Chess Free - Échecs

Think you can see three moves ahead? This classic board battle puts your tactics to the test against a friend or the AI.

I loaded this up expecting a barebones chess widget and got something far less annoying. The board is clean, the pieces are recognizable, and the move highlighting actually works the way you want. Click a piece and blue or green tiles appear for legal spots — no hunting for a tiny dot that looks like a bug. If you've ever fumbled with a chess app that thinks you clicked the wrong square, this is a relief. What I like most is that it doesn't hold your hand with annoying hints every move. You have to actually look at the board. I lost a bishop to a discovered attack in my first game because I was too busy thinking about my own attack. That's chess. The local two-player mode is the real draw; hand the mouse to a friend and settle old arguments. There's also a CPU if you're solo, though it can be hit or miss depending on the difficulty you pick. For beginners, the highlighted moves are a gentle teacher without being condescending. You learn how pieces move just by clicking around. And since it runs in a browser, you can keep a game going on a school computer without installing anything. No downloads, no accounts, just a board that doesn't get in your way. If you're trying to improve, use those blue and green squares to check enemy threats before you commit to a move — it's saved me from more than one queen blunder.

Click a piece you want to move, possible tile move with blue or green color will be shown, then click one of them.

Take a moment before your first move to see which squares light up for knights — they're trickier than they look. Use the blue/green highlights to check for enemy threats: if your opponent's piece can land on your queen's square, it'll show. In local two-player, pass the mouse only after moving a piece; it avoids accidental double moves. If you're new, start against the easiest CPU and focus on not losing pieces for free. Always look for checks before capturing — pushing the enemy king can win you material.

Q: Is Chess Free - Échecs free to play? A: Yes, it runs in your browser and doesn't cost anything. Q: Can I play Chess Free - Échecs on mobile? A: It works on touch screens, though a larger display makes piece selection easier. Q: Do I need to download anything? A: No, just open the page and the game loads instantly. Q: Can I play against a friend? A: Yes, the two-player mode lets you share the same screen. Q: Is there an AI opponent? A: You can play against a computer opponent with adjustable difficulty. Q: Does it work on school computers? A: Since it's browser-based, it usually runs fine unless the site is blocked.