50-move rule and insufficient material.
The pieces were drawn for Arcadópolis and there are three boards: walnut, marble and jade. Every move plays a different note. It’s one of the 51 games in the Games folder.
Free, no ads, nothing to install.
Install Chess on its own on your home screen
What it has
- Against the computer on three levels, with its own engine that thinks without freezing the screen.
- Two players on the same device.
- The daily puzzle: a mate in 2, the same for everyone, with streaks.
- Undo, hints and resign.
- Notation in English or Spanish, and copying the game as PGN.
- Three boards, keyboard play and your unfinished game saved.
How to play
- Open the Games folder, tap Chess and choose your opponent.
- Tap a piece to see where it can go and tap the square, or drag it.
- Protect your king and try to leave the other king in check with no way out.
- Checkmate wins; the game can also end in a draw.
The three levels
On Easy the computer looks one move ahead and sometimes blunders: it’s good for learning how each piece moves. On Normal it thinks several moves ahead and knows openings. On Hard it calculates much deeper and punishes mistakes; beating it is a real achievement.
If you get stuck, Hint suggests a move, and Undo lets you try another idea.
The daily puzzle
Every day there’s a new position where white mates in 2 moves, and only one first move works. It’s the same for everyone and changes at midnight, Mexico City time. Solving it day after day grows your streak.
If you’re just starting: how each piece moves
The pawn moves forward one square (two on its first move) and captures diagonally; if it reaches the far side, it promotes into another piece, almost always a queen. The knight jumps in an L shape and is the only piece that can leap over others. The bishop moves diagonally, the rook in straight lines and the queen combines both. The king steps one square in any direction and can never be left in check.
When you tap a piece, the board shows its possible squares, so you can learn the rules by playing against Easy.
Common questions
Can I play chess against the computer for free?
Yes, with no account and nothing to download, on three levels. You choose whether you play white, black or random.
Can two people play?
Yes, on the same device: each player moves on their turn. You can flip the board and undo moves.
Is my game saved?
Yes. If you close the window, your unfinished game waits for you. You can also copy it as PGN to review it in another program.
Also in Arcadópolis
CheckersEnglish (8 × 8) or international (10 × 10) checkers, against the computer on three levels or two players.
ReversiTrap your opponent’s pieces on a 64-square board, against the computer or two players.
Ultimate Tic-Tac-ToeNine tic-tac-toe boards inside one: win three small boards in a row, against the computer or two players.
Arcadópolis has 66 more apps on the same desktop: games, music, a 3D museum and a 3D library.