Where to play chess online
Lockdown or not, chess has never been more alive online. And luckily for us, the options have never been so numerous or so polished. The platforms listed below all allow you to:
- Play against opponents from around the world, or with friends
- Train with tactical puzzles
- Improve through coaching and lessons
A quick tour of the virtual champions.
Lichess
A platform created by a French developer, entirely free, with no ads whatsoever. The site is pleasant, functional, highly ergonomic and continuously improving. It’s my platform of choice, and the one I use with my students.
Chess.com
The #1 site in terms of traffic for many years now. A huge range of features, some of which require a subscription. Chess.com also absorbed Chess24, Magnus Carlsen’s platform, which no longer exists as an independent playing site.
Honorable mention: Europe Échecs
Not a playing platform on the same level as Lichess or Chess.com, but an essential resource for French-speaking players. Europe Échecs has been the leading chess magazine in France for decades. The site also offers online play — both live and correspondence — as well as numerous educational videos and tournament coverage.
