How to Play Chess Online

Finding Games

Search online for chess websites. Use Google and search "chess games online" to find websites where you can play chess. There are many websites you can visit to play online, whether against the computer or with a friend. Visit websites like chess.com, sparkchess.com, or chessclub.com.

Download a chess app for an easy, portable option. Visit your app store and search “chess” in the search bar. Select popular apps like ChessLive, Chess Free, or Chess with Friends. After you found an app for your Apple or Android device, you can play it from your phone or computer. With some apps, you can play with others who have the same app, or you can play against the computer.

Check your computer's installed games and play Chess if you have it. Many computers come with a variety of preinstalled games, like Solitaire and Mindsweeper. Most also have Checkers or Chess installed. Click on your start button, select "All Programs," and look for the "Games" folder. Browse the options, and click on "Chess" to play!

Adjusting the Settings

Choose between playing against another user or a computer. At the start window of your game, you will have the option of selecting your opponent. Do this before you make your first move. For most games, your friends will need to use the same website or app and register an account. Click on "Play a Friend" (or something similar), and look your friends up by their username. Click on your opponent's name to start playing against your friends. To play against the computer, press "Play." You will be automatically paired against a computer opponent.

Change your board size with the resize settings option. Most games have a resize button, usually in the top right hand corner of your board. Locate your resize tool, and click on it. Then, drag the icon to the right or the left to adjust the size of your board.

Pick things like piece style and board color with board settings option. Look for a button reading "Settings," and search for the "Board Settings" option. Select the board settings icon to view the options. You can change things like the color of your pieces, the volume of your game, and the coordinates of your board. Your settings icon is usually available next to your Resize button.

Change computer difficulty in the computer game play settings. Start a new game, and click on the "Computer" user profile to pull up the settings. Here you will have options to select difficulty between 1 and 10. You can also select your player color in this window. If you are new to the chess game, select a difficulty like 1-3. For moderately experienced chess players, select 4-6 for your difficulty. If you are experienced with playing chess, but not quite undefeated, try 7-8. If you are virtually unstoppable, put your computer's difficulty on 9 or 10.

Set a time for your game in the game settings. Before you start a game online, you will see a drop down arrow listing the amount of time selected for your game. Click the arrow and select the length of time you would like to play. You can select time intervals, like 5 minutes to 60 minutes, or move rations, like 15 to 10 or 5 to 5. Rations refers to the number of moves each player will make. There is also an option to customize your time.

Moving Your Pieces

Click and drag your pieces to make moves, using your mouse or finger. Select the piece you want to move and drag it to its new location. Release your mouse when you are satisfied with your move.

Move your kings one square in any direction. Your king is the most important piece, and you want to protect it at all costs so you don't lose the game.

Position your queen anywhere, in one straight direction. Queens can move as far as possible in one direction--forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally. The queen is the most powerful piece in chess.

Slide your rooks straight in one direction, as far as you would like. Rooks can only move sideways, forwards, or backwards.

Move your bishops diagonally, as far as you want. Bishops must stay on the color that they are assigned at the beginning of the game.

Move your knights in a "L" shape. Do this by moving your knight 2 squares one way and 1 square at a 90 degree angle. They are the only piece that can hop over top of other pieces.

Move your pawn 1 space forward. When you make your pawn's first move, you have the option of moving 2 spaces forward instead of just one. You capture your opponent's piece that is positioned one space diagonally from your pawn. Pawns cannot move backwards or capture pieces behind their position.

Take turns with your opponent, striving to checkmate their king. Play back and forth and make your moves. You want to position one of your pieces in order to "check" your opponent's king piece. When another piece attacks the king, it is put in "check."

Move your king to a safe square to get out of check. You can move another piece in between your king and the opponent's attacking piece to block your king. Your opponent may capture this piece, but then the opposing piece will be in another position and your king will not be in check.

Checkmate your opponent to win the game. "Checkmate" is when you cannot remove the threat from your king. If the king is in check and cannot escape, the king is checkmated and the game is over. Whoever's king is still standing is the winner.