Chess
The ultimate game of strategy. Checkmate the enemy king.
Play vs the computer
A single-player match against the AI — runs right here in your browser.
Create a room
Pick a game and player count, then share the invite code.
How to play
The goal
Chess is a two-player strategy game on an 8×8 board. Each side commands 16 pieces and aims to checkmate the enemy king — to attack it so that it cannot escape capture on the next move.
How the pieces move
Pawns advance one square (two from their start) and capture diagonally. Rooks move in straight lines, bishops diagonally, and the queen in any direction. Knights jump in an L-shape and the king moves one square at a time. Special moves include castling, en passant and pawn promotion.
Winning the game
You win by delivering checkmate. A game is drawn by stalemate, insufficient material, threefold repetition or the fifty-move rule. On Playza you can also offer a draw or resign at any time.
Frequently asked questions
- Is chess free to play on Playza?
- Yes. Chess is completely free, runs in your browser and needs no download — play a friend in real time or face the AI bot.
- Can I play chess against the computer?
- Yes. Choose vs computer and pick an easy, medium or hard bot. The hard bot uses a stronger engine for a real challenge.
- Who moves first in chess?
- White always moves first. Colours are assigned when the game starts, and in a rematch they swap so each player gets a turn with White.