Chess is a game of mental concentration and deep strategic skills that develop the mind and increase intelligence, and is also a rich competitive game involving two players.
Chess is mainly played as a table board game, and takes place with the moves of pieces on a black and white chessboard of 64 squares arranged in a grid of 8×8 squares.
The exact origin of chess is not entirely known but it is believed that it originally originated from the Indian game “chaturanga”, and the estimated age dates back to the 6th century.
Also, throughout history it is also known as the “royal game” because of its popularity among the nobility.
What’s really great about chess is that it’s really easy to learn, but very hard to master.
Another good thing is that thanks to the internet, training and playing online has become increasingly attractive to chess players all over the world.
But because of the really large number of different websites that allow classic chess games, sometimes it’s not easy to figure out which ones are worth using and which aren’t.
That’s why we’ve done a job here and picked a few great free places for you where you can find opponents of all levels. Live, against the computer, day and night, and play a few games in two.
So, check out below the best chess games that you can play for free online.
The best sites to play chess online for free
1. Chess.com
A fantastic place for every motivated chess enthusiast is an online training platform chess.com. This online platform attracts millions of chess players from around the world and currently has more than 7 million members.
Chess.com allows you to easily find opponents at your level, whether you are a beginner or a grandmaster.
You can choose from a range of different time controls for live gaming. From 1-minute and 5-minute fast games to 60-minute games and even correspondence games where you have a few days to move.
A table with more than 3 million users gives you the opportunity to compare your gaming power with other users.
On top of that, you can use Chess.com for free on your mobile device with apps for Android and iOS. This allows you to play chess online for free wherever you are.
2. Lichess
Another promising site to visit for chess tactics training is lichess.org. The website offers a variety of online live gaming modes as well as training features.
In addition to the ability to play standard chess games with a variety of time controls, you can choose from 8 different chess variations such as Chess960, Atomic chess or Three-check chess. This allows you to combine chess training with a lot of fun.
A small drawback about all these chess variations is that the online community at lichess.org is not too big.
Sometimes it takes time to find an opponent who wants to play against you in your chosen chess variation.
3. Sparkchess
Sparkchess is another place worth visiting if you want to play online and improve your chess skills.
This classic chess game has a simple and intuitive interface suitable for children and adults, and is designed for fun.
The platform allows for a different selection of plate styles. From a fantastic theme great for sparkling imagination and capturing children’s attention to a serious diagram mode suitable for advanced players who don’t want to be distracted.
One of the great features of this chess game is the ability to play on a real 3D board where you can rotate, zoom in and move pieces.
SparkChess also has a vibrant online multiplayer community. More than 100,000 monthly chess players come online to play chess with friends or challenge someone new. You have the opportunity to play free chess games against the computer or against other live players online.
4. Chess24
Chess24 is currently one of the most popular websites for playing chess games on the internet.
It offers almost everything a chess player needs – a large zone that allows you to play live not only against players of any level, but also many more training opportunities.
You can play chess with various time controls, participate in different tournaments and find new friends to play against regularly in the lobby.
To top it all off, Chess24 has a great user interface and a regularly updated best-score board that allows you to always keep an eye on various conditions.
In addition, this online free chess game does not bind you to the computer because you can download the application and benefitall services on mobile.
5. Playchess.com
Playchess.com site is owned by ChessBase, the creators of the most popular chess database software.
Whether you are a beginner or a master of chess, on this site you can safely find your ideal opponent online.
It offers all kinds of opportunities to deal with chess topics, from training and playing, learning and even watching grandmasters play in tournaments. You can also see other players’ profiles, and view their moves and stats.
Playchess has games for beginners, which can give you a limited number of tips, or you can play a normal game with elements of time control (such as a bullet, blitz or slow game), without advice.
And if you’re basically a pro, you can jump into a tournament and win a prize. It also offers a large database of more than eight million games, and even allows you to store your own in the cloud for later analysis.
For learning, the site offers a plethora of tactical training videos and a tool to develop and practice your strategies.
Although this site is the only one on our list that does not offer a mobile app, it is still free. Its library of training tools and gaming options is absolutely worth checking out, regardless of your level or rank.
Play online classic chess games
You don’t have to be a grandmaster to play a game of chess.
All you need is a decent internet connection and one of these great free websites for classic chess games online. There you can learn or perfect your skills against other players or computers.
Generally speaking, most chess sites offer a balanced variety of resources to play and learn how the game works. They offer the possibility of playing individual games as well as tournament games.
They are also great for analyzing games and watching live streams of professionals playing in global tournaments, and most are compatible with a multitude of languages because chess is an internationalfavorite game.
Use tools to learn chess skills
New players or those looking to improve their chess skills should choose a place that offers powerful learning tools, from lessons and puzzles to video tutorials and tactics coaches.
This will ensure that you not only know the basics, but also learn to think like a chess master.
And if you want to get serious about it, some of these sites even have professional trainers that you can hire for regular classes to help you teach tactics, analysis, and strategy.
And finally, there’s no better way to become a good chess player than playing lots of games. The above sites for free online live chess games offer you the opportunity to dive deep into the black and white world.