How to play against friend on Chess.com
One of the best parts of chess is playing with friends, which is why we’ve made it easy for you to play against a friend in several ways. Just follow the steps below!
📚Check out this article to learn how to add a friend: How do I send a friend request?
Web
1. From the homescreen
One way to challenge a friend is to click on 'Play a Friend' on your homescreen
This will take you to the 'Play' page and show you a list of your friends and a search bar for you to type the name of the user you want to play against
Select the player and customize the game settings to your liking - If you and your friend are very far apart in rating, you may want to try an Odds Game
Click 'Play' to start the game.
📝 Your friend must be online to accept a Live challenge; otherwise, the challenge will expire after a few minutes. For a Daily game, it doesn't matter if your opponent is online, offline, or in a game. The request will wait for them to accept it.
2. From a user's profile
Another way you can challenge a friend is by simply going to their profile, and clicking 'Challenge'
Or, click on their username anywhere you see it and click on the 'Challenge' icon (chessboard with a plus sign) from the bottom menu.
3. URL
Another way to challenge your friend is by using a shortcut URL: chess.com/play/username.
Replace 'Username' in the URL with the member's username you want to challenge, then put the URL in your address bar. This will take you directly to a challenge for that member!
Mobile
Tap 'Play' on your homescreen to get to the new game menu and select 'Play a Friend'
Choose which of your friends to challenge or if you know the username of someone you want to challenge, type it in the username field
Once you've picked your opponent, you will be taken back to the custom game screen, and you will now see your friend's name as your opponent
When you have all the settings as you like them, and are ready, tap 'Play' and your friend will receive the notification of your challenge! When they accept, the game will start!
