Play Chess vs Computer
Play chess against the computer for free. Face Stockfish at five difficulty levels in your browser — no download, no account — then review with engine analysis.
Play a full game against the computer here — no account, nothing to install. The opponent is Stockfish 16, one of the strongest chess engines in the world, held back on purpose to whichever level you choose. Pick a side and a strength, and the first move is one click away. Every finished game gets an analysis afterwards — an evaluation bar, the moves that actually changed the result, and where each side lost the most.
Which opponent to pick
- Sprout (about 700) still forgets its pieces. If you have just learned how the knight moves, this is the one that lets you finish a game.
- Harpoon (about 1300) attacks early and goes for your king. Survive the first fifteen moves and it usually falls apart — good practice at not panicking.
- The Wall (about 1600) rarely blunders and trades whenever it can. It teaches endgames, because that is where it beats you.
- Mirror plays at your own rating, so the game stays close whatever that rating is. It is the honest measure of where you actually are.
- The Master plays at full strength, around 2600. Nobody expects to win; it is for seeing what happens when a mistake gets punished immediately.
Getting something out of it
- Play the level just above the one you beat comfortably. An engine you always lose to teaches nothing except that you lose.
- Take a move back when you spot the mistake yourself, not when you dislike the position — the first is study, the second is a new game with extra steps.
- Read the analysis afterwards and look only at the two or three moves marked as blunders. A whole game reviewed at once is a whole game forgotten at once.
- An engine never gets tired or falls for the same trap twice, so treat a loss as information rather than a verdict.
Questions people ask
- Is it free?
- Yes, all five levels and the analysis afterwards. There is nothing to buy on this site.
- Do I need an account?
- No. An account only matters if you want a rating, online games against people, or your games kept.
- How strong is the computer?
- From roughly 700 to 2600 Elo. It is Stockfish held back on purpose at the lower levels, so a weak bot plays like a weak human rather than a strong one making random moves.
- Can I take a move back?
- Yes, and you can ask for a hint. Both are there because this is practice, not a rated game.
- Does it work on a phone?
- Yes, and there is no app to install — the board is built for a small screen.